Apple could remove home button in next-gen iPad, iPhone - rumour

Apple could remove home button in next-gen iPad, iPhone - rumour
AppleInsider | Apple could remove home button in next-gen iPad, iPhone - rumor

An unverified report claims that Apple is planning to remove the home button on the iPad and iPhone as early as later this year, relying instead on multitouch gestures to return to the home screen.

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I like this idea. ...as long as gestures aren't too complicated or difficult to execute.
The only buttons I see as being necessary are volume up/down, on/off, and orientation lock.

This is a dumb idea for the iphone! Now we're going to need two hand to use it? no thanks!

idrinorbarsaku said:

This is a dumb idea for the iphone! Now we're going to need two hand to use it? no thanks!

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Not really. It would be similar to using an Apple laptops track pad where multi-touch is very useful. Maybe 2 or 3 fingers and a swipe to get you to the home page.

I don't like the idea but we will see.

How do we get back to the finder/hone screen on our Macs? We click menu then quit. And I'm sure on the ipad they'll have the same thing, a way to quit apps using the software and not the hardware via a button.

baggss said:

Not really. It would be similar to using an Apple laptops track pad where multi-touch is very useful. Maybe 2 or 3 fingers and a swipe to get you to the home page.

I don't like the idea but we will see.

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I still don't see how you could use the gestures while holding the phone in one hand!?

idrinorbarsaku said:

I still don't see how you could use the gestures while holding the phone in one hand!?

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I see your point, but you need two hands for lots of things on the iPhone anyhow, assuming that you are holding it in one hand. Some things you can do with one hand depending on your coordination, but needing multiple fingers to get back to the home page would require a second hand.

If it's not broken, don't fix it!

Dont think this true if these rumours are correct

Who bought the iPad2 into CES . . . Home button clearly shown in the youtube video

Mind you this is a iPad not a iPhone

I think this is a terrible idea if we're forced to use two hands to navigate the iPhone. There are plenty of things I can do with one hand (eg. slide to unlock, tap Messages, write out a text message, double tap home button and click Safari, browse something in Safari, hit home button to check if any emails are waiting, double tap home button to close any unwanted apps, etc.). If the home button were replaced with a multitouch gesture, then I would be forced to use both hands to do these simple tasks. One handed operation is important since I'm often carrying something in my other hand, be it books or groceries or whatever.

Definitely a step backward in my opinion.

I don't think this is going to happen..the iPhone, as it is, has very few buttons and there is immense value in having a hard button to return you hope as opposed to relying purely on a software solution..

Regards

The other issue with the lack of a second button is then how would you perform a hard reset?

Kash said:

The other issue with the lack of a second button is then how would you perform a hard reset?

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The power button can always be held down to power-off the device and turned back on if it really came down to it..

Regards

Raz0rEdge said:

The power button can always be held down to power-off the device and turned back on if it really came down to it..

Regards

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That's not a hard reset.

Look for clues in the iPad 2 and upcoming iOS revisions...

RONE said:

That's not a hard reset.

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I agree. If they go to some sort of insert-paper-clip-here mechanism, it would be just plain stupid. The only time my iPad turns off is when it needs a hard reset. Who needs a power button? LOL

If the iPhone 5 does come out with no home button, would the operating system and gestures be supported with the iPhone 4?

ski-line900 said:

If the iPhone 5 does come out with no home button, would the operating system and gestures be supported with the iPhone 4?

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Probably given the fact that it has a home button, yeah it probably will, giving iPhone 4 customers (and iPod touch 4g customers) the option of using the home button or the gesture swipes.