iOS 11 Dock and Gesture Controls to Replace 'iPhone 8' Home Button Entirely

[MacRumors]

Apple's upcoming "iPhone 8" could rely entirely on gesture controls for carrying out tasks like navigating to the home screen and opening the new multitasking App Switcher in iOS 11, a new report on Wednesday claimed.

Apple has tested the complete removal of the home button - including even a virtual one - in favor of touch-based gestures, according to images of the new OLED iPhone viewed by Bloomberg and seen by people familiar with the company's plans. Those gestures are said to begin by dragging up a "thin bar" from the bottom of the screen to open the device to the home screen, where an app dock resides.

Across the bottom of the screen there's a thin, software bar in lieu of the home button. A user can drag it up to the middle of the screen to open the phone. When inside an app, a similar gesture starts multitasking. From here, users can continue to flick upwards to close the app and go back to the home screen. An animation in testing sucks the app back into its icon. The multitasking interface has been redesigned to appear like a series of standalone cards that can be swiped through, versus the stack of cards on current iPhones, the images show. 

The iPhone dock will appear on the home screen in a similar way to the iPad dock as seen in the iOS 11 beta, but with six rows of up to 24 icons per screen, according to the report.

In addition to the software-based changes, Bloomberg said that the new OLED screen on Apple's "premium" handset is rounded on the corners, whereas current iPhone screens have square corners. The power button on the right side of the phone is also reportedly longer so that it's easier to press while holding the device in one hand, according to images.

Elsewhere, in perhaps a more contentious move, Apple has apparently opted not to hide the notch area at the top of the OLED screen, so a definite cutout area will be visible when using apps with non-black backgrounds.

The cutout is noticeable during app usage in the middle of the very top of the screen, where the status bar (the area that shows cellular reception, the time, and battery life) would normally be placed, according to the images. Instead, the status bar will be split into left and right sides, which some Apple employees call "ears" internally. In images of recent test devices, the left side shows the time while the area on the right side of the notch displays cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity and remaining battery life. Because of limited space, the status bar could change based on the task at hand, according to a person familiar with the testing.

Bloomberg also claims that when the display shows black, the superior color reproduction of the OLED screen ensures that it "blends in perfectly" with the notch and thin edges on the front. The screen is also reportedly flat like previous iPhones, in contrast to the fully curved displays found on Samsung's latest smartphones.

This is also interesting pic.twitter.com/JdYDhZDkev - Guilherme Rambo (@_inside) August 21, 2017

Video from iOS 11 beta showing App Switcher control gesture.​

Lastly, the report adds that Apple plans to include a stainless steel band around the phone which the glass curves into. According to images seen by Bloomberg, the steel band "has small antenna cuts on the corners like past iPhones to improve reception".

While Apple often tests different designs of its products, the hardware details covered here will have been finalized long ago, although the software interface could still change before iOS 11 gets its official public release. Apple is expected to debut the redesigned OLED iPhone at a September 12 launch event alongside iterative updates to its current smartphone line-up, as well as a new upgraded Apple TV with 4K support and Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE capability.

Article Link: iOS 11 Dock and Gesture Controls to Replace 'iPhone 8' Home Button Entirely

 

[Appleaker]

It makes more sense, a virtual home button would always be clunky unless the entire bottom bezel became the home button with 3D Touch.

It’s a shame they’d be losing the magic of a virtual button with the Taptic Engine, and we’ll have to see how it is but this method doesn’t seem as instant and intuitive (possibly as clunky as a virtual button).

 

[Menel]

oh jeez, they might be going all in. They are gonna super buzz us up with fancy words at the conference. blah blah after 10 years time for a major paradigm shift in UI etc.

#takeMyMoney

 

[grennis]

The screen is reportedly flat like previous iPhones... around the phone which the glass curves into"

Ummmm

 

[The Phazer]

Bloomberg also claims that when the display shows black, the color reproduction of the OLED screen ensures that it "blends in perfectly" with the notch and thin edges on the front.

That's not going to work too well when the notch is white, is it?

 

[Sunny1990]

Apple's upcoming "iPhone 8" could rely entirely on gesture controls for carrying out tasks like navigating to the home screen and opening the new multitasking App Switcher, a new report on Wednesday claimed.

So the new app switcher will work as shown in this video :-

https://mobile.twitter.com/_inside/status/899778395776499713/video/1
___________________
Edit :- According to this Article The new iPhone dock will be similar to the dock feature on iOS 11 for iPad. The rounded dock will blend perfectly with rounded edges

Found the perfect picture:-

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ans-to-change-the-way-you-use-the-next-iphone

 

[jmh600cbr]

Makes sense. The dock feature from the iPad should go to the iPhone 8. More importantly I want the flick keyboard from the iPad.

 

[Delgibbons]

That's not going to work too well when the notch is white, is it?

Ssshhhh it's magically going to merge two completely contrasing colours by use of the reality distortion field

 

[JohnApples]

The screen is reportedly flat like previous iPhones... around the phone which the glass curves into"

Ummmm

The screen itself is flat, but the glass is curved. Just like the 6, 6S, and 7.

 

[Hustler1337]

Elsewhere, Apple has reportedly opted not to hide the notch area at the top of the OLED screen, so a definite cutout area will be visible when using apps with non-black backgrounds.

That's almost a deal-breaker for me. Don't think I'll be able to ignore it when using the phone and it also sticks out like a sore thumb when the screen is off on the silver variant.

 

[lverg]

That's not going to work too well when the notch is white, is it?

I don't know a lot about the possibilities of OLED when it comes to use of energy, but what if it displays white to blend in with the white front? Like an always-on feature mentioned a couple weeks ago?

 

[Zxxv]

The power button on the right side of the phone is also reportedly longer so that it's easier to press while holding the device in one hand, according to images.​

No one takes photos at apple do they.

 

[apolloa]

This all sounds messy to me, I guess you'll have to use it to see but it seems like one missed opportunity for 3D Touch... then again maybe this iPhone 8 will not have 3D Touch, their has not been one single report on weather or not it will have it!

Just imagine £1000 starting price and no Touch ID or 3D Touch..!!!'

 

[karranz]

Shut up and take my money!!!

 

[joeblow7777]

This all sounds messy to me, I guess you'll have to use it to see but it seems like one missed opportunity for 3D Touch... then again maybe this iPhone 8 will not have 3D Touch, their has not been one single report on weather or not it will have it!

Just imagine £1000 starting price and no Touch ID or 3D Touch..!!!'

Why would it not have 3D Touch? I think there are no reports about having it because people usually only report on a pre-existing feature if its's being lost or changed.

 

[69Mustang]

I don't know a lot about the possibilities of OLED when it comes to use of energy, but what if it displays white to blend in with the white front? Like an always-on feature mentioned a couple weeks ago?

Then the status bar disappears completely. The letters and symbols are typically white.

 

[apolloa]

Why would it not have 3D Touch? I think there are no reports about having it because people usually only report on a pre-existing feature if its's being lost or changed.

You never know... this interface report doesn't mention it at all and that's where it's used.

 

[stan1028]

No wonder that in the App Switcher, tapping on the area that isn’t the app window brings back to the Home screen.

It could be swiping up and then going to the App switcher and tapping on that area goes back to home?

 

[jacjustjac]

I’m so excited about this, but worried at the same time. Who else can never get Control Center to come up reliably? The phone often seems to confuse it with button input or accidental touches. I have to drag my finger quite high up and slowly/deliberately. I don’t want to have to do that every time I close an app.

 

[recoil80]

That's almost a deal-breaker for me. Don't think I'll be able to ignore it when using the phone and it also sticks out like a sore thumb when the screen is off on the silver variant.

I still believe they'll make the notch black on all phones, even the silver one.
With a black status bar you'd barely notice it thanks to OLED

 

[MrLoL]

That's not going to work too well when the notch is white, is it?

If the report says the OLED screen blends perfectly with the bezels then that kinda confirms there wont be any white bezel model.

 

[nieks]

Bloomberg also claims that when the display shows black, the superior color reproduction of the OLED screen ensures that it "blends in perfectly" with the notch and thin edges on the front. The screen is also reportedly flat like previous iPhones, in contrast to the fully curved displays found on Samsung's latest smartphones.

Why the F are we still seeing the white-bezel-phone in the article then?? With an OLED screen, Apple won't be putting a white bezel on top of that black screen ofcourse.

 

[wolfshades]

Don't know if I like the idea of that notch at the top but hey - at least we get an increase in the overall screen real estate, right? Can't wait to see what the rest of the details are on Sept. 12. Really want to know more about the security features and whether Apple is ready to introduce facial recognition for security. (Probably too soon for the latter)

 

[Dave245]

Multitasking on the iPhone? I think a lot of people will love that including me, I can see that only being for the 5.5" 7s and the iPhone 8 with 5.8" display. Also I wonder if this is related to Apple having patents recently and as far back as a yer or so for the Apple Pencil working with an iPhone? It would certainly be very interesting and possibly a Note killer.

 

[Twimfy]

I’m really going to struggle with this. For nine years I’ve used the home button to wake my phone, my power button is very rarely used. It’s going to be a hard habit to break.