an idea for the back button

[Azurus]

Im sure most of you by now know about the idea of removing the functionality of the back button. Well im not with them removing its functionality
But I was just thinking, why not change its functionality ?
You know how in windows 8 you can swipe from the side to switch applications ??
why not make the back button a tool to quickly switch between the open applications. instead of a long press on the back button and scrolling through the opened applaications. (we can close the apps anyways from the multitasking screen)
I know its such a dreamy idea but i would like to believe they will make one

 

[pmhgeneral]

Make your suggestions to Microsoft and everyone could vote on it.

 

[omgitsnick]

But then how would you go back to a previous page or menu in an app. And should the back button be replaced by a virtual onscreen button, as rumors suggest, it will have the same function because that's how the OS is programmed to the functions of a back button. Unless of course Microsoft changes this.

 

[AccentAE86]

The thing is, the back button is great for navigation through layers of an app, or from one app to another. Like for example, you open a txt msg, then open a location link in the txt that launches the map. Once you are done, you hit back and it closes the map and puts you back at the SMS screen. The flow feels like you are in one app rather than multiple, and it's nice.

What it's not nice for is quickly closing an app. So while I would love to have quick access to close an app (why not top to bottom swipe like win8?) I would not want to lose the back button function either.

 

[rdubmu]

The thing is, the back button is great for navigation through layers of an app, or from one app to another. Like for example, you open a txt msg, then open a location link in the txt that launches the map. Once you are done, you hit back and it closes the map and puts you back at the SMS screen. The flow feels like you are in one app rather than multiple, and it's nice.

What it's not nice for is quickly closing an app. So while I would love to have quick access to close an app (why not top to bottom swipe like win8?) I would not want to lose the back button function either.

I just switched from my Lumia 920 to a LG G2 and I miss the back button on windows phone. Android has a back button and sometimes when I hit the back button it does something different than I intended.

Windows Phone back button is perfect.

Sent from my LG-D801 using WPCentral Forums mobile app

 

[Azurus]

Make your suggestions to Microsoft and everyone could vote on it.

how can i do that ???

 

[Azurus]

But then how would you go back to a previous page or menu in an app. And should the back button be replaced by a virtual onscreen button, as rumors suggest, it will have the same function because that's how the OS is programmed to the functions of a back button. Unless of course Microsoft changes this.

thats the thing , microsoft is hinting that the back button will be an in-app option which is on screen , so no need for the capacitive back button

 

[Azurus]

The thing is, the back button is great for navigation through layers of an app, or from one app to another. Like for example, you open a txt msg, then open a location link in the txt that launches the map. Once you are done, you hit back and it closes the map and puts you back at the SMS screen. The flow feels like you are in one app rather than multiple, and it's nice.

What it's not nice for is quickly closing an app. So while I would love to have quick access to close an app (why not top to bottom swipe like win8?) I would not want to lose the back button function either.

you are totally right btw i never thought about in that way. But once again, what if you are on facebook and texting someone on whatsapp. You would want to do the 2 tasks side by side but the current function of the back button doesnt allow you too. You need a long press on the back button and swiping through all the open apps until you reach the desired app

 

[berty6294]

thats the thing , microsoft is hinting that the back button will be an in-app option which is on screen , so no need for the capacitive back button

Yeah but the problem with that is that it isnt always there. Right now I KNOW that my back button will work in every app I have! I also KNOW that if I hit the home button, I can quickly hit the back button to go back to that app!

 

[AccentAE86]

you are totally right btw i never thought about in that way. But once again, what if you are on facebook and texting someone on whatsapp. You would want to do the 2 tasks side by side but the current function of the back button doesnt allow you too. You need a long press on the back button and swiping through all the open apps until you reach the desired app

Not really. Switching between two apps back and forth is really quick and easy. When you hold the back button, it always puts the last app you touched directly on the left side of the current task. All you gotta do is tap the left card. No swipe needed at all. One hold, one tap. Do the same to switch right back to the first app. And over and over and over.

 

[travis_valkyrie]

Instead of making a new thread, I'll just contribute my thoughts here.

The functions of the back button are to go "back to the previous page, or menu in apps" and to access the multitasking screen. There have been rumors about MS taking out the back button, but if they do take it out how would you go back? If the back button should disappear as a hardware component, then:

 

[Azurus]

I really like your concept, but my whole point is concerning the current Windows phone users. I dont want us to have non functional back buttons and the next hardware having the back button removed
I just want it to be fair and square to future and current users
besides, even android and Apple NEVER attempted to remove any oof the home button or the back button on their systems

 

[omgitsnick]

I'm pretty sure they would just add the functionality to the OS to utilize both software (gesture, as concept above, btw I really like the phone) and hardware back button. It will just be like the Android days when new devices didn't come with capacitive buttons and (most) current devices at the time were upgraded but capacitive buttons remain functional.

 

[eroselim]

The back button is very useful for me though. Seems opposite than what our Thread Starter is thinking. But anyway, I use this button many times a day. In application , games , multitasking and much more. What I am not using is the Search button. Which seems to be useless for me.