One Hand iPhone

I'm not going to discuss why I will not buy an iPhone even when it becomes available in Australia. Maybe I will talk about that -- and other Apple products -- in another post. What I want to talk about now is a strange idea.

Through heavy marketing, Apple has got everyone to associate touch screen phone with iPhone. It is not the first touch screen phone, but it may be the most usable (I don't know, just guessing). Clearly a touch screen allows for more creative ways to interact with the device, such as zooming into a picture with two fingers. However, I wonder if it can pass my "one hand" test.

One day on my way to uni, I reflected on how I use my current phone, the Nokia 5300. I would often whip out my phone with my left hand -- it is always in my left pocket -- and start working the navigation keys or keypad with my thumb. The only exception is when I am typing in a message or note to myself, in which case I use both thumbs.

Having discovered this habit, I wondered how well one can operate the iPhone with a left thumb only. I won't say it is impossible, but from what I saw in the commercials, it may not be the easiest thing. In the ads they always hold it with one hand and operate the screen with the other. The iPhone is also wider than the 5300 so my thumb may not reach the screen.

Not being able to "one hand" a phone would be inconvenient. Speaking of convenience, I would also like to find out the possibility of skipping a music track without taking the phone out of my pocket. I tend to do that a lot.