This perfectly illustrates my gripes with whatever is driving the trend of these super thin phones.
First, is anyone even asking for phones to be thinner? Then there’s the camera bump sticking out like a wart. And beyond that, it gets put into a bulky case anyway which negates the super thin thing entirely.
one has to wonder what the ideal thickness is, are we supposed to think it’s just never thin enough? will we have phones that literally cut into the skin of your hand as you hold it and they still brag about how the new model is 4 atoms thinner?
it’s not like they’re getting easier to hold, modern phones are so huge that you need a popsocket for it to be reliably and comfortably held.
modern phones are so huge that you need a popsocket for it to be reliably and comfortably held.
Idk, I think this is just a small hands problem tbh, my hands are pretty average for a guy I think and I have had 0 issues comfortably holding big phones. Even right now I have a P9 Fold and the accompanying case makes it even bigger
I have no idea but they keep making them thinner for…reasons?
My personal “sweet spot” is the OnePlus 3. Not too tall, thin but not unbearably so, and doesn’t sacrifice anything for headphone jack and a decent size battery. Though if I had a choice between “thin” and “removable battery”, I’d take the extra thickness required for the battery cover in a heartbeat. I’d also accept several more mm of thickness if they want to include a slide-out keyboard.
As soon as they figure out long distance wireless charging, I wouldn’t be surprised if all phones become collapsible or wearable, negating the need to hold it awkwardly.
I think the thing that is driving thin phones with big camera bulges are phone designers now factoring in bulky phone cases when thinking about how the phone feels in a pocket. Overwhelmingly phones live in a case and that case becomes the phone in our head - a fat phone is apparently uncomfortable or displeasing somehow so a thin phone means a thinner case which equates to a better overall experience as the phone owner. It will fit in pockets easier, slide into car accessory holders instead of cup holders, allow a phone wallet combo to not be a pocket wad, and overall usability becomes easier for folks with weaker grip strength like older and younger users. There is a lot driving the move to a thinner phone but it does make the underlying device look really goofy.
They still have glass fronts man. Five-ish feet drop onto the screen against concrete with no case? Doesn’t matter what the back is.
Glass backs mean that almost any fall will damage it, but non-glass backs only eliminate cases if you can somehow ensure it never lands face down or on a corner.
It’s the best way to ensure the resale market sucks, at least. As well as getting people to pay up for replacement parts/devices or upgrade sooner.
I have a perfectly good phone, babied all to hell, lives in a case and never comes out, the works.
Well it must have fallen at some point and caught the camera bump. The lenses are fine, thankfully, but it caused spider webbing of the back glass. I didn’t even know it happened until I saw cracks through my liquid case. Possibly months later.
Resale value now significantly lower for essentially no reason. Almost like they designed the whole thing to be as fragile as possible.
Introducing the new pinePhone: wooden back, wooden buttons, wooden battery, wooden mainboard, and a revolutionary screen made of gorilla wood. You’ll never need a screen protector again!
This perfectly illustrates my gripes with whatever is driving the trend of these super thin phones.
First, is anyone even asking for phones to be thinner? Then there’s the camera bump sticking out like a wart. And beyond that, it gets put into a bulky case anyway which negates the super thin thing entirely.
one has to wonder what the ideal thickness is, are we supposed to think it’s just never thin enough? will we have phones that literally cut into the skin of your hand as you hold it and they still brag about how the new model is 4 atoms thinner?
it’s not like they’re getting easier to hold, modern phones are so huge that you need a popsocket for it to be reliably and comfortably held.
The iPhone 4/SE1 was the perfect design.
No real camera bump, single hand hold, light, durable with a metal back.
If we just added a modern OLED screen, and a modern chip and battery, that design would be perfect.
The 13 mini was close but the stupid camera bump ruined it, bring back the sleek slab
I would buy it.
iPhone 4 was a glass sandwich though. Do you mean iPhone 5?
Yes
Idk, I think this is just a small hands problem tbh, my hands are pretty average for a guy I think and I have had 0 issues comfortably holding big phones. Even right now I have a P9 Fold and the accompanying case makes it even bigger
Well, thing is women have smaller hands than men on average, and they do make up 50% of the population.
I have no idea but they keep making them thinner for…reasons?
My personal “sweet spot” is the OnePlus 3. Not too tall, thin but not unbearably so, and doesn’t sacrifice anything for headphone jack and a decent size battery. Though if I had a choice between “thin” and “removable battery”, I’d take the extra thickness required for the battery cover in a heartbeat. I’d also accept several more mm of thickness if they want to include a slide-out keyboard.
Slideable keyboard phones are my jam. I would love a modern Nokia E7, or Fxtec Pro1. If anyone knows of something like that, let me know!
As soon as they figure out long distance wireless charging, I wouldn’t be surprised if all phones become collapsible or wearable, negating the need to hold it awkwardly.
I think the thing that is driving thin phones with big camera bulges are phone designers now factoring in bulky phone cases when thinking about how the phone feels in a pocket. Overwhelmingly phones live in a case and that case becomes the phone in our head - a fat phone is apparently uncomfortable or displeasing somehow so a thin phone means a thinner case which equates to a better overall experience as the phone owner. It will fit in pockets easier, slide into car accessory holders instead of cup holders, allow a phone wallet combo to not be a pocket wad, and overall usability becomes easier for folks with weaker grip strength like older and younger users. There is a lot driving the move to a thinner phone but it does make the underlying device look really goofy.
I actually like thin phones. I find them easier to hold, but I would gladly sacrifice the camera hump for a completely flat back.
Before looking for thin phones, look for phones that don’t have a glass back so that not having a case is an actual option.
Been rocking my iPhone 11 Pro Max with no case for a long time.
It’s fantastic.
They still have glass fronts man. Five-ish feet drop onto the screen against concrete with no case? Doesn’t matter what the back is.
Glass backs mean that almost any fall will damage it, but non-glass backs only eliminate cases if you can somehow ensure it never lands face down or on a corner.
Glass backs have very low friction. Set the thing down in bed and its natural floor seeking instincts kick in.
But we just HAVE to have glass backs it’s the ONLY thing that makes phones feel PREMIUM! 😤 ~phone companies
It’s the best way to ensure the resale market sucks, at least. As well as getting people to pay up for replacement parts/devices or upgrade sooner.
I have a perfectly good phone, babied all to hell, lives in a case and never comes out, the works.
Well it must have fallen at some point and caught the camera bump. The lenses are fine, thankfully, but it caused spider webbing of the back glass. I didn’t even know it happened until I saw cracks through my liquid case. Possibly months later.
Resale value now significantly lower for essentially no reason. Almost like they designed the whole thing to be as fragile as possible.
That’s not an option anyway. Metal scratches and dents too easily for that to be viable.
Hear me out: wood
Introducing the new pinePhone: wooden back, wooden buttons, wooden battery, wooden mainboard, and a revolutionary screen made of gorilla wood. You’ll never need a screen protector again!
If you’re optimizing for circumference with a fixed volume, I feel like a thinner phone is worse?
The driving factor is - as always - money.
People will likely no longer buy new phones if it’s all the same when compared to the previous generation.
So the companies make useless stuff up - that nobody really needs - so that they can sell more.
Apple is especially great at this because their base of sheeps is already locked in and swims in too much money that they are willing to spend.