Single Handed Use of Mobile Phone Apps
Mobile phones are meant for on the go usage. This means it is common to use them with just one hand for a variety of different tasks, freeing the other hand to do other tasks. The current trend is toward phones with larger screens. This makes it more challenging to use them with one hand, at the same time we cannot expect users to be willing to forego the benefits of single handed usage.
Nowadays, there is an explosion of mobile apps, with almost every major merchant\service providing a mobile app that supports all the activities that can be performed on their web site. In addition to this, there is a big focus on improving the usability of web sites when they are accessed from a mobile phone, in terms of making the user interface more responsive to deal with smaller screen sizes. However, it can be argued that a crucial aspect needed to meet the requirements for more responsive behavior, i.e. the usability when the device is operated with just one hand, does not get much attention, in spite of the fact that such use is common.
This article investigates the current status of the research that has been done on this topic, and applies its recommendations and conclusions to analyze the usability of the Facebook mobile phone app for single-handed usage.
Modalities of single-handed use
The most natural and therefore the dominant mode of single handed use is to grip the phone in the palm and use the thumb for interacting with the screen. Therefore, it is important to focus on analyzing the issues faced with this mode and improving its usability.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that sometimes people use their non-dominant hand for single handed use, since the dominant hand is occupied with other tasks, for e.g. a right handed user using the phone with just the left hand to look up a recipe, while the right hand is busy with the actual cooking tasks. Therefore, any solution to improve single-handed usability should take into account that the same user could use the phone with either hand at different times, and may also need to switch hands in the middle of performing some task on the phone, based on the activity being done with the other hand.
Also, in most cases the phone is held in the portrait mode for single handed use, since the reachability to the other side of the screen is not possible, as well as it being more difficult to securely grip the phone with just one hand in landscape mode.
Another possible mode where one hand is used for interaction (which is not the focus of this article) is where the phone is not held in the hand but is placed on a surface such as a table, and a single hand is used for interaction, while the other hand is used for other activity such as eating.
Nature of actions
Single handed operation is frequently used for tapping buttons and swiping\scrolling. It is less frequently used for text entry. Some operations such as pinching (for zoom in apps such as maps) cannot be performed with single hand. Scrolling is used very frequently, especially in case of social media apps such as Facebook and Instagram.
Results from user studies: Importance of reachability
A number of user studies have been performed by research teams to analyze single handed usage and the difficulties encountered by users. These involve having users perform a variety of common tasks with one hand, measuring the errors\unintended inputs in their execution, and finally, determining the factors that influence greater incidence of errors.
Below is an example of such a user study:
This study was done by dividing the screen into four quadrants, the upper-abduction area (NW), upper-adduction area (NE), lower-abduction area (SW), lower-adduction area (SE), and cardinal points (N, E, S, W). An analysis of the results for operations performed in each quadrant, as a measure of:
- % of success rate against the distance of tap target from the natural position of the thumb
- Movement time against the distance of tap target from the natural position of the thumb
In the case of the upper side, the success rates in the NE and NW directions were similar across the distance range; however, the NE direction showed better movement time and throughout performances compared to the NW direction. In the case of the lower area, the SW direction showed better results than the SE direction at a very short distance within 25 mm; however, the performance in the SW direction drastically deteriorated in the range of 25–40 mm
In summary, based on right hand inter- action, users felt more comfortable when they moved the thumb between the top right area and bottom left area compared to movement between the top left area and bottom right area from an ergonomic point of view. In addition, the results of a usability evaluation showed that right handed users had difficulty performing a touch task at the bottom right corner and top left corner (and the opposite for left handed users). The below figure graphically represents this result:
The results demonstrate that the reachability of the thumb for performing actions is the key criterion for improving the usability for single handed usage.
Detection of single handed usage
A significant amount of research has been done on the ability detect whether the mobile phone is being operated using a single hand or with both hands. This is important to avoid having the user to use a setting to explicitly change the mode of operation, and since users freely switch between single and multiple handed usage based on the nature of the task etc., such an approach is not user-friendly (however, mobile phone vendors have provided settings to enable this which are described in a later section). Therefore, various methods have been employed to dynamically detect single handed usage, which are based on the nature of the actions being done by the user (such as swipes etc.) that are indicative of single handed use, or of the position of the index finger.
Research on approaches for providing solutions
Various approaches have been proposed for improving single handed usability. They can be broadly categorized as:
- Reduce the screen size in order to improve reachability. This however comes at the cost of losing available screen real-estate.
2. Introduce a pointer that can be used to increase reachability to areas that are far from the natural position of the thumb.
3. More novel approaches such as the use of the position of the index finger to support more actions with single hand (such as zoom). This however requires specific behavior to be learnt by the user.
4. Re-arrangement of UI elements such as buttons etc. to optimize their reachability for single handed use. This option provides the most benefits, however it requires incorporating such behavior within the design and implementation of the app.
Reachability settings available for Android and Apple
Some mobile phone vendors have provided one-handed mode operation, which reduce the screen size to improve reachability.
Below are two examples:
Samsung Galaxy:
https://www.samsung.com/au/getstarted/advanced/one-handed-mode/ Apple iPhone:
https://9to5mac.com/2017/11/20/iphone-x-how-to-enable-reachability-improve-control-center/
However, no major vendor has provided dynamic detection of single-handed usage.
One handed use of the Facebook app
According to Pew Research, 69% of adults in the US use Facebook. Also, single handed use is more common for social media apps. Therefore, the Facebook app is a good candidate to analyze for single handed usability. Overall, the Facebook app has been well designed for one-handed use. The following design elements of the Facebook app are indicative of this:
- Most commands such as those that operate on the items in the news feed (e.g. “Like”) are in the center of the screen and easy to access
- It is easy to scroll vertically through the news feed — this is an inherent advantage of using the thumb for scrolling
- Effective use is made of the swiping gesture — for e.g. swiping to the left or right on the news feed page switches the page to Groups\Market Place\Profile etc. (However this is not immediately apparent, but once learnt, is very useful).
The following are some observations for improving the app:
On Android, the icons to navigate to the pages are on the top:
It would be more accessible to move them to the bottom:
This in fact has been done with the iPhone, but for some reason has not been done on Andriod. As stated previously, the use of swiping left or right to change the pages mitigates this issue, however infrequent users may not be aware of that gesture and would tap the buttons.
The “Back” button has poor reachability, instead the swipe gesture could be used:
When it is possible to detect whether the phone is held in the right or left hand, further improvements can be made, for e.g. to change the location of the close button:
Conclusion and Future Work
The importance and need for paying greater attention to the usability aspects of one handed usage of mobile phones is demonstrated by the results of the various researches that have been done on the topic. It is possible that we may see phone vendors providing a dynamic indication to apps about the mode of usage of the device, instead of having to rely on Poor reachability Proposed alternative static settings that are enabled by the user to enable one-handed mode. This may encourage app developers to include one handed usage as a necessary criterion to be considered as part of the responsive design of their apps.
There is further scope to extend the coverage of this article to other commonly used apps as well as to web sites that are opened from mobile phones. Also, it is possible to do further analysis on finer points such as the differences in one handed usage between left and right handed users, as well as possibilities to detect one handed usage in combination with activities such as walking or running, where there could be potential to apply more specific improvements in reachability aspects to improve the usability in that context.
This article was part of my graduate course of study at MICA, I am the sole researcher and visual designer. Presenting and working through critique with my instructor Andrew Schall and classmates has been an inspiring way to refine my process.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, please take the time to ������. Any questions or comments are welcome below.
Мобильный интерфейс для одной руки
В своей книге Designing Mobile Interfaces (2011) дизайнер Стивен Хубер ввел понятие The Thumb Zone («зона большого пальца») — область экрана, наиболее удобная при использовании телефона одной рукой. С года издания книги средний размер смартфона заметно увеличился, и «мертвая зона» — область, которую сложно достать пальцем одной руки, — также стала больше.
Изображение. «Зона большого пальца» для 5–4,7-дюймового экрана, если держать телефон в левой и в правой руке, соответственно. Изображение основано на публикации Скотта Хэрффа.
В «мертвую зону», отмеченную красным, попадают панели инструментов приложений, которые как в Android (App Bar / Primary Toolbar), так и в iOS (Navigation Bar) находятся в верхней части экрана.
На некоторых Android-телефонах была предпринята попытка решения проблемы «мертвой зоны». Например, Samsung S4 и LG G Pro 2) поддерживают режим One-handed Mode: интерфейс телефона пропорционально уменьшается и прижимается к нижнему углу экрана. Похожая функция появилась в iPhone 6: в режиме Reachability интерфейс смещается вниз экрана, сохраняя свои размеры по ширине.
Изображение. Режим One-hand Mode на некоторых Android телефонах и режим Reachability на iPhone 6.
Но такие режимы — всего лишь «костыли». Они не решают проблему полностью, а лишь позволяют превратить использование телефона одной рукой из невозможного хотя бы в неудобное.
Настоящее решение должно не помогать дотянуться до нужной кнопки, а избавить пользователя от необходимости дотягиваться.
В эпицентре «мертвой зоны» iOS стандартно расположена кнопка Back. Однако в большинстве приложений нет необходимости к ней тянуться — достаточно сделать свайп от левого края телефона (провести пальцем от края корпуса к центру экрана — Edge Swipe). Удивительно, но далеко не все пользователи айфонов об этом знают.
Кстати, приложения от Google для iOS чуть ли ни единственные, которые не поддерживают свайпы для возвращения назад. Видимо, Google намеренно ухудшает пользовательский опыт, стимулируя к покупке телефонов с «железной» кнопкой Back.
На телефонах Android в область «мертвой зоны» попадает кнопка вызова бокового меню (Navigation Drawer) — открыть это меню также можно свайпом от левого края телефона.
Изображение. Боковое (главное) меню (Navigation Drawer) в Android и функция Navigare with a swipe («Навигация смахиванием») в iOS.
В приведенных примерах из двух платформ свайп от левого края телефона (Edge Swipe) приравнивается к нажатию левой кнопки в верхней панели инструментов. Почему бы не использовать данное решение для всей панели инструментов и любых кнопок, расположенных на ней?
Левая и правая кнопки верхней панели инструментов должны перестать быть в первую очередь кнопками — они должны подсказывать, какое действие скрывается за свайпом от левого и правого края телефона соответственно.
Сейчас в iOS Messages справа сверху находится кнопка для создания нового сообщения — в соответствии с этим правилом, свайп от правого края телефона будет вызывать экран создания нового сообщения.
Анимация. Концепция мобильного интерфейса для одной руки. Свайп от края телефона активирует функцию, обозначенную иконкой на панели инструментов с соответствующей стороны телефона. В данном случае — создание нового сообщения в iOS Messages и возвращение назад к списку сообщений.
При просмотре письма в текущей версии Android Gmail справа сверху находится панель управления письмом. На ней отображаются несколько основных кнопок, а другие скрыты за кнопкой вызова контекстного меню. В соответствии с новым правилом, свайп от правого края телефона будет открывать это контекстное меню. Обновленное меню будет содержать полный список действий, включая основные, приближая их к «зоне большого пальца».
Анимация. Концепция мобильного интерфейса для одной руки. Свайп от правого края телефона активирует функцию, обозначенную правой иконкой на панели инструментов. В данном случае — контекстное меню письма в Android Gmail.
На том же экране просмотра письма в Android Gmail слева находится кнопка «Назад». Но в текущей версии приложения на этом экране свайп от левого края телефона открывает боковое меню. Пользователей вводят в заблуждение неправильной подсказкой. Несмотря на наличие «железной» кнопки Back в Android-телефонах, свайп должен дублировать функцию кнопки «Назад», расположенной на экране слева. То есть свайп от левого края должен возвращать пользователя обратно к списку писем, а уже в списке писем — открывать боковое меню.
Но не бывает правил без исключений. С правой стороны панели инструментов могут находиться кнопки «Готово» или «Отправить», которые ведут к необратимому действию. Такое простое движение как свайп не должно приводить к выполнению необратимых действий.
Анимация. Концепция мобильного интерфейса для одной руки. Свайп от края телефона активирует функцию, обозначенную иконкой на панели инструментов с соответствующей стороны телефона. В данном случае — поиск по письмам в Android Gmail и возвращение назад к списку писем.
Свайп от края телефона (Edge Swipe) трудно перепутать со свайпом внутри экрана (Swipe). Разница между двумя жестами не вызывает трудностей ни для пользователей, ни для разработчиков. Свайп от края телефона начинается за пределами экрана, и телефоны хорошо реагируют на такой жест. Например, при просмотре письма в текущей версии Android Gmail свайп от левого края открывает боковое меню, а свайпы внутри экрана осуществляют переход к следующему или предыдущему письму.
Использование свайпа от левого и правого края телефона для активации функций верхней панели инструментов легко применимо как для iOS, так и для Android. Более того, подобный функционал в отношении левой стороны уже частично реализован на обеих платформах. Такое интуитивно-понятное поведение имеет все шансы стать стандартом мобильных интерфейсов.
How To Use One Handed Mode On Android
If you’re unfamiliar with “One-Handed Mode,” it’s simply a feature that slides the UI down to the bottom of the display to make things easier to reach. This isn’t a permanent thing, but it’s handy in certain situations.
For this guide, we’ll show you how One-Handed Mode works on Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones.
RELATED: How to Enable One-Handed Mode in Android’s Google Keyboard
One-Handed Mode for Samsung Galaxy Phones#
Samsung was one of the first Android phone makers to add One-Handed Mode. First, swipe down once from the top of the screen and tap the gear icon.
Scroll to the bottom of the Settings and select “Advanced Features.”
Select “One-Handed Mode.”
Toggle the switch on at the top of the screen.
Next, you can choose how One-Handed Mode is activated. If you’re using gesture navigation, you can only choose “Gesture.” But if you use the three-button layout, you also have the option to double-tap the home button.
In One-Handed Mode, you can tap the arrow icon to move the shrunken screen to the left or right. You can also grab the corner to resize the screen. Tap on any empty screen space to exit.
One-Handed Mode for Google Pixel Phones#
One-Handed Mode arrived for Google Pixel phones in Android 12. To get started, swipe down twice from the top of the screen to reveal the Quick Settings menu, and then tap the gear icon.
Next, scroll down and select “System.”
Now, select “Gestures.”
Lastly, go to “One-Handed Mode.”
Toggle the switch at the top to turn on One-Handed Mode.
You get a couple of other options as well. Enable “Exit When Switching Apps” to automatically leave One-Handed Mode when you leave an app.
Lastly, you can set the “Timeout” so that One-Handed Mode will exit after a certain length of inactivity.
With that out of the way, you can activate One-Handed Mode by swiping down on the home button or gesture bar. To leave One-Handed Mode, swipe up on the same spot or tap the blank area at the top of the screen.
If you don’t have a Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel phone, there’s still a solid chance that you have One-Handed Mode. Search for it in the Settings and you might be surprised! This is a nifty thing to know.
How to Use One-Handed Mode in Samsung Galaxy Phones
There is no doubt that the average screen size on a smartphone is getting out of hand. With the latest offerings from Android OEMs reaching close to 7-inch size, it can be quite a stretch to navigate the UI with one hand. Samsung has packed a dedicated one-handed mode in One UI to tackle the issue. Here’s how you can use one-handed mode Samsung Galaxy phones.
As the name suggests, the one-handed mode is designed to let you use the phablet with ease. Once the one-handed mode kicks in, the OS shrinks down the entire screen to let you comfortably use the same UI. Let’s check the add-on in action. Shall we?
Enable One-Handed Mode With a Gesture
There are two ways to navigate the OS in One UI. You can either go with age-old navigation (Home, Recents, and Back) buttons or opt for gestures to move around the UI.
If you are using gestures, you simply need to swipe down at the bottom center, and the One UI will go into the one-handed mode.
You will see a floating UI with a background matching the wallpaper in a gradient theme.
If you are left-handed, you can tap on the left arrow and move the one-handed mode to the left side and similarly, tap on the right arrow to move it to the opposite direction.
There is no way to resize the one-handed mode. However, you can adjust the window position using the top bar. Long-press on the top bar. Then, use drag and drop to move the window around.
Enable One-handed Mode With Navigation Buttons
If you are using the navigation button in your Galaxy phone, we recommend using the Home button trick for using the one-handed mode. You’ll need to make a couple of setting tweaks here.
First, we will show you how to revert to navigation buttons to go around the UI and then make a setting change in one-handed mode.
Step 1: Open the Settings menu on your Galaxy phone.
Step 2: Go to Display.
Step 3: Scroll down and select the Navigation bar.
Step 4: From the Navigation type menu, select Buttons. From the same menu, you can change button order as well.
Once the One UI changes from gestures to navigation buttons, you can follow the steps below.
Step 1: Swipe down and reveal the notification center.
Step 2: Select the Settings gear at the top.
Step 3: From the Settings menu, go to Advanced features.
Step 4: Select One-handed mode and tap on the Button.
From now on, you can double-tap on the Home button to enable one-handed mode. The usual one-handed mode features remain identical, as discussed above.
Exit One-handed Mode
It’s quite easy to exit the one-handed mode. You need to double-tap on the side arrow, and the One UI will move back to the original look.
Note that when you take screenshots in one-handed mode, they come with a full screen revealing a gradient background. You should always come out of one-handed mode and then take screenshots.
Disable One-handed Mode
If you are not a fan of Samsung’s one-handed mode, you can easily disable the function from the Settings menu. Some also disable the function when they get tired of accidentally activating the one-handed mode frequently.
Step 1: Open Settings on your phone.
Step 2: Go to Advanced features.
Step 3: Disable the One-handed mode toggle, and you are good to go.
Bonus Trick: Use Multi-Window in One UI
One UI is full of hidden gems and features. One such trick is to use a multi-window from the Recents menu. You will have a floating app window on the screen, and you can minimize the app into a bubble and access it from anywhere.
Step 1: Open the multitasking menu on your phone.
Step 2: Long-tap on the app icon and select the Open in pop-up view option.
Step 3: You will see One UI opening the app in a small window. You can tap on the top bar and place the app windows to your preferred position.
Tap on the top indicator, and you will find options to minimize or expand the app window. You shouldn’t use the function on phones with 4GB of RAM. Multi-window would take a good amount of RAM to function smoothly over an extensive period.
Enjoy One-Handed Mode on Galaxy Phones
Samsung often packs the One UI with gimmicks, but the One-handed mode is an exception. It’s thoughtfully designed and aims to solve a painful issue for several users. How’s your experience with one-handed mode so far? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Last updated on 14 March, 2022
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