I don't think there is a legitimate way of totally doing away all hardware buttons..... including the Power Button. Home button itself turning into a software button is one thing, but No Power Button? I just don't think that's even possible. The Power Button itself in software would need to be always powered on. If it's not live....... how can it turn your phone on? You can't use Resistive or capacitive buttons without having live power as that's how Sony PS3 worked. You had master power switch on back and capacitive buttons controlling the BluRay, power on from sleep mode, etc.
So I don't we have any worries to do with ever having to face having no physical buttons at all! .......but as far as that home button now goes? Off with it's head the sooner the better! Too much wasted real estate on the front of latest iPhone models!!!
There CPU,d be a limited area behind the screen for the sensor. Despite what we see of the patent, it doesn't mean that it's what Apple would do, if they do it at all. After all a fingerprint sensor has nothing to do with the LCD elements the screen uses to produce an image.
And don't forget the patents Apple secured several years ago for a camera that used the entire screen for a sensor. Where did that go?
The camera you named, the touch sensor, will be merge into the one thing. Which is why i said the screen has to be 500ppi because the screen will act as camera and hence replace the touch sensor in Touch ID. It will be like taking a photo of your fingerprint.
Of coz i am not aware of any tech that can actually do this yet. But Apple sometimes do do the unexpected.
A more practical solution would be somehow the Force touch sensors could be used and be accurate enough to replace Touch ID.
Then there is lots of security concern that may flavor Touch ID as a separate button rather then on screen.
I hate touchscreens. Haaate. I have a Note 3 because buttons. I wish it had a slider keyboard. If I had an iPhone this news would make me froth at the mouth.
I love touch screens on small hand held devices.
Thank goodness most manufacturers are serving me.
BTW see BlackBerry, they really need your business or else they die !
Can't force touch completely replace all home button functions? That would be pretty awesome I think. Just force touch anywhere to go home, hold a bit longer to activate Siri, etc.
not so great for the double-press functionality tho. there is just something simple and useful about the home button and its usability options.
See accessibility, it does that now anywhere on the screen.
One of many physical buttons to be replaced with easy to use "Electronic Buttons" . I would be excited to see the Home, Volume, Silence, and Off Buttons replaced with "Electronic Buttons". That could be improved even more if there were no Microphone or Speaker Ports. Time will tell and you can probably be sure Apple is considering it.
I'd miss having a physical button. Pushing my 4 greasy fingers onto the display to wake it, I think the glass would start to look like a bus window in no time. Fingerprint scanners as the primary means of security are a bad idea IMO: http://on.mash.to/1LUlebb
LG G4 (and G3) have the home button and volume on the back of the device, which feels very natural (esp nice for page-turning when reading). If it's face-up on the table, a double-tap also wakes the screen. Maybe Apple could innovate some of that.
I'd miss having a physical button. Pushing my 4 greasy fingers onto the display to wake it, I think the glass would start to look like a bus window in no time. Fingerprint scanners as the primary means of security are also a bad idea IMO: http://on.mash.to/1LUlebb
LG G4 (and G3) have the home button and volume on the back of the device, which feels very natural (esp nice for page-turning when reading). No side or front buttons (except virtual, which you can slide up when you need them). It's noticeably smaller than the 6 , with the same size screen. If it's face-up on the table, a double-tap also wakes the screen.
This is the type of simple and functional design Apple is (was?) known for.
Comments
I don't think there is a legitimate way of totally doing away all hardware buttons..... including the Power Button. Home button itself turning into a software button is one thing, but No Power Button? I just don't think that's even possible. The Power Button itself in software would need to be always powered on. If it's not live....... how can it turn your phone on? You can't use Resistive or capacitive buttons without having live power as that's how Sony PS3 worked. You had master power switch on back and capacitive buttons controlling the BluRay, power on from sleep mode, etc.
So I don't we have any worries to do with ever having to face having no physical buttons at all! .......but as far as that home button now goes? Off with it's head the sooner the better! Too much wasted real estate on the front of latest iPhone models!!!
There CPU,d be a limited area behind the screen for the sensor. Despite what we see of the patent, it doesn't mean that it's what Apple would do, if they do it at all. After all a fingerprint sensor has nothing to do with the LCD elements the screen uses to produce an image.
And don't forget the patents Apple secured several years ago for a camera that used the entire screen for a sensor. Where did that go?
The camera you named, the touch sensor, will be merge into the one thing. Which is why i said the screen has to be 500ppi because the screen will act as camera and hence replace the touch sensor in Touch ID. It will be like taking a photo of your fingerprint.
Of coz i am not aware of any tech that can actually do this yet. But Apple sometimes do do the unexpected.
A more practical solution would be somehow the Force touch sensors could be used and be accurate enough to replace Touch ID.
Then there is lots of security concern that may flavor Touch ID as a separate button rather then on screen.
Rumors like this is how Samsung and other competitors get the jump on Apple with their crappy versions.
See smart watches.
Could it be that Apple releases crappy info for Samsung and others to blindly follow ?
God, I HOPE they make the entire touch screen an actual button, like the BlackBerry.
The Storm was the major reason RIM began its slide to irrelevancy.
Did BB create anything worth copying ?
Ask Ryan Seacrest.
Now, it looks almost like Samsung Galaxy with that rendering.
I'd say closer the the HTC One M9
Train wreck in 5,4,3,2,1
If they remove the home button it will look just like any other phone on the market.
If they remove the home button they'll remove a lot of customers.
Keep in mind the odds of this unverified rumor being true are very, very low.
I hate touchscreens. Haaate. I have a Note 3 because buttons. I wish it had a slider keyboard. If I had an iPhone this news would make me froth at the mouth.
I love touch screens on small hand held devices.
Thank goodness most manufacturers are serving me.
BTW see BlackBerry, they really need your business or else they die !
Train wreck in 5,4,3,2,1
If they remove the home button it will look just like any other phone on the market.
If they remove the home button they'll remove a lot of customers.
I hardly use the Home button on my iPhone 4.
When it was a year old I read that home button failures were common.
So I switched to assistive touch, have seldom used the home button for more than waking it up, over 3.5 years.
It's still 100% reliable has about 60% of it's original battery life (3 or 2 days now) and running iOS 7 at 4.5 yrs of age.
God, I HOPE they make the entire touch screen an actual button, like the BlackBerry.
OMG, copy BB to end it all
Can't force touch completely replace all home button functions? That would be pretty awesome I think. Just force touch anywhere to go home, hold a bit longer to activate Siri, etc.
not so great for the double-press functionality tho. there is just something simple and useful about the home button and its usability options.
See accessibility, it does that now anywhere on the screen.
LG G4 (and G3) have the home button and volume on the back of the device, which feels very natural (esp nice for page-turning when reading). If it's face-up on the table, a double-tap also wakes the screen. Maybe Apple could innovate some of that.
LG G4 (and G3) have the home button and volume on the back of the device, which feels very natural (esp nice for page-turning when reading). No side or front buttons (except virtual, which you can slide up when you need them). It's noticeably smaller than the 6 , with the same size screen. If it's face-up on the table, a double-tap also wakes the screen.
This is the type of simple and functional design Apple is (was?) known for.