Help Galaxy Nexus Design Flaw: Power Button works when phone is Locked

[oddible]

It is really odd that the power button on the Galaxy Nexus brings up the Power Down screen even when the screen is locked. Since the early days of cell phones they have always had a lock feature to prevent accidental power down or dialing. The Galaxy Nexus seems to have thrown this out.

Is there a way to turn this off and disable the Power Down menu when the phone is locked?

 

[elmerjr128]

Use a pattern or pin.

 

[oddible]

Use a pattern or pin.

Try what you are suggesting before you suggest it. Doesn't work. Put a pattern lock on your Galaxy Nexus then hold down the side power button while the screen is asking for your pattern. You get the Power Down pop-up dialog and can press the Power Down button without ever unlocking your phone.

Design flaw. Locked means locked to prevent accidental actions, not locked only to prevent access to my data. Some UX designer forgot that there were multiple purposes to the lock function.

 

[machiz7888]

The gnex uses a capacitive screen, so it can't unlock without a current. so unless your skin is touching it (would be dumb if you accidentally shut it down) or you keep batteries in your pocket it doesn't matter whats on the screen.

 

[Deleted User]

Huh. I actually don't think it's a flaw at all. I like that feature.

I mean, you can't do much that someone with physical access to the phone can't already do - if I want to shut it down or reboot it, I just pull out the battery. And frankly, I want to be able to put it in airplane mode without unlocking it.

I really would be surprised if someone managed to jostle their phone in such a way that A) they pressed the power button to turn it on, B) long pressed the power button again to bring up the menu (since long pressing it once doesn't both turn it on and bring up the menu) and C) they managed to place something capacitive against the phone with enough precision to activate one of the menu options, before the screen timed out.

That's a pretty unlikely string of events...

 

[b_randon14]

Plus every android phone I've had is like this! But yeah you ain't gonna power it down in your pocket!

 

[umataro42]

I don't consider it a design flaw, but its not just the Galaxy Nexus, my OG Droid was the same way. But if the screen is off (and locked) you have to press down on the power button once to wake it up, and then long press , and then select "Power Off". Its not likely to happen in your pocket by accident.

 

[stenzor]

One man's flaw is another man's feature

 

[IOWA]

Yeah its definitely NOT a flaw.

 

[rawness]

Huh. I actually don't think it's a flaw at all. I like that feature.

I mean, you can't do much that someone with physical access to the phone can't already do - if I want to shut it down or reboot it, I just pull out the battery. And frankly, I want to be able to put it in airplane mode without unlocking it.

I really would be surprised if someone managed to jostle their phone in such a way that A) they pressed the power button to turn it on, B) long pressed the power button again to bring up the menu (since long pressing it once doesn't both turn it on and bring up the menu) and C) they managed to place something capacitive against the phone with enough precision to activate one of the menu options, before the screen timed out.

That's a pretty unlikely string of events...

QFT

Def not a flaw.

 

[krouget]

Design flaw. Locked means locked to prevent accidental actions, not locked only to prevent access to my data. Some UX designer forgot that there were multiple purposes to the lock function.

I wouldn't call it a design flaw, at all. It's a rather safe compromise which assumes there is very little chance of what you state actually occurring.

While in theory it could happen, I've certainly never experienced it, ever. Not only that, but there is certainly a line between preventing accidental actions and disrupting usability-- I think the GN balances the two just fine.

 

[Stigy]

Also another hidden feature of this flaw is that you can raise/lower the volume without unlocking the device. Very handy for sitting in a meeting when you realize you didn't lower your volume.

 

[sperho]

One man's flaw is another man's feature

Took the letters right out of my keyboard.

 

[stenzor]

Took the letters right out of my keyboard.

Sorry, I'll mail them back to you. Must have been hard typing that

 

[rawness]

Also another hidden feature of this flaw is that you can raise/lower the volume without unlocking the device. Very handy for sitting in a meeting when you realize you didn't lower your volume.

I can't do this (I use a pattern lock)...I wish I could, tho, cuz as you said, it comes in handy all too often.

 

[AntimonyER]

I can't do this (I use a pattern lock)...I wish I could, tho, cuz as you said, it comes in handy all too often.

That's strange. I wonder if its a setting, cause not only can I change the volume at the lock screen, I can change it with the screen off as well.

 

[rawness]

That's strange. I wonder if its a setting, cause not only can I change the volume at the lock screen, I can change it with the screen off as well.

Hmmm, I definitely can't do that..and I'd argue THAT would be a design flaw, cuz I had a phone that could do that before and it would either turn itself all the way down while in my pocket and I'd miss calls/texts or it would turn itself all the way up in my pocket, and I'd be the guy disrupting the meeting even after I had set it to vibrate before putting it in my pocket.

I'd like to be able to adjust the volume with the screen on, but locked, but NOT with the screen off. I'll look in the settings to see if I see some option.

 

[Stigy]

PIN lock, phone locked and power button press and I can change volume.

 

[dguy]

Definitely is a flaw lol but it's not exclusive to the Galaxy Nexus, most Android phones are like this. You shouldn't be able to interact with the phone(IE shutting it off) without entering the pin code first. Changing the volume is fine however.

 

[krouget]

PIN lock, phone locked and power button press and I can change volume.

PIN lock, phone locked, and power button pressed, I cannot change the volume on stock rooted.

However, if I long-press the power button (bringing up the power down menu, as you have pictured), I can then change the volume.

The exception to the above, is if audio or some media is playing, in which case I can change the volume at any time, screen-off or otherwise.

Definitely is a flaw lol but it's not exclusive to the Galaxy Nexus, most Android phones are like this. You shouldn't be able to interact with the phone(IE shutting it off) without entering the pin code first. Changing the volume is fine however.

The process for shutting down the phone requires precise intention, though...enough that it shouldn't be called a flaw, but instead a reasonable compromise (in favor of usability). As Binary Visions outlined, you'd have to hit the power button to turn it on, release, then press/hold it again, to even bring up the prompt. In fact, you'd have a better chance of "accidentally" turning the phone back on, if all that was happening in your pocket, lol.

 

[rawness]

PIN lock, phone locked and power button press and I can change volume.

Now, this I can do (didn't know this beforehand, thanks).....turn down/up the volume, but ONLY after I've brought up that power menu....so not with the screen off.

People insisting that having the ability to turn off the phone without unlocking it is a "flaw" remind me of the people on here during the OG Droid launch days who were all worried about their pocket calling 911 from the emergency dialer...too funny

 

[Stigy]

Now, this I can do (didn't know this beforehand, thanks).....turn down/up the volume, but ONLY after I've brought up that power menu....so not with the screen off.

Yes this is what I was describing -- the ability to change volume after bringing up the Power menu on the lock screen.

 

[crankerchick]

Now, this I can do (didn't know this beforehand, thanks).....turn down/up the volume, but ONLY after I've brought up that power menu....so not with the screen off.

People insisting that having the ability to turn off the phone without unlocking it is a "flaw" remind me of the people on here during the OG Droid launch days who were all worried about their pocket calling 911 from the emergency dialer...too funny

I wasn't one of those people then, BUT, no joking, my phone did almost dial 911 after the string of folks complaining it could happen. I never really gave it much thought, as I figured it was unlikely that, in my pocket, something would actually hit emergency call, then 9-1-1 and talk to call 911. Then of course, months later, I pull my phone out and it is in emergency dial mode and has 91145304 on the screen. Of course it never dialed anyone, but I found it kind of creepy that it did indeed have 9-1-1 as the first 3 digits...

 

[Deleted User]

Definitely is a flaw lol but it's not exclusive to the Galaxy Nexus, most Android phones are like this. You shouldn't be able to interact with the phone(IE shutting it off) without entering the pin code first. Changing the volume is fine however.

Why is this a flaw? You've arbitrarily said that changing the volume is "fine" but shutting it down is a "flaw" - who makes these rules? Interaction is interaction.

It's not a flaw, it's just a choice.

Frankly, I can't imagine why shutting it down should require a PIN. If someone wants to shut it down, it takes two seconds to pull out the battery - just about the same amount of time as it takes to wake it up, long press the power button, and tap shut down. I don't really care if that's what you want - but I have to ask, why? What do you gain?

 

[SeattleYanksFan]

You know a phone is great when people can only find something like the ability to power off the phone without unlocking a big disappointment.