Sandman
Since the topic was moving part in smart phones, I would have expected to see an example of an external switch on a comparable device. Or at least some form of consumer gadget.

Eric Stevens
Sorry to disapoint you. :-)

Sandman
So there will be no such examples? Is this because according to you, no household gadgets exists with external switches? They all have internal switches?

Eric Stevens
That's where any sensible designer would put the. That's where any sensible user would want them.

Can you give any examples of a household gadget with an external switch?

I gave the original reference to the internal banana several articles upstream. e.g https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+4+Vibrate+Ring+Switch+Replacement/4334 or http://tinyurl.com/oofzazt

Sandman
And I am disagreeing with you that the images there show any internal switches. But you are free to call them internal switches if it makes you feel good.

Eric Stevens
Who are you or I to argue with Apple? Apple thinks its a switch and I am inclined to go along with them.

There is no doubt that the switch is mounted inside the device.

Sandman
I just wanted you to show me what an external switch on a comparable devices looks like, so I know what frame of reference you're coming from. Because it seems that according to you, there exists no external switches on any devices.

Eric Stevens
I didn't actually say "there exists no external switches on any devices"

I find it extraordinary that people should regard a banana which is inside the case as being external simply because the end of the stalk is accessible from outside.

Sandman
That's a pretty good analogy, really. Only, you have it backwards. The banana is the fruit of the banan plant, and it is located easily-accessible on the "external" part of the plant. The plant, however, has a series of roots that extend to an "internal" part. No one calls those roots a "banana", just as no one is referring to the internal components of the ring/vibrate electronics the switch.

Eric Stevens
We are still talking about the switch in the iPhone. It was you who decided to call it a banana and I just went along with you.

If you want to deny that it was you who wanted to call it a banana you will have to reinsert both your and my text which you have surreptitiously deleted. The one advantage of your deletion is that it serves as a not very good example of quoting (or in this case attributing) out of context.

Sandman
I think you'll find that when asked to flip the switch to make the iPhone go silent, few people fear that they need to disassemble the device in order to "get at" the switch.

Eric Stevens
Few people ever want to 'get at' the switch.

Sandman
In short, I think this all comes down to you wanting to call the *microswitch* the "switch", which of course is a perfectly viable definition. A microswitch is a switch, and the ring/vibrate mechanical switch certainly connects to a microswitch inside the iPhone, but as Andreas would say - that's not what people are referring to when they talk about the ring/vibrate switch, which I'm certain that you're aware of.

Eric Stevens
We seem to have made progress. You are now talking about a switch inside the casing of the iPhone, a species of device which you previously denied existed.