iPhone - Poor ergonomics

siiip5 · Nov 29, 2012, 09:39 PM

I have bought every generation of iPhone, but it wasn't until I bought the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Note 2, that I realized how poor the iPhone's design/ergonomics were.

Here are some ergonomic issues:

1. Two handed use sucks. Impossible to use with two-hands in most instances, like FPS games.
2. Placement of power button is awful. When I pick the phone up, my thumb is naturally on the side, exactly where the power button is on the S3. iphone's placement on the top was because they were lazy and just copied the ipod.
3. The volume buttons are too small and too easily pushed. I have pushed the volume up button, when I meant to hit the volume down button. You have to look to see which button is which. If there was a long rocker arm, you would always know if you were hitting volume up or down.
4. The single home button, with no 'back' or 'menu' buttons on the left and right of the physical home button is not a good idea. You have to constantly hit the home button over and over again, just to do simple tasks, like close apps or get into another app.
5. No way to take off the back cover and remove the battery in order to use an SD card or multiple SIM cards, so I can easily move large multi-gigabytes of data from a computer to my phone.
6. Hold switch is badly built. often fails and falls off. a physical hold button isn't needed.
7. No notification light or way to silently give you visual notifications.

iPhone is simply too tiny, but good if you are a small person with small hands. Bigger phones by Android and WP's are just better sized.

dalbir4444 · Nov 29, 2012, 09:41 PM

Lol. Come on dude.

3bs · Nov 29, 2012, 09:53 PM

1. Not true or just personal preference.
2. Personal preference and the phone isn't exactly that big or tall that you can't easily reach it like on some android phones.
3. Small, yeah a bit but definitely not easily pushed.
4. Agreed.
5. How is this related to ergonomics?

6. Hold switch? What is that?
7. refer to number 5

Be honest, did you start this thread because of the Galaxy Note 2 - poor ergonomics thread?

F123D · Nov 29, 2012, 09:55 PM

I found the sharp edges of the iPhone unpleasant and doesn't conform well in the hand. Often times, its difficult to pick up when laying on a flat surface as well.

siiip5 · Nov 29, 2012, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3bs

Be honest, did you start this thread because of the Galaxy Note 2 - poor ergonomics thread?

I can neither confirm, nor deny.

Lindsford · Nov 29, 2012, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siiip5

I can neither confirm, nor deny.

Can't decide which thread is more ridiculous.

The guy who is upset he can't use a 5.5 screen in one hand. Or the OP who's upset about the guys who upset.

mentaluproar · Nov 29, 2012, 10:11 PM

My 4S is unpleasant in one hand, much worse with a case. The 5 would be better for me. I don't exactly have pianist hands.

dalbir4444 · Nov 29, 2012, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lindsford

Can't decide which thread is more ridiculous.

The guy who is upset he can't use a 5.5 screen in one hand. Or the OP who's upset about the guys who upset.

Yeah but that guy was actually serious.

steviewhy · Nov 29, 2012, 10:29 PM

If Steve Jobs knew what I was doing with my other hand he never would have allowed one handed operation to happen.

siiip5 · Nov 29, 2012, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalbir4444

Yeah but that guy was actually serious.

Hey, at least I tried to make it look serious. Although I was shooting for ridiculous as well.

smellysox8 · Nov 30, 2012, 12:21 AM

Seriously though, power button in the top is a pain.

mib1800 · Nov 30, 2012, 12:33 AM

Seriously, what with iphone soft back button has to be placed at the top left corner.
Wait...iphone is designed from the ground up

to be used two-handed.

matttye · Nov 30, 2012, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F123D

I found the sharp edges of the iPhone unpleasant and doesn't conform well in the hand. Often times, its difficult to pick up when laying on a flat surface as well.

The phone is ridiculously easy to pick up and hold. So much so that I've never given it a second thought.

In two threads I've read that the phone is hard to pick up, and that it's hard to type on the iPhone because you have to keep lifting your thumbs up. Honestly, what kind of sub-humans are posting this tosh?

I get the feeling you're criticising for the heck of it.

Nov 29, 2012, 09:39 PM	#1
siiip5 Banned Join Date: Nov 2012	iPhone - Poor ergonomics I have bought every generation of iPhone, but it wasn't until I bought the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Note 2, that I realized how poor the iPhone's design/ergonomics were. Here are some ergonomic issues: 1. Two handed use sucks. Impossible to use with two-hands in most instances, like FPS games. 2. Placement of power button is awful. When I pick the phone up, my thumb is naturally on the side, exactly where the power button is on the S3. iphone's placement on the top was because they were lazy and just copied the ipod. 3. The volume buttons are too small and too easily pushed. I have pushed the volume up button, when I meant to hit the volume down button. You have to look to see which button is which. If there was a long rocker arm, you would always know if you were hitting volume up or down. 4. The single home button, with no 'back' or 'menu' buttons on the left and right of the physical home button is not a good idea. You have to constantly hit the home button over and over again, just to do simple tasks, like close apps or get into another app. 5. No way to take off the back cover and remove the battery in order to use an SD card or multiple SIM cards, so I can easily move large multi-gigabytes of data from a computer to my phone. 6. Hold switch is badly built. often fails and falls off. a physical hold button isn't needed. 7. No notification light or way to silently give you visual notifications. iPhone is simply too tiny, but good if you are a small person with small hands. Bigger phones by Android and WP's are just better sized.
	6

Nov 29, 2012, 09:55 PM	#4
F123D macrumors 68030 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SoCal	I found the sharp edges of the iPhone unpleasant and doesn't conform well in the hand. Often times, its difficult to pick up when laying on a flat surface as well. __________________ Jailbroken iPhone 3G -> Jailbroken iPhone 4 -> iPhone 5 -> Galaxy Note II
	4

Nov 29, 2012, 10:11 PM	#7
mentaluproar macrumors 6502a Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ohio, USA	My 4S is unpleasant in one hand, much worse with a case. The 5 would be better for me. I don't exactly have pianist hands. __________________ Powered by OSX 10.9 Ocelot Will someone please make a safari extension that gives us back the downvote button?
	0

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Nov 29, 2012, 09:41 PM	#2
dalbir4444 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2012	Lol. Come on dude.
	0

Nov 29, 2012, 09:53 PM	#3
3bs macrumors 601 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Dublin, Ireland	1. Not true or just personal preference. 2. Personal preference and the phone isn't exactly that big or tall that you can't easily reach it like on some android phones. 3. Small, yeah a bit but definitely not easily pushed. 4. Agreed. 5. How is this related to ergonomics? 6. Hold switch? What is that? 7. refer to number 5 Be honest, did you start this thread because of the Galaxy Note 2 - poor ergonomics thread?
	1

Nov 29, 2012, 10:29 PM	#9
steviewhy macrumors member Join Date: Oct 2011	If Steve Jobs knew what I was doing with my other hand he never would have allowed one handed operation to happen.
	0

Nov 30, 2012, 12:21 AM	#11
smellysox8 macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2012	Seriously though, power button in the top is a pain.
	0

Nov 30, 2012, 12:33 AM	#12
mib1800 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2012	Seriously, what with iphone soft back button has to be placed at the top left corner. Wait...iphone is designed from the ground up to be used two-handed.
	0