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Originally Posted by mgmueller
Maybe I've used the wrong term. By "physical button", I've meant a button which has to be pressed mechanically,
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We are both referring to the same thing then. The Android CDD which describes the required capabilities for an Android device says:
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8.7. Navigation keys
The Home, Menu and Back functions are essential to the Android navigation paradigm. Device implementations MUST make these functions available to the user at all times, regardless of application state. These functions SHOULD be implemented via dedicated buttons. They MAY be implemented using software, gestures, touch panel, etc., but if so they MUST be always accessible and not obscure or interfere with the available application display area.
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http://static.googleusercontent.com/...id-2.2-cdd.pdf
BTW, the current Android Compatibility Definition Document does not differentiate between smartphones and tablets since, for the purpose of the compatibility of Android devices, all Android devices are smartphones no matter how big the screen, until Android 3.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mgmueller
whereas the capacitive buttons react on a slight touch (touch = power consumption = relying on OS).
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Any hardware button, except possibly a power button, relies on the OS as well. The physical state of the button simply informs the OS about what the user wants. Of course, a hardware button can generate an interrupt to force the attention of the OS, while a touch screen button does not have that capability. Probably that is why the CDD says they "SHOULD be implemented via dedicated buttons".