Hideous - what's intuitive about that? Having to read an instruction manual to learn how to use the power button? No thanks... Just leave the home button where it is. Simples.
From what I remember iOS already has a 3 finger gesture.......... the Zoom into whole screen.
The home button also has the function of bringing up voice control.
And considering iOS 4.3 beta has the option of disabling multi-touch. It must mean you should be able to do the same gesture tasks with the home button or other ways, like now.
I find it hard to believe that they will remove the button.
...because although the button acts as a superb panic button, in particular in the dark, one often spins the iPad around to find the button because it is not backlit. Secondly, removing the button would enable a thinner bezel, and thirdly, if you have ever used Apple's 'Photos' iPad app, it also uses the multi finger 'Home' gesture to collapse photo album views back to the their index stacks, an intuitive and obvious interface paradigm that needs to be extended across to all iOS (and Anrdoid?) apps. (If you know what I mean!)
1) Those thinking you are going to get more screen size, highly doubt it. I have a hard time believing it would be practical for Apple to introduce and implement another screen size where you are only gaining a few pixels in one direction.
2) I use the iPad with young kids including some with downs syndrome. They can easily understand the home button and what it does, a multi gesture, nah.
3) How would you get into DFU mode if needed? Could this be a another attempt at making some jailbreaking procedures not work?
4) What's the compelling reason for changing? What would replacing the home button give to the customer? Sure for Apple it reduces costs, but for the end user?
Apple, if it isn't broken, don't try fixing it!
At least they relented and gave us the option for designating the purpose of the mute button in 4.3 beta. Listen to the people.
Might upset the disabled world. There are people out there without a full set of digits for whatever reason, and some (often elderly) with a disability (eg Parkinsons) who would find using a 5 finger swipe over-challenging
why can't apple learn from past mistakes and leave well-enough alone. Sometimes, for certain things, people like the physical button. A prime example of this is the iPod Shuffle. When they removed all buttons and relied solely on touch to control the device, it was a huge failure. Gestures for everything just seems a bit much. I'm really getting tired of this "everything must be touch" crap from Apple. If SJ's excuse for hating buttons is that they are limiting and eventually break, then i call BS because most consumers in general (unless they are incredibly abusive to their devices) don't keep them long enough to see them break. He also already proved that the home button can be used for other things. Like multi-tasking. What's next? The power button goes away and you have to shake the device to wake it up?
Please note, my response is based on this rumor being true. I am fully aware this is a rumor and these posts could very well be nonsense.
lol... you do realize that Apple controls the OS, the core of the phone? The developers are the ones who need to fall in line, not Apple. Apple will simply make 4 finger gestures unavailable to developers.
I know what is and isn't possible, I just find the idea of Apple breaking thousands of applications with an update unlikely.
I completely agree with this statement. This may be OK on the iPad, but to have multi-touch gestures for the home screen on the iPhone is crazy. I use my iPhone with one hand and tap the home button with my thumb to switch apps or go to the home screen, while i'm driving, walking around or just casually using the phone to check messages and email. To get rid of this button is crazy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ALUOp
The real reason that they will not remove the home button on iPhone and go with multi-touch gesture is that it will always require more than one finger to operate the phone. Requiring more than one finger practically means requiring more than one hand. This is absolutely unacceptable for a phone. On iPad, multi-touch gesture may be a great idea, but definitely not on iPhone.
Best thing that could ever happen to iPhone. It simply takes too much of valuable space that could be used by a larger/wider screen. If you still want a hardware button there are plenty of vacant spaces on the edges.
That would mean - replace the home button with the new on one of the edges.
Also this would probably mean a redesign of the top - where the proximity sensor, front-facing camera and a phone-speaker are located.
If any of this happens - there would be very much unused space on the front panel. Are they going to shrink the iphone? (because making a 'higher' screen is very unlikely because of the battery life. If they shrink iPhone - also a question where they put the battery.
So the redesign like this (removing or even replacing the home button) is VERY UNLIKELY, mostly because of the further aesthetic design and form factors.
Comments
Hideous - what's intuitive about that? Having to read an instruction manual to learn how to use the power button? No thanks... Just leave the home button where it is. Simples.
agreed, it's a hideous "solution".
The home button also has the function of bringing up voice control.
And considering iOS 4.3 beta has the option of disabling multi-touch. It must mean you should be able to do the same gesture tasks with the home button or other ways, like now.
I find it hard to believe that they will remove the button.
agreed, it's a hideous "solution".
++
Agreed, terrible idea.
1) Those thinking you are going to get more screen size, highly doubt it. I have a hard time believing it would be practical for Apple to introduce and implement another screen size where you are only gaining a few pixels in one direction.
2) I use the iPad with young kids including some with downs syndrome. They can easily understand the home button and what it does, a multi gesture, nah.
3) How would you get into DFU mode if needed? Could this be a another attempt at making some jailbreaking procedures not work?
4) What's the compelling reason for changing? What would replacing the home button give to the customer? Sure for Apple it reduces costs, but for the end user?
Apple, if it isn't broken, don't try fixing it!
At least they relented and gave us the option for designating the purpose of the mute button in 4.3 beta. Listen to the people.
But really, I do not see them removing it if not for the reason to restart a locked up device as someone mentioned.
Can't wait for the Etch-a-Sketch people to sue.
Please note, my response is based on this rumor being true. I am fully aware this is a rumor and these posts could very well be nonsense.
lol... you do realize that Apple controls the OS, the core of the phone? The developers are the ones who need to fall in line, not Apple. Apple will simply make 4 finger gestures unavailable to developers.
I know what is and isn't possible, I just find the idea of Apple breaking thousands of applications with an update unlikely.
The real reason that they will not remove the home button on iPhone and go with multi-touch gesture is that it will always require more than one finger to operate the phone. Requiring more than one finger practically means requiring more than one hand. This is absolutely unacceptable for a phone. On iPad, multi-touch gesture may be a great idea, but definitely not on iPhone.
Man I hope that is not true, I am sick and tired of Apple just taking things away that seem to work just fine,
Probably some sort of cost cutting measure. They just cant leave well enough alone, can you apple.
Probably some 20 something x gen developed this feature and thought, hey mon this is cool no button!
DOn;t crao around with out buttons Jobs, or someone will get pissed and star a campaign to have it put back on!
If it does happen it will be because of Steve's hatred of buttons.
Best thing that could ever happen to iPhone. It simply takes too much of valuable space that could be used by a larger/wider screen. If you still want a hardware button there are plenty of vacant spaces on the edges.
That would mean - replace the home button with the new on one of the edges.
Also this would probably mean a redesign of the top - where the proximity sensor, front-facing camera and a phone-speaker are located.
If any of this happens - there would be very much unused space on the front panel. Are they going to shrink the iphone? (because making a 'higher' screen is very unlikely because of the battery life. If they shrink iPhone - also a question where they put the battery.
So the redesign like this (removing or even replacing the home button) is VERY UNLIKELY, mostly because of the further aesthetic design and form factors.
I say, it is a TROLL.
Why can't they move the button to the back?
That's where hands go. They tend to press things.
isn't just coincidence that they just report it JUST AFTER the new multitouch gestures?
5-finger multitouch gesture: Lose a finger, lose your iPad.
Any system without redundancy/fat is brittle.
Use your other hand. Not that big of a deal.
-Sent from my iPad
Sorry, couldn't resist...