With foldable phones now being the new thing, it raises the question of whether the dominance of rectangular slabs has finally come to an end? In other words, will foldable phones bring diversity back to the smartphone market?
For a number of years, all new phones have arrived as rectangular slabs, and most often in black. However, things weren’t always this way. Before the advent of the iPhone, the look and design could vary wildly and a prime example of this was the Nokia 8110. Also known as the “banana phone” (or the “Matrix phone”) it was sort of rectangular, but it was also curved like a banana and came with a slider. You could also get it in a banana yellow color as well.
One of the reasons for the industry move to the rectangular slab was the display itself. Over the years, and to the dismay of BlackBerry, the screen has continuously stretched its tentacles to every part of the front of the phone, replacing everything in its path. In fact, the screens were even started to move beyond the front panel with the use of curved displays that wrap around the sides of a phone. However, none of this compares to the potential for design change now offered by the foldable phone market.
Will Phones Abandon The Rectangular Slab?
In theory, yes. In reality, not for a long time. The whole point with the industry adopting the use of flexible glass and plastic is that smartphones can accommodate new designs, styles, sizes, and even bridge the gap between two different designs, styles, and sizes. In this sense, the industry is absolutely primed to bring back variety. However, users have become accustomed to the rectangular slab - arguably, it is the user preference for a smartphone to be a rectangle. As long as that remains the case, companies are unlikely to drift too far away from the traditional smartphone look and feel. They might want to, and concept devices will be showcased to highlight their expertise in the field, but when it comes to the devices these companies expect you to buy, they’ll play a much safer design game. The market has already seen one attempt at design change with the introduction of modular smartphones. These made it possible to alter the shape (and add new features) and at one point, was hailed as the next big thing. Yet, how many modular smartphones can you buy today?
While this user preference may change over time, and it will certainly be the case that new and unusual designs come through, it remains to be seen if the market as a whole will move too far away from the slab. Yes, devices might transform from a rectangle to another shape, but for now, the typical smartphone design will continue to be the primary shape for foldable phones. That is, until rollable phones start to take over from foldables, and then who knows?
More: Foldable Phone Screens: Game Changing or Just a Fad?
