iPhone 4 IOS 4.2 iPod play/pause button "size" (hitting skip forward/back)

Hi BenV,

This is so annoying. I have upgraded to iOS4.2.1 this Sunday and the first thing when I tried to pause my audiobook I went back to the beginning of the file (two files 5h each) then 5 minutes of searching just to go back.

I am on the older device (3G) and do not have any airplay or whatnot and I can't really see any reason for making the controls fiddly small.

They need to fix this, it's getting really annoying. I'm listening to audiobooks and podcasts most of the time, so trying to pause requires all my attention.

iPhone4 IOS 4.2 iPod do not work it takes me to the itunes store

I'm frustrated with this too. I've accidentally hit the forward or back buttons a few times when intending to play or pause an audio book or podcast.

Add me to the list of people having this problem. If you notice, they squeezed the fast forward and rewind buttons closer to the play/pause button. I hope they correct this. Do you think apple reads this forum?

I'm so glad others have noticed that the buttons are way too close together. I'm accidentally hitting the incorrect button much more frequently now!

Apple, please fix this annoying issue! It should be easy to fix.

I to am having this issue. I listen to a lot of pod casts and I use the controls that are available by double bumping the button so I don't have to unlock the phone to pause the podcast. This morning I went to hit pause and got a FF so I hit RW and then tried again, it took me 3 tries to finally get it to pause and in the mean time I lost my place in the pod cast. I really don't need the FF and RW functions. It would be nice if I could pause with out loosing my place in the podcast however. I have had issues with the FF and RW buttons before because I may pick up the phone off the desk and accidently bump either the FF or RW. I really wish I could get rid of them all together. Or aleast move them so they are not in such close proximity to pause button.

APPLE Please fix this.

Phew, so I`m not the only one. Apple PLEASE FIX... no need for the 'play/pause' to be centred.

I have just found out that the controls of the video player has been squeezed together as well. C'mon Apple soon enough I will have to buy myself a stylus to operate an iPhone, that is no good, no good at all.

+1

Maybe a good solution would be to add it to the General/Accessibility settings menu.

Yes - this is incredibly annoying. Why on earth did they do this? From an accessibility perspective it is truly atrocious.

Apple - please fix this. I bet millions of people are having this issue, but just don't realise it's because Apple have shoved the buttons way too close together.

Amen, amen, can I get an amen. I've now skipped forwards or backwards a full chapter in my audiobooks, accidentally, more times in the past month than in the entire time I've owned iPods. I'm taking since they first came out in 2001. Yes, I'm even including the ultra lame 3G iPod with the goofy touch control buttons across the face in place of the clickable scroll wheel that were easy to accidentally engage.

Steve Jobs joked recently about 7" tablets, saying they'll have to sell files so people can file down the tips of their fingers to use the interface because they'll be so small. Well, he better start including them with iPhones, because it's all but impossible to hit the pause/play button controls on the lock screen without hitting the forward/back buttons. It's just as difficult on the main iPod control screen if you happen to have a bluetooth headset or a dock connector attached, and the Airplay option is visible as this pushes the buttons as close together as they are on the lock screen.

If miserly loves company, and I'm not sure it does, I guess it's nice to know I have some. Please, everyone experiencing the same frustration, be sure to send Apple some feedback so they know.

You can add me to the list too. I was looking for a way to disable AirPlay just to move the buttons further apart, but no luck. I hate this change so much that I'd rather loose AirPlay than keep it and have the buttons so close.

Even when I am very purposefully trying to hit play/pause, I sometimes accidentally hit forward/reverse. It's almost like the active areas for forward/reverse overlap the play/pause graphic a bit. Very frustrating!

That's the most frustrating part Dave, as it'd almost be forgivable if it were something that only happened when you weren't paying close attention or were hitting the buttons in a rush. Unfortunately, that's not the case. As you point out, even when I'm be careful and trying to avoid the forward/back buttons, I still hit them. I think male fingers are simply too big given how close the buttons are now. Some of this has to be programming, and not enough priority was given to the pause/play button.