It says here blogs.computerworld.com/19133/android_ice_cream_sa... it will won't get the on-screen nav buttons and will still use the hardware buttons the same way.
That kinda sucks, though. ICS switched to on-screen navigation buttons for good reasons. I don't like the chore of holding the home button just to load the multitasking tool.
It would still be easy to force having those buttons on the screen, right? How do you think would that work?
I'm planning to buy a new phone in the holidays; should this be a major consideration?
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How would ICS on-screen navigation buttons work on Galaxy S II?
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AllanCaeg's pick
Hi Allan,
Android will just show the screen without the system bar on such phones, and like before will adjust to whatever resolution your screen has perfectly. The existing hardware buttons will be functional. The first place we are going to see this IRL is with the Nexus S that still has capacitive hardware buttons too, and we sort-off already see it on our emulators. Android deals with so many manners of input, as well as form factors, quite admirably and perfectly.
ROM modders will be able to force the system bar to show, but that would be unwise as you lose screen space, in exchange for no new functionality, at least for now. Since the buttons assume to be on the screen edge (and are therefore smaller) they also might register mispresses
I would seriously take this into account but weigh it off against the premium price of this model. It doesn't seem clever to get a device with hardware buttons, when it's clear that Google is setting the trend for all future devices to have in-software buttons, and when tablets are already doing that. At some point the system bar may be integrated with other functionality, like notifications on tablets, and then your device would be mostly obsolete.
Android will just show the screen without the system bar on such phones, and like before will adjust to whatever resolution your screen has perfectly. The existing hardware buttons will be functional. The first place we are going to see this IRL is with the Nexus S that still has capacitive hardware buttons too, and we sort-off already see it on our emulators. Android deals with so many manners of input, as well as form factors, quite admirably and perfectly.
ROM modders will be able to force the system bar to show, but that would be unwise as you lose screen space, in exchange for no new functionality, at least for now. Since the buttons assume to be on the screen edge (and are therefore smaller) they also might register mispresses
I would seriously take this into account but weigh it off against the premium price of this model. It doesn't seem clever to get a device with hardware buttons, when it's clear that Google is setting the trend for all future devices to have in-software buttons, and when tablets are already doing that. At some point the system bar may be integrated with other functionality, like notifications on tablets, and then your device would be mostly obsolete.
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The real advantages to the software buttons (as far as I can see right now) are that there doesn't have to be a space below the screen for hardware buttons, and that those buttons can now be context specific.
With an existing phone that already has hardware buttons, you would be wasting valuable screen space by showing the software buttons when you already have permanently-placed hardware buttons below the screen. And since the HW buttons will always be there, you don't get the cleaner look of not having anything below the screen.
The context-specific functions would be kind of nice, but the existing HW button layout covers a lot of functionality, and you know that all of those buttons are always there. It does take a little while to get used to the idea of long-pressing or double-pressing some of the buttons to get extra functionality, and it's not obvious that those functions are there unless someone tells you or you're the type to experiment, but once you know they're there and you're used to it, it's quick and easy.
I guess I just don't see the SW buttons as being a real advantage just because that's what the new stuff is going to be doing -- even if I was buying a newer phone. I kind of like having buttons that are always there, so I can navigate back, or jump to the home screen, or pop open a menu without having those functions take up screen space, and without having to jump through any hoops to make the SW buttons show up, if they're not already displayed.
In the case of existing phones that already have the HW buttons, I'd say there's really nothing but disadvantages to adding the SW buttons.
You say that you don't want to have to hold the physical home button just to load the Task Switcher, but I know I don't use that functionality quite as much as I use the Menu, Home and Back keys (although I do use it more than the search key), and the fact that in ICS, it's only available when the SW buttons are displayed is more of a disadvantage to me. I'm not sure what mechanism there is for displaying and hiding the SW buttons, or under which circumstances they're hidden, but I'd much rather always be able to long-press the home button to get the Task Switcher than to have to ever show the SW buttons before being able to use them. Especially since a long press is only slightly longer than a regular press.
With an existing phone that already has hardware buttons, you would be wasting valuable screen space by showing the software buttons when you already have permanently-placed hardware buttons below the screen. And since the HW buttons will always be there, you don't get the cleaner look of not having anything below the screen.
The context-specific functions would be kind of nice, but the existing HW button layout covers a lot of functionality, and you know that all of those buttons are always there. It does take a little while to get used to the idea of long-pressing or double-pressing some of the buttons to get extra functionality, and it's not obvious that those functions are there unless someone tells you or you're the type to experiment, but once you know they're there and you're used to it, it's quick and easy.
I guess I just don't see the SW buttons as being a real advantage just because that's what the new stuff is going to be doing -- even if I was buying a newer phone. I kind of like having buttons that are always there, so I can navigate back, or jump to the home screen, or pop open a menu without having those functions take up screen space, and without having to jump through any hoops to make the SW buttons show up, if they're not already displayed.
In the case of existing phones that already have the HW buttons, I'd say there's really nothing but disadvantages to adding the SW buttons.
You say that you don't want to have to hold the physical home button just to load the Task Switcher, but I know I don't use that functionality quite as much as I use the Menu, Home and Back keys (although I do use it more than the search key), and the fact that in ICS, it's only available when the SW buttons are displayed is more of a disadvantage to me. I'm not sure what mechanism there is for displaying and hiding the SW buttons, or under which circumstances they're hidden, but I'd much rather always be able to long-press the home button to get the Task Switcher than to have to ever show the SW buttons before being able to use them. Especially since a long press is only slightly longer than a regular press.
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Every phone with hardware buttons is now considered "old" simply because the change to software buttons is so huge. In reality, like the article says, the SGSII will probably continue using its hardware buttons. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before someone hacks ICS to force the software buttons on phones with hardware buttons. It's just going to look weird having two sets of redundant buttons.
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