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?
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.