Placement of controls for media players

Question

I'm in the works of developing a media player kind of application.

I have noticed that Apples iTunes have the playback controls on the top of the application window. But, more of less every other application or web based media player has the controls on the bottom hand side. (Windows Media Player, Winamp, VLC, YouTube and every other Flash or SilverLight based media player).

Now, since Apple is known for its user friendliness they must have some reason for this placement.

Are there any studies made on this subject? Is it just a gimmick, or is there any more substantial thoughts and theories behind this?

Answer 1

I suppose if you look at flash based players, the buttons are generally at the bottom of the control since it's portable/small enough not to matter whether it's on top or not. For actual desktop type players, Windows Media Player has the little toolbar that integrates with your taskbar. Winamp minimizes to its' most usable buttons. Then again both these applications have a myriad of skins that change the location.

I would say your best bet is to allow the user to customize it, i.e dockable windows & bars. My 2 cents.

Answer 2

I don't know if this is the specific reason that Apple chose this placement, but in general reading studies of English speaking people (left to right languages), people tend to take in information from a screen in a "Z" pattern (that is, they start at the upper left, read to the upper right, cross down the middle, and read the bottom from left to right).

If you place the controls near the top, it is more likely to be noticed more quickly by the average user.

Answer 3

iTune's layout is just following Apple Human Interface Guidelines. They define the standard window layout for an OS X application to ensure consistency between applications and make the user experience easier.

The guidelines define what a toolbar and a bottom bar are :

A toolbar is useful for giving users immediate access to the most frequently used features in an application. Any item in a toolbar should also be available as a menu command. An application-wide toolbar in its own window is also called a tool panel (or less frequently, a tool palette); for more information, see “Panels.” This section describes toolbars that are part of a window with other content.

(...)

A bottom bar is a window-frame area that is below the window body. Bottom bars give users access to controls that directly affect the contents or organization of the window body.

In general, controls in a bottom bar are frequently used, but are somewhat less important than controls in a toolbar. For example, the bottom-bar controls in iChat allow users to add buddies to the list and to text message, call, or video chat with a selected buddy, whereas the controls in the toolbar are focused on the user of the application. Figure 14-25 shows the iChat bottom bar.

I do not think there is a clear usability advantage to put player controls on top of your application window, but when there is a standard in a given environment you must consider it. Consistency and standards are very important when designing an interface because they cut learning time for your users as well as making them more comfortable.

Answer 4

Songbird recently switched the playback controls from top to bottom, there's some interesting discussion about it on their blog.

http://blog.songbirdnest.com/2008/05/02/request-for-feedback-option-a-or-option-b/