I understand why Microsoft chose software buttons.

[The Extreme G]

The light from the buttons on my 920 also dim when the screen does.
No, they dim in the dark as you don't need as much light.

The brightness of the capacitive buttons on the 920 don't vary from ambient light. They're either on or off depending on circumstance.

 

[P1ng0fDeath]

You mean when the phone's sensor detects it's BRIGHT. The lights stay on when it's dark unless you turn on battery saver

No, they dim in the dark as you don't need as much light.

you 2 are confusing me now i'll have to turn off the lights and test it lol

 

[ajj3085]

The brightness of the capacitive buttons on the 920 don't vary from ambient light. They're either on or off depending on circumstance.

Oh, guess i was just imagining it then.

 

[bo_woods]

I'm actually excited for the on screen buttons... The coolness in how they can be black or your theme color intrigues me.

Also unlike the 920 & 925 the capacitive buttons look cheap on the 1520... I've had like four to five different 1520's and seen plenty of them in the Microsoft store and in online pictures, and on every 1520 I've seen they all have cheap looking buttons due to them not being evenly colored/lit all over, and sometimes yellowness being apparent under them and graininess. Their not exactly the same shade/tone/color 100% all over kik they were on the 925 & 920 (which had cool reflective ones)

 

[Jonnie LasVegas]

Also unlike the 920 & 925 the capacitive buttons look cheap on the 1520... I've had like four to five different 1520's and seen plenty of them in the Microsoft store and in online pictures, and on every 1520 I've seen they all have cheap looking buttons due to them not being evenly colored/lit all over, and sometimes yellowness being apparent under them and graininess. Their not exactly the same shade/tone/color 100% all over kik they were on the 925 & 920 (which had cool reflective ones)

Whoa, glad my 1520 doesn't have any of those problems with my buttons! All evenly lit and a nice bright white! I would never buy a phone with onscreen buttons, seems kind of ratchet imo, lol. But after owning a 1520 you get spoiled, everything is a downgrade from here.

 

[tgp]

My Windows Phone doesn't have on screen buttons so I cannot comment on how they're implemented. I use Android devices with both types of buttons, and I prefer the on screen buttons. I like when the space that would be capacitive buttons is screen. That way, it can be used for screen if applicable, such as watching a video.

The implementation of on screen buttons is very natural and smooth on Android. If the buttons are hidden, such as when you're on YouTube, a tap anywhere on the screen will bring them up. This makes them readily available at all times.

Here's a picture I just snapped of a YouTube video on my Nexus 6. I like how much of the face of the device is screen (and FWIW, it has front facing speakers as well). The screen comes close to the bottom of the device, where capacitive buttons would obviously be.

 

[The Extreme G]

The implementation of on screen buttons is very natural and smooth on Android. If the buttons are hidden, such as when you're on YouTube, a tap anywhere on the screen will bring them up. This makes them readily available at all times.

Exactly! I love the on screen buttons on my Nexus 5. I'm actually happy to see them on the new Windows Mobile devices. No more BRIGHT *** buttons at night!

 

[bo_woods]

My Windows Phone doesn't have on screen buttons so I cannot comment on how they're implemented. I use Android devices with both types of buttons, and I prefer the on screen buttons. I like when the space that would be capacitive buttons is screen. That way, it can be used for screen if applicable, such as watching a video.

The implementation of on screen buttons is very natural and smooth on Android. If the buttons are hidden, such as when you're on YouTube, a tap anywhere on the screen will bring them up. This makes them readily available at all times.

Here's a picture I just snapped of a YouTube video on my Nexus 6. I like how much of the face of the device is screen (and FWIW, it has front facing speakers as well). The screen comes close to the bottom of the device, where capacitive buttons would obviously be.

View attachment 111546

Ooh how I want to get my hands on a nexus 6...

It's imo the most beautiful android device out right now

Even listed it as a phone I'm particularly interested in for trade here in my marketplace thread for my unlocked near mint Lumia 1520...

 

[bo_woods]

The Galaxy s6/edge/edge+ and the note 5 are also up there in terms of beautiful design, but the nexus 6 body is just glorious imo

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

Looks like a nice phone but then I remember it is android and I shudder.

I am getting used to the oncscreen buttons but I still hate the extra step of getting rid of them/bringing them back each time I need to use them,

 

[Ticomfreak]

There is and always has been a way to toggle the virtual buttons: swipe up from the bottom bezel.

 

[tgp]

Looks like a nice phone but then I remember it is android and I shudder.

And you sell phones for a living? I'm sure you never complain about biased sales reps!

Sent from whatever device I happen to be using today using Tapatalk

 

[Christopher Senn1]

Ive been using software buttons on my android for year and you know what? I loveee the capacitive buttons when I mess with my Lumia phones.

The extra gestures you have to do and the time it takes to bring up the back button or home button as opposed to having dedicated buttons, is just annoying and plus it doesnt seem so cool. Its like a dedicated camera button.

 

[Neill Baldwin]

I don't think it's that big of a deal for me as long as it's like my G4. You can choose such programs to hide the buttons, and then just swipe up from the bottom when you need them. Gives me the full screen when I want it and still access to the buttons when I want it.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[byobg]

I have a Lumia 640 too - and I miss the capacitive buttons, but I think my entire dislike of the onscreen buttons could be solved by software.

The problem is that a LOT of apps (most games, the video player, notifications, etc.) auto-hide the navigation bar - which means that I ALWAYS have to re-enable it to get out of those apps. This is mitigated (mostly) by the Settings option to never auto-hide the Nav bar - but that introduces its own problem, when full-screen apps don't realize that the bottom of the screen will be obscured. (Usually that's just an annoying cosmetic issue, but in at least one case, an app had its "Sign in" button completely obscured by the nav bar, causing me great confusion for a while...)

I wouldn't mind onscreen buttons if I didn't have to keep fiddling with them.

 

[adkrish22290]

I have a XOLO Win Q1000 which has capacitive buttons with which I'm comfortable. Having said that, I don't mind using software buttons either, as I had used the L630 earlier, but I had to disable the features to hide the navigation bar and allowing apps to hide the navigation bar as I am not comfortable or used to buttons not being present as well as hiding and showing the buttons.

It's all a matter of personal preference at the end of the day.

 

[raycpl]

Not sure what's the fuss over hardware/software WP buttons arguments. It cant be any harder than a right handed person using a left handed mouse!! I'm sure any one can adapt. !!

 

[Ariel Takom]

I've owned a Lumia 620 and currently rocking a Lumia 830, both having capacitive/hardware buttons.

Before buying my 830, I've checked the 640 and 735 out, as well as playing with my classmate's Lumia 920 and 635, all with software/on-screen buttons.

I find the on-screen buttons on the said Lumias much better since you can hide it during gaming (having used the 620 and 830, I sometimes hit the buttons and would exit the game. Once I was battling a boss in Dungeon Hunter 4, almost winning and used my last potion. Accidentally pressed the Windows button. When returning to the game, the game returns to the start menu, and when I resumed, I had to face the level from the start with ZERO potions. #sadlife), the colour follows the theme of your phone, as well as following the brightness of your display.

Capacitive buttons however, are practical. It's always there so I don't have to swipe up or down or whatever (efficiency). After owning the L620 and L830 for a few years, I've rarely had any accidental press (even during gaming!). Also, the capacitive buttons look VERY SEXY on my L830, which is why most WP enthusiast would rate the appearance of L830 highly.

My point is, both types has its pros and cons, and everything comes down to personal preference. But if you ask for my opinion, Microsoft should put capacitive buttons on the more 'Premium' devices because it makes the phone look sexier/attractive. On-screen buttons should be used in other devices as it makes the phone cheaper, thus cutting down the cost of the phone.

Also, one of the reason why this topic is trending is probably due to the leaked images of the L950/950XL. I guess it's okay to use software buttons (if you never try, you'll never know), but that bezel at the bottom is way too large compared to those in L735, 640, or 635. It makes the phone look ugly IMO.

 

[bo_woods]

I've owned a Lumia 620 and currently rocking a Lumia 830, both having capacitive/hardware buttons.

Before buying my 830, I've checked the 640 and 735 out, as well as playing with my classmate's Lumia 920 and 635, all with software/on-screen buttons.

I find the on-screen buttons on the said Lumias much better since you can hide it during gaming (having used the 620 and 830, I sometimes hit the buttons and would exit the game. Once I was battling a boss in Dungeon Hunter 4, almost winning and used my last potion. Accidentally pressed the Windows button. When returning to the game, the game returns to the start menu, and when I resumed, I had to face the level from the start with ZERO potions. #sadlife), the colour follows the theme of your phone, as well as following the brightness of your display.

Capacitive buttons however, are practical. It's always there so I don't have to swipe up or down or whatever (efficiency). After owning the L620 and L830 for a few years, I've rarely had any accidental press (even during gaming!). Also, the capacitive buttons look VERY SEXY on my L830, which is why most WP enthusiast would rate the appearance of L830 highly.

My point is, both types has its pros and cons, and everything comes down to personal preference. But if you ask for my opinion, Microsoft should put capacitive buttons on the more 'Premium' devices because it makes the phone look sexier/attractive. On-screen buttons should be used in other devices as it makes the phone cheaper, thus cutting down the cost of the phone.

Also, one of the reason why this topic is trending is probably due to the leaked images of the L950/950XL. I guess it's okay to use software buttons (if you never try, you'll never know), but that bezel at the bottom is way too large compared to those in L735, 640, or 635. It makes the phone look ugly IMO.

I Heavily Agree with all that you've stated

Although... Contrary to what was said in the first paragraph, the 920 does not use on screen buttons, it has capacitive ones

Also..."After owning the L620 and L830 for a few years"

The 830 technically hasn't been out a full year yet

Just saying

 

[houkoholic]

I (and I think most others) care more about the screen size than the actual phone size, so a little bit more on the bottom of the phone is quite worth it. Using my 1520 for more than a year, and I haven't regreted it even once.

Not really, people really care about the size of their phone, that's why people complain about bezel size relative to the screen size. Large bezel = large physical phone.

I used to have a iPhone 6 Plus, it's the same physical size as my 1520 but the screen is smaller due to the huge bezel and home button. Then I sold the 6+ for a Sharp SH-01G (look it up) which has a physical screen nearly the same size as the 6+ but the whole phone is the size of a normal iPhone 6 because Sharp has nearly bezel free technology for their LCD screens (which Dell uses in their ultrabook - remember how everyone drooled at those bezel free Dells because it has a 13inch screen in a normally 11inch ultrabook size?) - the phone is like 85% screen on the front and is beautiful to use day to day as I'm able to slip the phone in my pant's pockets AND being able to sit with it still in the pocket. Can't do that with the 6+ nor the 1520.

I'd wish MS could get their hands on these Sharp screens and make a device with a 1520 screen size but in a package physically the same as a 930 because they can get rid of both bezel and the capacitive buttons, I'd buy that in a heartbeat.