Why today's phones are so boooooring? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#31

Post by JohnFen » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:20 PM UTC

Rinzler89 wrote: post #4

>Why today’s phones are so boooooring? Because the HW part of the UX has been commoditized to a giant screen where the big difference in style and UX is made by the SW and UI. In fairness LG has tried experimenting with different HW UX over the years to distinguish themselves[1], and they went bust doing it because consumer weren't into that and voted with their wallets to those making boring phones like everyone els…

I remember as a young lad being taught that one of the virtues of a consumer society was that there was enough production variety that everyone could find a product that meets their needs.

Weird that smartphones are the exception.

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#32

Post by JohnFen » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:22 PM UTC

throwanem wrote: post #9

The article author ignores how little those old phones could actually do, and how much of a pain in the ass it reliably was to get them to actually do most of it. I understand why; none of that would go to his point. But I was also there. Boring is good in technology. It means you don't have to think about it much, and that usually means it is doing its job.

> The article author ignores how little those old phones could actually do

I wish there was a phone on the market that did as little as those phones did. It appears, however, that if you want a cell phone at all, it has to be a smartphone ("feature phones" are just gimped smartphones).

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#33

Post by randomdata » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:27 PM UTC

> when were you last excited for a new phone? Well, I mean really excited?

Everyone already had phones by the time I came into this world, so I'm not sure there was ever a time to be really excited. They were just an every day part of normal life, not providing much to get excited about.

I was really excited for my first internet-connected pocket computer, but that too is something everyone has now and are just a part of every day normal life. They will never be really exciting again either.

Something will really excite me again someday, but it won't be something I (and just about everyone else) already have. That level of excitement requires something that will completely change the way of life.

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#34

Post by unraveller » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:31 PM UTC

pxtail wrote: post #15

To be honest I think that it's good direction. Why one should be excited about a phone or a pair of headphones? It's a tool like a hammer, shovel etc. There is one more angle - when it's boring it's more environmentally friendly, there is much less incentive to buy new shiny, blinking toy when it mostly looks and works just like old toy.

They are boring because these not-quite-future-proof smartphones need to also look like e-waste to the consumer in 18 months time so minimal sentimental attachment is preferred.

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#35

Post by unraveller » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:37 PM UTC

I wish there was even less flare in smartphone camera bumps actually. Hurry up this race to the bottom and arrive at the standard smartphone already, so we can have hotswap camera modules and hotswap batteries again (way faster than fast charging btw)

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#36

Post by Rinzler89 » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:45 PM UTC

vips7L wrote: post #28

Rinzler89 wrote: post #4

>Why today’s phones are so boooooring? Because the HW part of the UX has been commoditized to a giant screen where the big difference in style and UX is made by the SW and UI. In fairness LG has tried experimenting with different HW UX over the years to distinguish themselves[1], and they went bust doing it because consumer weren't into that and voted with their wallets to those making boring phones like everyone els…

I’d kill for a smaller phone.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225634137128

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#37

Post by benjijay » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:47 PM UTC

akasakahakada wrote: post #25

benjijay wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I miss my LGs for exactly this reason. They were just about the only ones doing anything 'new' beyond "hey our camera is 12% better than last year!" My Pixel 7 Pro is great and all, but it doesn't do anything _interesting_

Still using LG V50 for 3.5 years baby. Bought 2 more as spare. Planning to collect all dual screen but they are kind of run out of stock. LG's dual screen implementation is amazing. Both screen can operate separately, that's true multi-tasking! Damn I wish I bought more back in the days.

My last was a g8x ThinQ, dual screen by virtue of a case like the v50, but both screens were the same size - I believe with the v50 the secondary was slightly smaller?

What ultimately forced me to upgrade, however, was the main screen fell off - the glue holding it to the body seemingly failed, and as it fell the ribbon cable tore. I mulled getting another one (or a Wing) on ebay, but the P7Pro seemed a wiser investment

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#38

Post by Rinzler89 » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:47 PM UTC

JohnFen wrote: post #31

Rinzler89 wrote: post #4

>Why today’s phones are so boooooring? Because the HW part of the UX has been commoditized to a giant screen where the big difference in style and UX is made by the SW and UI. In fairness LG has tried experimenting with different HW UX over the years to distinguish themselves[1], and they went bust doing it because consumer weren't into that and voted with their wallets to those making boring phones like everyone els…

I remember as a young lad being taught that one of the virtues of a consumer society was that there was enough production variety that everyone could find a product that meets their needs. Weird that smartphones are the exception.

There's enough app variety to meet your needs. Phones are now just basic pipes to those apps.

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#39

Post by akasakahakada » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:48 PM UTC

Rinzler89 wrote: post #26

akasakahakada wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Still using LG V50 for 3.5 years baby. Bought 2 more as spare. Planning to collect all dual screen but they are kind of run out of stock. LG's dual screen implementation is amazing. Both screen can operate separately, that's true multi-tasking! Damn I wish I bought more back in the days.

Is it like the Microsoft Surface Duo ? Those seem awesome for multi tasking productivity on the go and people with ADHD. Shame they're way too niche and don't appeal too the masses therefore end up being canceled.

Never used Microsoft Duo. LG is like having two computer with two mouse. You can game in one hand while scrolling facebook on the other hand.

Re: Why today's phones are so boooooring?

#40

Post by akasakahakada » Tue, Jun 11, 2024, 2:53 PM UTC

benjijay wrote: post #37

akasakahakada wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Still using LG V50 for 3.5 years baby. Bought 2 more as spare. Planning to collect all dual screen but they are kind of run out of stock. LG's dual screen implementation is amazing. Both screen can operate separately, that's true multi-tasking! Damn I wish I bought more back in the days.

My last was a g8x ThinQ, dual screen by virtue of a case like the v50, but both screens were the same size - I believe with the v50 the secondary was slightly smaller? What ultimately forced me to upgrade, however, was the main screen fell off - the glue holding it to the body seemingly failed, and as it fell the ribbon cable tore. I mulled getting another one (or a Wing) on ebay, but the P7Pro seemed a wiser investm…

Yup V50's dual screen used different panel.

> glue holding it to the body seemingly failed

This happen to my first V50 as well. Wonder why is the screen seemed funny one day and discovered that I can lift up the oled panel wtf. Carefully glued it back, still using it right now.