Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Solid state home button with haptic feedback -WHY?!

I don't see why this is such a surprise, besides iPhones and Samsung, no one else has home buttons anymore. I should correct myself, most if not all other phones have the non physical home buttons software buttons or haptic home button like the HTC 10 which seems to be just like what the apple is doing with the iP7. The mechanical home button is such an outdated analog design.

The fact that your or someone may like something doesn't make it crazy for it to change lol.

I'm pretty fond of all the changes in the new iPhone.
.
 
  • Like
Reactions: M. Gustave and jk4lebron23
pixel_junkie said:
I get the "simplify to improve the user experience" design strategy and respect it greatly but this one is hard to comprehend. If battery life is one of the main concerns of every phone user, why take away a component like the mechanical home button which no one ever complained about? And substitute it with one that will take "valuable real-estate" and then suck battery juice just to behave like the mechanical button you had in your old iPhone? And this happens to be a part of the phone which you interact with A LOT.

The only reason I can come up with is marketing novelty only and lack of other innovation. Sounds very avant-garde but how is that ever going to benefit a user?

Apple did mention it is going to be customizable but if you can turn that part of it off, that would be pitiful.
Click to expand...

They did it because they were tired of people wanting to get their phone replaced because their home button was too clicky, too mushy or it just did not feel right.

I am glad it is gone, about time. The less parts that move the better!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Setarip, Olivia23, M. Gustave and 1 other person
It took me about a month to get used to 3D touch and how much pressure I need to apply - and how the feedback responded. I feel like this will be the same thing hopefully.
 
pixel_junkie said:
I get the "simplify to improve the user experience" design strategy and respect it greatly but this one is hard to comprehend. If battery life is one of the main concerns of every phone user, why take away a component like the mechanical home button which no one ever complained about? And substitute it with one that will take "valuable real-estate" and then suck battery juice just to behave like the mechanical button you had in your old iPhone? And this happens to be a part of the phone which you interact with A LOT.

The only reason I can come up with is marketing novelty only and lack of other innovation. Sounds very avant-garde but how is that ever going to benefit a user?

Apple did mention it is going to be customizable but if you can turn that part of it off, that would be pitiful.
Click to expand...


#1. This is how you slowly get the Public use to pressing on a solid piece of glass not a button. Because next years iPhone 8 won't even have a Button at all Apple has to eliminate this huge Round bulge to Decrese bezel size.
#2. Apple already has a Patent to use the Display only as the Finger Print ID NO Home button Apple is telling everyone the home button is going bye bye. just Google Apple Finger Print ID Display.
#3. Control This Apples Way to essentially Finger Print everyone who uses an iPhone Despite Public disagreement with the FBI Apple works closely with the NSA and FBI to monitor and spy on certain people. The Public battle was just for show and theater.
#4. Ad Revenue When the Home Button is Actually part of the Dislay Apple will know Exactly where people are clicking How long and actually sell or use that Meta Data for Ads you will see Ads Placed close to the place where the Home Button Should be. And instead of one Touch It will require a 3D Force Touch to go Home. So Apple Can Sell this as a Feature Saying your Home Button is Now Anywhere you want it to be.
#5. To drive the point home. The Home Button is Too Big and Is Not necessary anymore.

FYI. The iPhone 6s Plus is actually Going to be Very Collectiable it will be Apples last iPhone with a 3.5mm jack and a Physicall Home Button.
 
There are a lot of reasons to dump it, most of which have been pointed out already. Size, lower chance of failure, water proofing etc.

Personally, I think they need to do this now in anticipation of the iPhone 8 or whatever they end up calling it. The next logical step for the iPhone is to drastically reduce or completely eliminate the bezels, top, bottom and side. For that to happen the physical home button needs to go away. Makes sense that there would be an "in between step" where it's virtualized but still designed to look like the original mechanical button.
 
I hate haptic feedback, especially when typing, and sounds. I turn them off immediately. I don't think you will be able to turn off the haptic feedback on the home button. You can select level 1, the least. On my Galaxy S7, I found an app that uses the fingerprint to turn it into a capacitive like button. I just touch it, not press it and I go to my home page. It is called Easy Home. On my HTC 10, it is a capacitive button.
 
I like this update. I had to change both my iPhone 5 and iPhone 6 due to the home button going bad.

Can't wait to try it out!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Surf Monkey
bhall110 said:
It's a welcomed change for me. I click my home button a lot and after a year of using my phone I can feel it starting to wear out.
Click to expand...

I don't understand how this happens, especially after ONE year. I know this is a common thing, but how hard are you pressing the buttons, and how many times a day? I've used iPhone since 3GS, never had any button close to wearing out. Is it just some dust or sand behind the button? Or it's literally lose and sagging down. Can you describe "wear out?" Really just trying to understand.
 
rawlus said:
Meh... Waterproof/water resistant.. You catch the meaning.

Maybe a different question is, why you think the mechanical home button should not have evolved?

I don't understand the nostalgia angle... If you want nostalgia, there are 6's for sale with mechanical buttons... I sort of expect things to change with each generation but it's funny to read the posts around this time complaining that the changes are not enough for a major generation release and in the same post complaining about the changes that were made in the generation release.... Lol.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Loads of people are happy that the 'antiquated' earphone jack has gone but they want to keep hold of an antiquated mechanical home button that most smartphone manufacturers barring Samsung have long since dropped...

I'm all for the solid state home button. Bring it on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Surf Monkey
i'm definitely in the "real button" camp but i'm also super excited to try it out on the 7.

What was Phil talking about when he said it was customizable?
 
MacDawg said:
I can't believe you actually wrote this
Nobody ever complained about the mechanical home button??
Geez
Click to expand...

Literally thought the same exact thing! Haha
I've had several home buttons go out over the years and the option of having the little floating button on the screen is annoying to use when your home button does go out.
The new haptic home button I think is great!

Btw can't wait for the Vols vs. Dawgs game!
 
For me the move was a no-brainer.

I find the 6s button to be a clicky mess. It's very flimsy and very clicky.

I'm down for any advancement there. Taptic or touch. Sure. Just no more physical button that will weaken with use.
 
Because you just can't say "haptic feedback home button" enough times in a given day. It has so many uses:

If someone asks you "what time is it?", you pull out your IP7 and say "let me check by touching my haptic feedback home button.".

Or if your mom is trying out her new IP7 and asks, "how do I use Siri?". You say, "just touch the haptic feedback home button for about 2 seconds".

Or you call Apple to troubleshoot your dead IP7. When they ask "what were you doing before it died?", you say "I was just trying to wake the screen by touching the haptic feedback home button, but the screen was still off. I tried holding down the haptic feedback home button and still nothing, but since it's haptic feedback, I don't know if I was actually holding anything down. I even tried to hold down the power button and touch the haptic feedback home button simultaneously and nothing would happen. I think the haptic feedback home button is stuck."
 
I was in the same boat as the op. Until I played with a 7 and 7+ this weekend. You get used to it quick. Just use the haptic home button like your would with mechanical. Apple did a good job on this one. Plus it makes the phone feel more premium. ( to me).
 
pixel_junkie said:
I get the "simplify to improve the user experience" design strategy and respect it greatly but this one is hard to comprehend. If battery life is one of the main concerns of every phone user, why take away a component like the mechanical home button which no one ever complained about? And substitute it with one that will take "valuable real-estate" and then suck battery juice just to behave like the mechanical button you had in your old iPhone? And this happens to be a part of the phone which you interact with A LOT.

The only reason I can come up with is marketing novelty only and lack of other innovation. Sounds very avant-garde but how is that ever going to benefit a user?

Apple did mention it is going to be customizable but if you can turn that part of it off, that would be pitiful.
Click to expand...

Have you used it?
 
This might be a bit off topic but out of curiosity, does anyone know if the new home button is indeed flush with the front face of the phone or does it "dip in" to the glass similar to the way the home button does on current iPhones? It's hard to tell in the pictures. I know the leaked units had a totally flat front but I can't tell if the final design is flat or not. It's no big deal either way but I'm just curious.

Sorry if this has been asked already.
 
pixel_junkie said:
I get the "simplify to improve the user experience" design strategy and respect it greatly but this one is hard to comprehend. If battery life is one of the main concerns of every phone user, why take away a component like the mechanical home button which no one ever complained about? And substitute it with one that will take "valuable real-estate" and then suck battery juice just to behave like the mechanical button you had in your old iPhone? And this happens to be a part of the phone which you interact with A LOT.

The only reason I can come up with is marketing novelty only and lack of other innovation. Sounds very avant-garde but how is that ever going to benefit a user?

Apple did mention it is going to be customizable but if you can turn that part of it off, that would be pitiful.
Click to expand...
Probably because one the highest failure rates in iPhones is the home button.....

Also as far as battery life goes....do you know anything about haptics?
[doublepost=1473728644][/doublepost]
bufffilm said:
I think the bigger question is why Apple didn't implement the haptic feedback from the MacBook mousepad and gave us this lesser version instead.
Click to expand...
...what are you talking about?

It's the same mechanism, but scaled down a bit.
 
Man of all people, Apple fans should be the ones to understand that Apple's core philosophy isn't to make what people like. They decide what is cool and we're supposed to like it.

No sarcasm, its always been like this and they're constantly changing so if change isn't what you like, then maybe a company philosophy that Apple has may not be right for you.

I personally believe Apple is conditioning people to get ready for their next phone, which may do away with the home button that we're familiar with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Surf Monkey
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back