This archive report was first published on 28 October 2019.
October 27, 2019, marked a peculiar moment in the tech world when US President Donald Trump tweeted that the button on the iPhone was far better than the swipe feature. This statement came as a surprise to many, considering Trump uses multiple smartphones, sending his tweets from one iPhone and making voice calls from another.
Trump's comment sparked a reaction from former Apple designer Linda Dong, who responded to the President's iPhone critique without adding any further commentary. Dong's response highlighted the challenges designers face when creating user interfaces, as they must defend their ideas internally and then face criticism from the public.
While some people share Trump's frustrations about the removal of the iPhone's Home button, others believe that the swipe gesture is more intuitive and wastes less time in getting back to the home screen or switching between apps. The change in UI has been a subject of debate, with some missing the simplicity of the Home button but appreciating the sacrifice made to achieve a bigger infinite display.
For those who still miss the Home button, there are alternatives available. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus still feature the Home button, or users can wait for the upcoming iPhone SE 2, which is rumored to be released in Q1 2020 with a Touch ID-supported home button and Apple's A13 Bionic SoC at an affordable $399 starting price.
