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Plus is Easier to Use One Handed Than The X
- Thread starter macher
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I thought Samsung solved that software problem. It’s been said in the tech world that Samsung finally got it right with software. Maybe not so true?
The one thing I will add about the iPhone SE, obviously is much easier to hold because of the smaller form factor. But I found it to be uncomfortable in my hand because of the sharp edges from the actual casing of the iPhone. I thought maybe I was only one that noticed this, but many commented it was not as comfortable to hold when compared to the rounded corners on the iPhone 6/6s/7/8.
Yea if you’re using it naked. My favorite case is the Magpul Field case and you don’t get the sharp edges.
The 7+ has very useable screen space and controls. I used to carry around a 7+ and a 6, with 2 devices so I'd have another device to look at while my other iPhone was on my ear. Also to extend my battery life so I didn't have "low battery anxiety" with only one device. The extra $15/mo is worth it.
But I used the 7+ the most because I can't take my iPad mini 4 everywhere, even if it is more convenient than a full size iPad. And the 7+ is pretty good for landscape mode use in place of an iPad.
Now I have a 7+ and an X. But I still like to use the 7+ for many of my every day activities, which in landscape mode is taller than the X and doesn't have this big home bar taking up so much space at the edge of the screen when in landscape mode.
And yet I still find myself swiping up from the bottom of the 7+ instead of clicking the home button, or using other iPhone X gestures. The iPhone X gestures seem pretty natural and have taken over my habits even when I use the 7+ daily as well, but we DON'T NEED THE VISUAL BAR TAKING UP SCREEN SPACE.
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I like the gestures but not on screen real estate and the UI of the X for 1 handed use on a pinky shelf. If I’m using my thumb on the X either everything to access is too low or too high. On the Plus at least everything it right there without any major adjustments in your hand. When I had the X I dropped it a lot because of the UI to access let’s say Control Center isn’t convenient. What was even worse was reachability being all the way at the bottom of the device and had a lot of difficulty getting it to work with a case with lip cause you had to dig to get it to work.
I’m assuming Apple didn’t want the home screen to look like Android where the bottom like the app drawer is ‘raised’ similar to how the Plus is. Everything is raised of course on the Plus cause of the bezel / home button but it’s not such as bad thing because it’s way more convenient and easier. Especially to get to Control Center all you need to do is swipe up without any adjustments. Even notifications is easier cause of the bezel where you’re not reaching almost to the edge of the actual device. You’re only reaching to where the screen ends within the device.
Would have loved reachability and Control Center access between the space of the app drawer and apps on the X because there is no adjustments in the hand to be made. I doubt Apple will change it.
IMO opinion it’s a bad UI design and it looks like people don’t want to criticize it. Just to be clear I always had an iPhone and always upgraded to the latest and greatest but....
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I always use incredibly minimal cases because I can barely handle any phone with a thick case.
So...against the advice of one of our colleagues here 
I was using my expensive iPhone one-handed while walking to work (which is a half-hour walk). Why one-handed? Because my MacBook and some papers were in the other hand. Why while walking? Because I needed to get to work, and I wanted to find out whether my two adult sons and my daughter-in-law, who all live in NYC, were safe. So some of us do feel like, in the balance of things, we need to one-hand our phones. In any case...I have not been enthusiastic here about the X as a one-handed phone (at least compared to a standard size iPhone, not a Plus). In particular, I don't like the way Reachability and Control Center were implemented when using the phone one-handed. So, maybe my motivation improved, or maybe I'm just getting better at learning the new gestures after three weeks, but I managed to do everything I needed to do without dropping the phone or tripping on a curb or pothole.
I was using my expensive iPhone one-handed while walking to work (which is a half-hour walk). Why one-handed? Because my MacBook and some papers were in the other hand. Why while walking? Because I needed to get to work, and I wanted to find out whether my two adult sons and my daughter-in-law, who all live in NYC, were safe. So some of us do feel like, in the balance of things, we need to one-hand our phones. In any case...I have not been enthusiastic here about the X as a one-handed phone (at least compared to a standard size iPhone, not a Plus). In particular, I don't like the way Reachability and Control Center were implemented when using the phone one-handed. So, maybe my motivation improved, or maybe I'm just getting better at learning the new gestures after three weeks, but I managed to do everything I needed to do without dropping the phone or tripping on a curb or pothole.
I have to admit, I found the X awkward at first coming from non-plus phones. The screen is longer and you need to adjust to swiping from the VERY bottom of the phone since that's where the screen goes down to, not to mention the new gestures on the top of the long screen. But it's easier now and more stable without having to actually push down on a faux button on the bottom, just gently swiping up. Certain instances, I can see that it may be more difficult, but as a whole, there's no way that it's easier to use compared to the monstrous plus phones. I specifically stayed away from plus due to one handed usability alone. I see your point, but that blanket statement in the title is just not true 95% of the time.
Read my posts. I had an X for 2 weeks then returned it. Went back to the store because I wanted to give it another try. Used it the store for a while.
its gotten better, but honestly a lot of reviewers dont use their phones heavily enough. they only download apps and stream most of their stuff. but when you have 1000's of photos in your gallery and a lot of music downloaded on your device it slows down bigtime, and its not the memory since i didnt use an sd card soley internal.
I have used a Plus phone since they became available, I have now switched to the X. The Plus just feels awkward to use after using the X as I move it around more in my hand than the X. I never used reachability on the plus and then forgot all about it apart from when I would accidentally trigger it. Guess it depends how big your hands are and what you are used to using. I will probably switch to an X Plus if/when they become available but thats more to do with my ageing eyesight, haha