life without a physical home button?

[ackmondual]

I'm thinking about switching from a Samsung Galaxy s4 (wonky/broken digitizer, WITH a physical home button) to a replacement gs4, or LG G4 (virtual home button). For those who can't resists making alternative suggestions, keep in mind my budget is about $300 or less off contract

I remember I got a bit anxious when I first switched from a Nokia 6133 to a Samsung Galaxy s2. The lack of physical numpad meant it's harder to "touch dial", but overall, it was a positive move. It was only a few step backwards, but the pros made up for all of that in spades.

My issue now is lack of physical home button. What have your experiences... good or bad with a lack of physical home button?

For me...
GOOD
-more screen space. - not important. The LG G4 alreayd has a large enough screen that losing those 0.3", the screen's still plenty big
-customizable buttons - I do like this

BAD
-always have a phyiscal contact point to press... losing this
-if the software freezes or lags, will this be affected, or are the ANdroid virtual buttons "run on its own"?

 

[kramer5150]

BAD
-always have a phyiscal contact point to press... losing this
-if the software freezes or lags, will this be affected, or are the ANdroid virtual buttons "run on its own"?

-You still have a physical contact area... its the screen glass.
-I can't comment on software freezes or OS lags, I haven't encountered this yet.

For a while a physical home button was a deal breaker for me... not anymore. I have completely adjusted to life without one, coming from an iphone 5C. On the LG V10 I just tap the screen twice, or if its been asleep longer than 30 minutes I gently touch the FPS (without actually clicking on it) and double tap the screen glass with my other hand. Alternately, after 30 minutes I can tap the knock code on the glass. Of course the V10 still has a physical button integrated with the FPS, just press it and it wakes. Doesn't the G4 have this as well?

Once the phone is awake, just tap the home circle at the bottom. I place it in the center so its easy to locate by feel, if i need to.

The only problem I have had was when I got my phone wet in a heavy downpour. The screen had water drops all over it and it messed with the capacitive touch. I wiped it dry and used the FPS + click button.

 

[LeoRex]

if the software freezes or lags, will this be affected, or are the ANdroid virtual buttons "run on its own"?

On a hard freeze, where you need to hard reset the phone, it's just a different key combination to get it done. And of your phone is lagging, for whatever reason, both types of buttons would be as equally affected since they are both calling the same bits of software code... the navigation bar, hardware or not, is a low level/high priority item.

My first couple of phones had hw home buttons... and once I switched, I never looked back. Now, I have zero desire to use one and the home button on my wife's S7 annoys me.

 

[Inders99]

I've had Samsungs and currently the G4, either way is not a big deal for me. I thought I might have a stronger opinion but having the capacitive buttons on the G4 I could really care less, both do their own respective function.

 

[libra89]

My first couple of phones had hw home buttons... and once I switched, I never looked back. Now, I have zero desire to use one and the home button on my wife's S7 annoys me.

I can understand this. My first phone had physical buttons which I thought was the way until I got my first phone with software buttons. I find that I kind of prefer software buttons. I wouldn't rule out a phone for having a physical home button. However, I like the idea that software buttons are less likely to fail. They also seem to be much easier to deal with too.

 

[ackmondual]

I can understand this. My first phone had physical buttons which I thought was the way until I got my first phone with software buttons. I find that I kind of prefer software buttons. I wouldn't rule out a phone for having a physical home button. However, I like the idea that software buttons are less likely to fail. They also seem to be much easier to deal with too.

That's news to me... I figured sw buttons were MORE likely to fail since if something happens to the screen, you'd lose that. Oh... I already mentioned this in my OP. Well, the other thing would be to ask if this has occurred often... hardware buttons failing?

 

[libra89]

That's news to me... I figured sw buttons were MORE likely to fail since if something happens to the screen, you'd lose that. Oh... I already mentioned this in my OP. Well, the other thing would be to ask if this has occurred often... hardware buttons failing?

I haven't had any of my phones with hardware buttons long enough to have them fail so I can't really speak on this. I am a sucker that seems to change her phone every year. lol. (To be fair, it's always been an upgrade.)

 

[LeoRex]

That's news to me... I figured sw buttons were MORE likely to fail since if something happens to the screen, you'd lose that. Oh... I already mentioned this in my OP. Well, the other thing would be to ask if this has occurred often... hardware buttons failing?

Well, if the digitizer on your screen is busted to the point where it doesn't take input... working HW buttons or not, you got serious issues.

 

[ackmondual]

Well, if the digitizer on your screen is busted to the point where it doesn't take input... working HW buttons or not, you got serious issues.

In my case, it's "imprecise"... hard to drag and drop, and tap at certain points. However, having a hw button was nice as a "layer of protection". I will acknowledge that this was a specific case though.

while libra89 has yet to experience such an issue, TBF, I haven't been using any phone long enough for this to manifest.

Well, my Nokia 6133 flip phone has worked solidly in the 6 years or so that I had it. I've dropped it a few times. OTOH, I believe flip phones are naturally more sturdy and durable than phones with just one giant screen, like today's dominant form factors.

 

[hotdogchilli]

It's all just a matter of habit. You will get used to software home button. Yes, it's more likely to fail, but for example: I had a phone on which my physical buttons stopped working. There are no rules when it comes to this!

 

[bitek]

So much better. I have no home button virtual or physical. With nova launcher everything is tap or swipe

 

[Morty2264]

Hi! When I switched to Android from BlackBerry, I got a Nexus 5 and then an LG G3; and to be honest, I love having a virtual home button in lieu of a physical one. I personally either go full-out with a physical keyboard on a BlackBerry; or nothing with a virtual keyboard and no physical buttons at all on an Android device.

In my opinion, I do not think you'll have trouble adjusting to a virtual home button; especially if you're going to a G4, which feels good in the hand and has good screen real estate; so when you're holding it, you'll *feel* that it feels the way it should (ie, it's "not missing" any buttons). Plus, it has back buttons, and trust me, you'll get hooked in pressing those! So you'll still have buttons to play with.

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