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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > What's the point of curved glass on smartphones/tablets?

What's the point of curved glass on smartphones/tablets?
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MacinTommy
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Jun 10, 2015, 10:09 AM
 
I'm mostly talking about the new S6 Edge. I'm honestly wondering what the practical use is or if there is one. I feel like it would be more of a hinderance than anything.
     
subego
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Jun 10, 2015, 10:33 AM
 
By only looking at it, I'd say product differentiation.
     
Jawbone54
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Jun 10, 2015, 11:14 AM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
By only looking at it, I'd say product differentiation.
Bingo.

It's weird watching video on it. The images kind of warps around the edges.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jun 10, 2015, 12:33 PM
 
It's another attempt to one-up Apple with a feature not thought through and thus useless.
     
The Final Dakar
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Jun 10, 2015, 02:58 PM
 
The illusion of innovation.
     
BLAZE_MkIV
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Jun 10, 2015, 03:34 PM
 
More money from selling replacement parts.
     
ort888
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Jun 10, 2015, 05:35 PM
 
Have you seen the commercial? It's AMAZING. You can see your calls coming in when your phone is FACE DOWN on the table!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can also thumb through your notifications on a tiny little sliver of a screen. It's just what we've always wanted!

My sig is 1 pixel too big.
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Jun 10, 2015, 06:58 PM
 
Edge tech is interesting, but right now it's really only a novelty. The phones, the S6 Edge in particular, does feel nice in the hand, though.
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Waragainstsleep
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Jun 10, 2015, 09:03 PM
 
The word I'm not seeing is gimmick.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
osiris
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Jun 11, 2015, 10:32 AM
 
because it's new, and curved, that's why.


GIMMICKy and hard to hold ( co-worker has one, he's questioning his whole life now)
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Cap'n Tightpants
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Jun 11, 2015, 11:47 AM
 
Hard to hold? Really? Huh. I guess all hands are different.
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Jawbone54
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Jun 11, 2015, 12:21 PM
 
Yeah, it feels sharp on the sides. Something about it didn't feel right. I didn't find it comfortable at all.

Also, how is any case going to protect it without killing the "usefulness" of the one feature that distinguishes it (and costs $100 more)?
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Jun 11, 2015, 12:44 PM
 
Case? You use cases? I go bareback with mine.
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The Final Dakar
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Jun 11, 2015, 12:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants View Post
Case? You use cases? I go bareback with mine.
You can afford to.
     
Jawbone54
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Jun 11, 2015, 01:08 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants View Post
Case? You use cases? I go bareback with mine.
It's been a long time since I've heard that word, and the first time in that context. I actually paused and stared at my screen for a moment.

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar View Post
You can afford to.
After hearing about his GPU museum, I think you've hit the nail on the head.
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Jun 11, 2015, 01:31 PM
 
Originally Posted by The Final Dakar View Post
You can afford to.
They aren't as delicate as people think, or maybe I don't drop my phones as often. Afford has nothing to do with it when you lose a phone that has all your info, pics, etc. every time you turn around. In fact for me it could potentially be much more costly than most other folks. I just hate dealing with the added bulk of phone cases.
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Waragainstsleep
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Jun 11, 2015, 02:43 PM
 
I have always used my iPhones without cases and to date I have never destroyed one. I have dropped most of them at some point but nothing worse than the odd little scratch or chip.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
osiris
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Jun 11, 2015, 03:25 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants View Post
Hard to hold? Really? Huh. I guess all hands are different.
He has smallish hands and finds it slippery.
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Thorzdad
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Jun 12, 2015, 07:53 PM
 
I saw an ad for the S6 Edge last night. Apparently, when its laying flat on a surface, it displays text along the curved edge. Kind of neat, I guess. Not something I'd base a purchase on, though. They really slag the iPhone 6 over not having it, of course.
     
subego
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Jun 12, 2015, 09:54 PM
 
9 months and counting, haven't dropped the iP6!

Whoo-hoo!
     
Jawbone54
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Jun 12, 2015, 10:40 PM
 
Originally Posted by Thorzdad View Post
I saw an ad for the S6 Edge last night. Apparently, when its laying flat on a surface, it displays text along the curved edge. Kind of neat, I guess. Not something I'd base a purchase on, though. They really slag the iPhone 6 over not having it, of course.
I remember reading that Samsung's best North American marketing stretch was when they spent every single ad blasting iPhone users, specifically those that stand in line for a phone that doesn't exchange files by clinking them against each other.

These ads always leave a bad taste in my mouth, but they apparently work. Still, "Six is greater than six," gets on my nerves every freaking time I hear it.
     
subego
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Jun 14, 2015, 12:02 AM
 
Samsung marketing will never top this...

     
ajprice
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Jun 15, 2015, 01:33 AM
 
Came here thinking it was about these types of curved glass phones

But yeah, the S6 screen curved around the edge does seem like a solution looking for a problem. Well, they all do.

It'll be much easier if you just comply.
     
subego
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Jun 15, 2015, 07:20 AM
 
That's the iPhone 6+ after you've owned it for awhile, right?
     
subego
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Jun 15, 2015, 08:05 AM
 
With a weak attempt at being serious, at least the bendy-phones seemed like they'd have good glare resistance.
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Jun 15, 2015, 08:20 AM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
That's the iPhone 6+ after you've owned it for awhile, right?
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
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Waragainstsleep
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Jun 17, 2015, 06:03 AM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
That's the iPhone 6+ after you've owned it for awhile, right?
Always copying Apple...
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
Thorzdad
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Jun 21, 2015, 05:57 PM
 
Does Samsung have a patent on a curved glass process? I'm thinking about that ridiculous curved screen tv they make, too.
     
reader50
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Jun 21, 2015, 06:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by ajprice View Post
Came here thinking it was about these types of curved glass phones
As phones get bigger, belt clips get clumsy. And most guys won't carry a purse. Curved screens are more comfortable with arm or hip holsters. But you're optimizing the shape for storage conditions at the expense of usability. Admittedly phones spend FAR more time not being used, but it's still an odd trade off.

A better solution would be phones that unbend for use. Or that grow the screen for use, and shrink back for storage. If OLED screens can be made on flexible substrates, why not on a stretchy substrate.
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Jun 22, 2015, 08:38 AM
 
Originally Posted by Thorzdad View Post
Does Samsung have a patent on a curved glass process? I'm thinking about that ridiculous curved screen tv they make, too.
It's only ridiculous until you're sitting in the sweet spot and watching for a while (then going back to a conventional flat display), then it's pretty damned awesome.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
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Gearhead40
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Jul 2, 2015, 12:22 PM
 
Not sure what the point is. They've been sued by Apple for looking too much like their phones so maybe this is a way to get some heat off their back.
     
   
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