A few weeks ago you may have read my post on the release of the iPhone5 and how disappointed we here at SOV HQ were. Since then I took my own advice and upgraded to the beautifully engineered GalaxyS3. This phone could only be described as BRILLIANT! Its speed for accessing the web was second to none and the HD screen couldn’t have been any clearer ... HOWEVER, it’s now back in the hands of T-Mobile.
Yes, that’s right all – I couldn’t hack it! Although the GalaxyS3 was perfectly different to the iPhone I have been in possession with for the last 2 years, it is far too big for single hand use with the screen width exceeding the reach of my thumb! That’s right guys, you heard it here first – it was too large to work! Although the screen size was stunning for viewing videos, films, photos etc, the width of the phone itself was far too uncomfortable to hold. Also girls, it wasn’t one that easily fitted into my handbag! Major problem there!
As we know, the design and engineering of mobile phones has gradually got smaller and smaller, so why all of a sudden are phone companies breaking trend and making things bigger again?
Let’s look at this properly, it’s been over 25 years since the first mobile phone hit society and looked like THIS!
Now this particular model, (Motorola 4500). was hardly mobile at all! Very large, a heavy battery and little more than 20 minutes of talktime before the battery ran out and yours for a small cost of over £1,000! No wonder design for mobiles had to improve.
In 1987 this Nokia beauty was in the hand(S) of the rich weighing around 800g and was more portable than the Motorola 4500.
In 1987 this Nokia beauty was in the hand(S) of the rich weighing around 800g and was more portable than the Motorola 4500.
It was Nokia that first saw the potential for mobile phones as fashion items rather than mere gadgets, recognising that the size and weight had to be more considered.
In 1997 the Nokia 8110i was released, which featured in The Matrix. When the film came out in 1999, Nokia was ready with a new version of the phone, the 7110.
In 1997 the Nokia 8110i was released, which featured in The Matrix. When the film came out in 1999, Nokia was ready with a new version of the phone, the 7110.
While most mobile phone companies were still offering bulky handsets, Motorola unveiled the ultra-slim RAZR phone in 2004, and it quickly became the must-have gadget of the mid noughties - and in a variety of colours! I for one was the proud owner of this slick product.
In June 2007 the mobile phone industry was given a harsh wake-up call as Apple launched the iPhone. By the start of 2010 more than 3 billion apps had been downloaded by iPhone users across the world!
With this brief snapshot into the history of how mobile phones have developed in aesthetic, speed and size, it’s no wonder Apple have got it right and are continuing to be the favourite on the market ( iPhone 5 sold 5 million in the first 3 days of release, crazy stuff).
It’s clear that much research went into not increasing screen size massively due to the average size of thumb size, hence why I struggled with the massive 4.8” screen of the Galaxy S3. The iPhone 5 is also lighter and quicker to access apps and online data! I for one am bought straight back in ... . So much so that my very own iPhone5 has been ordered this week. “Why fix something that’s not broken?”
Again Apple, I’m sorry for not jumping on the bandwagon sooner!
Design
Images courtesy of Google imageswww.sovibrant.co.uk
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