One of the biggest gripes about larger smartphones is how hard they are to use one-handed. Apple's solution to this problem is through a feature they're calling "reachability". The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will allow you to double-tap the Home button while in an app in order to bring top navigation controls within your reach. That combined with gesture support that was introduced in iOS 7 is going to make for a one-handed experience that doesn't currently exist.
I've touched on the fact previously that I felt gestures were introduced by Apple long ago in order to prepare folks for larger display phones. If we started getting used to swipe gestures now, they wouldn't be such a learning curve later. It appears that Apple is using this strategy in combination with reachability to bring a better experience to large display phones.
The iPhone 6 will feature a 4.7" screen while the iPhone 6 Plus will feature a 5.5" screen, which is just .2" shy of Samsung's Galaxy Note 3.
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Reader comments
Reachability takes one-handed use in larger smartphones to a new level
So they are introducing swipe gestures which Blackberry has had since their Playbook Tablet...okee dokee. Innovation indeed.
No bro. Didn't you read? Apple created ship gestures for a user experience like no other mobile device!
Obviously, BB10 doesn't exist.
It's because it's "Black"berry, isn't it. Can't we all just get along?
Swipe gestures were being used by RIM (now BBRY) since the introduction of the Playbook Tablet. Playbook may have failed, but its navigation is second to none.
Sorry Apple, the swipe thing has been done, and is an experience that exists.
Apple - keep re-inventing...erm, I mean, innovating.
Considering all the pathetic copying attempts BB tried and failed at (Storm anyone?) BB fanboys should be last ones to claim Apple would care about a failed feature and one of their failed phones.
Ummmm could you please explain what BlackBerry copied from iPhone in the storm? It had a click screen which I loved on my storm 2. I could actually copy and paste, send picture messages from pics I actually took on the phone. And my battery lasted me throughout the entire day. BlackBerry has made some big mistakes in the past I'll give them that. But BlackBerry 10 has been the most amazing and innovative OS to arrive in a long time. But the Apple marketing machine will cover it all up as if they invented it all.
I'm sad BlackBerry never marketed the Z30. It's an awesome device.
Ummm..didn't the Playbook come out AFTER WebOS?? So wouldn't that mean they copied the gestures? WebOS was a truly innovative OS, more so than IOS, Blackberry, Android, Window Mobile.. Just had sucky executives...
Why do you keep using that word? I do not think it means what you think it means...
innovate [in-uh-veyt] (verb): to introduce something new; make changes *in anything established*.
You don't understand. It's a revolution.
Doesn't double-tapping the home button bring up the recent apps thing? Maybe they mean tap the button without clicking it?
I haven't seen any confirmation of this personally but I assumed that it's a double tap rather than a double press. If you press the button twice it brings up recent apps. If you lightly tap the home button it brings the controls closer.
I recently (past 6 months) started using my very first iPhone. The thing that sucks most about iPhone IS the home button. Swipe gestures are much more intuitive and user-friendly. I would like to see them get rid of the home button in its entirety.
I realize my username and comments may make me look like a Blackberry fan boy. I am not, I have and use an iPhone and am most satisfied with it. I just prefer the swipe gestures...
Sorry, had to get that in before I get crucified on here,
So what happens to multitasking while in another app? I read in another post it was a "double touch" not a "double tap". I assumed the touch ID was used in the button for a double touch. That makes no sense for multitasking if that's not the case.
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Allyson,
Is this a feature of iOS 8 or does it only work on the 6 and 6 Plus? I hope this feature will work on my 5s when I upgrade to iOS 8.
Thanks