Home button must go (on the front at least)

[sunking101]

The Home button is a very functional feature; the Touch ID alone has demonstrably changed the way I use my phone for the better (i.e. I actually have security enabled whereas before it was too much of a bother for me).

Complaining about the bottom bezel and then clamoring for onscreen buttons makes no sense to me; why waste screen real estate with buttons that you may or may not be using at the moment when you can stick something on the bezel and let the screen be for displaying content? Yes, the Android screen buttons can be dismissed by some apps, but you then have to go through more steps to get back to the homescreen whereas the iPhone home button gets you there in a single click.

I do not like the onscreen buttons; I feel like the Home button on the iPhone is more functional in general (again, particularly with Touch ID) and as others have pointed out, is a big plus for the disabled community.

I'm sorry, but if you're disabled then one button which has extremely limited use is not going to help much. Touch ID can be incorporated elsewhere, it does not need to be on a large button. It could be anywhere on the bezel, or even the screen itself. A physical button, which is a large part of the UI on a touchscreen phone in 2014, is old tech. A home button is a home button, it doesn't need to be 'old school'. If physical, hard buttons are so important, then why isn't there a slide-out keypad? The phone is touchscreen, the keyboard is touchscreen! I would ask that if someone cannot operate the phone unless they have a physical home button, then how exactly do they utilise any of the other features??

 

[MacDawg]

I won't buy another phone with that home button.

We all have things that are important to us, but my phone choice is based on so much more than just the home button

 

[Gincoma]

Im thinking the "home button" is destroying the OPs life which has me laughing...Thanks

 

[ZombiePete]

I'm sorry, but if you're disabled then one button which has extremely limited use is not going to help much.

And you're the right person to be making that declaration on behalf of all the disabled people out there, right?

 

[Toltepeceno]

Before I got an iphone I didn't think I would like the mechanical home button, but I do. If an android (most anyways) freezes up and the onscreen buttons do not respond you can pull the battery. You can't on an iphone. The only way I can see it not being a problem on an iphone is if there is a mechanical mode to reboot, such as a small hidden button or something......but what's the point since the home button works fine?

Before anyone asks I HAVE had my iphone freeze up a few times. App related, but it can happen.

 

[sunking101]

Before I got an iphone I didn't think I would like the mechanical home button, but I do. If an android (most anyways) freezes up and the onscreen buttons do not respond you can pull the battery. You can't on an iphone. The only way I can see it not being a problem on an iphone is if there is a mechanical mode to reboot, such as a small hidden button or something......but what's the point since the home button works fine?

Before anyone asks I HAVE had my iphone freeze up a few times. App related, but it can happen.

You still have to (also) press the power/wake button, so utilising a volume key instead of the old home button would be SO simple to implement.
Android phones have this feature, you don't need to remove the battery.

 

[Toltepeceno]

You still have to (also) press the power/wake button, so utilising a volume key instead of the old home button would be SO simple to implement.
Android phones have this feature, you don't need to remove the battery.

I did on my galaxy s2, when frozen the combination buttons would not work. Removing the battery was the only way. It's the kids problem now.

 

[sunking101]

I did on my galaxy s2, when frozen the combination buttons would not work. Removing the battery was the only way. It's the kids problem now.

You were holding it wrong ;-)

 

[Kryckter]

We all have things that are important to us, but my phone choice is based on so much more than just the home button

Winner!

Its just a button... And I do not wan the screen any taller by eliminating this said button. Screen needs to go wider, not taller!

 

[BenTrovato]

Whether a home button is there or not is not going to affect my decision to purchase a new iPhone... but I agree that it is a bit dated now since the screen can now replace everything the home button was originally designed for, even finger printing.

I can't believe they don't have a small led indicator that flashes when you have a new message instead of having to press the home button to light up the entire screen just to check if a new message came in.

 

[bnmcj1]

I do not get it. The home button is against Apples design philosophy as I see it. It is not necessary with active display tech. Why is it there then, making the phone so tall. Even Apples 4 inch phone is as tall as a 5 inch.

 

[KUguardgrl13]

I'm sorry, but if you're disabled then one button which has extremely limited use is not going to help much. Touch ID can be incorporated elsewhere, it does not need to be on a large button. It could be anywhere on the bezel, or even the screen itself. A physical button, which is a large part of the UI on a touchscreen phone in 2014, is old tech. A home button is a home button, it doesn't need to be 'old school'. If physical, hard buttons are so important, then why isn't there a slide-out keypad? The phone is touchscreen, the keyboard is touchscreen! I would ask that if someone cannot operate the phone unless they have a physical home button, then how exactly do they utilise any of the other features??

Oh, I don't know, maybe it's because the blind use their phones as PHONES?! They use Siri via the home button to initiate calls for a variety of reasons as well as texting and other features, I'm sure. You should also know that not every blind person has no vision. Some can see large print, so they have ways to increase the font size so they can read it or turn on voice over. Just because they can't play angry birds doesn't mean they should be limited to cheap feature phones with physical buttons (with which they would probably have to dial out phone numbers or set up speed dial rather than just saying "call Mom"). Anyone should be able to buy any device if it serves their needs and they can afford it. Since flagship phones are touchscreen, they need to include some accessibility for those who can't see. Apple has done amazing marketing with the visually impaired community by building in accessibility at the device and OS level without the need for third party apps. This goes for OS X as well. OP, just because you don't need it doesn't mean that everyone can live that way. ADA would seriously disagree with you.

For myself, I appreciate having the physical button for Siri and resets when I need to do them. I can't speak for Touch ID since I have an iPhone 5. My other smartphone before the 5 was a BlackBerry Storm2, and it required a battery pull to reset. That meant taking of the case, the back panel, and then pulling the battery and waiting. Then I had to put the battery in followed by the back panel and the case. Too much work just to get a malfunctioning app to quit which happened a lot. Onscreen touch buttons also waste screen real estate (the Storm2 had onscreen buttons). I also like that the top and bottom bezels are the same size. Since the top bezel has to exist for the earpiece and camera, there might as well he something on the bottom, and why not the symbol that distinguishes an iPhone from any other smartphone? Touch ID would also be awkward if it wasn't right under your thumb.

OP, you're entitled to your opinion, but Apple is not going to get rid of the home button just because you think they should.

 

[Toltepeceno]

You were holding it wrong ;-)

Sorry, you are wrong. We have 3 of them and I know them inside out. I do work on phones and computers on the side, before retiring I did it full time. Don't call someone stupid that you don't know. Download mode (slightly different) is easy when not frozen, I did all updates with odin as our internet is slow and only had to download once and know these phones inside out. The button reset's DO NOT WORK when frozen, period.

I've changed the usb port on one of them, stopped working. The point is that I am not a rookie that does not know how to push the buttons.

 

[sunking101]

Sorry, you are wrong. We have 3 of them and I know them inside out. I do work on phones and computers on the side, before retiring I did it full time. Don't call someone stupid that you don't know. Download mode (slightly different) is easy when not frozen, I did all updates with odin as our internet is slow and only had to download once and know these phones inside out. The button reset's DO NOT WORK when frozen, period.

I've changed the usb port on one of them, stopped working. The point is that I am not a rookie that does not know how to push the buttons.

It was an Apple-themed joke ;-)

 

[Gincoma]

I do not get it. The home button is against Apples design philosophy as I see it. It is not necessary with active display tech. Why is it there then, making the phone so tall. Even Apples 4 inch phone is as tall as a 5 inch.

Just switch to Android and be done with it instead of having a physical home button keeping you up at night. Just saying

 

[ApfelKuchen]

I do not get it. The home button is against Apples design philosophy as I see it. It is not necessary with active display tech. Why is it there then, making the phone so tall. Even Apples 4 inch phone is as tall as a 5 inch.

Does active display tech work when the machine is frozen and needs a reset? Does it provide tactile feedback for "eyes-free" operations (like raising/lowering phone volume while on a call, throwing the ringer mute switch when you're in a movie theater, or making sure your finger is in the correct location to be scanned)?

In a perfect world, there would be no moving parts, right? Don't let that utopian dream get in the way of practical considerations!

 

[sunking101]

Does active display tech work when the machine is frozen and needs a reset? Does it provide tactile feedback for "eyes-free" operations (like raising/lowering phone volume while on a call, throwing the ringer mute switch when you're in a movie theater, or making sure your finger is in the correct location to be scanned)?

In a perfect world, there would be no moving parts, right? Don't let that utopian dream get in the way of practical considerations!

The volume keys aren't pressed a million times per year, and nor is the mute switch slid on/off a hundred times per day. The home button gets poop loads of hammer and it also takes up valuable real estate. Why so many people are defending a big round button is beyond me. As for the hard reset thing, the 'up' volume button could be programmed to do exactly the same thing. It's a lame excuse to keep the old-style mechanical home button.

 

[Toltepeceno]

It was an Apple-themed joke ;-)

Ah, sorry. Was watching mexico play and high strung I guess.

 

[Stuntman06]

I'm still struggling to see what a hard button can do that a soft button can't :-/
Hard buttons are fragile and take up more space (externally and internally) than a capacitive or on-screen button.

I like the home button as it makes it easier to wake the phone when it is on the car mount. I found that trying to press the power button (normally on the side or top of phones) is more difficult in this case than just pressing the home button which is on the bottom front of the phone.

 

[ThatsMeRight]

In my opinion, the home button shouldn't go.

It's a multi-functional, easy to use button. And it is really easy to understand for a lot of not-so-technical users (e.g. "In trouble? Just click on the home button.").

A capacitive-touch home button will not work as well and is prone to accidental touches. Additionally, it would mean Touch ID would have to go (as there is no viable technology yet to implement it in the entire display).

Should the top bezel go? Maybe, but let's not forget that it is part of Apple's "iconic" iPhone design.

 

[Gincoma]

The volume keys aren't pressed a million times per year, and nor is the mute switch slid on/off a hundred times per day. The home button gets poop loads of hammer and it also takes up valuable real estate. Why so many people are defending a big round button is beyond me. As for the hard reset thing, the 'up' volume button could be programmed to do exactly the same thing. It's a lame excuse to keep the old-style mechanical home button.

And why people are bitching about a round button is beyong me...

 

[ThatsMeRight]

I do not get it. The home button is against Apples design philosophy as I see it. It is not necessary with active display tech. Why is it there then, making the phone so tall. Even Apples 4 inch phone is as tall as a 5 inch.

Have you used phones with a capacitive-touch home button? In my opinion, it is absolutely terrible to use.

Additionally, the home button makes the iPhone easy to understand for a lot of not-so-technical people. Lost? In trouble? Just click that nice, big circle on the bottom of the device.

EDIT Even more so, if Apple abandoned the home button, than I would seriously consider dropping the iPhone all-together and go with a phone that still has a physical home button.

 

[cynics]

Home button must go (on the front at least)

I did on my galaxy s2, when frozen the combination buttons would not work. Removing the battery was the only way. It's the kids problem now.

S2 might not have that feature but plenty of Android phones and tablets that don't have removable batteries are reset with volume up + power. It's no different then home + power. And since those phones and tablets do not have removable batteries it works flawlessly.

Btw the opposite of volume down + power takes a screen shot before anyone mentions that the iPhone would lose that function.

............

Personally the home button doesn't bother me but I feel Apple could make a much better phone without it.

A capacitive button is still the utilization of hardware activating software. I think a lot of people don't realize that. It's a button that is activating software. Like the power button, it's not actually a power switch. Integrating further away from hardware and more toward software is generally always beneficial to the consumer (there are a few exceptions).

 

[Gathomblipoob]

The home button already goes on the front.

Sorry. Couldn't help it.

 

[androiphone]

I'm split on the home button, I do prefer capacitive or on screen because they are much much less prone to failure, and there is no 'problem' restarting the device if it freezes because you just hold down power + whatever for so long.

I also reject the 'easiness' of a physical button if it is displayed on the screen or as a capacitive button then they just tap there to go straight home, it is no harder to the general consumer esp if it is a picture of a house.

I don't know if you guys have used an iPad but they have a 4 or 5 finger pinch and you return to the home screen, and that is fantastic, one button in one place on a tablet is crazy, you can use it at all orientations and the home button is never where you expect it to be and Apple addressed it. Obviously can't really be done on an iPhone though.

But for a phone it is good to be able to use it one handed and without looking 100% of the time at the screen, eg. you fire off a message and you are looking at the screen while typing but then you can tap home and sleep the device while not looking at the device at all.

What I would personally like to see is the home button shrunk down, I do think it is a little big, what I think would work better is a shorter but same width oval button, it would have all the benefits but allowing the device to be shorter and at the same time removing the same amount of bezel from the top to make it symmetrical.