This is why the home button has a square on it

[Simplicated]

You all seriously never noticed that before? I thought it was common sense that if you press the home button, with the app icon on it, it would take you back to all of the app icons on your iPhone.

Image

How is knowing that the home icon is actually an empty app icon common sense?

 

[Munchkinsdad]

So this is how it is waiting for the iPhone 5...

 

[Shrink]

Terrific catch!

I never would have thought of it - but it makes perfect sense. Great observational skills and logical deduction.

 

[Sedrick]

So this is how it is waiting for the iPhone 5...

haha. Sad really. In other news, the earth is not flat.

 

[megapopular]

Well...

It's not really a square. It's that shape that Apple decided to use on the button but definitely not a square, since it's lacking true right angles.

 

[ahbdesign]

Jeeezzz, after 3 yrs of iPhone-age, i should have known that! Good observation mate!

 

[Lukeyy19]

I always just assumed the only reason it has an icon on it, is so you can see where it is easier, its not like it needs distinguishing from other buttons, and the icon shape i assumed was a rounded square to match the rounded edges of the phone itself,

Who knows... Maybe you're reading too much into it, or maybe apple really did put that much thought into it.

EDIT: you can see in the image below it is not actually the same as an app icon, the corners are more rounded.

but you can also see below that the corners do not match up with the rounded edges of the phone either.

I tried this with an image of the original iPhone too and it still didn't match up.

So who knows...

 

[skyton]

Interesting!
Hadn't thought about it at all before

 

[joshwithachance]

Home button changed, forever.

Thanks OP

How have I never realized this?! My life as I have known it is now over.

 

[kdarling]

Pshaw, that's so 30 days ago. I can't count how many years that is in MR time.

The same topic was brought up in this forum back in July 2008 in a thread called:

Home Button Secret!

 

[iEnvy]

Never saw that, I guess we learn something interesting everyday

 

[Sean*]

Heh, never really paid attention to that but it kinda makes sense.

 

[tomtom101]

It would be pure awesome if it had a notification light behind it... Eighter awesome of tacky!!

 

[Yumunum]

The empty space inside could symbolize the absence of a a running app while on the homescreen.

 

[Patriot24]

...or maybe apple really did put that much thought into it.

For all that we know about Steve, I am positive that it is absolutely intentional.

 

[QuarterSwede]

For all that we know about Steve, I am positive that it is absolutely intentional.

Agreed. Every detail Apple puts into it's devices is intentional. I love how they tied the app icons, home button and rounded corners of the device all together. That's the level of design they're on that few others are.

 

[ntrigue]

Apple patented the shape of an App. Despite the overlay on page one I'd agree that was the intention. It's a square with rounded corners.

 

[JohnnyQuest]

I never noticed before! Pretty cool.

 

[Reach9]

Just occurred to me --- I feel incredibly slow ---

The square on the home button symbolizes an app icon.

The curves are the same. And when iPhone first came around, it was known as "the revolutionary new phone with a bunch of candy-coloured little rounded squares you can tap on". It's so simple.

Brilliant little Apple Detail.

Sorry if this was obvious to people!

Wow, i never thought of it like that. Great observation!

This will help me explain the use of the button more clearly to elderly people, and other people unfamiliar with the platform, thanks!

 

[svtguy08]

Nice. I had wondered about it in the past but never took the time to research why. Thanks for the tid bit!

 

[mtnDewFTW]

I always just assumed the only reason it has an icon on it, is so you can see where it is easier, its not like it needs distinguishing from other buttons, and the icon shape i assumed was a rounded square to match the rounded edges of the phone itself,

Who knows... Maybe you're reading too much into it, or maybe apple really did put that much thought into it.

EDIT: you can see in the image below it is not actually the same as an app icon, the corners are more rounded.

Image

but you can also see below that the corners do not match up with the rounded edges of the phone either.

Image

I tried this with an image of the original iPhone too and it still didn't match up.

So who knows...

Wtf are you talking about...?

 

[Lukeyy19]

Wtf are you talking about...?

sorry, i have OCPD, so when the thought of whether or not it was actually the same shape as the App icons was presented, i had to find out.

 

[kilcher]

I always thought it was strange they didn't put the Apple logo there.

 

[musika]

It's also square so that it looks exactly the same no matter which orientation you're holding your device in. That goes especially for the iPad, which can work upside-down as well.

I noticed that it looks the same in every orientation very long ago when I got my first iOS device and always thought it was brilliant.

 

[kdarling]

sorry, i have OCPD, so when the thought of whether or not it was actually the same shape as the App icons was presented, i had to find out.

I thought you took great initiative in checking it out.

At least now we can say with confidence that it's not an exact app icon replica!