Speculation from several media outlets suggests we’ll be heading back in the pre-2007 direction with “flip” smartphones that have flexible, bendable screens. Samsung and LG seem intent on delivering these kinds of devices in late 2017, and the demand might just be sufficient for a new trend to begin. What I would like to do now is talk about how this might actually be a decent idea and also discuss some of the caveats these phones may have that flip phones did not!
Why It Might Be a Good Idea
Having a “flip” smartphone might sound like some kind of frivolous novelty, but the concept itself has proven quite effective before smartphones ever appeared on the market. This happened for three important reasons: Applying this to a smartphone, if possible, should present the same advantages once the technology matures. I make a point of highlighting maturity specifically because it is a rule that a manufacturer’s first attempts at basically anything are always rough around the edges. As manufacturers succeed in perfecting this design, they will make phones that are more durable. One more thing: Because we are applying this kind of design to a smartphone, its utility will also change. See, smartphones are currently limited to having screen sizes that can comfortably fit in your pocket. A flipping smartphone can double that size without presenting many more complications. So, if you implement this design, you’ll be able to have a phone that doubles as a tablet!
The Caveats
While it might actually be a decent idea to design smartphones that flip open (as opposed to using a solid body design), there are a few things that raise serious concerns. Let’s look at Samsung’s patent for a second. The idea here is that it’s not a traditional flip phone (with a hinge that rotates). Instead, we have a “foldable” phone with a flexible body and screen. Here are the possible caveats with that idea that stick out the most to me. You can’t design a smartphone to be very useful with a full-blown hinge, so that is out of the question; you’re kind of forced to use a flexible single body. That may be a bit troubling, but manufacturers tend to address these things as time passes, if not during the initial design phase.
Conclusion
As with any new technology, I offer words of caution before buying into it. But as long as manufacturers focus on the caveats discussed earlier, there is real potential in having a phone that could unfold into a fully-functional tablet. To some, this may represent a heartwarming throwback to the days when flip phones were all the rage. To others, there will be a sigh of relief as they will finally have access to a decent-sized tablet that they can stow in their pockets! Tell us what you think about “flip smartphones.” Is this just a fad, or does it represent something with a solid level of potential? Write a comment with your thoughts!
