Silent switch on Android phones?

[Red Storm]

Why is it such a big deal to include more options for the consumers?

The silent switch is a good option, because I can easily switch the phone off in class without waking it up and unlocking it.

Hardware buttons are not options. You force everyone to have one whether they want it or not. That's not an option.

A software toggle is an option.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Why is it such a big deal to include more options for the consumers?

The silent switch is a good option, because I can easily switch the phone off in class without waking it up and unlocking it.

If you really don't want to wake up the phone to silence it you could always use Tasker to silence it whenever you enter a building you have a class in or as mentioned earlier you could create a NFC tag to silence it as well.

I can't speak for anyone but the last thing I want on my phone is a physical mute button, it's just one more thing I could accidentally hit.

 

[vi edit]

Eh, I appreciated the option on the iPhone. It's useful. I had a case for mine so it was practically impossible to accidentally hit. And after knowing...I don't know...hundreds of people with iPhone4/4s I don't think I've ever heard of having a failed mute switch.

It's nice because it's not only a physical switch, but it's an external queue as to if your mute is on or not. Walk into a meeting and and set your phone down...if you don't see the bright orange you know you aren't muted. Flick of the thumb and you are silent for the meeting. Finish up the meeting and flick of the thumb and you are unmuted again.

I like it and do somewhat miss it moving to Android.

 

[kyrax12]

Hardware buttons are not options. You force everyone to have one whether they want it or not. That's not an option.

A software toggle is an option.

I meant having the capability of using either the physical silent switch or the software version of it. If someone don't want to use the physical silent switch, then they are more than welcome to appreciate the soft side of it. It is simply more appealing to customers for their phones to have more capabilities.

I don't really know why the users here are so against have a physical button. It is not like it will hurt the phone completely.

I also have stopped caring about the cost it would take for the manufacturing, but since those huge corporation are not going to budge then I can't do anything. I was just simply offering an opinion. I highly doubt it would cost significantly more to manufacture a simple rocker switch. It is not like wanting a physical silent rocker is outrageous. If one phone can do it, then most likely another can considering how it is so "cheap" to manufacture an iPhone.

I would rather that an Android manufacturer would put out at least one android handset with a silent switch to get a feel on the public's opinion on it. If it sucks then don't include it with future phones. If it is good then let that be a deciding factor for the newer flagship phones.

 

[Zaap]

The silent switch is a good option, because I can easily switch the phone off in class without waking it up and unlocking it.

As said, there's all sorts of other ways to do that without adding another physical button.

If you use a lockscreen replacement like Widget Locker you don't have to unlock the phone to tap a mute button, or trigger tasker or whatever.

Along the lines of what you're wanting that I think might actually be cool is if a manufacturer included a programmable button on the phone. The only other physical button I'd ever want is a camera button. (sometimes miss it since my Droid X, but it's not the end of the world not having it). But then let everyone program the same button to do whatever they want. Of course, as others have said, it would add costs.

 

[stlc8tr]

Eh, I appreciated the option on the iPhone. It's useful. I had a case for mine so it was practically impossible to accidentally hit. And after knowing...I don't know...hundreds of people with iPhone4/4s I don't think I've ever heard of having a failed mute switch.

Yeah, I always miss the hardware switch whenever I use an Android device. Sure you can always unlock the phone to mute but it's just so much easier to flip the switch.

 

[Necrolezbeast]

Hmm I have a custom rom on my One X, which may be the reason I experience this... but, I don't have to unlock to silence and turn the vibration off.. If I hold down the volume down button it turns the volume off then vibrates to let me know it's muted. But, if I hold the volume up it starts playing whatever track I left off on.. So, it only works one way, but I only ever really need the blind mute function

I had an original iphone long long ago and my mute button stopped working when locked on mute.. that pissed me off til I was able to get it fixed... since then I've never desired a physical button for muting

 

[shortylickens]

The phone's manufacturing cost is often reflected on its sales price.

No it isnt. Thats not true for any product. You have to take basic economics. People pay for something based on the utility they think they will get for it.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Eh, I appreciated the option on the iPhone. It's useful. I had a case for mine so it was practically impossible to accidentally hit. And after knowing...I don't know...hundreds of people with iPhone4/4s I don't think I've ever heard of having a failed mute switch.

It's nice because it's not only a physical switch, but it's an external queue as to if your mute is on or not. Walk into a meeting and and set your phone down...if you don't see the bright orange you know you aren't muted. Flick of the thumb and you are silent for the meeting. Finish up the meeting and flick of the thumb and you are unmuted again.

I like it and do somewhat miss it moving to Android.

On the Galaxy S3 and Note 2 if you have motion controls enabled you can silence the phone by laying it face down on the table which is a very elegant solution for meetings.

 

[Anonemous]

On the Galaxy S3 and Note 2 if you have motion controls enabled you can silence the phone by laying it face down on the table which is a very elegant solution for meetings.

Is there an IOS function/equivalent app for that? I thought those functions were built in that you can silence calls/texts by laying the phone face down.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Is there an IOS function/equivalent app for that? I thought those functions were built in that you can silence calls/texts by laying the phone face down.

I don't think so.