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What we really need is a capacitive button on the iPhone

Sensamic

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 26, 2010
3,136
771
People just dont realize how important this is. Right now my iphone 4 is being repaired because my home button started to fail after just one year! The home button on the iphone 4 and 4s is really bad designed. Considering how important this button is to exit apps and to multitask I dont understand why Apple has not implemented the capacitive button yet. Fortunately it seems they will on the iphone 5, based on the rumors.

Android has had capacitive buttons for years. It really does improve the usability of the phone and, especially, it extends the life of the phone, since its not that likely that a capacitive button will fail as often as a hardware button. Many people have problems with the home button on the iphone.

I wanted to keep my iphone 4 for at least 2 more years, since Im really happy with it, but I didnt expect to have to send it to repair just one year later after buying it. Im pretty sure with a capacitive button and good care I would never have had to send my iphone to repair. Really wish Apple had included one on the 4s... Praying they will on the 5.
 
No we don't need a capacitive button. I am annoyed on a daily basis while using my android phone to constantly reach around that large bezel to touch the power button to wake the screen. I prefer the hard button at the botton for easy access.

The reason i liked Sony Arc's hardware buttons and the original SGS2's three button design compared to the capacitive variants.
 
I like physical home buttons. When I had my SGS2 I liked having the physical home button. When I played with my friend's HTC Sensation something just didn't feel right. (Lack of physical home button).

I guess with almost anything though I can get used to the idea of having capacitive home button.

Though for the iPad 3 I wouldn't mind if it loses the home button altogether. The multi-tasking gestures works perfect on my iPad 2 and it just feels more natural.
 
Im pretty sure that we're not allowed to want an Apple product to change something until Apple tells us that we want something to change.
 
People only post this because they read rumors about it. If those rumors did not exist, neither would this "need".
 
Why fix a problem that creates more sales for Apple? They are going to get our money one way of the other.

My SGS II with capacitive buttons is a joy to use. However the problem is it doesn't break like my iPhone 4's have. It Just Works!

Wait... Isn't that what Apple products are advertised to do?

Then why am I on my fourth iPhone because it's old school mechanical buttons fail? I think its Apples security blanket. They've fallen in love with an old fashioned mechanical button. How bizarre. Poor Apple they're so conflicted.
 
vitzr said:
Why fix a problem that creates more sales for Apple? They are going to get our money one way of the other.

My SGS II with capacitive buttons is a joy to use. However the problem is it doesn't break like my iPhone 4's have. It Just Works!

Wait... Isn't that what Apple products are advertised to do?

Then why am I on my fourth iPhone because it's old school mechanical buttons fail? I think its Apples security blanket. They've fallen in love with an old fashioned mechanical button. How bizarre. Poor Apple they're so conflicted.
Click to expand...

I prefer the SGS2 with center physical home button. Never a fan of those four soft buttons.

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SGMD1 said:
The surest way to get downvoted here is to suggest that an Android feature be added to the iPhone.
Click to expand...

Downvoted doesn't really matter on the interwebs :p

Also, no hardware buttons isn't an android only feature. People here just seem to forget things other than iOS or android exist.
 
I like the physical button actually. Now on my iPad, since I got it Saturday, I can't even think of an instance I used the home button. I'm hooked on gestures.
 
I actually like physical home button, only if they make it right :(

My first iDevice is a ipod touch gen 3, after iOS4 came out 2,3 months later my home button break (sometime it don't work, sometime single press became double press)

Then I bought a iPhone 4, 4-5 months later it have the same problem like my ipod touch. But since my country don't have an official apple store, I need to go to my carrier for warranty and they said comeback when it's (the button) completely broken lol
Lucky for me, few day later the camera have some problem (black dot), so I go to my carrier and got exchanged ( a new iPhone 4).
The new iPhone 4 last my few months before the button broken again. At that time I don't bother replace it, just give it to my sister and buy a iPhone 4s.

Even I love my iPhone 4s so much, I almost don't use it anymore (expect for phone call and sms), I so scared to press the button.
Instead I just use my iPad 2 with the "god send" multitask gesture everywhere lol

sorry for my english
 
Actually Apple had capacitative buttons before and it didn't work out so well.

http://designdare.com/the-capacitive-button-cult-must-be-stopped


A button with no physical hardware, so it makes no distinction between "I pressed that button because I meant to" and "my finger brushed against the face of the phone, sending me to another screen against my will, sometimes even losing data in the process."
...
The Capacitive Button's Sad Track Record

I have never seen a capacitive button that's better than a physical one. The G4 Cube infamously tried a capitative power button. I personally witnessed dozens of people say "ooo, a Cube ... it feels so nice ..." as their finger brushed against the button, making the computer shut off.

The third generation iPod (what I refer to as the worst iPod of all time) tried capacitive buttons. This made it impossible to use in your pocket. Not just harder, where things were a few clicks away - actually impossible. As your fingers searched around for the appropriate button, they'd brush against the wrong button, fast-forwarding your track to the next song when you really wanted to turn up the volume.
Click to expand...

Yes I know we have to slide to unlock and all still I can't imagine it would be good for battery life to have the lock screen constantly coming on and off in your pocket. :rolleyes:
 
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I agree that something needs to be done with the home button. The home button on the iPhone 4 is terrible. I'm not sure if it is fair comparing the home buttons on the 4 and 4S though. I believe the 4S has internal improvements to the home button. The button feels like it works a lot better as well. I am hoping it will hold up for longer. The home button on my 4, which I still use on my second line, is my biggest complaint about that phone.
 
I'd rather own a good phone I have to repair once a year than a crappy one that just keeps working.

Granted, a good phone that also keeps working would be best. But if you're making me pick I'll pick the phone that's nice to use every day rather than the frustrating one.

vitzr said:
Why fix a problem that creates more sales for Apple? They are going to get our money one way of the other.

My SGS II with capacitive buttons is a joy to use. However the problem is it doesn't break like my iPhone 4's have. It Just Works!

Wait... Isn't that what Apple products are advertised to do?

Then why am I on my fourth iPhone because it's old school mechanical buttons fail? I think its Apples security blanket. They've fallen in love with an old fashioned mechanical button. How bizarre. Poor Apple they're so conflicted.
Click to expand...

This is covered by the warranty. When mine failed they replaced my phone for free.

So you're saying that Apple's plan is to create a situation that costs them tons of time and money in free repairs and free replacements?

What a brilliant scheme.
 
Capacitive button? Ieww.. I had that on my Epic 4g... it was unreliable, plus if your finger touches it while holding it you activate the button... You don't need any pressure on it.

I did not like it at all.
 
On my 4th IP4 because of the home button. Heck I still have 6 months left on my AT&T contract and 4 failures...... I really don't care what they do BUT make something reliable, PLEASE!
 
if the iPhone had a capacitive home button and you were asking for a physical button everyone on here would be saying the exact opposite to what they've said....Apple say jump....they say how high?...sad really....

OP....your right physical buttons are very very out dated and seem to appear on lower spec phones now....
 
urkel said:
Im pretty sure that we're not allowed to want an Apple product to change something until Apple tells us that we want something to change.
Click to expand...

OMG!! I can't stop laughing. This is the best part about the whole thread.
 
The home button is a really key feature in the iPhone for people who can't see, more so on the iPhone 4S since it is paired with Siri. :D
 
Sensamic said:
People just dont realize how important this is. Right now my iphone 4 is being repaired because my home button started to fail after just one year!
Click to expand...
That's because you're falsely assuming that your single data point proves some sort of overall trend. By your reasoning, the various prior phone that I've had with physical buttons should have all failed years ago. None of those buttons have.
 
I wouldn't mind virtual buttons like the Galaxy Nexus instead of a home button. That would be a bit cramped on a 3.5" screen though.
 
I think at the least, the next OS iteration should offer ways of getting around the OS through gestures in lieu of the home button. I feel like I'm slowly killing my home button with all the long presses (Siri), double taps (multitasking), and exiting of apps. I think it would make sense to offload some of these processes to gestures that don't constantly require home button presses.

I think it would make perfect sense to put the multitasking bar on the notifications pull-down tab, along with Siri button there (heck just make it customizable so people can put their most oft-used features there).
 
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