We’ve seen some trends in flagship phones over the past few months. An ultra wide camera. A telephoto lens. A TOF sensor. An OLED display with a resolution of 1440p. Curved glass on the front and back. Fast wired charging. A waterdrop notch housing only the front camera. I could go on and on about what these phones currently have. Following these trends, it isn’t difficult to predict the specs and design of future phones. In order for companies to make their phones different from all the other ones on the market, they need to be more innovative and they need to take a risk.
Even consumers are starting to get bored with the same old tech. The Note 10 is essentially an S10 but with an S Pen and without a headphone jack. Reception of the Note 10 series admittedly was not as good as the other Note phones. The Honor 20 Series was dead on arrival because of the lack of OLED technology and new, interesting technology.
Today, we’re seeing some newer yet more controversial designs. The Asus ROG Phone II has been making waves in the media lately, with killer specs and quite possibly the largest battery on the market making it stand apart. Other less-known examples include the Galaxy A80 and the Asus Zenfone 6, both with flip-up cameras. There’s also the relatively ancient Vivo Nex and Nubia X, both released half a year ago with dual displays.
Now, though, companies are starting to catch on to the idea of experimentation. The Pixel 4 will house a ridiculous amount of tech in its massive notchless front bezel. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 is rumored to have a super telephoto lens much like the P30 Pro, a 108 mp camera, and 100 watt wired charging that will fully charge the phone in under 20 minutes. Oppo recently showcased their “waterfall display” with curves bending around the corners for an extreme screen-to-body ratio.
In conclusion, with a few months of the same old tech, companies are finally starting to move on. Ever since 2018, the rate of smartphone innovation has been moving at an incredible pace. Although the trend of design and maximizing screen-to-body ratio has slowed in the past few months, seeing companies take their own paths for the first time in a while is a breath of fresh air. It will be an exciting second half of 2019 for sure.
Marcus Tech Blog 