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When Sony Ericsson introduced the Xperia Innocent in 2009, it was the world’s first phone with a clear display. Although it wasn’t a commercial success, its eye-catching display was enough to spark interest in the phone, which many considered a mistake. That era gave us many experimental phones with brands like LG and Nokia.
Today things are a little different. Product innovation in smartphones means brands are unwilling to take risks and step out of their comfort zones. While they can grow the business at a reasonable rate, what’s missing is a little more imagination to create bolder and different phones.
After years of lying around, some brands seem to be coming out of the closet and experimenting with new styles and designs. Not all will succeed, but this new level of experimentation is exactly what the phone industry needs right now. The question is how long this phase will continue, and if so, how likely are some of the technologies being incorporated into those devices to become part of future flagships? Only time will tell.
For now, we’ll see that some brands are planning to ‘surprise’ with different phone designs, defying conventional thinking that they need to be fixed.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4
Samsung is making it clear that it sees its Galaxy Z foldable phone line as popular as the ‘flagship’ Galaxy S series by 2025. This forward-looking statement tells us a lot about what the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer, Samsung, is thinking. The future of flexible phones. The new versions of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4, introduced last week, will need to be both critical and commercial successes to ensure there are enough vendors for foldable phones. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is priced at $1,000, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,800, and Apple’s premium model, the iPhone 13 Pro Max, retails for $1,100.
Despite the low sales volume, Samsung says more people are buying its flexible phones. That level of confidence in a niche phone category that targets a rich customer base reflects Samsung’s ‘instinct’ about foldable phones. Both the Fold 4 and Flip 4 have received subtle upgrades over their predecessors. While the Fold 4 takes the phone/tablet concept to another level, the Flip 4 is an ode to the clamshell phones of yesteryear.
Both the phones are expensive and out of reach for average users but they are foldable like other smartphones and that is the biggest reason why one would want to buy these devices in the first place. Samsung’s foldable phones promise that there will be a market for such devices in the future, but for now, the biggest obstacle to mass adoption of these devices is poor user experience and software, along with their price.
No phone (1) looks different than smartphones from established manufacturers like Apple and Samsung. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
No Phone (1)
As the foldable phone form continues to grab headlines, the Nothing Phone (1) applies the principles of ‘experience design’ to create a smartphone that’s already familiar to people. Carl P, co-founder of OnePlus, the creator of Nothing, isn’t trying to sell you a smartphone that’s radically different from the one you already own.
The £399 No Phone 1 has a translucent back that features hundreds of light-emitting diode (LED) lights that act as notifications. It’s a clever trick and although one can argue about its usefulness (the “Glyph” lighting system has nothing), the idea of putting 900 white LEDs on the back of the phone reflects an unusual and different approach.
For a young UK-based start-up, it’s truly amazing that a phone launched just a few months ago has managed to transform a boring, ordinary phone number into something modern, mysterious and cool.
The Nokia 5710 XpressAudio has wireless headphones behind a sliding mechanism. (Image credit: HMD Global)
Nokia 5710 XpressAudio
The existence of the Nokia 5710 XpressAudio is proof that phones can be weird. At first it seemed like a throwback to the original Nokia 5710 XpressMusic that was released 15 years ago. The new Nokia 5710 does not rotate but has media control buttons on the top right. Yes, it’s still a dumb phone with the T9 keypad, but what really got our tongues rolling was the sliding mechanism on the back that hides the wireless headphones. Now that’s something special, fun and very useful.
The new 5710 XpressAudio comes in black and red or white and red, but what steals the show are the wireless headphones that can be hidden in a compartment on the back of the device. And the best part is that the included wireless headphones can be paired with other devices. At £75 the new Nokia 5710 is affordable and has a great sense of style.
It’s minimal, bold and sure to be a conversation starter among the retro collector community or anyone looking for a feature phone.
The Balmuda phone is an unusual smartphone, as it has a curved back and a 4.9-inch display. (Image credit: Balmuda)
Balmuda Tel
You’ll probably never spend $900 on the “Balmuda Phone,” a compact Android smartphone from a luxury Japanese toaster maker. Still, it’s a very thought-provoking type of device that will definitely make you think about how cell phones can be different with a little treatment. Balmuda’s curved, plastic, pebble-shaped back and round 4.9-inch 1080p screen feels natural to hold in your hand, rather than the usual all-glass smartphones.
It’s a phone designed around the human hand and small enough to easily slip into a pocket. It is powered by Snapdragon 765 with 6GB RAM, and 128GB storage and runs Android 11 with a custom home screen interface. The biggest downside for the Balmuda phone is its small 2500mAh battery.
The Balmuda phone is an attempt to create a small(ish) phone away from the idea of big and bulky smartphones around us these days. Balmuda’s phone looks rich without being flashy, combined with the beauty of Japanese design and a new concept.
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