Even though the Forerunner 935 and fenix 5 devices are very similar there are slight differences that separate the two based on the primary markets they serve, the lap key being the relevant difference in this case. We appreciate the discussion and feedback
II really cannot see any valuable reason to offer the ability to disable the Lap button on the Fenix 5, but not on the Forerunner 935 ?
Chiming in here. I'm having the same issue. It seems to be poor UX to give the "back" key any function other than "back". If I'm scrolling through data screens, back should take me back to the primary/default screen. I guess I have to just get used to how the buttons work, but this seems really counterintuitive and I wish there were a setting to disable it. As someone who runs primarily outdoors on paths, I have minimal use for manual laps.
@neferr: Having few actual controls (whether they are physical buttons or just positions marked out on a touch-screen) on a device will always require compromises in the UI design, and adding extra buttons to complicate the physical design and engineering (and hence increase manufacturing and warranty costs) of a device model cannot be reasonably presumed to be the default position.
As for manual laps and street/road/pavement running, that's what my partner and I primarily do around Sydney (Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden, or across Anzac Bridge, etc.) and I use manual laps all the time, to track my pace between specific points or landmarks along the way. Auto-lap and auto-pause are the things I have minimal use for. Therefore, you may personally have minimal use for manual laps, but the reason is only your individual preference, and not because it is in any way representative of “someone who runs primarily outdoors on paths”.
The funny thing here is that they actually had to do more work to make it not be an option. I'm not sure who thought it was necessary, but at some point they(the Forerunner dev team) took the base fenix software and decided "we shouldn't allow them to turn off the lap button". There were probably whole meetings and email chains involved in this decision. It personally doesn't bother me, since i never disabled it on my Fenix and I don't accidentally press it during activities on my 935, but I just have to chuckle as I'm reading these posts and think about all the effort that went into removing this feature.
ASmugDill - Yes, I concede, I probably made a gross generalization. But I'm sure there are others like me, which is so confusing to me as to why it's not an option, as it was is on the Fenix, and even the Forerunner 235 and my old Forerunner 15.
Browner40 - This makes me laugh too. I can only imagine the number of emails and approvals that went into this. I'm super curious as to what "insights" they used to arrive at the decision to remove this feature. I suppose something in their field or market research told them runners don't even want the OPTION?
@neferr: I have a FR235 as well, and I don't know of any option to disable the manual lap function while the timer is active, except by locking all of the buttons. The Back and Lap functions are ‘overloaded’ on the same physical button on the FR235.
I'll add another example of how "lap" and "back" on the same button is a bad idea. I was doing intervals the other day with a programmed activity that auto-lapped every quarter mile. It was cold (didn't want to take off gloves and pull out phone) and I need to skip a commercial on the podcast I was listening to. I long-pressed the light button and selected music to skip ahead. During that period, the screen reverted to running mode because an auto-lap occurred. I pressed "back" and the same time and ended up creating a lap that caused me to cut one of my intervals way short. No amount of brain-rewiring or practice could have prevented this.
While there are a lot of good ideas on how to alleviate this problem, seems that the simple lap button disable (new) feature in conjunction with mapping lap to another key sequence (existing feature) would be a good-enough solution.
Maybe I used the wrong terminology. By "auto-lap" I meant that it went to the next step in the programmed workout. In my case from quarter-mile fast to quarter-mile easy. I didn't not mean create a 1 mile lap as I go along. I don't use that feature.
The inability to turn of the lap button is very disappointing. I want it disabled because I accidentally press it and find no value in it as a lap button. My 235 and Fenix 3 HR both had this. I personally found it valuable in both.
