Suggestion: revised gesture to close the active app (made relevant again by SFOS 3.0 UI changes)
Edit by rozgwi: bumping this to bring it back to attention for SFOS 3 and the new top menu
Here's a big proposal: a revised gesture that could ease the way the active app is closed even with the new Sailfish OS 2.0 3.0 UI concept. Here it goes: start sliding finger from either edge (l or r) with peek. Multitasking view starts to appear. After a certain point, a semi - transparent red area (maybe with an "x", or the text "close", or any other visual indicator) appears at the bottom of the screen. If you then drag your finger to this area at the bottom of the screen, the app closes.
Peek and minimize would work as they do now, the device locker / ambience changer would still be available with a swipe from the top edge, but we would recover a quick way to close the active application with a swipe gesture.
EDIT 08/03/2015: I just had this same idea (more than an year later than janick it seems) while thinking about a possible new gesture to close apps in SFOS 2.0 (since it seems that the swipe-down-to-close-an-app gesture may be removed in favour of the new ambience switcher / device locker). I was going to create a new thread but I found this one while doing it, so I'm editing this one instead of creating a new thread, I hope it makes sense.
I take the liberty of adding my ascii illustration of how it would look:
Close:
----------
| |
| |
| - -|<-*
| / |
| \/ |
| (X) |
---------
Notice the similarity with minimize/move to back:
----------
| |
| |
|< - - - -|<-*
| |
| |
| (X) |
---------
Even if only right swipes are illustrated, of course it should work for swipes from both sides.
One could live with that, I have to admit that sometimes the top is too far away
SieniMaagi ( 2013-12-25 23:42:32 +0200 )editI like to lock my Jolla by swiping from top to down. However sometimes I accidentally close apps. And apparently others do so too.
It would be nice if swipe top-down would always only lock screen and some other gesture would close apps.
otto ( 2013-12-27 00:33:54 +0200 )editI think this is a brilliant idea! With this you could close apps with a super-quick diagonal gesture from the lower right edge to the rightmost bottom edge = MUCH better than it is now. Especially if combined with what otto says about downward swipe always locking screen I love this idea.
gukke ( 2013-12-27 04:22:14 +0200 )editOtto, great idea! Top- bottom swipe locking the screen anywhere would make perfect sense. It would be as "global" as the power button.
janick ( 2013-12-27 09:12:51 +0200 )edit(joke:) Usually I don't close apps: problem solved :D
Sfiet_Konstantin ( 2013-12-30 14:11:17 +0200 )editI love the idea of not having to reach the top to close applications. It's quite far up when holding the phone in one hand (and my hands aren't that small).
Mohjive ( 2014-01-05 21:53:16 +0200 )editWhy do you want it more complicated? What would be the advantage of your angled gesture over the current gesture? Such angled gesture would not be something, user's discover by chance: They would have to be taught such gesture. (With the current simple gestures, you have a chance to discover them yourself just by trying the few gesture-options you have.)
If the top is too far away: Minimize the app first and then close the minimized app (long tap on it and then tap on the encircled "x" that appeared).
Closing an app with a gesture from bottom to top is counter-intuitive: This literally would swipe the app towards the sky but not bring it down to earth.
jgr ( 2014-01-11 11:16:09 +0200 )edit@jgr: 1) With the proposed way, user IS taught/ guided during the gesture, as a form of semi transparent red area at bottom of screen. 2) "from bottom to top.." : That was not the idea at all. I have edited the question to clarify. Hopefully it is understandable and makes sense now.
janick ( 2014-01-11 11:54:07 +0200 )editThe gesture wouldn't need to be angular. Let's say 1/4 or 1/5 of the screens bottom area would be transparent red with X or text close. If you started your swipe on that area you would hit the spot where application gets closed, if you do it by mistake and don't want to close the app you could move your finger up a pit. Have to add that all of these kinds of changes would have to be as an extra option that a user chooses from settings. Like the idea as an option not as UI change!!
olli ( 2014-01-11 12:23:08 +0200 )editMy opinion too is to have options/preferences, not forced ui behaviour. Thats one reason android with many launchers and choices is so popular.
janick ( 2014-01-11 12:28:39 +0200 )editThumbs up for this idea! Closing apps with the swipe gesture is almost impossible with one hand. The HW design is broken (the screen is unreasonably big), so it needs to be fixed on the SW level.
nodevel ( 2014-01-11 13:09:43 +0200 )edit@jgr Completely agree, the proposal described in this question is not-relevant, not needed, and unncessarily complicates things in the UI.
foss4ever ( 2014-01-12 01:15:03 +0200 )edit@jjaone, @jgr: Few things in favour of this idea: - Unlike. No device has this yet. No ip issues assumed. - Future proof. Screen sizes grow. Figure the rest. - One hand ergo. This has been emphasized By Jolla, see pulley menu. - Respect current gestures. This is NOT redesign, more like revision.
janick ( 2014-01-12 09:31:14 +0200 )editAnd some pseudo offtopic. TAGS. Effective way for Jolla to sort whats important to THEM. I would rate "bug" higher than "feature-request". No need to do their job. Remember who we are. Consumers, just 1/100 000 of the crowd. Without this addicting forum, we just might go and get ourselves winphones.
janick ( 2014-01-12 09:51:05 +0200 )edit@janick tags are not a rating system, votes are. They do their job irrespective of what tags are used. We are all here either consumers / users, developers / providers or manufacturers / system designers, or all of them Together. If you want a feature you can in open-source do it yourself or do it together (but in the latter case you have to convince others to see the benefits of your idea). This idea of changing the closing of apps behaviour in the UI, the new 'revision' is not convincing enough to warrant it to implemented now for this device (if ever). This is my opinion. I rest my case. Jolla decides what they will provide, but for the most part I'm happy with whay they have delivered so far, there are some other concerns / wishes I find interesting to have in the device in the future, and my votes go for those suggestions. Thanks for understanding ;)
foss4ever ( 2014-01-12 12:19:33 +0200 )edit@janick: Luckily I do not have to decide on the future design of Sailfish. However, the UI designers may be interested to see, that a certain idea is not equally favored by the users. PS: Screen size will eventually become a limit for any one-handed operation. I am happy with the current screen size, others may want a smaller device as future Jolla phone.
jgr ( 2014-01-12 13:16:43 +0200 )editI can agree with the proposal and I like the idea of having options to choose. Why? 1) Few times, while thinking about locking the screen I accidentally closed the app. 2) Sometimes if I try to do the swipe-from-top gesture with my thumb, the phone receives it as a series of swipes and clicks.
etam ( 2014-01-16 23:11:15 +0200 )editI also don't like the same gesture closing apps as well as locking the device. I suggested an extension of the swipe down gesture to differentiate between closing, locking and "securing" here: https://together.jolla.com/question/4339/locking-the-device-right-away-without-waiting-for-the-lock-time/ (20, 50,100% swipe)
Stefanix ( 2014-03-10 12:14:18 +0200 )editAfter more than half a year I still have problems with locking the device with the swipe from the top gesture. I wished there were a possibility to config the gestures. My heavy wish: In home screen a swipe from the right locks instead of swipe from the top. Imagine yourself using the device: you find yourself using an app. Swipe once from the right to enter home screen, repeat the same gesture to lock it. No thinking - no mistakingly closed apps. About Ambiance: I guess a swipe from the left could still be use for it. If it were configurable, right and left gesture could be set according to yor hand. It would be enough to have a simple text file for config. I'm willing to edit it after every firmware update. But pretty pleeease :-)
ibins ( 2014-07-21 10:39:17 +0200 )editits no gesture but pressing the lock Button locks the device
NuklearFart ( 2014-11-01 19:28:57 +0200 )editI have also been thinking about gesture, that would lock/close running app. What about using "L" gesture. You would start swipe from top and then move your finger to the side to close the app.
darkestmin ( 2015-03-13 18:17:00 +0200 )edit@darkestmin concepptually, your idea is basically the same as what @janick proposed. With your proposal though, you'd still need to reach the top of the screen, and if you read the comments on this thread, you'll notice that many people have problems with that. All in all, I think janick's idea is better (IMHO obviously), ergonomics-wise.
Orologiaio ( 2015-03-13 19:09:20 +0200 )edit@Orolagiaio I realize that it is basically same, but sideways swipes seem to be bit crowded in SFOS 2.0. I think that locking your device by sideway gesture from basic carousel would be really confusing. On top of that Jolla is thinking about some kind of swipe settings for gestures (I imagine something like r-l gesture takes you to notifications, l-r gesture to running apps).
darkestmin ( 2015-03-13 19:55:32 +0200 )edit@darkestmin what we're talking about here is a new gesture to close apps, not to lock the device ;) In SFOS 2.0 locking will be done with the ambience switcher, that is revealed by swiping down from the top edge of the screen.
Orologiaio ( 2015-03-13 20:20:04 +0200 )edit@Oralogiaio I would like to have one gesture to rule them all =). I mean to close app/lock device. I don't really like the idea of swipe+pressing button to lock the device.
darkestmin ( 2015-03-13 21:03:26 +0200 )edit@Orologiaio Thanks for updating the original post. It seems like the sfos2.0 home screens(multitasking, events,partner space) don't have left/right edge swipe gestures. Therefore it could be possible to use home view edge swipes to also lock the device as @ibins described. Hopefully jolla will be able to retain or even enhance consistency in its ui.
janick ( 2015-03-15 10:07:34 +0200 )editI agree with foss4ever by his thread below, particularly if find the above description something complicated and unnatural. nono the current art to close is the best one i think.
here on this thread i find this request would be really confusing for user experience. for a lot's of option, we make swipe gesture from edge side. for example "park the app in underground", and now should be from the side and not from above anymore? at the end the user will swipe in all direction completely jerky and nerved... please let current gesture, close from above, and some option from the side, and notification from below. quite simple, with simply overview. I find the rest bring just chaos. especially old user are skilled on it. don't change the philosophy. do you know this words: "never touch a running system".
cemoi71 ( 2015-03-18 09:05:30 +0200 )editThis could be very handy way to do it! Even if you are noob/new user, you can find this option by yourself, when you have use your Jolla more. Like that idea! This make it even more one hand UI :).
Makeclick ( 2015-03-26 15:34:54 +0200 )edit