What is desirable about a thin phone?

[Perryg114]

Looking at smartphones and I am wondering why on earth thinness is a desirable trait when it tends to make the phone much less useful and rugged? Battery life becomes an big issue as well because to make them so thin you reduce battery capacity. Why is a weak, fragile, and dead phone a desirable trait? I mean if you just want to look at the phone and not touch it why not just get an empty case to look at? The length of the phone increasing makes it less easy to carry and use than the thickness. Thicker phones are also easier to hold on to. You end up putting a case on these fragile phones when they could just make them with rubber on them in the first place and thick enough to hold a decent size battery.

Perry

 

[gorcorps]

welcome to the party... this has been asked and pondered for the better part of 3 years

it hasn't changed anything though, and we end up with phones that are so thin they have to have a hump over the camera sensor

Even worse is that I can't buy an extended 3rd party battery anymore because they're all sealed up and non replaceable

 

[ClockHound]

Because thin phones look hot when held by thin supermodels in promo shots.

The smartphone market has 'matured' to the point where they are as much fashion accessories as personal communication tools.

 

[Perryg114]

We need some Hummer and Excursion model phones LOL.

Perry

 

[ClockHound]

Well...what about bulldozer smartphone?

 

[rh71]

I no longer carry a wallet, so any phone I get will be as thick as the phone + case + 2 credit cards and license. Never going back to a wallet.

 

[Zaap]

I've long hated the "make it thinner at the expense of function" trend. There quickly reaches a point where phones become needlessly thin- shaving off a few mm's for no gain what-so-ever, not even in appearance. (I still find the flat slab backs of Samsung's newer galaxy phones boring as hell and would far prefer a grippy back instead of having to apply a skin.)

That said, if most phones are too fragile for people because of their thinness, you're doing some sort of extraordinary abuse with the things. No one is going to bend most phones under normal, everyday use. Unless people are stupidly putting the things in their back pockets and sitting on them. (A thicker phone won't make things like that any less stupid.)

I've never encased any of my phones in ugly plastic adult-toddler-proofing, and they don't end up bent/scratched/broken/shattered in my usage, I'm simply careful with my things.

My ideal phone would combine the sleek front of the Note 7 with a return to the thickness/removable back, heft of the Note 4. That'd pretty much be smartphone perfection in my book, but of course I'm not holding my breath. That ship has sailed, needless thinness is in.

 

[Oyeve]

I've long hated the "make it thinner at the expense of function" trend. There quickly reaches a point where phones become needlessly thin- shaving off a few mm's for no gain what-so-ever, not even in appearance. (I still find the flat slab backs of Samsung's newer galaxy phones boring as hell and would far prefer a grippy back instead of having to apply a skin.)

That said, if most phones are too fragile for people because of their thinness, you're doing some sort of extraordinary abuse with the things. No one is going to bend most phones under normal, everyday use. Unless people are stupidly putting the things in their back pockets and sitting on them. (A thicker phone won't make things like that any less stupid.)

I've never encased any of my phones in ugly plastic adult-toddler-proofing, and they don't end up bent/scratched/broken/shattered in my usage, I'm simply careful with my things.

My ideal phone would combine the sleek front of the Note 7 with a return to the thickness/removable back, heft of the Note 4. That'd pretty much be smartphone perfection in my book, but of course I'm not holding my breath. That ship has sailed, needless thinness is in.

Yep, the Note 7 was perfect on all fronts. Glad I kept mine.

 

[mikeymikec]

My previous smartphone, the super-low-end HTC Desire C, was a fairly thick phone but because of its small overall size it fitted nicely into my trouser pocket. My current phone, the Nexus 5, is a heck of a lot thinner yet is very risky to put in my trouser pocket for a number of reasons because of its overall size.

I would go for a smartphone that has the same dimensions as the Desire C yet the sort of quality display and processing power as my Nexus 5. A half-decent cam wouldn't go amiss either.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

It's all about a solution in search of a want. Smart phones have matured to the point that manufacturers are trying to identify a sizeable group of consumers who have a particular want in common. Their marketing people are desperately trying to influence the market to get that group to increase so, we have the thin to win crowd.

 

[Rifter]

Its so dumb that they even make them so thin the camera sticks out, at least make it the extra 1-2mm thick and make it flush with the camera and give us some extra battery life. Why they dont do this ill never understand.

 

[Perryg114]

Phones will get dropped so they should be made to withstand that. The Cat Phone is not a bad idea but it looks like it is made to look rugged when actually it is not. Looks like a hard plastic outer shell. I want the phone to adapt to my lifestyle not dumb mine down to accommodate it. The ASUS Zenfone Zoom looks pretty good with a camera and a leather back. The camera seems to be more hype than anythng though from what I am hearing.

 

[Zaap]

Phones will get dropped so they should be made to withstand that.

And $1,000 bills blow away in the wind so they should be made to withstand that.

Except I'm no more dropping my nearly $1000 phone any more than I'm allowing a $1000 bill to blow away in the wind or fall down a sewer grate. Comes a time people need to learn to take care of things that are valuable.

I agree phones could be thicker for practical reasons, but not because klutzes will drop expensive things. These things are built to withstand a reasonable level of common wear and tear, but completely idiot proofing them is as silly as high denom bills printed on bricks.

 

[core2slow]

Because there's already a bulge in my pants, no need for a second one.

 

[Adam595]

I was wondering why manufacturers do the super thin phone thing recently. Like the moto z, it has been discounted recently but if I buy one and want good battery life (and I would) I would slap a moto mod battery pack on it, making it really fat. The moto mod adds way more thickness than if a good size battery was just built-in in the first place and it puts me off completely.

 

[DefDC]

I've been campaigning for reviewers to mark thinness in the negative category for a while now. If you're sealing the batteries, whatever is in there better be a monster. Battery life was constantly getting better, but now it's actually getting worse. (Even though it's still much better than a few years ago.)

 

[MarkizSchnitzel]

Comes a time people need to learn to take care of things that are valuable.

Well, you keep your money in the bank, or worst case, in your wallet, to make it safe.

If you really want to keep your phone safe, you absolutely need to put in in a case. To claim otherwise, would be like claiming that seatbelts in cars are uncomfortable, and you should just drive carefully and not use seatbelt.

PS: 95% of the time I DO NOT use a case. I hate them with a passion. But if I break my phone, I will only have e to blame for not using the damn case.

 

[Red Storm]

Well, you keep your money in the bank, or worst case, in your wallet, to make it safe.

If you really want to keep your phone safe, you absolutely need to put in in a case. To claim otherwise, would be like claiming that seatbelts in cars are uncomfortable, and you should just drive carefully and not use seatbelt.

PS: 95% of the time I DO NOT use a case. I hate them with a passion. But if I break my phone, I will only have e to blame for not using the damn case.

I think one problem is that some people (not all, some) who put their phone in a case treat their phone less carefully because of the case. I never use cases, I've had a ton of smartphones and I've never broken one because of a drop. Also I tend to notice that people who routinely break phones only think of them as phones, instead of the mobile computers that they really are.

 

[Zaap]

If you really want to keep your phone safe, you absolutely need to put in in a case. To claim otherwise, would be like claiming that seatbelts in cars are uncomfortable, and you should just drive carefully and not use seatbelt.

Sorry but totally disagree with this. You don't need a case to keep a phone safe. I keep mine safe by keeping it in my pocket, stowed in a bag, or aware of it and what I'm doing when it's in my hand.

I've experienced most people break phones when they are doing serveral things at once with the phone in their hand. Like getting in and out of a vehicle while doing something on the phone. WAIT 3 seconds to do whatever was so urgent instead of also on the phone, and you won't drop it.

I don't think the car analogy fits. A seatbelt is not akin to wrapping myself in bubble wrap to protect from an accident. A more fitting analogy would be wrapping the car itself in an fugly layer of rubber/plastic in order to prevent damage from fender-benders... rather than just drive safe while enjoying the car looking nice as it was made to be.

Also, my comment wasn't against people using cases, it was against the notion manufacturers should make the devices more rugged at the expense of sleek design "because people will drop their phones."

Sure, use a case if prone to dropping devices, or buy a ruggedized 'active' model, but I'm glad it's not a big manufactuerer concern. (Within reason- I think glass backs are goofy, and so is losing vital function for a mm of thinness.)

 

[MarkizSchnitzel]

Sorry but totally disagree with this. You don't need a case to keep a phone safe. I keep mine safe by keeping it in my pocket, stowed in a bag, or aware of it and what I'm doing when it's in my hand.

My OP3 is one slippery son of a bihttchc. When holding it in my hand, it starts slipping at an angle of maybe as low as 10 degrees. For contrast, my former L640XL could be held at maybe up to 70 degrees. It was a heavier much bigger device, but surprisingly, much easier to use.

This SAOB also really, really likes to slip out of pockets. There is no friction, at all, to hold it back. If I forget ONE TIME to take it out of my pocket when driving, it's probably gonna be sayonara.

I've experienced most people break phones when they are doing serveral things at once with the phone in their hand. Like getting in and out of a vehicle while doing something on the phone. WAIT 3 seconds to do whatever was so urgent instead of also on the phone, and you won't drop it.

I use it as a flashlight often. In this case, I HAVE TO do several things at once.

I don't think the car analogy fits. A seatbelt is not akin to wrapping myself in bubble wrap to protect from an accident. A more fitting analogy would be wrapping the car itself in an fugly layer of rubber/plastic in order to prevent damage from fender-benders... rather than just drive safe while enjoying the car looking nice as it was made to be.

I'm pretty sure the analogy was correct.. If you drop a phone without case you (your wallet) will be hurt more or less: it can be just a scratch, it can be an expensive screen replacement and it can break completely. if you crash without seatbelt, you (and your wallet) will also be hurt, more or less. it can be just a bump and your pinky hurts. it can cause neck pain. or worse, god forbid.

Also, my comment wasn't against people using cases, it was against the notion manufacturers should make the devices more rugged at the expense of sleek design "because people will drop their phones."

Couldn't disagree more. Usability and reliability are 1000x more important than "sleek design".
Some aluminum pans look "sleeker" than my old cast iron, but sleek design will not help me to sear a steak, or prevent dents and scratches that inevitably come.

These are 2 very different wants, and unfortunately, your side is winning, which is why we are stuck with crappy and expensive phones.

 

[Red Storm]

which is why we are stuck with crappy and expensive phones.

So do you consider your OnePlus 3 to be a crappy and expensive phone?

I agree with Zaap, how one treats their smartphone is the most important factor in keeping it from being damaged. I treat mine like what it is, a valuable, handheld mobile computer that is the most important electronic device I own. My dad on the other hand, puts his phone in a case and treats it like the dumb phones of old. It's no surprise to me when he eventually cracks his display (has happened with every smartphone he's owned thus far, and he's currently using a Note 4 with a cracked display). People that think of them as just "phones" tend to treat them with less care IMHO. They throw on a case and think that substitutes the need to be careful with their devices. Now, if your use case is very specific and involves frequent multitasking with your phone and other objects or you work in environments that can be physically dangerous to your phone, then that's different, but you can either buy a thick case, or buy a phone that has that extra protection built in (like the Active variants of Galaxy phones).

Couldn't disagree more. Usability and reliability are 1000x more important than "sleek design".
Some aluminum pans look "sleeker" than my old cast iron, but sleek design will not help me to sear a steak, or prevent dents and scratches that inevitably come.

Do you have to carry that cast iron around with you? Use it to look at maps? Navigate to locations? Take and make phone calls? Send emails, texts, and chat messages? Browse the web? Watch videos? Take pictures? Pay for stuff? Take notes? Keep track of appointments? Hold it as a flashlight while working with something in your other hand? Cooking food doesn't really translate well as an analogy to using a smartphone.

 

[sammykhalifa]

So do you consider your OnePlus 3 to be a crappy and expensive phone?

I agree with Zaap, how one treats their smartphone is the most important factor in keeping it from being damaged. I treat mine like what it is, a valuable, handheld mobile computer that is the most important electronic device I own. My dad on the other hand, puts his phone in a case and treats it like the dumb phones of old. It's no surprise to me when he eventually cracks his display (has happened with every smartphone he's owned thus far, and he's currently using a Note 4 with a cracked display). People that think of them as just "phones" tend to treat them with less care IMHO. They throw on a case and think that substitutes the need to be careful with their devices. Now, if your use case is very specific and involves frequent multitasking with your phone and other objects or you work in environments that can be physically dangerous to your phone, then that's different, but you can either buy a thick case, or buy a phone that has that extra protection built in (like the Active variants of Galaxy phones).



Do you have to carry that cast iron around with you? Use it to look at maps? Navigate to locations? Take and make phone calls? Send emails, texts, and chat messages? Browse the web? Watch videos? Take pictures? Pay for stuff? Take notes? Keep track of appointments? Hold it as a flashlight while working with something in your other hand? Cooking food doesn't really translate well as an analogy to using a smartphone.

But none of that explains why they need to be like 3mm thick; when you could build them just an increment wider, making them no less portable but maybe twice as long lasting or with other built in functions. They're certainly not more ergonomic this way, and I can't see that the weight difference is that big of a deal. What are the actual benefits? "You should try being more careful" doesn't seem like an answer.

 

[core2slow]

Never dropped/damaged my phones in any shape or form for the past decade (except one chip on my flip razr because someone mishandled it), so people need to put it to rest on the case argument. You either take care of your sh1ts or you don't.

 

[Commodus]

Never dropped/damaged my phones in any shape or form for the past decade (except one chip on my flip razr because someone mishandled it), so people need to put it to rest on the case argument. You either take care of your sh1ts or you don't.

That's not really the best argument -- "I, personally, have never dropped a phone, therefore there should be no issue for anyone else on the planet."

I'm fine with thin phones, to be clear, I just don't think that's the way to argue for it.

 

[sammykhalifa]

Never dropped/damaged my phones in any shape or form for the past decade (except one chip on my flip razr because someone mishandled it), so people need to put it to rest on the case argument. You either take care of your sh1ts or you don't.

Well by all means then, that's the perfect reason to make them a quarter of an inch thick and out of glass. Let's make the next generation out of paper! After all if it gets ruined you only have yourself to blame.

Heh, I kid. But seriously would you not rather them be maybe twice as thick and have a battery that lasts twice as long?