iPhone 6

[Eug]

I'd rather have a big bottom bezel with a physical home button (and now TouchID of course), than no bezel and no physical home button.

The one thing I really dislike about Nexus devices is the lack of a physical home button.

YMMV.

 

[jacktesterson]

I'd rather have a big bottom bezel with a physical home button (and now TouchID of course), than no bezel and no physical home button.

The one thing I really dislike about Nexus devices is the lack of a physical home button.

YMMV.

I disagree.

I'm using a OnePlus One right now and have the choice and I'm using the on screen buttons. I hate physical buttons.

 

[Megatomic]

I disagree.

I'm using a OnePlus One right now and have the choice and I'm using the on screen buttons. I hate physical buttons.

I love to be the outlier, I am selfish with my screen real estate and have made myself get used to the hardware buttons. Coming from the Moto X this was not easy but I'm there now.

On topic, I'm actually interested in seeing what the new iPhones look like. I told my wife that after they are available we need to make a trip to the Apple Store to do a touchie feelie.

 

[sgrinavi]

It might have to do with the server. I find even the web interface lags for updates for my Yahoo account.

My iP updates all my mail faster than my desktop or my OPO

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I love to be the outlier, I am selfish with my screen real estate and have made myself get used to the hardware buttons. Coming from the Moto X this was not easy but I'm there now.

On topic, I'm actually interested in seeing what the new iPhones look like. I told my wife that after they are available we need to make a trip to the Apple Store to do a touchie feelie.

Yeah I'd be 100% onboard with the capacitive buttons if they were in the right order

As for a physical home button its nice. I miss it on my GS2. Its a reliable way to get home. I can't tell you how often I have to fumble around with full screen apps trying to toggle the buttons. Its not reliable or quick enough.

 

[jpeyton]

After getting the G3, I can't say I miss physical buttons at all.

I can have up to 5 buttons, configurable in any order. One button doesn't cut it.

 

[Megatomic]

Yeah I'd be 100% onboard with the capacitive buttons if they were in the right order

As for a physical home button its nice. I miss it on my GS2. Its a reliable way to get home. I can't tell you how often I have to fumble around with full screen apps trying to toggle the buttons. Its not reliable or quick enough.

Maybe I'm wrong but I thought I read somewhere that the button order can be changed. The function of the buttons anyways, I realize the icon on them can't change. I'll look to see where I read that.

Edit: requires root

 

[Mopetar]

It also appears as though there's a growing amount of evidence that the iPhone will be getting NFC as well. Kind of interesting that they're finally picking it up after ignoring it for so long. Not sure what they'll use it for as the response to it so far has been rather "meh" but there are also rumors that their watch/band/whatever will also have it and that they're trying to make a big move into home automation.

 

[Red Storm]

It also appears as though there's a growing amount of evidence that the iPhone will be getting NFC as well. Kind of interesting that they're finally picking it up after ignoring it for so long. Not sure what they'll use it for as the response to it so far has been rather "meh" but there are also rumors that their watch/band/whatever will also have it and that they're trying to make a big move into home automation.

Any kind of home automation system that requires you to put your phone right up against something (NFC) is a big fail IMHO, with the only possible exception being door locks.

 

[Eug]

For me, NFC in a phone is a big meh.

 

[openwheel]

iPhone continues to follow the Android army. Large screen and NFC are welcome changes. Maybe I will pick one up just for kicks.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

For me, NFC in a phone is a big meh.

Had it on my Galaxy Nexus. Used it once with Google Wallet. It took longer than swiping my credit card. Never used it again.

 

[Eug]

Had it on my Galaxy Nexus. Used it once with Google Wallet. It took longer than swiping my credit card. Never used it again.

Our credit cards here have NFC (except for my old Amex).

I use different cards for different purposes. For groceries, I use my MC. For other stuff I may use my Visa. For some stuff I may use an American Express. Both my MC and my Visa have NFC, and it's just as quick, if not quicker, to tap my MC or Visa against the NFC reader at my store, as opposed to my phone.

Which also means that having it on my phone just duplicates functionality I already have anyway. And I don't want to have to edit things on my phone to choose which account for which NFC is active. It's easier just to pick the right card out of my wallet, and not have to worry about my phone having a completely drained battery either.

 

[TheStu]

Our credit cards here have NFC (except for my old Amex).

I use different cards for different purposes. For groceries, I use my MC. For other stuff I may use my Visa. For some stuff I may use an American Express. Both my MC and my Visa have NFC, and it's just as quick, if not quicker, to tap my MC or Visa against the NFC reader at my store, as opposed to my phone.

Which also means that having it on my phone just duplicates functionality I already have anyway. And I don't want to have to edit things on my phone to choose which account for which NFC is active. It's easier just to pick the right card out of my wallet, and not have to worry about my phone having a completely drained battery either.

Are they using NFC, or RFID? I think it's RFID in most CCs. NFC requires a larger antenna.

 

[vi edit]

I used to be a big proponent for physical buttons. I had one on my iPhone, I had one on my Galaxy Note II. I thought it was something I needed. Turns out I actually like having no buttons better. That's one thing I love about my MotoX. I don't need to hit an actual button for it to just work. Take it out of my pocket and it shows the time and any notifications without hitting a button. Give it a quick bump when it's sitting on a desk and it'll wake up. Shout at it with the google now commands and it'll listen.

I don't miss the buttons to wake it up. And in app it seems smart enough to display the onscreen ones when I need them.

And ultimately I like the dimension shrink that no physical buttons provide.

 

[Eug]

I used to be a big proponent for physical buttons. I had one on my iPhone, I had one on my Galaxy Note II. I thought it was something I needed. Turns out I actually like having no buttons better. That's one thing I love about my MotoX. I don't need to hit an actual button for it to just work. Take it out of my pocket and it shows the time and any notifications without hitting a button. Give it a quick bump when it's sitting on a desk and it'll wake up. Shout at it with the google now commands and it'll listen.

I don't miss the buttons to wake it up. And in app it seems smart enough to display the onscreen ones when I need them.

And ultimately I like the dimension shrink that no physical buttons provide.

One of the things I hate the most about my Nexus 7 is the lack of a physical button and I also hated its lack on my Motorola phone. Plus you're often losing screen space to a virtual bezel.

The combination of a physical button and TouchID is heaven in comparison.

Are they using NFC, or RFID? I think it's RFID in most CCs. NFC requires a larger antenna.

You are correct. However the effect is the same. I can tap my credit cards to make purchases. No swiping or PINs needed for small purchases. A phone offers me zero advantage here. Plus you don't have to configure a credit card or or worry about battery drain. Just pull out the appropriate card, of which you may have multiple, and you're done.

 

[Kaido]

The combination of a physical button and TouchID is heaven in comparison.

I thought TouchID was gimmicky until I got a 5S of my own. Now I can't wait until iOS 8 integrates it into all of the apps :thumbsup:

 

[Eug]

You are correct. However the effect is the same. I can tap my credit cards to make purchases. No swiping or PINs needed for small purchases. A phone offers me zero advantage here. Plus you don't have to configure a credit card or or worry about battery drain. Just pull out the appropriate card, of which you may have multiple, and you're done.

Just a clarification on this. I'm not sure what the current status is in the US, but in Canada, most major retailers and many small businesses have PayPass/PayWave, which means for smaller purchases you can just tap your credit card against the machine.

However, the key phrase here is "smaller purchases". I'm not sure what the limit is, but I think it's up to $100, but the actual amount is limited to whatever the retailer chooses. So, while retailer A might say PayPass up to $100 is OK, retailer B might say only $50 is allowed. In fact, they can say that PayPass is completely disallowed (limit $0) AFAIK, even if the equipment supports it.

So what this means is that if you have a $200 purchase, you still have to insert a chip card / swipe a non-chip card.

I'm not sure how this would work with NFC on a phone, but I would assume it would be exactly the same as with these RFID chips in credit cards. In other words, if the purchase is $200, you still have to bring out the credit card. So, in that case, having it on your phone isn't all that helpful, since you may as well just have your RFID-endowed card out in the first place. If the purchase amount is too high, you already have the card in hand to insert/swipe.

 

[dawheat]

One of the things I hate the most about my Nexus 7 is the lack of a physical button and I also hated its lack on my Motorola phone. Plus you're often losing screen space to a virtual bezel.

The combination of a physical button and TouchID is heaven in comparison.

I don't mind OSB, but only if the phone has taken advantage of minimal bezels. When its done right like the LG G2 or G3, you still have more usable screen space vs. overall phone size than the iPhone. What I dislike are big bezels + OSB.

However no question Touch ID remains a superior feature. Things like double tap to wake screen are good, but nothing is as good today as the touch-unlock of Touch ID. However I wonder if the feature will lose something in the 5.5" version as you probably won't be able to one hand it.

 

[Rdmkr]

I did the calculation once based on how many pixels my LG G2 said were wasted on OSB as a percentage of the total (144 out of 1920 vertically). The buttons, in their standard configuration, effectively reduce the screen real estate to around 5.0 inches*, which is the same as the samsung galaxy S4 despite the phone being bigger, heavier and thicker. Keep in mind: this is a reduction of both physical screen area and of the number of active pixels - your resolution and pixel density are also practically reduced. And these are the numbers for a phone praised for its compactness relative to its screen.

I think it's a big deal. So preferably no OSB for me. Of course, rooting gives you the option to shrink, hide or replace them with Pie Controls or whatever, so in that case they're not a big issue.

* in terms of equivalent area

 

[Red Storm]

However no question Touch ID remains a superior feature. Things like double tap to wake screen are good, but nothing is as good today as the touch-unlock of Touch ID. However I wonder if the feature will lose something in the 5.5" version as you probably won't be able to one hand it.

I have to disagree with you. I think double tap to wake is more convenient, specifically because it is easily done from any angle, whether my phone is in my hands or on a desk beside me. And after double tapping my finger is already where it needs to be, right there on screen, so the follow up to actually using the phone is faster/more efficient. And the icing on the cake is double tap to turn off the screen. All this allows for some really slick phone design, like the LG G3. Don't need buttons anywhere on the front or sides, just maximize that screen and get rid of the bezels as much as possible.

Touch ID is definitely more convenient for app purchases that require authentication though, I will give you that.

 

[dawheat]

I have to disagree with you. I think double tap to wake is more convenient, specifically because it is easily done from any angle, whether my phone is in my hands or on a desk beside me. And after double tapping my finger is already where it needs to be, right there on screen, so the follow up to actually using the phone is faster/more efficient. And the icing on the cake is double tap to turn off the screen. All this allows for some really slick phone design, like the LG G3. Don't need buttons anywhere on the front or sides, just maximize that screen and get rid of the bezels as much as possible.

Touch ID is definitely more convenient for app purchases that require authentication though, I will give you that.

Heh I'll half agree. I have a PIN on my Android phone with a relatively short lock period - so being able to unlock the phone in a touch would be useful to me - but not essential. Double-tap is only useful in the period the phone is not yet locked.

My work phone is worse since they enforce a strong password with a very short lock period. Double-tap is not very useful and I'd really love Touch ID here.

 

[Red Storm]

Heh I'll half agree. I have a PIN on my Android phone with a relatively short lock period - so being able to unlock the phone in a touch would be useful to me - but not essential. Double-tap is only useful in the period the phone is not yet locked.

My work phone is worse since they enforce a strong password with a very short lock period. Double-tap is not very useful and I'd really love Touch ID here.

Knock code solves that (on the G3), though I don't use it. With the screen off you can do 3 quick taps on defined positions of the screen and it unlocks to the homescreen.

In an ideal world, iOS would also have double tap and knock code and Android would have the equivalent of Touch ID.

 

[openwheel]

Knock knock is way better than touch ID. I have to hold the iPhone awkwardly to use touch ID everytime just to turn it on.

 

[Eug]

Hmmm... AFAIK, knock knock isn't even officially part of Android, or am I mistaken?