Bad jQueryMobile Back Button (opens in new tab)

The jQuery Mobile team is considering removing the Back button due to usability concerns. More info:

http://jquerymobile.com/blog/2011/05/13/jquery-mobile-team-u...

The problem is making the distinction between "mobile site" and "mobile app". A back button for a "mobile site" should (arguably) act like the back button of the browser - especially for devices that actually HAVE a physical back button. But "mobile apps" should act like native apps (arguably) providing breadcrumbing (is that a verb?).

It's a tough choice and a touch coding experience too (have you tried using the history api to cover the case where the user presses the FORWARD button?! ergh!).

is this really common on ios apps? the back button actually just goes "left"

there are problems with the back button, and there are some things you dont want to have a literal stack of pages (modal dialogs commonly), but the fact that it doesnt by default do a completely different thing from why anyone who has used a web browser expects isnt exactly a bad thing.