This week, Google announced that Chrome for Android will now have the address bar at the bottom of the screen. This change, which has been present in the iOS version for two years, was met with joy by many. However, I am happy for a different reason: Google is not forcing me to use something I dislike.
If you are like me, you can simply press and hold the address bar and drag it back to the top if you prefer. Other browsers like Microsoft Edge for Android and Samsung Internet Browser already offer users the option to choose the placement of the address bar, which I appreciate as it gives users control over their UI design.
However, I do not like having buttons at the bottom of my screen. When gesture-based navigation was introduced in Android 10, enabling users to get rid of navigation buttons at the bottom, I was pleased. But app developers then moved their buttons to the bottom, undoing the purpose.
Tabs at the top, please
As Jerry Hildenbrand from AC mentioned, phones with screens larger than 4 inches benefit from having buttons at the bottom for easier access. However, the need for bottom-aligned buttons arose from the era of smaller screens, like the original iPhone, where everything was reachable with one hand.
Nowadays, with larger phones like the OnePlus 13, reaching icons at the bottom of the screen using one hand is challenging. The convenience of bottom-aligned buttons diminishes as the screens get wider and the icons move further away from the thumb’s reach.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
The issue with bottom-aligned navigation buttons becomes evident when accessing different tabs or sections within an app. If the tabs are at the top and the buttons remain at the bottom, it hinders the user experience by making certain actions harder, especially on larger devices.
Returning to the design of Android 4.0, having tabs at the top allows for easier navigation between different sections through swiping. Reverting to this design concept would enhance user interaction within apps and alleviate the limitations imposed by bottom-aligned buttons.
Users appreciate having the freedom to customize UI elements to their liking. While some may prefer bottom-aligned buttons, others like myself find them inconvenient and prefer having the option to place them at the top instead.
In conclusion, providing users with choice when it comes to UI design elements is essential for a better user experience. Thank you for reading my thoughts, and until next time.