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I thought the fingerprint scanner on the back would be a good feature until I realized 90% of my phone usage involves me pulling it out of my pocket. - On my i

I thought the fingerprint scanner on the back would be a good feature until I realized 90% of my phone usage involves me pulling it out of my pocket. - On my iPhone, I just pinch it with my thumb on the home button while I pull it out. - On my Pixel, I have to take it out and then unlock it. Also, when the phone is resting on a table, I can just unlock my iPhone by touching the home button. With the Pixel, I have to turn it over first. When all I wanted to do was read a message I just received, possibly with dirty hands. So putting the unlock on the back of the phone doesn't seem very well thought out at all.

chrishynes 9y ago
That all depends on _where_ on the back of the phone. With my Nexus 6P, the fingerprint sensor is located right where my index finger naturally goes while holding the phone. With a correctly located rear fingerprint sensor, it becomes an automatic motion without thinking rather than having to consciously find and press a button.
- Terretta 9y ago
  Except for the 'no hands while locked on the table' part. It's an oh so common use case.
  - kllrnohj 9y ago
    It's OK Apple just obsoleted that use case by requiring your face to be in the camera's recognition zone. No more unlocking it while it's on a table!
tacomonstrous 9y ago
>On my Pixel, I have to take it out and then unlock it. This isn't my experience at all. By the time it's out of my pocket, my index finger is right on the scanner and the phone is unlocked. Might be a function of the size of the pocket or of the hand, though.
JeremyNT 9y ago
I have a pixel (and previously a Nexus 5x) and I easily and naturally unlock using the fingerprint sensor on the back as I remove the device from my pocket. The sensor is located within very close proximity to where my index finger naturally falls where doing so. Which is to say, although the rear position may not work well for you personally, this may be a question of user preference with no generally superior solution.

chrishynes 9y ago

That all depends on _where_ on the back of the phone. With my Nexus 6P, the fingerprint sensor is located right where my index finger naturally goes while holding the phone. With a correctly located rear fingerprint sensor, it becomes an automatic motion without thinking rather than having to consciously find and press a button.

Terretta 9y ago
Except for the 'no hands while locked on the table' part. It's an oh so common use case.
- kllrnohj 9y ago
  It's OK Apple just obsoleted that use case by requiring your face to be in the camera's recognition zone. No more unlocking it while it's on a table!

tacomonstrous 9y ago

>On my Pixel, I have to take it out and then unlock it. This isn't my experience at all. By the time it's out of my pocket, my index finger is right on the scanner and the phone is unlocked. Might be a function of the size of the pocket or of the hand, though.

JeremyNT 9y ago

I have a pixel (and previously a Nexus 5x) and I easily and naturally unlock using the fingerprint sensor on the back as I remove the device from my pocket. The sensor is located within very close proximity to where my index finger naturally falls where doing so. Which is to say, although the rear position may not work well for you personally, this may be a question of user preference with no generally superior solution.