The Thumb Zone
Unfortunately, phone manufacturers and software developers have all but thrown the one-hand principle out the window in recent years. The allure of larger and larger screens has decreased the thumb-reachable percentage of the screen significantly. And yet, much of our software, particularly on iOS, has failed to accommodate.
When the first iPhone was released, with its puny 3.5-inch screen, I could easily reach every corner with either thumb. On an iPhone XS Max, with its gargantuan 6.5-inch screen, I’m lucky to reach even 60% of the total screen area without a second hand. And yet, Navigation bars, with their all-important Cancel and Done buttons, and many other controls are still located at the top of the screen, way out of thumb’s reach.
1 Comment RSS · Twitter
You are holding it wrong. /s
I agree. Getting a handle on big phones is tough sometimes. However, if my 10 year old daughter can use a 5.93" phone, I figure I can muster the effort to use it too. Doesn't mean app design should not take into account these larger screen sizes.
