Apple's 'iPhone 8' may allow triggering Siri by holding sleep/wake button

AppleInsider

To get around the absence of a physical home button, the "iPhone 8" may let people trigger Siri by holding down the sleep/wake button when they're not using "Hey Siri."

The option was allegedly uncovered in source code by Brazilian iOS developer Guilherme Rambo. He didn't say immediately identify which code, but Rambo was previously responsible for uncovering secrets from leaked Apple HomePod firmware, including the "iPhone 8's" apparent "SmartCam" feature.

Without a home button, Apple is reportedly having to make major interface adjustments for the "iPhone 8," implementing new gestures and a "software bar," as well as replacing Touch ID with 3D facial recognition. The company could conceivably put Siri in the software bar, but there have been no rumors to that effect yet.

Apple will finally reveal the phone at a Sept. 12 press event. The company is also expected to show off the "iPhone 7s" and "7s Plus,", an LTE-equipped Apple Watch, and a new Apple TV with 4K and HDR support.

Rambo recently claimed that the FCC identifier for the Apple TV is "BCGA1842," while a Canadian equivalent is "579C-A1842." The FCC number didn't show up in an AppleInsider database search.

kingpacific

I appreciate we are all excited and starved for new Apple products but why does it feel like when I read this headline I am watching kiddies digging at the wall of the living room with a spoon trying to get to the Christmas Tree on the other side .

srivarib

Then how are you going to switch off the phone? 

doozydozen

srivarib said:

Then how are you going to switch off the phone? 

Maybe the implementation is: tap to sleep/awake, hold for half a second to invoke Siri, continue holding for 3 seconds to power off. Admittedly, this solution would be ugly. Siri would be trying to help you before getting cutoff by the slide to power off. Yikes...

Removing the home button causes more problems than it resolves. 

edited September 2017

strangedays

repressthis said:

srivarib said:

Then how are you going to switch off the phone? 

Maybe the implementation is: tap to sleep/awake, hold for half a second to invoke Siri, continue holding for 3 seconds to power off. Admittedly, this solution would be ugly. Siri would be trying to help you before getting cutoff by the slide to power off. Yikes...

Removing the home button causes more problems than it resolves. 

You don't know that. you're speculating based on rumors and unknowns. 

jwdawso

Roger- You and Neil need to get on the same page. 

edited September 2017

ireland

Finally a paulsaible reason for the lock button to be larger. Not that it shouldn’t be this large anyway. Apple should put some code in the firmware to ignore accidental volume button presses while trying to access Siri this way.

edited September 2017

ireland

srivarib said:

Then how are you going to switch off the phone? 

Double-right wink ;-)

But seriously—double click can bring up other UI.

edited September 2017

doozydozen

StrangeDays said:

repressthis said:

srivarib said:

Then how are you going to switch off the phone? 

Maybe the implementation is: tap to sleep/awake, hold for half a second to invoke Siri, continue holding for 3 seconds to power off. Admittedly, this solution would be ugly. Siri would be trying to help you before getting cutoff by the slide to power off. Yikes...

Removing the home button causes more problems than it resolves. 

You don't know that. you're speculating based on rumors and unknowns. 

HENCE THE ADVERB "MAYBE," THE FIRST FREAKING WORD IN THE STATEMENT. Geez. 

ireland

repressthis said:

StrangeDays said:

repressthis said:

srivarib said:

Then how are you going to switch off the phone? 

Maybe the implementation is: tap to sleep/awake, hold for half a second to invoke Siri, continue holding for 3 seconds to power off. Admittedly, this solution would be ugly. Siri would be trying to help you before getting cutoff by the slide to power off. Yikes...

Removing the home button causes more problems than it resolves. 

You don't know that. you're speculating based on rumors and unknowns. 

HENCE THE ADVERB "MAYBE," THE FIRST FREAKING WORD IN THE STATEMENT. Geez. 

How dare you speculate. Off to the guillotine with ya.

edited September 2017

schmrtzzz

ireland said:

Finally a paulsaible reason for the lock button to be larger. Not that it shouldn’t be this large anyway. Apple should put some code in the firmware to ignore accidental volume button presses while trying to access Siri this way.

Agree. And they should make adjustments to the leather case. It's hard to find the lock button, hard to press it. With that case a double cllick or a soft click is almost not possible.

soli

StrangeDays said:

repressthis said:

srivarib said:

Then how are you going to switch off the phone? 

Maybe the implementation is: tap to sleep/awake, hold for half a second to invoke Siri, continue holding for 3 seconds to power off. Admittedly, this solution would be ugly. Siri would be trying to help you before getting cutoff by the slide to power off. Yikes...

Removing the home button causes more problems than it resolves. 

You don't know that. you're speculating based on rumors and unknowns. 

He said maybe and he even said that solution would admittedly be ugly. I appreciate people spitballs ideas. If it's not sound, in complete, or you think you have a better solution then state a rebuttal. When we have a certain poster on this forum that makes absolute claims about things he can't possible know I'd think someone brainstorming and using the appropriate modifiers would be welcome.

repressthis said:

srivarib said:

Then how are you going to switch off the phone? 

Maybe the implementation is: tap to sleep/awake, hold for half a second to invoke Siri, continue holding for 3 seconds to power off. Admittedly, this solution would be ugly. Siri would be trying to help you before getting cutoff by the slide to power off. Yikes...

Removing the home button causes more problems than it resolves. 

That does seem sloppy and cumbersome, but unless there's a touch-sensitive area on the sides of the device, like with whichever Android-based device that can be squeezed, I don't have a better solution.

I will note that in iOS 11 they've already added a multifaceted feature when you press the Sleep/Wake button 5 times. Not only will it allow an emergency number to be called and disable Touch ID (and I guess Face ID if the rumours are true), but also provides the standard slider to turn off the device.

But what if you need a hard power cycle? Will holding it down do the trick? Could this be a logistics issue if it's pressed against something in your pocket or bag, which one could argue is why Macs have a single button for a hard power cycle and iPhones have required you hold down two buttons (first the Home and Sleep/Wake, and then the Volume Up and Sleep/Wake once the Home button became a static button).

Maybe you press the Volume Up and Sleep/Wake button together to get the power off slider, but if that's the case my picture taking is going to be awkward as I can't seem to not press those two buttons at the same time.  

ireland

Soli said:

That does seem sloppy and cumbersome, but unless there's a touch-sensitive area on the sides of the device, like with whichever Android-based device that can be squeezed, I don't have a better solution.

The Pixel you're thinking of.

The solution is simple: double-click to bring up power-down UI or move it to a software-only area (like rotation on iPad).

Note that holding down the power button indefinitely would still force the phone to power down. Given this they could bring up the power down UI here also, should they wish to. So a double-click or a semi-indefinite hold (beyond Siri) could reveal the power down UI.

Plenty of options. And they've had a while to think about this, so there's no reason the solution can't be sensible. A double-click is sensible.

edited September 2017

cornchip

AppleInsider said:

Apple will finally reveal...

🙄


Why not hold down both volume buttons at the same time

aldrinjtauro

srivarib said:

Then how are you going to switch off the phone? 

It's a menu item under Settings > General, remember? And hard reset can still be Sleep/Wake + Vol-Down since you wouldn't easily hold those buttons down together.

ireland

cornchip said:

AppleInsider said:

Apple will finally reveal...

🙄


Why not hold down both volume buttons at the same time

Because they aren't the power button.

cornchip

ireland said:

cornchip said:

AppleInsider said:

Apple will finally reveal...

🙄


Why not hold down both volume buttons at the same time

Because they aren't the power button.

I mean for Siri.

nht

Or maybe TouchId got moved to the power button like described in a recently awarded Apple patent...

barrythetimesprout

nht said:

Or maybe TouchId got moved to the power button like described in a recently awarded Apple patent...

Isn't there some patent problem with putting a fingerprint sensor in the power button?  The Xperia range in the US never has a fingerprint sensor due to patent problems, so I'm wondering if Apple would have the same problems?

nht

BarrytheTimeSprout said:

nht said:

Or maybe TouchId got moved to the power button like described in a recently awarded Apple patent...

Isn't there some patent problem with putting a fingerprint sensor in the power button?  The Xperia range in the US never has a fingerprint sensor due to patent problems, so I'm wondering if Apple would have the same problems?

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2017/06/apple-wins-a-patent-for-touch-id-redesigned-for-idevices-with-larger-displays-and-no-home-button.html

rogifan_new

Getting rid of the home button and Touch ID just because the tech press is obsessed with bezel-less phones I fear is not going to be well received. Especially if there’s all sorts of new gestures involved and especially when the majority of iOS devices in use will still have the home button.