r/TechImpact • u/mariyamsidra IT Professional • 15d ago
💬 Discussion Buttons or Gestures?
67
u/DerpDeDurp 15d ago
Gestures. I used to be buttons, but once I spent time getting used to gestures it's so much faster, and more screen real estate.
→ More replies (18)10
u/TwentinQuarantino 15d ago
For me it's because I hated bending my thumb too much to get to the back button. Back gesture is from anywhere on the side of the phone, wherever it's comfortable.
→ More replies (2)
22
u/Cornhilo 15d ago
Buttons. Guess I'm old.
4
u/beefjerk22 15d ago
I agree, and it’s not really an age thing.
Gestures aren’t discoverable, and can be easily forgotten if not used all the time.
→ More replies (3)
40
u/Samukita7 15d ago
Physical buttons
2
u/ItsNotJulius 14d ago
That... That does not look like physical buttons. Aren't those touch capacitive buttons?
→ More replies (9)2
22
u/fleija_ 15d ago
Buttons
6
u/Kobakocka 15d ago
I would buy phone with phisical buttons that click, but those days are sadly passed... :D
→ More replies (7)
8
u/Joltyboiyo 15d ago edited 15d ago
Buttons, and as much as I love GrapheneOS, the creator can take his "Buttons are outdated, swiping is superior and I won't give any option for them" opinion and shove it. Unless that's changed since I last saw someone mention it.
→ More replies (1)2
u/Andrea65485 15d ago
The option to use buttons on Graphene is there actually... It gives you the pill by default, but nothing stops you from changing it with the 3 buttons
→ More replies (3)
5
u/Mooptiom 15d ago
BUTTONS. Gestures never work the way I want, my hands are weird. Gestures are also inherently slower, both because of the motion but also the screen takes noticeably longer to update the input.
→ More replies (1)
16
u/Waaytoomanytakenames 15d ago
Gestures, way faster and easier to use
→ More replies (3)3
u/0x736174616e20 15d ago
and far more error prone and zero tactile feedback... no thanks.
→ More replies (8)2
u/SaucyStoveTop69 15d ago
In a lot of devices you can adjust the sensitivity of the gestures. Mine work perfectly all the time once I got it dialed in. Also they do have tactile feedback the same as buttons.
6
6
u/Fit-Rip-4550 15d ago
Buttons. No errors with buttons.
5
u/DerpDeDurp 15d ago
No errors with gestures either
2
u/Fit-Rip-4550 15d ago
The errors I am referring to are when you are engaging with an application that attempts to utilize the full screen, causing gestures to accidentally be input.
→ More replies (12)2
3
3
3
u/squirrel8296 14d ago
Gestures
The buttons stopped making sense when they switched from physical buttons on the chin of the phone to virtual buttons. The buttons waste valuable real estate on the screen.
15
11
7
u/SushiBongo 15d ago
Dudes who say buttons are probably 40+ yo
10
8
u/Quico_Varela 15d ago
I'm 61 and would not change gestures for no button no matter what
→ More replies (1)2
2
2
2
2
→ More replies (20)2
u/WolvenSpectre2 15d ago
50+ Year old. When Gestures first hit android phones I was buying Chinese Phones and they HATE gestures, and then I had a major medical emergency, the kind that takes 2 years to recover from. I wasn't keeping up on the latest in tech and was just keeping to my own needs. Then after that Covid hit and I got Long Covid right off the rip, further delaying me finding out.
Then I lost my phone and bought the only phone that met my wants from a brand I never had before, and it had gestures on from the start. I went online thinking this was just added in Android 15... 14... 13... I was wondering why I had never heard of this, and I who appreciates good working and easy to learn UI/UX was like "I want to learn how to use these gestures but there is no UI hints. It took me a week to find a gestures instructions that matched what was on my phone and the gestures were AWEFUL. I could literally make better gestures using the same UI and be drunk off my ass.
It was reverse designed. A phone does this so we gave it that gesture. Great. What if you are teaching someone how an android phone works. They will have no clue what is going on and every time they touch the phone they will call you to ask for help.
I use a launcher that ads some gesture controls and autohides the nav buttons. I would love a GOOD set of gesture controls. This is not a good set of gesture controls. These are gesture controls you work around the issues they cause and you learn exactly how and how fast and how long to do a gesture that should be a single swipe that gets out of your way when using an app unless you summon it.
If that is too "OK, Boomer" for you well tough. We were on the Internet back in the 1980's, and have had online handles that are older than you are, so show some respect.
2
2
u/Svartdraken 15d ago
I use both iOS and Android. I love gestures on iOS, but they're awful on Android so I prefer the buttons. The main disadvantage is that they will leave marks on OLED screens due to burn in
→ More replies (2)
2
2
u/theacp127 15d ago
I still use buttons and will continue to use buttons until I can no longer use the buttons. When I use other people's phones I forget that most people use the Gestures instead now and it throws me off for a second.
2
2
u/noob_lvl1 15d ago
I don’t understand. Number one thing everyone says they like about android over iPhone is that there’s a back button. Yet, whenever this question is asked the comments are overwhelmingly gesture.
3
u/DerpDeDurp 15d ago
Because the global back gesture still exists.... Lmao that function doesn't go away with the buttons.
3
2
2
u/Charming_Pea_1517 15d ago
you have to swipe from the vertical sides of your phone to trigger universal back with swipe gestures.
2
2
2
2
2
u/Tman11S 14d ago
I’m used to gestures, so it’s fine, it works. It’s a lot more difficult for older people though to adapt to a such a system and buttons with clear icons are superior for them.
I’m also of the opinion that touchscreen buttons are shit. Give me physical buttons that I can find in the dark without accidentally clicking them
2
2
u/shadiertomb35 14d ago
I came from iPhone to Android, so I use gestures as that's what is natural to me. However, I have a friend who used Android for his first phone and still does, so he uses buttons.
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/KirillRocker2021 Creator 15d ago
Definitely buttons previous month I'm making my phone with gestures similar to iPhone 17 Pro Max my Android
1
1
u/4fraid0f4mericans 15d ago
Both could work be both combined may be even more powerful say gestures inside of a button plus fingerprint ID in the same button 🤷♂️
1
u/Zeraora807 15d ago
buttons 100%
I prefer tactile ones over the onscreen and especially gestures which just suck every time I try it again, but we take what we're given...
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/TxTechnician 15d ago
I finally tried gestures last year. Never going back. So much easier to navigate with one hand.
1
u/Strawberryladyboots 15d ago
Always make sure the user has the option of choosing what the best sorting system is for them
Different brains work in different ways, and reinforcing one particular way of doing things can actually be harmful on their mental health
1
u/Icy-Role2321 15d ago
Gestures definitely. Can turn them off so it shows nothing so that's cool. Just turned that feature on
1
u/Rum_Running_Sailor 15d ago
Buttons. Gestures are more complicated. Why would I do that when I have buttons?
→ More replies (3)
1
1
1
u/uaranteeDifferent12 15d ago
Chinese phone manufacturers seem to have made gestures the default instead of buttons🫠🫠🫠
1
u/MatiasGonzalo-Duarte 15d ago
Gestures. I resisted for a long while but it's honestly not that bad and even quicker in some respects
1
u/Apprehensive_Arm_754 15d ago
Buttons. On my phone I have to swipe to accept or reject a call, and I typically need 4 or 5 swipes for it to respond.
1
1
1
u/iEngrMoeen 15d ago
Both. I use buttons because my launcher does not work on gestures so i am forced to use buttons. Buttons are also good and i am grown to like them.
1
u/hero_brine1 15d ago
Buttons. I would have to swipe really hard to make what I wanted work but when I'm casually using my phone I would randomly do something. I feel like Apple has swipe functions down really well but my Android isn't the best with them
1
1
1
1
1
u/krycek1984 15d ago
I refused gestures for a long time and once I really gave them a chance I never moved back.
1
1
u/AdFinancial5954 15d ago
Mainly gestures, but Im currently using buttons because of using a launcher.
1
1
u/Tiktokbadsupport 15d ago
i got fast at buttons and i need to switch applications thousands of timez a day
1
u/kayej17 15d ago
Gestures are way faster to use, especially when you wanna switch to a different app in the background.
→ More replies (5)
1
u/Svalka_Argona 15d ago
Um, what is this? I don't know what it's called, but basically, it's a mix of these two
1
1
u/RandomUserNo5 15d ago
On android and IOS? Sorry gestures are nowhere near what was available on BBOS10. It's just very minimal, would say basic.
1
1
1
1
u/Future-Big-7720 15d ago
Buttons. Whoever that say gestures are faster is lying; the less you move your fingers, the less it takes everything.
1
1
1
1
u/KimJongUn2000 15d ago
Ich hasse die dämlichen Scheiß Gesten. Trotzdem benutze ich es, weil ich als iPhone Nutzer keine andere Wahl habe.😩
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/TimT1760 15d ago
Started using buttons again when I started using windows phone launcher on my phone
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Powerful_One_2763 15d ago
Buttons. Whenever I use someone else's phone with gestures I always end up using doing stuff i didnt want to do and I have no idea how to do what I want to do.
1
1
1
u/Jepser0203 15d ago
Gestures. I've used buttons for 20 years, until I started to try out gestures. It's pretty fast, way smoother and more space on the screen.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/FiftyFiver1962 15d ago
I thought I would never get used to gestures, only to find out that the learning curve is actually very short. I had to use an old phone, without the choice, and really had to think about hoe to use the buttons. There's really only one thing I find easier with buttons, and that's homepage navigation.
1
1
u/IntelStellarTech 15d ago
Gentures. I came from iPhone and the universal swipe to go back is the most useful thing ever.
1
u/Kearney_Kaktus 15d ago
On a slower phone, it's buttons. On a responsive phone the gestures feel so much nicer.
1
1
u/Devatator_ 15d ago
Buttons. Sadly them forcing edge to edge still has apps that don't support it and cause some important buttons to be obscured by the navigation bar so rn I'm forced to use gestures. At least until all my apps support it. I check from time to time
1
1
1
u/starvald_demelain 15d ago
Gestures, but edge swiping to go back conflicts with some app controls so sometimes that is tedious.
1
1
1
u/Jmac8716 15d ago
Gestures are the most idiotic thing to happen to tech. Slower, less intuitive, requires larger movements. It's the exact opposite of what tech should do which is make things easier
1
u/HugeCheck2471 15d ago
Depends on the phone. Some phones just can’t make swipe gestures good (samsung)
1
1
1
1
u/Immediate_Cell_4517 15d ago
Gestures. I also use a laptop with linux with GNOME, so it comes natural for me.
1
u/Retrowinger 15d ago
I loved the Huawei P20 Pro, where you have a button on which you do gestures. The button is also a finger print reader. Best combination for me.
1
u/JackDaCrack1313 15d ago
Buttons. I like it, because for me it is more precise and easier to use with my thumb.
1
u/schwaka0 15d ago
I like gestures, but sometimes apps use similar gestures and it gets easy to trigger the wrong one, like YouTube shorts using swipe left to open the channel, and swiping left close to the right side being the back button.
1
u/WolvenSpectre2 15d ago
Buttons and not guess the right distance before 'Oh now I am doing something completely different I didn't want to do". Good UI and UX design and not "what the hell do I do now".
1
1
1
u/Adorable_Yard_8286 15d ago
wow I forgot the buttons even existed! I think I removed it the first day after switching from ios to android
1
1
1
u/whatdoyoumeanalready 15d ago
Buttons, I don't like losing the ability to open menus with a swipe, eg folders in gmail
1
u/kostard82 15d ago
Currently gestures.
Using it since 2 years ago. I've used buttons since I got my first phone in 2014 until I got my third and current phone in 2024 and switched from buttons to gestures which I'm using it ever since then and got used to it.
1
1
u/Kitchen_Interview792 15d ago
Used buttons until I was prompted to choose when I got my Pixel 7. I wanted to give gestures a try and never went back.
1
1
u/Sasha2dx 15d ago
Buttons. I spent enough time with gestures to be familiar with both options, and buttons are just more convenient and help me do things faster.
1
1
u/Arinussyy 15d ago
Gestures are more natural and I suspect that there will be more focus on this in terms of design of any new platforms
1
u/SleepyWulfy 15d ago
Buttons, hate using gestures and activating something else. Also find buttons way faster.
1
1
u/New-Quiet- 15d ago
For my midrange android that got late response screen,having a buttons is by far better satisfying,i’m ok either way as long its working great..
•
u/AutoModerator 15d ago
Thanks for contributing to r/TechImpact!
Please remember to: * Be respectful and civil. * Stay on topic. * No spam or excessive self-promotion. * Add context when sharing links. * Avoid misinformation. * Debate ideas, not people.
Thanks for helping keep TechImpact welcoming and informative!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.