This week’s poll across our social media channels and on the website here was hot on the heels of one of the more interesting features of the new LG G7 ThinQ: the additional hardware button to quickly open Google Assistant.
Our first look G7 hands-on showed that it was pretty useful, and a great way to use Google Assistant in a clear and precise manner. Rather than worry about where exactly the AI feature started and stopped listening to you, it allowed a more precise input.
Samsung, of course, started the whole thing with the Bixby button on the Galaxy S8, and already set a standard for keeping it locked down.
Volume and Bixby buttons
But integrating with the far more established Google platform wasn’t a bad idea from LG, and as Google’s Assistant gets more useful, having a dedicated button might be an option offered by more manufacturers. The problem, though, is that the button only summons Google Assistant. So if you don’t use it, it’s useless. And LG isn’t letting people remap the button just yet, even as Android users point out that the point of Android is open hardware and software.
The vast vast majority of feedback in our polls on the topic suggested that users are massively in favor of remapping the button. Or, perhaps worse, they don’t care at all about the G7. That’s a worry for LG; struggling to engage people even when they do something a little controversial. Notch controversy excluded, of course.
Even our poll response numbers were down across the board this week as voters decided that it just doesn’t matter to them enough to even vote.
On to the results – here’s how more than 30,000 of you voted to the question: should LG let users remap the G7’s Google Assistant button?
This is where I usually break down the numbers into something more precise but it’s all about agreement here. Remapping forever! Restrictions never!
Now, to be fair, the good people on Twitter and YouTube were slightly less adamant, whereas the Instagrammers were very strongly in favor of remapping at 88 percent – possibly wanting the button to take them straight to Instagram?
The problem is remapping and freedom is a nifty idea – it’d be great to have a dedicated button for whatever you need. Although perhaps the practical realities of aren’t there – there’s only so much you can do without unlocking your device?
Here’s what you had to say in the comments:
Yes:
- Yes. They should, without a doubt! Samsung worked hard to block every attempt users made to install APKs that would give them control over their assistant button, and it pissed a lot of people off. LG is already pissing a lot of people off lately, and they also have not been doing nearly as well, financially. This is one of the many choices they could easily make the right way, and start to redeem people’s image of them/entice purchasing their new phones…
- Not surprising most people chose yes, that’s what Android’s all about – customization, which means that it is not a very good question is it if the answer is so obviously yes. Personally, I would rather not have any extra physical buttons as I wouldn’t use them and they are just one more thing to touch accidentally along with the unavoidably close display.
- Android is all about options.
- If they wanna show their customers that they actually listen to us unlike Samsung, they should do it.
No:
- Had two LG phones, Nexus 5X bootlooped, G6 laggy. Not to mention the outdated skin and slow updates. They have more important things to sort out before looking at that gimmicky button.
- I haven’t tried it yet but it’s about all I can think about using the button for. What else if the phone is locked?
Thanks again to everyone who voted and for all the feedback.
Some follow-up questions – what would you have a dedicated button let you do in Android, either unlocked or locked? And if LG let you remap it, would the G7 be more attractive to you when considering your next device?
from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2G9vmgH
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