Is it really that user 'unfriendly'? It seems sort of obvious, you have this button that looks raised above a track with the guide to slide to unlock. From what we've seen of toddlers and babies grabbing iPads and iPhones and unlocking them on first use I think Apple has created a pretty friendly unlock interface.
I wouldn't call it a gimmick either, because it works. I've never had an iPhone pocket dial on me.
I have. The home button has become pressed down long enough to trigger Voice Control, which has then interpreted background noise as a command to call somebody random.