What are the basic android UI design principles?

Android website has a dedicated page[1] for UI Design Principles. I’ll list it down for you in brief anyway

Just to let you know, all these principles are mainly based on First Principles Of Interaction Design[2] by Bruce "Tog" Tognazzini - who designed Apple’s first human interface and spent 14 years in the company with Steve Jobs.

Tog’s principles not only covers mobile but any digital interaction.

Anyway, so android design principles are categorised into 3 sections

Enchant User

• Delight user in surprising ways
• Real objects are more fun than buttons and menus
• Let user make it his own
• Get to know user

Simplify User’s Life

• Keep it brief
• Pictures are faster than words
• Decide for user, but let him have the final say
• Only show what user needs, when he needs it
• User should always know where he is (in the system)
• Never lose user’s stuff
• If it looks the same, it should act the same
• Only interrupt user if it's important

Make User Amazing

• Give user tricks that work everywhere (throughout the system)
• It's not user’s fault
• Sprinkle encouragement
• Do the heavy lifting for user
• Make important things fast

If it feels very overwhelming to understand, I recommend that you start wireframing and once you’re ready with it, cross check it with each of the point above.

Hope it helps :)

Footnotes

[1] Android Design Principles[2] First Principles of Interaction Design (Revised & Expanded)