Temporarily Lock or Disable iphone home button

Question

I know the iphone home button is extremely crucial for the functioning of the iphone.
However I have an idea for which I need the application running and the home button to be disabled. I tried googling, but haven't been able to find a solution.

Temporary or timed locking (Lock for 5/10 mins.) would also do.

The app. should work on non-jailbroken phones, hence going around apple won't work.

Appreciate any ideas.

Answer 1

Note, from 2014 onwards: just to be clear,

this is now built in to iOS...

Click to accessibility, click "guided access".

Conrats for "inventing" it, PlanetUnknonw! :-)

The answer below is only of historic value...

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For the record, it's silly that people are saying "Why would you want to do this?"

it's a great idea for example for APPS FOR SMALL CHILDREN (which is indeed a very large market on the iPhone).

If you've ever marketed an app for small children, you'll know that instantly parents write in abusing you because you "did not stop that stupid home button working, so the child just turns off the game and makes phone calls"

To which you have to reply that it's of course not possible because of the way the iPhone works.

So yes it's a good question. As far as I know, Planet, it is not possible.

Apple should add a "kids mode" where parents can lock the fone on TO one particular app for awhile. (Perhaps you would have to long-press or something the home button to unlock it.)