Grant Brünner: Bassguy

Hmm… Interesting. This mockup video produced by Kris Groen shows a redesigned iPhone chassis with some significant changes. First of all, the screen is increased to four inches from the canonical three and a half inches. Secondly, the home button is gone from the front face of the device. Instead, two new buttons are placed on the sides. Pressing both brings you to the home screen, and pressing either the left or right switches between apps or home screen pages.

It’s an interesting concept, but it’s wrong. Apple won’t be increasing the size of the iPhone’s screen any time soon. Unlike Windows, OS X, and Android apps, iPhone applications are designed to run at one* resolution. Changing the resolution of the display would make apps look distorted unless they make it an even doubling of resolution. The other way around this would be to lessen the pixel density of the display. Not only would that ruin the point of a retina display, but it would also completely change the size of the tap targets. That’s not going to happen.

As for losing the home button, don’t count on it. It’s iconic and consistent. Normal iPhone users aren’t clamoring for removal of the only button on the face. While the side buttons on the video are a clever idea, it isn’t solving any problems the home button isn’t already solving just as well. Apple doesn’t go around changing things for no reason. It has to have a real design reason.

* That said, pixel doubling to the retina display is different because everything is the same size on the screen.

Source: AppAdvice

Note: This was an accidental duplication of work for Macgasm. If you want to see Josh’s take, check it here.