Why no dedicated hardware "Windows" ("home") button?

[trekster]

Coming from a Samsung Note 3. It had a hardware home button. Why doesn't the 950XL?

A hardware home/Windows button has a number benefits:

• Can wake up the phone easier than the power button if the phone is in some orientations (such as lying on the desk)
• Doesn't take up screen real estate
• Is always there for you (doesn't get hidden by an app that takes over the screen)

I was prompted to write this today because I fired up the OneDrive app for the first time. Accidentally actually, as I wasn't sure what that icon was for and just clicked on it.

Well, the OneDrive app took over the screen and I could not access the home/Windows screen to back out of it. Now it seems ALL my pictures are now suddenly on OneDrive when I would have only wanted a culled-down set. Maybe they were already there because I'm using a Windows phone but this wouldn't have been clear to me.

If the OneDrive app had left the home button exposed, I would have used it to back out of the app. But the only option was something like "Ok, let's go" and clicking on that (again, there was no option but to do so) seemed to then immediately upload my pics.

 

[66stang351]

You can get the home, back and search buttons back by swiping up from the bottom of the screen at any time.

 

[206Husky]

Because Continuum

 

[ashram]

You can get the home, back and search buttons back by swiping up from the bottom of the screen at any time.

yup, took me all of 3 seconds to get used to it. The best part? no more accidentally taping home or back in the middle of a game

 

[TexasLabRat]

"doesn't take up screen real estate"

True, but it takes up overall device real estate making the device larger for the same size screen. On-screen buttons only take up space when they are being used (auto-hide), dedicated hardware buttons take up space all the time. Plus on-screen buttons have the potential to be more reliable over time...there are a number of nokia/MS lumia phones out there where the capacitive buttons have been glitchy.

I agree there can be UI issues is some use cases..but those are solvable through updates. A glitchy hardware button is glitchy forever.

 

[mathewhayward]

The best part? no more accidentally taping home or back in the middle of a game

Yep. The capacitive search button on my 1020 did my nut in. I'd always accidentally touch it while typing out a text or browsing.

 

[Adam Chapman1]

"doesn't take up screen real estate"

True, but it takes up overall device real estate making the device larger for the same size screen. On-screen buttons only take up space when they are being used (auto-hide), dedicated hardware buttons take up space all the time. Plus on-screen buttons have the potential to be more reliable over time...there are a number of nokia/MS lumia phones out there where the capacitive buttons have been glitchy.

I agree there can be UI issues is some use cases..but those are solvable through updates. A glitchy hardware button is glitchy forever.

There's plenty space for capacitive buttons at the bottom of the phone, but I wouldn't like them to be there.

 

[Pete]

Cost is another factor. Hardware for buttons costs money.

 

[Adam Chapman1]

Cost is another factor. Hardware for buttons costs money.

Fractions of a penny/cent I should assume. I liked the idea of the OnePlus design where you can have capacitive OR screen buttons.

 

[Sargon Aelther]

yup, took me all of 3 seconds to get used to it. The best part? no more accidentally taping home or back in the middle of a game

Oh man, the back button... I once accidentally cancelled my lvl 12 paramedic mission on GTA SA on my 920. It annoyed me so much that I haven't played GTA SA ever since... Might give it another go with 950 XL.

 

[EliteMikes]

So I'm assuming applications can decide if the buttons need to stay. I personally love the fact that the app can have the entire screen. Hardware button is not necessary in my opinion.

Yes, your photos were already there technically. They were in the cloud, but the thumbnails weren't in your app until you launched it. If you don't want them automatically backed up, there is a setting for that.

 

[elindalyne]

Hardware buttons tend to die horrible deaths on nearly every phone or device. Google "iphone home button" and it will suggest "iphone home button not working". On top of that the design can't be updated ever. Software buttons allow that.

Most people worrying about software buttons are worried about there not being any tactile feedback, which is not the case at all.

 

[P1ng0fDeath]

I don't think the iPhone button can be used as a parameter. They are so lame that many users download that horrible virtual button to emulate the physical one. "Premium" material lol

 

[Mark Morales]

Why on screen buttons are better (coming from someone who was against them until I got the 950XL):

1) More screen real estate when needed
2) More reliable
3) No accidental tapping home, back, search
4) Continuum
5) Buttons rotate with screen rotation in apps
6) Look to 5) once home screen rotation happens in future update
7) More consistent with what they are doing with Surface Pro 4
8) Can be updated with OS

And as someone mentioned above, they take 3 seconds to get used to.

 

[anon(5383410)]

If it had one they'd be saying it looked too much like am iPhone.

 

[Citizen X]

Cost is another factor. Hardware for buttons costs money.

Fractions of a penny/cent I should assume.

More than that. But also keep in mind every penny you spend on hardware cost gets magnified when translated into retail price.

Hardware buttons tend to die horrible deaths on nearly every phone or device. Google "iphone home button" and it will suggest "iphone home button not working". On top of that the design can't be updated ever. Software buttons allow that.

Never had a physical button break nor have I ever had any desire to have it "updated". Charging ports are another matter. Those things flake out with disturbing regularity on Lumias.

 

[TexasLabRat]

There's plenty space for capacitive buttons at the bottom of the phone, but I wouldn't like them to be there.

maybe, but not with the same design language. The bottom bezel of the 950XL is about half the size of the 830's...in ratio terms it's even smaller.

 

[7a2eer]

yup, took me all of 3 seconds to get used to it. The best part? no more accidentally taping home or back in the middle of a game

How rude of you... Did you even bother to read his post??? OP is coming from a Galay, tactile home button.

 

[7a2eer]

Why on screen buttons are better (coming from someone who was against them until I got the 950XL):

1) More screen real estate when needed
2) More reliable
3) No accidental tapping home, back, search
4) Continuum
5) Buttons rotate with screen rotation in apps
6) Look to 5) once home screen rotation happens in future update
7) More consistent with what they are doing with Surface Pro 4
8) Can be updated with OS

And as someone mentioned above, they take 3 seconds to get used to.

1, 4 don't make sense
2, 3, 7 subjective
5, 6, 8 good points

Thankfully I bought a OnePlus X. I have smaller bezels, and I can choose between physical and onscreen buttons

 

[Allen Rhodes]

this thread is 4 months late. Im going to start the convo as to why there isnt a fingerprint reader.