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

[TheSapient]

Yeah, I know, I learned that. But having to press into a vague area on the screen where something's supposed to be but isn't presently is not intuitive at all. Could I get used to it and function? Sure. But kind of like using Android in general, it wouldn't be the pleasantly easy, refreshingly intuitive that iOS tends to be better at. I just don't see Apple making that sort of move, and I personally hope they don't.

I guess different people have different ideas about what is pleasantly easy. Smart phones are a mature technology now. Some features that were necessary years ago are now poor design. There was a time when scewomorphism was needed so that users new to touch screens could easily grasp the interactions needed to access various functions. Now we have a population that understands, and design language has changes accordingly.

A physical home button was another one of these baby steps, IMO. People know where to push without having to look or feel around. The space is better used for content. Even in a worst case, it is hard for me to believe anyone would have trouble with this after a day.

 

[ksnell]

The problem with gestures is that they not intuitive for many people. I use them all the time. But my parents? When they’re baffled by their iOS device, there’s always that one button they can hit. Now, when they’re stuck, the solution will be to swipe a finger up from the bottom. And why are they supposed to think of that? There’s no cue that this is an available action. You have to already know about it.

They're not cavemen! Just tell them "instead of the home button, just swipe up." They have probably seen bigger changes in their lives than that.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

This is all fine, but in addition I can see using the side power button as a home button. Maybe a single press goes home, a longer one sleeps the phone, or something like that. No harm done and learners have a physical button they can press.

Side button is way less ergonomic. I hate pressing it. Harm done.

 

[TheSapient]

So no home button will take some getting used to. How will you take screenshots, i wonder?

On a Galaxy phone, you swipe your hand across the full screen. Like this: https://www.trickyways.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/capture-screen-by-swiping-hand.gif

 

[petsounds]

The problem with gestures is that they not intuitive for many people. I use them all the time. But my parents? When they’re baffled by their iOS device, there’s always that one button they can hit. Now, when they’re stuck, the solution will be to swipe a finger up from the bottom. And why are they supposed to think of that? There’s no cue that this is an available action. You have to already know about it.

Yup. This all started when Apple began chasing Android OS features. While Apple was complacent and let Android pass them on functionality, they added insult to injury by merely copying Android's off-screen swipe gestures instead of taking the time to figure out an interface that remained discoverable and intuitive. After that floodgate of UX mediocrity was opened, things have only gotten worse with the UI in iOS.

 

[blancoBronco]

On a Galaxy phone, you swipe your hand across the full screen. Like this: https://www.trickyways.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/capture-screen-by-swiping-hand.gif

that is one of the dumbest ways I could have possibly imagined for a screenshot

 

[TheSapient]

that is one of the dumbest ways I could have possibly imagined for a screenshot

LOL. It is super easy. You can also press power and volume down.

 

[blancoBronco]

LOL. It is super easy. You can also press power and volume down.

power and a volume button is much more what I'm hoping for

 

[Mactendo]

And at that keynote, the CEO should get up there and say, "all that confusing interface, and sliding, and you never know WHAT to do with it! YUCK!"

It may be Microsoft with Surface Phone. It'll be very ironical if it happens. Or Amazon, they know how to do hardware and software, their Echo is a classic thing like the original iPod (and unlike Apple homepod).

Please give us a phone with white notch so I can watch everyone loose their mind. Please.

I actually would choose white. When turned off it'll look cool and unusual. But yes, many people will cry over that just like many are crying over the camera bulge.

 

[Vanilla35]

We being relatively intelligent people should also know to never underestimate Apple. Or to hold rumours in too high esteem, no matter how credible they seem. How many times have they been wildly wrong in the past. Probably about as many times as they’ve been right.

Maybe 30% of the time they've been wrong. Something so specific and software related is definitely not wrong though.

 

[Sparky2012]

The problem with gestures is that they not intuitive for many people. I use them all the time. But my parents? When they’re baffled by their iOS device, there’s always that one button they can hit. Now, when they’re stuck, the solution will be to swipe a finger up from the bottom. And why are they supposed to think of that? There’s no cue that this is an available action. You have to already know about it.

Totally agree with you. I'm sure I'd be fine with it, but my mum? Not a chance. But I do think most people who will end up getting the iPhone 8/OLED iPhone will be huge Apple/iPhone fans, or just very into technology and the latest and greatest. Doubt an average person will get this iPhone, they'll probably just get the 7s due to price.

 

[TrueBlou]

Maybe 30% of the time they've been wrong. Something so specific and software related is definitely not wrong though.

Wrong or not, I’ll reserve judgment until any new features/interface changes have been seen in context and tried in person.

Whatever’s implemented on the iPhone 8 could be better than we can imagine. Or indeed significantly worse than we’d hoped. Thankfully there will be the 7s to fall back on for anyone not enamoured with the new device. Or wait it out another year and see how the new form factor improves.

 

[djlythium]

the problem is many people are already used to just swiping up however they please to get to the control center. if you change how they have to do it, they will have to be more deliberate about stopping or continuing, which will slow them down

Oh, I see what you're getting at. Meh, it wasn't a big change on the iPad, I think. JMO.

 

[Vanilla35]

Wrong or not, I’ll reserve judgment until any new features/interface changes have been seen in context and tried in person.

Whatever’s implemented on the iPhone 8 could be better than we can imagine. Or indeed significantly worse than we’d hoped. Thankfully there will be the 7s to fall back on for anyone not enamoured with the new device. Or wait it out another year and see how the new form factor improves.

Yes, I understand that perspective. Imo, 22% chance it's better than we are anticipating and people's immediate reactions to it in this thread. The 7S will indeed be the fall back and will be a solid one. The issue I see with it is now iOS's immediate future, and that annoys me. It's clear seeing the iPad Pro, with iOS 11. I was hoping that would be iPad only, but it's not.

I don't know if things would have been different had they gotten the under the screen fingerprint reader working, but it's clear this is the alternative, and maybe even forced them to release this iOS update a year earlier than originally anticipated.

 

[Rob_2811]

Maybe 30% of the time they've been wrong. Something so specific and software related is definitely not wrong though.

Think when we're talking about Mark Gurman that figure drops to somewhere around 0%. His sources are rock solid.

 

[Vanilla35]

Think when we're talking about Mark Gurman that figure drops to somewhere around 0%. His sources are rock solid.

Yeah, I'm combining hardware and software rumors (all). Most of the software rumors are 90%+ reliable, since they're from an insider, and not just supply chain analysis.

 

[tendoboy1984]

Yes, I understand that perspective. Imo, 22% chance it's better than we are anticipating and people's immediate reactions to it in this thread. The 7S will indeed be the fall back and will be a solid one. The issue I see with it is now iOS's immediate future, and that annoys me. It's clear seeing the iPad Pro, with iOS 11. I was hoping that would be iPad only, but it's not.

I don't know if things would have been different had they gotten the under the screen fingerprint reader working, but it's clear this is the alternative, and maybe even forced them to release this iOS update a year earlier than originally anticipated.

They could easily move the fingerprint reader to the back like most Android phones do. Embed it within the Apple logo. Problem solved.

 

[deuxani]

It seems more and more likely that Apple will embrace the notch. And by doing so I think a white bezel iPhone as shown in the OP will also happen. Take the white screenshots and imagine that in the iPhone with white bezel, it blends in perfectly.

 

[tendoboy1984]

It seems more and more likely that Apple will embrace the notch. And by doing so I think a white bezel iPhone as shown in the OP will also happen. Take the white screenshots and imagine that in the iPhone with white bezel, it blends in perfectly.

White consumes more energy on an OLED display. With a black background, the pixels are turned off. That’s how it works on Galaxy phones.

 

[elmaco]

I think Apple should keep the home button, but allow advanced users to customise it.

 

[827538]

I'm really excited for the new iPhone and will hopefully order one the second pre orders go live but after having lived with the 5S and 6S for four years I am really not sure about getting rid of the Home Button, like how do I pay for things in a store really easy? I absolutely love just double tapping the home button and using tap to pay. I really think it will be stupid if I have to do some sort of retina scan or type in a code. It will feel like 1 step forward and about 3 steps back.

But I have some faith Apple have thought this through, time will tell. TouchID and Apple Pay are some of my favourite features of the iPhone and beautifully integrate into my life. It really makes paying for stuff extremely easy and straight forward.

 

[julesme]

"Substitute" is a better word than "replace" when it comes to the home button. Can the usefulness of a tactile notch actually be fully replaced by anything on a touchscreen? I'm skeptical.

 

[Appleaker]

While at I agree that patents are not a confirmation of a product or a feature that Apple will announce, the fact that they have looked at it in the past and then again in more recent time does at least show they are looking at it.

I don't believe that Tim Cook simply misspoke if you ever watch an interview with Cook he takes pauses (often looking down) before answering questions or speaking and what Cook actually said was

“If you’ve ever seen what can be created with that pencil on an iPad or iPhone, it’s really unbelievable,” he said.

Now if that was just misspoken words he would of corrected himself pretty quickly. I also think it's in the realm of possibility because by doing so it could be serious competition for Samsung's Note line which is pretty popular and if Apple have seen that they may want to take some of the pie for themselves.

I think the apps thing would be useful on a bigger display, maybe the 5.8" iPhone 8 or the rumoured 6.3" for next year.

Yeah there’s no doubt that they’re looking at it, and that’s one of the reasons I stated for Tim Cook saying ‘iPhone’, they were likely testing it out. But my point is that it would simply not be ‘Pencil support’, it would make sense to have a specific Pencil, more like a stylus (or S Pen). My point referred a lot to the size of the Pencil being ridiculous compared to the iPhone, and The form of Bluetooth pairing makes it unsuitable.
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Yea they did the same with the six design and we all know what happens when taking pictures on that design. *roll eyes*
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You're thinking too much. I meant taking photos with the phone.

Surely you mean of the phone? You were referring to the elongated power button.

 

[deuxani]

White consumes more energy on an OLED display. With a black background, the pixels are turned off. That’s how it works on Galaxy phones.

I know, but it doesn't matter. 90% of iOS is completely white. Almost all Apple apps are white. White is their main colour.

 

[strategicthinke]

then how about this: there are plenty of things in iOS that are not black or white (photos, videos, images in safari, etc.) and plenty of third party apps that are different colors, and black is less obtrusive

Most things are white. There is no way around that. Sorry.
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I know, but it doesn't matter. 90% of iOS is completely white. Almost all Apple apps are white. White is their main colour.

This.