Why pressure-sensitive buttons on smartphones never took off, and other features failed

Here are five phone features that never took off:

Pressure-sensitive buttons

Six years ago, HTC did something unthinkable. It took a bold step by dumping physical buttons on the flagship U12 series for touch-sensitive and squeezable sides. They were not traditional buttons when you touch them. Instead, they were pressure-sensitive buttons that didn’t move when you pressed them. Each squeeze was customisable and triggered a different action.

On paper, the concept of pressure-sensitive sides of the U12 made sense, but in practice HTC’s faux buttons were awful. Haptic feedback never worked properly, leading to an excruciating user experience. In fact, HTC even had a support article titled “Do’s and Don’t with pressure-sensitive buttons.” The most frustrating part of the pressure-sensitive buttons was that they needed power. So if the phone ran off power, the buttons would do nothing. HTC lost some of the goodwill because of the terrible pressure-sensitive buttons on its U12 series and left the Taiwanese phone company’s future unclear.

HTC U12 Plus’ buttons weren’t mechanical – they were pressure-sensitive. (Image credit: HTC)

Motion Sense

When Google released the Pixel 4, everyone thought that the Motion Sense (previously known as Project Soli) was a game-changer. The problem was that all the media attention around the new radar system turned out to be overhyped and nothing else. For years, Google made a big deal about Project Soli, a miniaturised radar chip designed by the company’s Advanced Technology and Projects Division (ATAP). The idea was to control many smartphone features like skipping songs using precise hand movements.

As it turns out, the phone’s flashy radar system had a high miss rate and those who tested the device said gestures worked 50 per cent of the time. So, while Motion Sense was a good idea, Google over-baked and over-marketed it, resulting in poor reception. And when the Pixel 4’s successor hit the market, it lacked “Motion Sense” gestures, signalling the end of Google’s experiment with the Pixel-based Soli radar system.

The Pixel 4’s biggest-selling feature was its radar technology known as Soli. (Image credit: Google)

3D screens

When Amazon debuted the Fire Phone in 2014, it was supposed to be the e-commerce giant’s big bet on the smartphone business. Originally priced at $199 and an iPhone competitor, the Fire Phone was such a big flop to an extent that Amazon had to take a $170 million write-down due to unsold inventory. You get the point.

Although the Fire Phone was an ambitious device, it never met its core objective. Amazon put a lot of faith in a feature that was key to the Fire Phone’s future: a 3D display that required no glasses and multiple cameras needed to track users’ gaze and adjust the 3D effect accordingly.

Contrary to Amazon’s expectation, the Fire Phone failed to take off. Insiders believe the Fire Phone was always intended to fail. Not only does the device was half-baked in its approach but it had an uninspiring design and poor ecosystem with no robust apps support as Apple. Many also complain about the device’s high price as one of the reasons why the Fire Phone failed in the market.

Amazon put a lot of faith in a feature that was key to the Fire Phone’s future: a 3D display that required no glasses.

Motion sensing gaming

Around 2008, Sony tried its hands at making a gaming phone that included Nintendo Wii-like motion-sensing capabilities. The Sony Ericsson F305, although many don’t even remember, was an entry-level feature phone featuring gameplay driven by motion-sensing technology. While Sony pushed the phone’s motion-tracking gaming features through its marketing campaigns, which led many to believe that the F305 could replicate what the Wii did.

It sounded cool, but the motion-sensing technology to control gameplay with a flick of a wrist or a swing of the arm never had the same impact as users experienced while playing games on the Nintendo Wii, which was a home console. The biggest problem with Sony’s technology on a mobile device was that you can’t really see most game movements when playing games like bowling. Sony understood where it was going wrong, and its experiment with Wii-like motion-sensing gaming ended in 2009. Yari was its last phone to feature Wii-like technology.

Samsung’s DeX is a software programme that basically extends your smartphone or tablet into a full-size desktop experience. (Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung DeX

The DeX is often seen as the black sheep of Samsung’s smartphones. The promise of turning a smartphone or tablet into a full-blown desktop experience is magical. It’s unfortunate that this software-based feature hasn’t been widely adopted by the industry, with only Motorola offering a DeX-like mode to its smartphones. Despite a clever idea, Samsung DeX feels incredibly underutilised.

It’s just a shame that the feature never caught on. Over time, Samsung DeX has matured and while it may be a little janky, the platform still delivers what it meant to be. That being said, the Samsung DeX is in an identity crisis. Despite a clever idea, Samsung’s inability to bring DeX to lower-to-mid-end smartphones keeps it away from gaining a mainstream attraction.