July 7th, 2024

Dear. Android – Leave. The. Power. Button. Alone

The author criticizes the changing functionalities of smartphone power buttons, causing confusion among users. Different brands like Google, Samsung, Apple, realme, and HONOR complicate tasks, urging a return to simpler operations.

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Dear. Android – Leave. The. Power. Button. Alone

In a nostalgic reflection, the author expresses frustration over the evolving functionality of the power button on smartphones. From its simple on/off purpose, the power button now triggers various actions like voice assistants or smart home controls, leading to confusion and inconvenience. The author, a tech reviewer, encounters a multitude of devices with different power button behaviors, complicating tasks like restarting or troubleshooting. Brands like Google, Samsung, Apple, realme, and HONOR have altered the default power button actions, requiring users to navigate settings or learn new shortcuts to turn off their phones. The author advocates for a return to the traditional and straightforward use of the power button, emphasizing the importance of maintaining its primary function without unnecessary complexities. The evolving nature of power button functionalities across smartphone brands highlights the need for consistency and simplicity in user interactions with technology.

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By @binkethy - 6 months
I hate my samsung phone with a passion i also had while hating my iphone before it.

The stupid thing keeps trying to get me killed, is unresponsive to the most obvious urgings, and insists upon joking around when i need some info NOW.

I also have issues with most map apps and using them for navigation. It seems that the UI designers for these things never consider difficulty in seeing the crucial details on a small screen at high velocities with small glances.

I need the remaining KM until that turn, in large numbers, Google.

At the end of the day, despite being an allegedly technical person, I find smart phones to be rather difficult to use for their intended purposes. I have had immense difficulty in answering phone calls with mysterious swipes that at least this horrid samsung willfully ignores, laughing at me in derision, no doubt.

I don't get along with smart phones.

By @BugsJustFindMe - 6 months
Despite the title, iPhones do this too as noted, and importantly it was a change made after removing the fingerprint reader. And of course in perfect Apple fashion you don't get a choice. I hate it. I still fail to turn my phone off sometimes. But also I will probably eventually get used to it, and people who started using iPhones after the change won't experience it as a change.
By @Kirby64 - 6 months
I don’t get this point of this article. Turning off your phone is an infrequent activity. Using a two button combo to accomplish this seems perfectly fine. It’s not like a two second hold is that inconvenient, and once you learn it in your phone… how often are you turning off other people’s phones?

Relegating the side button to only function as power off and nothing else is not a good default behavior, in my view. For power users, sure… let them configure it to do that, I guess.

By @NoPicklez - 6 months
Why waste an entire button to just be responsible for powering the device on or off? It's not something I do very often at all and if can be repurposed as a functional button then I am all for it.

It's especially helpful as an accessibility option.

By @mmaniac - 6 months
Part of being a luddite who doesn't discard perfectly good tech when newer and shinier gadgets come out is that I get surprised hearing about negative trends like this.

Really, the power button doesn't work any more?

By @exabrial - 6 months
We really need a third operating system. One that applies common sense like: power means power, and direct have integrated ad tracking.
By @daghamm - 6 months
This is such an odd rant. My old Nokia occasionally restarted in my pocket somehow, I'm happy Android has found a better solution.

Besides, the power shortcut is the most used (and appreciated) function on my phone. I'm using it to quickly open the camera.

By @vlark - 6 months
I have my Android phone's power button set up to turn on/off the flashlight feature with a double click. It's immensely convenient. I have a low-end Samsung A23 5G.
By @seeknotfind - 6 months
HahahahhahahajajjajahahahahahBNnNnbn. The consumer speaks. You'll get what you want if you're upset, so keep it up. :)