5 ms·

Sounds like they've bought too much of the hype without having any tangible to show for it. It's very likely that we won't see a Home button on any future iOS

by kmfrk 16y ago

Sounds like they've bought too much of the hype without having any tangible to show for it. It's very likely that we won't see a Home button on any future iOS devices; that's pretty impressive, but the new gestures seem to perform the same function really well. It should put Apple way ahead of other mobile platforms who still struggle with which order to place all their buttons.

Kylekramer 16y ago
Well, the unnamed platform you are referring to has already made public their intentions to work with no hardware buttons in the next version, so I think things will remain fairly even.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
lukifer 16y ago
I don't buy it. We might see an option to make Home inert, but to be completely buttonless hurts discoverability and familiarity with non-techy consumers. (I won't say it's completely impossible that Apple would do it, just that it's overall a bad idea.)
- pohl 16y ago
  That would be perfect for my toddler. He sits on my lap and plays with Uzu (an app) but can't resist the home button. There seems to be many people asking in forums for cases that solve the same problem by obscuring the button. It could be great for a kiosk mode too, especially if the gestures to get out of the app could be a chosen secret.
  - lukeschlather 16y ago
    Yes, it would make a great toy / embedded device. However, as a phone I don't see how less than a back button and a home button is sufficient. It's a lot like the mouse debate. I need at least a couple hardware buttons.
    - glhaynes 16y ago
      Lots of iPhone users are quite productive with just a home button and no back button. Not to say that it's definitively better that way (I think I prefer it, though I haven't spent nearly as much time with an Android device), but it's certainly not so much worse as to cause an outcry for it.
    - vdm 16y ago
      I use an iPhone daily, and have only played with friends Androids, but the Android back hard key doesn't work as well for me. I think it's asymmetric position works worse for people whose thumb is on the other side of the device (if they're a lefty). No such issue with iPhones home button; there's no wrong option.
- sp332 16y ago
  Discoverability isn't an issue if the learning curve is small enough to fit into a 30-second ad. By the time iPhone 5 comes out, everyone who watches major network TV will know how to use it.
- rahoulb 16y ago
  Maybe buttonless for the iPad, but I doubt it for the iPhone as you would lose the ability to use it one-handed.
roc 16y ago
I'm starting to wonder if the persistent "no home button" rumor isn't coming from other device makers. It seems utterly unlike Apple. And I wouldn't be surprised at all if someone else was floating their design concepts as Apple rumors, so that people would see them, talk about them and consider them through the prism of deference to Apple's design track record.
joebananas 16y ago
If you wanna know how likely a no-home-button iphone is, try doing a 4 or 5 finger swipe using only one hand.
SafdarIqbal 16y ago
But if Honeycomb (somehow) makes its way into smartphones, the struggle might well be over for Android! For reference: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/07/exclusive-interview-googles-matias-duarte-talks-honeycomb-tab/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/07/exclusive-interview-googl...
zyb09 16y ago
No it's gonna stay and gets a LED behind it, so it can glow in different colors, making a notification system. Calling it now!
pangram 16y ago
... but there aren't many ordering problems with one button. Daring Fireball has some good discussion on this; he thinks that the rumors of removing the Home Button are false (due to difficulty of discoverability and one handed-use). http://daringfireball.net/linked/2011/01/12/gestures-home-buttons.php http://daringfireball.net/linked/2011/01/12/gestures-home-bu...

by kmfrk 16y ago

Kylekramer 16y ago

Well, the unnamed platform you are referring to has already made public their intentions to work with no hardware buttons in the next version, so I think things will remain fairly even.

deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

lukifer 16y ago

I don't buy it. We might see an option to make Home inert, but to be completely buttonless hurts discoverability and familiarity with non-techy consumers. (I won't say it's completely impossible that Apple would do it, just that it's overall a bad idea.)

pohl 16y ago
That would be perfect for my toddler. He sits on my lap and plays with Uzu (an app) but can't resist the home button. There seems to be many people asking in forums for cases that solve the same problem by obscuring the button. It could be great for a kiosk mode too, especially if the gestures to get out of the app could be a chosen secret.
- lukeschlather 16y ago
  Yes, it would make a great toy / embedded device. However, as a phone I don't see how less than a back button and a home button is sufficient. It's a lot like the mouse debate. I need at least a couple hardware buttons.
  - glhaynes 16y ago
    Lots of iPhone users are quite productive with just a home button and no back button. Not to say that it's definitively better that way (I think I prefer it, though I haven't spent nearly as much time with an Android device), but it's certainly not so much worse as to cause an outcry for it.
  - vdm 16y ago
    I use an iPhone daily, and have only played with friends Androids, but the Android back hard key doesn't work as well for me. I think it's asymmetric position works worse for people whose thumb is on the other side of the device (if they're a lefty). No such issue with iPhones home button; there's no wrong option.
sp332 16y ago
Discoverability isn't an issue if the learning curve is small enough to fit into a 30-second ad. By the time iPhone 5 comes out, everyone who watches major network TV will know how to use it.
rahoulb 16y ago
Maybe buttonless for the iPad, but I doubt it for the iPhone as you would lose the ability to use it one-handed.

roc 16y ago

I'm starting to wonder if the persistent "no home button" rumor isn't coming from other device makers. It seems utterly unlike Apple. And I wouldn't be surprised at all if someone else was floating their design concepts as Apple rumors, so that people would see them, talk about them and consider them through the prism of deference to Apple's design track record.

joebananas 16y ago

If you wanna know how likely a no-home-button iphone is, try doing a 4 or 5 finger swipe using only one hand.

SafdarIqbal 16y ago

But if Honeycomb (somehow) makes its way into smartphones, the struggle might well be over for Android! For reference: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/07/exclusive-interview-googles-matias-duarte-talks-honeycomb-tab/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/07/exclusive-interview-googl...

zyb09 16y ago

No it's gonna stay and gets a LED behind it, so it can glow in different colors, making a notification system. Calling it now!

pangram 16y ago

... but there aren't many ordering problems with one button. Daring Fireball has some good discussion on this; he thinks that the rumors of removing the Home Button are false (due to difficulty of discoverability and one handed-use). http://daringfireball.net/linked/2011/01/12/gestures-home-buttons.php http://daringfireball.net/linked/2011/01/12/gestures-home-bu...