Poll: Which side do you prefer the bottom speaker on?

[tctony]

I'm not too happy with the speaker being moved to the right side on the iPhone 4. I find that I'm covering it up a lot more (while holding it naturally). I never had those problems when it was on the left with my 3G/3GS.

Anybody else facing a similar fate?

 

[andyplace]

<conspiracy> Apple must be pandering to the left handers. </conspiracy>

I don't really mind which side it is on. In fact, owning all the previous iphones it is a bit of a refresher to see a nice change to the opposite side.

 

[itsmemuffins]

I love the fact that they moved the speaker.

I used to cover it up all the time when I held it in landscape, especially playing games.

Now I don't.

 

[Chunkycat]

You poll needs an option "I don't really care as long as it works well".

 

[ThatsMeRight]

I love the fact that they moved the speaker.

I used to cover it up all the time when I held it in landscape, especially playing games.

Now I don't.

Agreed.

 

[motty2307]

I love the fact that they moved the speaker.

I used to cover it up all the time when I held it in landscape, especially playing games.

Now I don't.

I agree. When in portrait mode I'd cover it up with my pinky so the move to the right side is a very welcome change for me.

 

[draz]

It doesn't matter which side to me... Because I am clearly holding it wrong

 

[Drag'nGT]

I love the fact that they moved the speaker.

I used to cover it up all the time when I held it in landscape, especially playing games.

Now I don't.

^ This. I bet this is why the speaker was moved and it makes sense.

 

[Carlanga]

I love the fact that they moved the speaker.

I used to cover it up all the time when I held it in landscape, especially playing games.

Now I don't.

Agreed! the thing is most people in the world are right handed so they grab the bottom part of the phone with their right hand (since the home button is in the bottom) and the top grip is actually done with the left, so the natural movement from portrait to landscape for the right handed person is to swivel the phone to the left and that puts the speaker on the older iPhones on the bottom which is easily mutted by the right hand grip while holding it on the landscape position. If you are left handed you wouldn't have had any real hand mutting until now w/ the iPhone 4 in which the speaker placement is better designed for us right handed people.

 

[01jamcon]

I love the fact that they moved the speaker.

I used to cover it up all the time when I held it in landscape, especially playing games.

Now I don't.

Another +1

 

[Simm0nS777]

Agreed! the thing is most people in the world are right handed so they grab the bottom part of the phone with their right hand (since the home button is in the bottom) and the top grip is actually done with the left, so the natural movement from portrait to landscape for the right handed person is to swivel the phone to the left and that puts the speaker on the older iPhones on the bottom which is easily mutted by the right hand grip while holding it on the landscape position. If you are left handed you wouldn't have had any real hand mutting until now w/ the iPhone 4 in which the speaker placement is better designed for us right handed people.

this. on the right is so much better.

 

[bks691]

I love the fact that they moved the speaker.

I used to cover it up all the time when I held it in landscape, especially playing games.

Now I don't.

^This^

 

[tctony]

What? No. It's only since they changed the position of the speaker that it gets blocked easily in landscape.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

You poll needs an option "I don't really care as long as it works well".

That's option #3. Obviously if someone didn't care they'd select that option disguised as a joke.

 

[Carlanga]

What? No. It's only since they changed the position of the speaker that it gets blocked easily in landscape.

Are you left handed by any chance? If you are that's the reason, read my previous post...

But, if you are right handed you 'learned' to swivel it to the right instead of the natural left swivel movement in the old phone and didn't even realized it... Or, simply you learned to hold & talk in phones in the incorrect hand (right hand which is not the natural holding to the ear hand) for a right handed person...

 

[NathanCH]

I'm constantly covering it. This is my first iPhone so I don't know if I prefer it on the left. But I'm left handed so I think it's worse for me.

 

[tctony]

Are you left handed by any chance? If you are that's the reason, read my previous post...

But, if you are right handed you 'learned' to swivel it to the right instead of the natural left swivel movement in the old phone and didn't even realized it... Or, simply you learned to hold & talk in phones in the incorrect hand (right hand which is not the natural holding to the ear hand) for a right handed person...

Nope, I'm right handed. Why would I hold the phone in my non-dominant hand to talk? Doesn't make sense.

Allow me to educate fellow right handers on the actual way to hold an iPhone. Flipped them horizontal so you can see it better. The iPhone doesn't need two hands to operate.

1.) Why would I hold it in my left hand, then do stuff with my right when I can use my right hand for everything?? I don't understand how the majority (apparently) of people don't recognize this.

2.) Also, thats the way most apps will force you to rotate. There is a natural gap between your palm and where the speaker originally was, so there was never any sounds being muted. However, with it's new position, my index finger will cover the speaker.

 

[Carlanga]

Nope, I'm right handed. Why would I hold the phone in my non-dominant hand to talk? Doesn't make sense...

dude, you are holding it fine and swiveling it to the left like any other right handed person like I stated orig. But, the thing is that you are not holding the phone in landscape, you are kind of cupping it for it to not mute the sound with your hand and giving it a 'fake' space for sound to come out on the bottom right in landscape (left sided speaker-if it was an older iPhone)... Also when holding a phone in landscape you don't wrap your hand around the bezel like you have, since i would be really uncomfortable and less reach and dexterity plus kind of dangerous if it slips besides covering all the holes around the bezel of the whole phone, the natural way is to grab it not cup it around the bezel! and this is why it gives more clearance on the right for sound to come out than the left speaker position.... what I'm saying is big finger on the front the rest of the fingers on the back for support (it's like holding a NES controller not a PS3/XB360 cont. since there are no L & R buttons on the phone)

Check this video that I found in youtube and see how the guy actually grabs it in the natural way and the space difference...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHvGm3uLwTE

PS: read my sig.

 

[IrishVixen]

Nope, I'm right handed. Why would I hold the phone in my non-dominant hand to talk? Doesn't make sense.

Lots of us do. It leaves the dominant hand free to do other things. Same reason my left shoulder gives me problems--I tend to shift things I'm carrying to my left hand so my right is free to deal with things like keys, etc. The doctors told me that most righties do the same thing.

Having said that, I never found I blocked the speaker on my original iPhone. Do it on the new one all the time, and I hate it!

 

[tctony]

.

I mean, that's how I hold the phone in landscape. Obviously my finger is not always flat on the bezel like that, but the bottoms of my index fingers do contact the corners of the phone (where the sleep button is and where the speaker is).

My iPhone input is done with my thumbs unless I'm pinching.

Lots of us do. It leaves the dominant hand free to do other things. Same reason my left shoulder gives me problems--I tend to shift things I'm carrying to my left hand so my right is free to deal with things like keys, etc. The doctors told me that most righties do the same thing.

Having said that, I never found I blocked the speaker on my original iPhone. Do it on the new one all the time, and I hate it!

I've never known any right gander who holds the phone with their left hand. Personal experience. Sure, I may carry my phone in my left occasionally, but I just as often carry it right handed. My left hand isn't disabled, it can handle carrying some keys or opening a door.

Anyway, I'm glad somebody else agrees about the speaker placement!

 

[Carlanga]

Lots of us do. It leaves the dominant hand free to do other things. Same reason my left shoulder gives me problems--I tend to shift things I'm carrying to my left hand so my right is free to deal with things like keys, etc. The doctors told me that most righties do the same thing.

Correct!

Having said that, I never found I blocked the speaker on my original iPhone. Do it on the new one all the time, and I hate it!

You probably learned subconsciously how to grab it for max sound output and now you are using the same technique you have been using for years, but since the speaker was moved to the other side that style doesn't work until you again subconsciously learn the new small differences in holding it.... I would compare this to a person that for years used stick to drive a car and then start using an automatic and they subconsiously keep pressing with the left feet @ the air and putting their right hand on the brake, until you grow accustomed to the automatic and now you don't fake push w/ the leg (you might just keep the right hand in the E brake for the coolness factor though...) or maybe going from granny shifting to speed clutching....

 

[Carlanga]

I mean, that's how I hold the phone in landscape. Obviously my finger is not always flat on the bezel like that, but the bottoms of my index fingers do contact the corners of the phone (where the sleep button is and where the speaker is).....

no prob read what I wrote to IrishVixen, I always talk in my left ear since I'm right handed I need that right hand to write info down or other detailed movements since I'm not ambidextrous and my right hand writing is already pretty horrible and is the dominant one! I just have to say this: do you also lock your phone everytime you hold it in landscape like the blocking of the speaker?

 

[jack004]

i think it is a nice move....

I have no problem with that in fact it is easier to use now.....

 

[California King]

I hope they can somehow design the speakers to be built on the top. On occasion, I will cover the left/right holes. On top, it would never be an issue.

 

[Damo516]

Don't really care as long as it works and being left handed helps even more although I do see where members are coming from...