[billpatrianakos]

The dominating theme here is how the button feels. This post is a great defense and the facts are straight but in the end facts don't matter. Feelings do.

Apple has done a magnificent job of creating loyal converts based on feelings. Their devices have traditionally been behind Android on a number of features (but always catch up later) because they focused on making people feel like they could accomplish the tasks they wanted to.

Android goes about adding features that are super coolnewawesometrendy and they give it to you right away and it's your job to jump in and learn how to use it. Apple will slowly introduce you to new concepts even if it means limiting functionality. The Android and iOS approaches are both valid but one is better for my mother while the other is better for me.

So when we talk about the back button on Android maybe we're missing the point? Maybe instead of discussing whether the button is inconsistent or not we should be talking about how to make the entire OS feel like it helps you get what you want to do done. I don't have all the answers but I do know a few of the right questions.

Assuming you give someone an Android phone or tablet who has no previous experience or expectations... How do you make the button feel like its consistent? What is the intent of someone pressing the button? How will the action of the button fit in with the rest of the user experience? How can we get users to know what to expect after a single use of the button? Is the button even necessary? Was the decision to include this button made because of preconceived notions such as how phones used to function before touch screens?

This might be a tad bit off topic but I feel like these ideas are a natural next step in the discussion.