Do you like hardware buttons for your phone?

[Aniket Bhat]

The NavBar seems quite nice actually. Unlike android it hides and doesn't waste pixels. But for the camera button..... HELL NO. I want those. I love how i can use the camera even when it is locked. and the vibration too..

 

[Denegar]

Love the physical buttons, but supply and demand will sort this out. I will keep buying the WP8 phones that have physical buttons, others might buy onscreen ones for a bigger screen or cheaper phone. I think the camera button is absolutely essential though. I'd hate to lose the button. It's one of my favourite things since switching from an iPhone to a Nokia Lumia.

 

[reda igbaria]

I prefer to have them physically on the phone

 

[bawboh86]

I use the camera button way too much to want to see it go, but I have used it many times without the button and been just fine. I've actually been doing a small Instagram/street photo project and using the software open makes it easier to get the shots without bringing attention to myself.

 

[ams963]

Removal of the camera button will be a deal breaker for me. But I would love the removal of the three front buttons.

 

[Xaphoon148]

I like the buttons on Lumia 1020 just as they are now, and no camera button would definitely be a deal breaker.

 

[muvig]

For fast access to the camera without unlocking the phone first, the physical button is a must for the camera. since Nokia already have those buttons, i think it would be a matter of choice hoping nokia would continue implementing them

 

[Fahad Aziz Khan]

Camera button Should stay always.......

even other brands/manufacturer/OEM OS should include Camera Shutter button at least or by default use there Volume buttons as a Shutter button.

 

[bayanii]

Don't remove the camera, power, and volume. I can live without the back, start, and search. I'd prefer not to, but having buttons in many ways makes it feel real.

 

[tk-093]

I don't have a problem with the "physical" buttons on my Lumia 928 and I don't have a problem with my on-screen buttons on my Moto X. I think I'm actually leaning towards the on-screen buttons. When in landscape, they stay on the right as if they were physical which is great.

When you're in games they disappear so you don't lose any space as is also the case when you're watching video so you don't really lose any screen space for anything important.

The big advantage of on-screen buttons is that you can now have a smaller bottom bezel and thus keep the form factor a little smaller while having a larger screen.

I would miss the dedicated camera button, though. Makes it so easy to take pics.

 

[bsayegh]

I would actually prefer more tactile buttons than the ones that are already on the phone. A lot of times if I am in my car I need to navigate my phone without really looking at it. I have placed the music tiles that I need in certain places where I know exactly where they are without having to look, but sometimes I have trouble just getting to the start screen because I cant find the windows button without looking.

Please don't take those buttons away.

Also they would have to be nuts to take away the shutter button.

 

[icyrock1]

I WANT it to move to the side on my tablet, but they stay on the bottom, and the home is super hard to reach. I never even thought about lefties, do they always move to the right, if you rotate it +90 or -90?
Anyhow, I suppose they wanted to simulate how the hardware buttons would stay on the side too. Still, hardware buttons are better.

They always move to the right of the screen. It's annoying, especially since I use my phone with my left hand (really, who ever designed on screen buttons needs to take in consideration that there are left handed people in this world). Hopefully, Microsoft takes that into consideration, but honestly, the way they are now (at least, on Android, isn't very intuitive for lefties).

 

[fatclue_98]

I think it's funny how some of these posters eschew the physical buttons but at the same time DEMAND that the camera button stays. Can't have it both ways guys and gals. Either you want buttons or not.

 

[freestaterocker]

I think it's funny how some of these posters eschew the physical buttons but at the same time DEMAND that the camera button stays. Can't have it both ways guys and gals. Either you want buttons or not.

But we CAN have it both ways. MS didn't say OEMs have to either make it with either physical back-start-search buttons and hardware camera buttons or none of the above. They just said "you don't HAVE to include either anymore". All I need is for one OEM that builds a WP to include a hardware camera button but opt for virtual OS buttons, and we all have our next device while you're eating your words!

 

[fatclue_98]

But we CAN have it both ways. MS didn't say OEMs have to either make it with either physical back-start-search buttons and hardware camera buttons or none of the above. They just said "you don't HAVE to include either anymore". All I need is for one OEM that builds a WP to include a hardware camera button but opt for virtual OS buttons, and we all have our next device while you're eating your words!

You misunderstood me. My comments were directed at those who deplore physical buttons and say they're tacky or take up room, etc. but go nuts if faced without a camera button. Don't go bashing hardware buttons and demand a camera button; that was my point. Personally, I like as many physical buttons, optical track pads and nav aids as you can possibly stuff into a phone. A lot of us like to "feel" our way around our devices. For example, I bet you don't take your eyes off your TV when you're fiddling with the remote, right? How many remotes out there without buttons?

 

[Joshua Jackson]

I could care less for the back, home and search buttons. They could put them anywhere. What I would like to see are send, end and camera physical buttons.

Glory and hallelujah...
Finally, someone that thinks a PHONE should have a PHONE button (bottom-left, too).
No one should every have to ask how to make a call on a phone.
What would be cool is hardware buttons that are configurable, per app (like the afore-mentioned phone button would open the phone app, by default, but it could be overridden within an app).
JJ

 

[dkhmwilliams]

Physical buttons can become problematic over time and really don't fit the design aesthetic of modern smartphones. As far as not being able to figure out how to make a call, that's what the user manual is for if you really are a novice at using modern smartphones. I, on the other hand, have never had any difficulty figuring out how to make a call on a smartphone. The phone icon is usually very easy to find.


Sent from my iPad Air. Simply better than the rest.