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Post here if you appreciate your phone having an LED Notification light

Shouldn't a front LED Notification light be a standard feature on every smartphone?

  • Yes

    Votes: 131 76.2%

  • No

    Votes: 41 23.8%
  • Total voters
    172
Calidude

Calidude

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 22, 2010
1,730
0
I know there's people out there who think an LED on their phone is stupid simply because Apple doesn't put it on the iPhone, but really, this simple LED is more useful than anything else that can be added to the iPhone, hardware-wise.

After using my Galaxy Nexus, I thought: "...man I spent so much wasted time checking my phone to see what notifications I have!"

Why the hell doesn't Apple just make that home button light up so people can stop checking their iPhone so often?
 
G51989

G51989

macrumors 68030
Feb 25, 2012
2,530
10
NYC NY/Pittsburgh PA
I agree. The LED notification light is a great idea. its only a matter of time before apple copies it, then sues.
 
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S.B.G

S.B.G

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 8, 2010
26,683
10,467
Detroit
Ironically, yesterday I saw an LED light blinking on my friend's Motorola phone and asked him what it was. I had never heard of it before but now that I know about it, I think it's a nifty idea and if Apple could incorporate it into the iPhone I would welcome it.
 
Calidude

Calidude

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 22, 2010
1,730
0
Catdogchicken said:
It was the only thing I missed from owning a Blackberry.
Click to expand...
This all the way. Blackberry did that and BBM right, thats for sure. I had been without my BB for 3 years during my iPhone period and I couldn't believe I lasted that long.
 
Vegastouch

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
I like it but i still would of bought the S3 without it.

I use the Light Flow app to make it even better with more colors to use but i noticed it uses more battery life than you would think than without it and using the native LED.
There just isnt enough colors is the problem.
Even if Apple makes the home button light up, you wont know what the notification is for without looking. It needs colors. It would be easy enough to do.
 
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flameproof

flameproof

macrumors 6502a
Jan 14, 2011
615
18
My HTC HD2 had it. I would say 'no' - just to prolong battery life

But would say 'DEFINITELY yes' if the feature is optional and you can switch it off.
 
Mac.World

Mac.World

macrumors 68000
Jan 9, 2011
1,819
1
In front of uranus
onthecouchagain said:
Saving it for iPhone 5S. Revolutionary.
Click to expand...

We joke about the bullsh&* patents Apple applies for, but I think this one is very specific and 'feels' like it has Steve Jobs attention to detail and foresight in it. While it is not a new idea, it is evolutionary on what RIM had at the time.

----------
jav6454 said:
Two words: Battery Drain.
Click to expand...

If you think one tiny led bulb is the cause of any significant battery drain, you're living in denial.
 
Nabooly

Nabooly

macrumors 6502a
Aug 28, 2007
849
5
This is something that I can't believe all phones don't have yet. I fell in love with the green and red led from my bb pearl. That little light is extremely useful, hopefully the iphone5 will have it.
 
Calidude

Calidude

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 22, 2010
1,730
0
flameproof said:
My HTC HD2 had it. I would say 'no' - just to prolong battery life

But would say 'DEFINITELY yes' if the feature is optional and you can switch it off.
Click to expand...
It would of course always be optional, as it is on every phone.

----------
Mac.World said:
Apple applied for this patent, way back in 2007, and yet still haven't brought it to light. This would blow all current notification led lights out of the water and be extremely useful and informative:

Link to patent: http://arstechnica.com/apple/2008/11/apple-files-for-dual-backlight-iphone-notification-patent/
Click to expand...
I gotta admit that's pretty nice, but the naysayers will throw even more of a tantrum that it will use more power than even an LED.

I wonder how informative that will be though. You can be pretty creative with a single multicolored LED, so I dunno what more they could show with a second backlight unless text was involved too.

----------
jav6454 said:
Two words: Battery Drain.
Click to expand...
This actually saves you power from not having to turn the screen on to check your phone.
 
TheMacBookPro

TheMacBookPro

macrumors 68020
May 9, 2008
2,133
3
I'm surprised at the number of people [mainly on the iPhone forum, not so much on this dramatically more neutral subforum] saying that it's useless and they don't ever want to see it on the iPhone.
I mean, it's obvious that they're fanboys who'd claim it's revolutionary and totally a reason to upgrade to the S model, but still- I can kinda understand the whole 'I don't want a better camera/LED flash/higher resolution screen/3G/GPS/etc' BS they were all spewing several years ago since it might lead to a price increase, but this is a tiny $0.05 bulb that would only benefit the user (and if you really think that it's distracting, there will likely be a toggle switch in Settings to turn it off), and yet they still say it's useless? Sigh. We'd still be on the original iPhone if Apple listened to them saying 'it's perfect as it is and no changes should ever be made' .

jav6454 said:
Two words: Battery Drain.
Click to expand...

LEDs draw an extremely low amount of power, nowhere near as much as turning on your phone's screen (even if it's only for a few seconds) just to see whether or not you've got a new notification.
 
S

SprSynJn

Guest
Sep 15, 2011
362
1
Japan
Some people have complained about it because it's annoying when you are unable to get to the phone, or you know what's come and are ignoring it. Probably a small amount of people, but it is a valid argument. I didn't check the link about what Apple had patented, but if they were to make the home button do the same sort of fading blink their MacBooks do, that would be very nice to have as an alternative.
 
LSUtigers03

LSUtigers03

macrumors 68020
Apr 9, 2008
2,089
41
I love the notification led on my s3. Anyone who says its useless will be the same person that will praise it the day Apple announces an iPhone with led notifications.
 
D

Dunbar

macrumors 6502a
Jun 25, 2010
557
114
Los Angeles, CA
One of the more useful features ever on a smartphone. Saves me from missing an unexpected work e-mail on the weekend which happened several times with my iPhone.
 
TheMacBookPro

TheMacBookPro

macrumors 68020
May 9, 2008
2,133
3
SprSynJn said:
Some people have complained about it because it's annoying when you are unable to get to the phone, or you know what's come and are ignoring it. Probably a small amount of people, but it is a valid argument.
Click to expand...

What do you mean? I don't really follow.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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