Slider smartphones version 1.1, intermediate …
Original material by S. Scott Brown
On January 14 of this year, the first leaked image of the OnePlus 7 prototype appeared on the network, judging by which there is a high degree of probability that the novelty will bring a new form factor with a vertically sliding back to the company's portfolio.
In 2018, several models came out with this design implementation, notably the Oppo Find X and Xiaomi Mi Mix 3. Smartphones have been well received by both the press and users, perhaps in part because this concept solves the 'notch' problem. , hiding the front camera and sensors until you need them.
This is not to say that sliders are something new. Sidekick, a popular line of phones from the turn of the century, had a sliding screen, and a cool slider effect was present in the Nokia 8110, which gained popularity as the Neo phone in the 'Matrix.' More modern sliders use this time-tested design element to apply to the modern understanding of smartphones. Of course, it looks cool at first glance, but something tells me that the disadvantages of such a design outweigh the advantages.
The more difficult, the more expensive
Most modern smartphones are a single piece of glass and metal. There are a minimum of moving parts in smartphones, making them easy to mass produce. And since all smartphones have a similar internal structure and go through similar assembly algorithms, this helps to optimize the production process: there is no need to make significant changes to the batch production flow to fulfill orders from different companies.
But with sliders, an extra layer of complexity is introduced into the process. Technological lines must now produce this mechanism as well, which will inevitably affect the complication of the production process. This, in turn, will increase the cost of the devices. For example, Xiaomi Mi Mix in the UK costs approximately $ 634. Not to say that it is incredibly expensive for a smartphone, but it is, for a minute, the most expensive smartphone Xiaomi on the market. The Oppo Find X sells for almost $ 1,140, which is very expensive, anyway. One can only imagine how expensive a slider from OnePlus will be, let alone similar solutions from Samsung or Sony.
The renovation will turn into a nightmare
Not only will you pay more for such a form factor, but you will also experience more difficulties when you need to fix such a smartphone. To its credit Xiaomi and Oppo it is worth mentioning that both manufacturers claim that the movement is designed to shift many thousands of cycles before breaking. Regardless of such claims, common sense dictates that increased design complexity will increase the risk of smartphone breakage.
Today it is relatively easy (though not too easy) to fix your Android smartphone: just order spare parts and tools online, watch a few video instructions on YouTube, and you can start. You can also take your smartphone to a private service, and everything will be fixed for you for relatively little money in the shortest possible time. Be that as it may, it is fair to say that repairing a slider will be more difficult than repairing a classic smartphone, prices for repairs will skyrocket, not to mention the increased complexity of the repair itself. If you are the kind of user who is very careful about their smartphones, then this paragraph applies to you only indirectly. But everyone else should keep it in pencil.
Goodbye IP Rating
With a high degree of probability, no slider will pass the coveted IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. The sliding backrest will make this task almost impossible. Of course, smartphones with speaker grilles, headphone jacks and USB-C ports were able to get this rating. Perhaps the smartphone industry will find a way to certify and a slider. But I believe it will be like this: a non-IP-certified slider or a certified classic smartphone, without any other options. Just imagine how dust and lint from clothes will clog under the slider.
Thicker body – less battery capacity
We usually talk about the thickness of any smartphone with all seriousness. If the phone is a few millimeters thicker than the other, then this may call into question the advisability of buying it. Most buyers agree that they would buy a 'fatter' smartphone if that means a larger battery. Unfortunately, this will not be the case with sliders, they will most likely be significantly thicker than classic smartphones, and this will not add to the autonomy.
For example, the thickness of the case Xiaomi Mi Mix is 8.5 mm, and the battery capacity is 3200 mAh, while the Oppo Find X is 9.6 mm thick and fits a battery with a capacity of 3730 mAh. For comparison, the OnePlus 6T has a 3700 mAh battery at 8.2 mm thickness, while the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has a 4000 mAh battery at a thickness of 8.8 mm. In other words, the sliders are pretty 'plump', but this does not in any way affect the increase in battery capacity.
Transition technology
One of the main complaints about the notch is the lack of symmetry of the display. The slider mechanism is used as an attempt to solve this problem, in turn, creating a number of new problems. I don’t know about you, but I’m willing to put up with a small cutout like the OnePlus 6T or the Samsung Galaxy S10 if that translates into improved battery life, maintainability, and reasonable cost. I'm sure many users will also appreciate the dust and water resistance.
Over time, these problems will lose their relevance. A cutout, a slider, and a leaky screen are all parts of transition technologies. Consumers want devices with a single, one-piece screen, and over time we will get them. Manufacturers will find a way to fit all the front-facing sensors we need under the display glass, thereby eliminating the need for cutouts, sliders and other crutches. It's a matter of time.
Last year, we went from a horizontal notch that takes up half the display to a tiny dot at the top of the screen. We've gone from massive speaker grilles to thin stripes between the glass and the thinnest edge of the chassis. Fingerprint sensors are already under the glass, there are technologies that allow you to hide the front camera there.
It remains to wait quite a bit, and we will have at our disposal a smartphone with a truly solid, single display. If you need something while waiting, then the slider probably might be a good idea. If it is not necessary, then I would have missed this fad, it is with us for a short time.
Original material by S. Scott Brown
If the OP7 leaks are confirmed, then I will be upset. As wonderful as the Find X is, its ruggedness, or rather the lack of it, is disappointing and makes you look at more monolithic smartphones. I'm not sure I'm ready for such a form factor, I don't see anything in it that is worthy of overpaying a certain amount for 'complex technologies'. If only all the sensors and front cameras would have been hidden under the glass, we would have forgotten the cutouts and their legacy.
I agree with the opinion of the author, the disadvantages of the slider overlap the advantages, like a feature, yes, cool and unusual, but from the point of view of practicality, everything is rather doubtful in my opinion. If among our readers there are owners of smartphones with such a form factor, it would be interesting to read their vision of the situation and whether everything is really so sad.