I never did like the weight of much glass use in phones. The performance and screen quality of midrange (Android) phones has improved so much that the only reason I have for a premium phone is for the wired audio quality. Even then all I would need is a USB-C DAC accessory. I'm not much into using it for photos, but if I did find such a 3-in-1 device it would be worth the price.
Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones
61–66 of 66 posts
Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones
#62If only there was some way to put a plastic or silicone layer on a phone, a "case" if you will.
At which point that shiny expensive glass is "just" useless dead weight.
Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
The all-metal iPod case was a masterpiece of ruggedness. I remember seeing friends' that were dinged to hell, but still worked perfectly fine.
That worked great for iPods, but wireless charging doesn't work with all-metal cases. Brain fart: Let's put the coil behind the screen!
I've never had the desire for wireless charging. I imagine Apple has stats on how many people actually use it, and I'm wondering if it's more valuable as an advertising feature than an actually useful feature. I like to use my phone when it's charging, and I can't do that if it has to be stationary.
Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones
#64This argument would've made sense a decade ago. But smart phones are an established product line where lots of experiments have already happened. Including using cheaper, more robust materials. The outcome ? People just think your phone is cheap and don't buy it.
Tastes change. This isn't some engineering or logistics constraint; if plastic phones have a real advantage, adoption is simply a matter of marketing.
Design (and fashion) is typically cyclical as well. Typically, fashion cycles seem to be every 20-30 years... meaning plastic backs are due for a resurgence!
Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
That worked great for iPods, but wireless charging doesn't work with all-metal cases. Brain fart: Let's put the coil behind the screen!
I've never had the desire for wireless charging. I imagine Apple has stats on how many people actually use it, and I'm wondering if it's more valuable as an advertising feature than an actually useful feature. I like to use my phone when it's charging, and I can't do that if it has to be stationary.
They’re not mutually exclusive, and I expect this is something you’ll only notice in practice, but I don’t consciously charge my phone much anymore. Between placing it on the pad on my desk or the MagSafe charger in my car there is no battery deficit left to fill with a cable. I just pick it up, use it and put it back down.
Re: Ditch the glass: It's time to bring back less-fragile plastic smartphones
#66I've been saying this for years. I understand that the aluminum unibody design is an integrated heatsink for thermal performance, but the glass thing has really bugged me. Plastic is by far a better material for this application than glass.