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tatonka_Hero
Android Expert
or, because there's a lot of us who really don't need a proximity sensor, and who have no problem hitting a button to bring up the dialer if we absolutely have to. You don't like not having a proximity sensor? Get a Moment.
Joehunni
Android Expert
Lol, you shouldn't start a thread, in a Hero specific forum, just to point out the Heros flaws, "why would it only have a 3.2 inch screen", "why doesn't the camera have a flash"? Nobody wants to argue about how technologically outdated you think this phone is simply because it doesn't have yet another sensor, one with very limited benefits at that.
whether or not you 'need' proximity is irrelevant and moot to my previous point. the more you talk, the more I wonder why you even posted a reply.
Why shouldn't I post a thread? Have you looked around here, at all? There are a gazillion threads pointing out issues people have w/ the Hero, hw and sw. In addition, there is a sticky on the main board page that is dedicated to just that:
http://androidforums.com/sprint-htc-hero/82618-2-1-problems-issues-quirks.html
It's what people do; talk about their likes and dislikes regarding a particular product and what this board is (among other things) designed for.
Now onward to your trite generalizations of 'complaints', I don't feel the Hero is outdated. In fact, I've stated the exact opposite here on the Froyo thread. Further it is a legitimate question because it seems weird that it would not, unless HTC hadn't made a phone w/ proximity yet. 3.2 is a normal sized screen for an '09 phone as is a phone w/o gimmicky mobile LED flash. lastly, it would seem many (inc. you) want to argue, ironically enough since this was not my intent in disseminating the logic as to why HTC omitted the sensor. Perhaps I should have asked in the XDA board as some are far too sensitive/defensive to objective reasoning here. Dramatize much?
I'm out...
tatonka_Hero
Android Expert
whether or not you 'need' proximity is irrelevant and moot to my previous point. the more you talk, the more I wonder why you even posted a reply.
I gave you multiple likely scenarios as to why HTC didn't include a sensor.
-Buggy
-adds to cost of materials, development, and manufacture
-nowhere to put it
-drains battery
-not necessary for satisfactory operation of phone
-slipped the engineer's minds (believe me, as an engineer, I know damn well we all make mistakes lol)
-The designers could have just decided that it wasn't worth the extra time and effort to code in a proximity sensor.
-LED notification light and Light sensor were higher priority to them, thus not leaving a symmetrical spot to put another sensor
I could probably go on and on if I thought about it for a bit longer lol
eyebeam
Extreme Android User
Ok, look - there have been a couple of threads about this issue and it's been discovered that people who have beards don't seem to have a problem with out a proximity sensor. Clearly, the group who designed this phone was a hairy bunch if ever there was one. So, the solution is, grow that beard out! The significant other will get used to it eventually! 
Some seem more logical than others. anything is added cost of material, dev, and so on. no place in the design sounds plausible. drains battery does not. wife's moment gets better battery life than the already exceptional battery life I'm now getting on my Hero. Not necessary is an obvious thing and ultimately was the decision for obvious reasons, but that doesn't answer the root question. Last one seems convincing. Anyway, I guess we'll never know the exact reason. oh well.
Why is this even a discussion. The answer is real simple.
Why does Hero lack a proximity sensor? Because they choose not to.
Just like......
Why doesn't it have a physical keyboard? Because they choose not to.
Why does it not have the antenna around the outside of the phone like the iPhone? Because they choose not to.
Why does Hero lack a forward facing camera? Because they choose not to.
They could have added everything but they choose not to add it.
Why does Hero lack a proximity sensor? Because they choose not to.
Just like......
Why doesn't it have a physical keyboard? Because they choose not to.
Why does it not have the antenna around the outside of the phone like the iPhone? Because they choose not to.
Why does Hero lack a forward facing camera? Because they choose not to.
They could have added everything but they choose not to add it.
The question was, why did they choose not to. Proximity is a given in most smartphones now. Why are we having this discussion? Because you chose to.
What hasn't this thread been closed? They chose not to.
P.S. You must in Del Rio, or worse... Laredo
Indeed, proximity is the least of your worries Because you're still conveying your 'oh so useful' "expressed opinions"? Or was that rhetorical James?
Sixxx
Android Enthusiast
d'oh! you just contradicted yourself! i think you need a proximity sensor to cheer you up, and maybe an enema.
Hahahahahaha. Now that was funny.