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Is there such a thing as touchscreen fatigue and a resulting renaissance in push buttons and physical controls, in new consumer products?

Peter Brooks

In the latest edition of the IEEE Spectrum magazine (March 2025) there was an article titled "This "re-buttonization " expert is in demand as touchsreen mania dies down" .

The article highlights safety concerns of using touchscreens when driving a car.

Hyundai and others are reintroducing buttons and dials on dashboards and steering wheels.

Then couple this with the apparent human need for a tactile experience as evidenced by digital musicians and gamers playing video games. 

All this indicates a need to include human touch into interfacing with new consumer products, in addition to touchscreens. 

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  • So many times I've been to a touch screen interface that doesn't work. Especially at ticket machines in train stations. The number of times I've just given up and gone to the counter instead. Happened the other day at a parcel drop off locker as well. The touch screen wasn't responding so I had to walk across town to another locker bank and hope that the screen was working there instead! 

    One of the issues with touchscreens though is that you get no 'feedback' so you're always wondering if it's working. With a button there's a 'click' that you feel. It's the same reason that you hear the 'beep' when you scan your shopping at the supermarket checkouts or if like me you use the scan and go, my phone vibrates to indicate that the item has scanned successfully. 

    With touchscreens that feedback isn't there.

  • in reply to Lisa Miles

    Hello Lisa:

    My fingers are so dry that I have to use the rubber tip on the top of a ballpoint pen to get them to work on a touchscreen.

    Some organizations require one to sign ones name on a touchscreen when purchasing products, which just results in a scribbled mess.

    Peter Brooks

    Palm Bay 

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  • in reply to Lisa Miles

    Hello Lisa:

    My fingers are so dry that I have to use the rubber tip on the top of a ballpoint pen to get them to work on a touchscreen.

    Some organizations require one to sign ones name on a touchscreen when purchasing products, which just results in a scribbled mess.

    Peter Brooks

    Palm Bay 

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