4 ms·

I've always regarded the back button as the single most important reason why I prefer Android to iOS. Interesting how different people perceive the world.

by bmurphy1976 8y ago

publicfig 8y ago
iOS's Swipe From Left works differently than Android's (at least 8.1 Oreo's) does, but often accomplishes the same task. It's pretty equivalent to Android's back button in a lot of cases, acting as hierarchical navigation and back to previous screen when applicable. The difference is that it only works within an app, which means it won't kick you back to a previous app (unless it's opened in a web view) and won't take you back to the home screen. I typically found iOS to handle it more elegantly than my <=Android8.1 phone, but I haven't updated to Pie yet to see how it's different.
craftyguy 8y ago
I never said I didn't like it.
monk_e_boy 8y ago
The random way the back button works -- moving to iOS I didn't miss it. There are plenty of ways to switch apps, or go back within an app. I thought I'd miss it. I didn't. Now I wouldn't need it on Android.
- nine_k 8y ago
  If one app activates another (camera -> album -> photo editor -> share), how do you go back from mid-way if you decided to?
  - sjwright 8y ago
    Because Android features this metaphor, it's used extensively. Because iOS doesn't, it isn't as much. iOS features different metaphors which achieve the same outcomes in different ways, such as pop-up sheets for the camera, album views and share panes. And in cases where one app does activate another, you can go back one step by tapping the top-left corner of the screen. There's only one level of "app back", but that's plenty since iOS doesn't tend to jump you between apps a lot, and because that navigation isn't co-mingled with other "back" operations.
  - threeseed 8y ago
    There is a link at the top left of the screen that goes back to the previous app during these "app activates another another" phases.
ams6110 8y ago
I agree. The back button in Android almost always seems to do what I would expect. I'm not an iOS user so my perspective probably doesn't mean a lot, but the occasional times I try to use someone else's iOS phone I have no idea what's going on. Nothing seems intuitive.

I've always regarded the back button as the single most important reason why I prefer Android to iOS. Interesting how different people perceive the world.

publicfig 8y ago

iOS's Swipe From Left works differently than Android's (at least 8.1 Oreo's) does, but often accomplishes the same task. It's pretty equivalent to Android's back button in a lot of cases, acting as hierarchical navigation and back to previous screen when applicable. The difference is that it only works within an app, which means it won't kick you back to a previous app (unless it's opened in a web view) and won't take you back to the home screen. I typically found iOS to handle it more elegantly than my <=Android8.1 phone, but I haven't updated to Pie yet to see how it's different.

craftyguy 8y ago

I never said I didn't like it.

monk_e_boy 8y ago

The random way the back button works -- moving to iOS I didn't miss it. There are plenty of ways to switch apps, or go back within an app. I thought I'd miss it. I didn't. Now I wouldn't need it on Android.

nine_k 8y ago
If one app activates another (camera -> album -> photo editor -> share), how do you go back from mid-way if you decided to?
- sjwright 8y ago
  Because Android features this metaphor, it's used extensively. Because iOS doesn't, it isn't as much. iOS features different metaphors which achieve the same outcomes in different ways, such as pop-up sheets for the camera, album views and share panes. And in cases where one app does activate another, you can go back one step by tapping the top-left corner of the screen. There's only one level of "app back", but that's plenty since iOS doesn't tend to jump you between apps a lot, and because that navigation isn't co-mingled with other "back" operations.
- threeseed 8y ago
  There is a link at the top left of the screen that goes back to the previous app during these "app activates another another" phases.

ams6110 8y ago

I agree. The back button in Android almost always seems to do what I would expect. I'm not an iOS user so my perspective probably doesn't mean a lot, but the occasional times I try to use someone else's iOS phone I have no idea what's going on. Nothing seems intuitive.