BGR says that it has heard from one of its Apple sources that Apple is planning to remove the Home button from the iPad, and then eventually from the iPhone as well. According to the sources, this is the reason why Apple has included multi-touch gestures for the iPad in the newly released iOS 4.3 beta. They say that the Home button will be completely removed in future versions of the iPad and iPhone, so that instead of clicking a physical button to reach the Home screen, you’ll simply have to perform a specific gesture. The same goes for accessing the Multitasking bar, which is currently done by clicking on the Home button twice.

Not sure how I feel about this, I kind of like the Home button! And it’s always handy to have physical buttons available if you need to do a hard reset. Currently if your iPad stops responding (happened to me the other day - scary!) you hold down both the On/Off switch and the Home button to perform a hard reset and get it going again.

Source: Exclusive: Apple will remove home button on next iPad and iPhone; Photo Booth and iLife coming? | BGR | Boy Genius Report

I don't think they will because what about the people who don't have all their fingers? They will find the multi gestures a challenge

Also, the great thing about the iPad is that it appeals to everyone because everyone can figure out how to use it without any research, it would be less accessible if the home button was removed in my opinion.

Not going to happen.

Originally Posted by Gunny008

I don't think they will because what about the people who don't have all their fingers? They will find the multi gestures a challenge

Also, the great thing about the iPad is that it appeals to everyone because everyone can figure out how to use it without any research, it would be less accessible if the home button was removed in my opinion.

very good points.

I'm not a fan of this idea at all. If anything I want to see a few more hard buttons. Better for games

Would make getting a screenshot a little more tricky.
I love the new multi touch gestures - especially calling up the taskbar and swiping between apps as I often read late in bed and double clicking the button can be noisy if the missus is sleeping next to me.

This is one place where I think the new iPad could benefit from the Galaxy Tab.



It wouldn't have to have that many buttons on the bottom, but it could have one touch style button that worked has a home function like we have now, but wasn't a physical button. The Galaxy's buttons operate off of a light touch, no physical mechanism, just touch.

I like the INLCUSION and OPTION of the gestures, but to take away the home button is just stupid. A ton of games rely on (for lack of a better term) a-bunch-of-fingers input. Look at the Zombie smash game, all you do is flick upward with 5 fingers or more, having only this option basically renders the game useless in the higher levels...

Not having the button would be nice, less dirt collected.

Reading all the points of view above I believe having the home button reconfigurable would be the best. I am switching very often between apps and having to click twice every time is really annoing and noisy without talking about the switch that has a limited life ( probably quite long but still limited). I would prefer the gestures but I see the point about having also the phisical switch possibility.

I would like the home button to stay