Would you like a supertall phone? Like a 20/9 Ratio? (theory discussion)

[Roland00Address]

I am curious who here would like a very tall phone so you can maximize screen real estate yet still allow you to do things one handed? I ask for I am seeing rumored specs for the Sony z3X (and these rumors can be very and utterly wrong or made up).

but
(hums)
Now the wheels in my head have been turning
Since I saw this photo I been stun
See, I've promised myself I'd have a new phone
And right now I'm adoring this one
(hums)

Leaked Photo, Specs, Camera Acessories

Okay back to reality.

Rumored Phone Dimensions of z3x (69.5mm x 150.1mm x7.9mm)
Screen Dimensions of z3x roughly (64.0 mm x 142.2 with a 20x9 ratio)
To put this in perspective the entire screen is the size of the phone in the iphone 6 with an additional 1.5 cm height

The sony z3x is supposed to have an white oled screen with a resolution of 2560x1152 (20x9 ratio, or in others words 25% taller than a typical 16x9 phone like the samsung galaxies and the iphone 6. This allows you to do some pretty creative things in my opinion.

• It allows you to have an awesome width while giving you a better screen size. 6.14" in a phone that is between the iphone 6 and galaxy s3 in width. It is half a cm less wide than the LG G3 while having roughly 16 mm more diagonal (2/3 of an inch)
• Total height is less than the galaxy note 4, iphone 6 plus, and this rumored phone is taller than the lg g3
• Whenever a keyboard pops up in theory you could use the bottom part for the keyboard and text box giving you more of the screen when in portrait mode
• In theory you could in theory do multi window with a normal 16x9 app and a custom oem app like a movie player or hopefully any app like netflix or youtube.
• Emulators where you are touching the black part of the screen instead of the game itself
• The screen is actually more than twice as tall than it is wide

Comparison of sizes
(I am sorry I left off your favorite phone but 10 comparison points to 1 phone is enough)
64.9 × 127.0 × 8.6mm Sony z3 compact
65.3 × 129.3 × 10.4mm Moto X
67.0 × 138.1 × 6.9mm Iphone 6
69.5 × 150.1 × 7.9mm Rumored sony xperia z3x dimensions (keyword rumored)
70.6 × 136.6 × 8.6mm Galaxy S3
72.0 × 146.0 × 7.3mm Sony z3
72.5 × 142.0 × 8.1mm Galaxy S5
78.6 × 153.5 × 8.5mm Galaxy Note 4
77.8 × 158.1 × 7.1mm Iphone 6 Plus
74.6 × 146.3 × 8.9mm LG G3
88.0 × 167.6 × 8.0mm Galaxy Mega (6.3")

Two more things that are pretty, look at that camera lens (fauns himself to prevent fainting), and Snapdragon 810 which means 64 bit A57

Now of course this phone will not be out this year. H1 2015 hopefully that means it will be ready to release at MWC 2015

Now I repeat these specs are rumors, but it is a launching board to what I want to discuss which is would like that form factor and aspect ratio?

 

[Red Storm]

Candy bar phones, no thank you.

 

[sm625]

When they make a screen that can fold in half yet still unfold seamlessly, 32:9 will be great.

 

[Crono]

No. 16:9 is okay but not ideal. For phones it's a good compromise, though. For larger displays 16:10 is better, 3:2 is good, 4:3 is good.

Going taller than 16:9 is a terrible idea. Instead of trying to go super tall because of width constraints, just use a tablet if you need something with that diagonal size. Or wait until we have scrolls or foldable screens like sm625 mentioned.

 

[Roland00Address]

Candy bar phones, no thank you.

I understand if you personally do not like it. But have you thought about it instead of an instinctual response (and if you still do not like thats okay people have various tastes)

But do you consider the galaxy note to be too tall? Is your big complains about phones is the height? With me its the width.


69.5 × 150.1 × 7.9mm Rumored sony xperia z3x dimensions
70.6 × 136.6 × 8.6mm Galaxy S3
78.6 × 153.5 × 8.5mm Galaxy Note 4

So we are talking something less tall than the Note 4 and less wide than the s3.

A Note 4 Screen area is about 12.9" square inches vs 14.1" square inches for the rumored z3x. Now the way they are able to get a bigger screen area with a smaller footprint is by eliminating the physical button and smaller bezels.

 

[sweenish]

At a height appropriate for talking on the phone, viewing content would be all but useless at that size and ratio.

 

[Roland00Address]

No. 16:9 is okay but not ideal. For phones it's a good compromise, though. For larger displays 16:10 is better, 3:2 is good, 4:3 is good.

Going taller than 16:9 is a terrible idea. Instead of trying to go super tall because of width constraints, just use a tablet if you need something with that diagonal size. Or wait until we have scrolls or foldable screens like sm625 mentioned.

(I agree about foldable screens)

But why is it a terrible idea? The limitation of using a phone one handed is the width. There is a limit you can stretch your thumb so depending on a person to use a phone one handed you want the area the thumb interacts with to be roughly 60mm x 60mm to 70mm x 70mm depending on the person (roughly 2.35 to 2.8 inches) That said people only use a phone one handed when doing things like typing, selection of menu buttons, or apps. Most people find it comfortable with larger to devices to use two hands for things like scrolling and certain types of gestures. Aka more complicated tasks when you are not using the phone as a phone but instead the phone as an internet device.

With smart OS design you can easily place all the buttons or gestures that you priority access in that 60x60 or 70x70 area. Use the remaining space for information. If its something that is very important or frequently used it needs to be in the area but if you do not interact with it (for example you read or see it but you do not touch it) it can be anywhere else on the phone.

If its something you only use when you are using the phone as an internet device where your eyes are fully on the device you are going to be using the device two handed and thus it can be outside that small area.

 

[Crono]

(I agree about foldable screens)

But why is it a terrible idea? The limitation of using a phone one handed is the width. There is a limit you can stretch your thumb so depending on a person to use a phone one handed you want the area the thumb interacts with to be roughly 60mm x 60mm to 70mm x 70mm depending on the person (roughly 2.35 to 2.8 inches) That said people only use a phone one handed when doing things like typing, selection of menu buttons, or apps. Most people find it comfortable with larger to devices to use two hands for things like scrolling and certain types of gestures. Aka more complicated tasks when you are not using the phone as a phone but instead the phone as an internet device.

With smart OS design you can easily place all the buttons or gestures that you priority access in that 60x60 or 70x70 area. Use the remaining space for information. If its something that is very important or frequently used it needs to be in the area but if you do not interact with it (for example you read or see it but you do not touch it) it can be anywhere else on the phone.

If its something you only use when you are using the phone as an internet device where your eyes are fully on the device you are going to be using the device two handed and thus it can be outside that small area.

All of that sounds like unnecessary workarounds for a problem that doesn't need solving. Almost everyone I know is either happy with current 4 to 5.5" phones, or at most are more than happy with phones like the Note 4 which is 5.7". I personally don't want a wide screen on my phone. The thumb stretch limit isn't just width, either, it's vertical going up the screen, and software ways of getting around that just seem unnecessary and a waste of digitized screen.

I just don't need a bigger screen in my pocket, whether it's wider, taller, or an extension of current aspect ratios or from narrowing bezels to zero. Tablets are getting thinner and lighter, and a mini tablet (7 to 8") is not a pain to carry around if I need something bigger, as they are the size of a small notebook.

The HTC One is tall for a smartphone, but it uses the space for front facing speakers. I'm okay with that kind of implementation with standard 16:9 screens. But I've never found ultra widescreen to be desirable at all, except for an immersive multi-monitor desktop. Darting my eyes back and forth across a wide smartphone in landscape mode has no appeal, let alone the terrible experience it must be in portrait.

EDIT: I sound more negative on it than I actually am, since I wouldn't actually mind owning such a device. I just wouldn't go out of my way to own one even if the specs are accurate, just as I wouldn't pay retail for a device with a 1:1 screen like the BlackBerry Passport. 1:1 is better than 20:9, though.

 

[Ravynmagi]

I'd actually prefer a 16:10 phone. What I liked about my Nexus 4 was that it was a bit wider than the normal 16:9 aspect ratio (it was something odd).

 

[jacktesterson]

I'd actually prefer a 16:10 phone. What I liked about my Nexus 4 was that it was a bit wider than the normal 16:9 aspect ratio (it was something odd).

1280x768

 

[crashtech]

Could just put in a hinge and you'd have a tiny Eyefinity flip phone with 2 16:9 screens. Or maybe 3, one on the back if you want to use it w/o unfolding it sometimes.

 

[Red Storm]

I understand if you personally do not like it. But have you thought about it instead of an instinctual response (and if you still do not like thats okay people have various tastes)

But do you consider the galaxy note to be too tall? Is your big complains about phones is the height? With me its the width.


69.5 × 150.1 × 7.9mm Rumored sony xperia z3x dimensions
70.6 × 136.6 × 8.6mm Galaxy S3
78.6 × 153.5 × 8.5mm Galaxy Note 4

So we are talking something less tall than the Note 4 and less wide than the s3.

A Note 4 Screen area is about 12.9" square inches vs 14.1" square inches for the rumored z3x. Now the way they are able to get a bigger screen area with a smaller footprint is by eliminating the physical button and smaller bezels.

I don't think the Note is too tall, I really like the size. I like a phone that's tall and wide, it makes the screen a pleasure to use. Too skinny would make the screen seem way too short in landscape, no thank you.

 

[Roland00Address]

I don't think the Note is too tall, I really like the size. I like a phone that's tall and wide, it makes the screen a pleasure to use. Too skinny would make the screen seem way too short in landscape, no thank you.

Okay I understand that I want it big, but I want to hold it, and me using it one handed is important to me. Sorry I was wrong and put words in your mouth or something like that.

 

[Crono]

I'd actually prefer a 16:10 phone. What I liked about my Nexus 4 was that it was a bit wider than the normal 16:9 aspect ratio (it was something odd).

5:3 aspect ratio, which is very close to 16:10.

If it weren't for 16:9 being predominant for modern video content (though there are even wider format videos, mostly intended for theaters) manufacturers would probably make more 16:10 or 5:3 displays. It's better for reading and websites. 16:9's advantage is you don't see letterboxing, except for the odd wider video or older 4:3 content designed for standard definition televisions.

On the tablet side, Microsoft learned that 16:9 is most certainly not a good aspect ratio for the Surfaces. Tall screens are awkward to use in portrait, which is why they went to 3:2 (in between 4:3 and 16:10). 16:9 works okay on up to mini tablet size, but not larger.

There's no way 20:9 is enjoyable to use for any normal, non-niche application. I doubt the rumors/leaks are real, but if so it will likely be a specialized more-camera-than-phone device like the Galaxy Camera or Nokia's PureView 808. An always-accessible panel taking up part of that long screen with camera controls would make sense for a pro photographer who wants something like Sony's mirrorless cameras, but with Android functionality and connectivity. If that is what it is, I'll change my tune, since it's not too bulky and could possibly have a huge sensor to go along with that huge lens.

If that is what it is, then I would look at it as a "smart camera" more than a smartphone. The quality would have to be better than the iPhone 6 Plus, Note 4, and Lumia 1020 for Sony to get any traction, even with competitive specs. If it's significantly better than the iPhone 6 Plus, they could have a hit. But it would need to be priced no more than the other flagships.

 

[Red Storm]

Okay I understand that I want it big, but I want to hold it, and me using it one handed is important to me. Sorry I was wrong and put words in your mouth or something like that.

You aren't wrong, you just have a different opinion.

 

[Rdmkr]

the biggest ergonomic problem with most phones these days, imo, is the difficulty of reaching the top of the screen with your thumb from the position you typically hold it at, or rather where it rests on your fingers. this is solved by making the phone shorter, not taller. a taller phone might work if the size as a whole is kept small so the phone can be held between palm and fingers at the sides like the iphone 5, but this leaves the first problem I described unsolved and possibly worsens it.