With the huge push for “multi touch” and direct contact interfaces in the past couple years I’ve started to notice the slow fade of the scrollbar, something that has historically consumed up 5% of every browser and finder window. The iPad hides the scrollbar by default and only shows it when scrolling. This reduces the bar to a “scroll indicator” and not the bar our parents and elders spend 30 seconds trying to find so they can move down the page.
So what’s next?
I’m finally seeing this approach to scrolling moving from mobile multi-touch devices to the real world OS’s and many web applications. Honestly, with my obsession with minimal design, this is more than exciting! Custom scrolling indicators are now being hand-crafted into the software, usually adapting its ui and design, in order to remove the OS’s default scrollbar ugliness. Did I mention the little arrows (for up and down) are nowhere to be found!?
I’m Hoping with the upcoming OS release from Apple (as well as their “appstore” for OS X) we will continue to see the adoption of this UI technique. Windows… I have not touched you in years… so, I have no clue what you guys are up to (sorry). I guess it really depends on the majority of “users” out there. Is the common user able to tell when an area is scrollable or not scrollable?
What is your take? Do you use the little arrows? Do you find a minimal take on scrollbars hoaxy?
Matthew Snider says
For me, as long as we need to scroll up and down for websites, the scrollbar will be used by someone. With a wheel mouse, I don’t think I ever actually use it.
Brian Notess says
This is definitely a marked changed in user-experience.
I think Apple tend to push trends in human-computer interaction long before they are widely adopted (IE GUI with mouse) and sometimes they push them LONG before anyone else adopts them.
That said, people have been ignoring their scroll bars for years. Wheels and multi-touch scrolling seem, to me a much more intuitive way to scroll through pages so it makes sense that the ugly things disappear.
I also am interested to see what Apple comes up with for the next OS release. I like the idea of iOS and OSX’s interfaces becoming more and more similar, although I’m sure there will be people vehemently opposed.
It was nice knowing your scroll-bar. Now go away.
Jared Erickson says
most def.. the only worry is if there is no “standards” and developers start adding their own “flare” to things… haha
Brian Notess says
I’d really like a custom scroll-bar that “pops”. 😉
Jared Erickson says
*barf*
Nick Wangler says
Nice read! The scrollbar is just another thing to be scraped away in the process of making a better, more focused UI.
Justin says
For my own uses, I really like it. I only ever use the mouse wheel or two finger scroll anyway.
However, it does make me wonder if it has any accessibility issues for those who are handicapped.
Jared Erickson says
but how is the current scrollbar accessible?
J. D. Bentley says
I think for most apps, blocky always-visible sidebars are just a waste of space. I spend probably 80% of my time in a web browser anyway. I think it should be given that most pages scroll and if they don’t, then they won’t. That should be the only hint you need about whether you’re seeing the whole page or not.
The scroll bar is even less useful in a browser when you consider sites like the Tumblr homepage or comicsanscriminal.com that change the way people think about scrolling. I definitely prefer the iOS way of doing it.
Stephen Bateman says
agreed, but in iOS apps, that don’t have the standard UI elements of a browser, sometimes I’ve gone for days before realizing that a particular element could scroll (Words with Friends, I’m lookin at you!)
I agree that scrollbars are more or less becoming unnecessary. *but* it’s important to tell people that scrolling is possible.
BenJPickett says
I hardly ever notice the scroll bar on any browser or app anymore. with so much of the everyday web (not creative, cutting edge or enthusiast sites) being designed for standard standard monitors and not widescreen, with centered content my attention never drifts right of the focus point.
If there happen to be multiple scroll bars on a page, 1 for main content and then 1 for navigation, I get off that site as fast as I can. Same goes for apps, I don’t like to have multiple scroll areas (why I don’t use iTunes) so if I can’t minimize the app navigation scrolling to focus in on just the area that I want to I’m finding something that meets my standards of clean. There are exceptions relating to specific features and functions that I need, but not too many.