3 ms·

> many consumers strongly prefer a thin phone Is this really the case? Is there any kind of research on that? Anecdotally: I have never seen anyone having an i

> many consumers strongly prefer a thin phone Is this really the case? Is there any kind of research on that? Anecdotally: I have never seen anyone having an iPhone without a cover case. The case makes the phone _bulky_ yet no one complains.

NoboruWataya 3y ago
I'd also like to see research on it, but ultimately, pretty much every large company went in that direction for a reason. The phone market is pretty competitive, if users preferred a replaceable battery to a thinner phone we'd see some company stealing market share by offering exactly that. A thin phone with a phone cover is thinner than a bulky phone with a phone cover. Maybe the fact you're going to be putting a cover on it is why you want it to be thin in the first place.
gwd 3y ago
Before the iPhone 6 and its rounded displays, I never used a case on my iPhone (including models 3g, 4s, and 5). I occasionally dropped it, but never had more than minor scratches or minor dents on the metal edging. Then I got an iPhone 6, and at some point dropped it & cracked the screen. Replaced the screen, and eventually cracked it again. Got an iPhone 8 and eventually cracked the screen. When I wanted to buy an iPhone X, my wife said, "Only if you get a case", and I didn't really have a good counter-argument. Which makes it kind of an irony: if you push too far in some direction, you end up going way back. Jony Ive pushed for the iPhone 6 form factor: thinner, rounder. Which made it prettier without a case; but by sacrificing too much sturdiness, it meant everyone needed to have a case -- so the iPhone form factor became "a very pretty, fragile phone in a bulky case" rather than "a nice-looking moderately robust phone without a case".
tiltowait 3y ago
I don't see how using cases is an argument against people wanting thin phones. A thin phone plus a case is thinner than a thick phone plus a case. More practically, a case is a necessary evil if you're worried about accidentally damaging your expensive device. Put me in the camp of wanting thinner phones. I don't use a case. My 14 Pro is thicker than I like. I miss the thinness of the 6s. I end every day at 40% battery life; the extra capacity is wasted on me, since it's not good enough to last two days. My last phone was 5 years old, still had 81% capacity when I replaced it, and always lasted the full day. Am I everyone? Obviously not, but I expect market research has led Apple and others to the conclusion people do want thin phones, else they would make thicker phones. I guarantee there will be people upset that their phones are thicker for reasons that don't benefit them.

NoboruWataya 3y ago

I'd also like to see research on it, but ultimately, pretty much every large company went in that direction for a reason. The phone market is pretty competitive, if users preferred a replaceable battery to a thinner phone we'd see some company stealing market share by offering exactly that. A thin phone with a phone cover is thinner than a bulky phone with a phone cover. Maybe the fact you're going to be putting a cover on it is why you want it to be thin in the first place.

gwd 3y ago

Before the iPhone 6 and its rounded displays, I never used a case on my iPhone (including models 3g, 4s, and 5). I occasionally dropped it, but never had more than minor scratches or minor dents on the metal edging. Then I got an iPhone 6, and at some point dropped it & cracked the screen. Replaced the screen, and eventually cracked it again. Got an iPhone 8 and eventually cracked the screen. When I wanted to buy an iPhone X, my wife said, "Only if you get a case", and I didn't really have a good counter-argument. Which makes it kind of an irony: if you push too far in some direction, you end up going way back. Jony Ive pushed for the iPhone 6 form factor: thinner, rounder. Which made it prettier without a case; but by sacrificing too much sturdiness, it meant everyone needed to have a case -- so the iPhone form factor became "a very pretty, fragile phone in a bulky case" rather than "a nice-looking moderately robust phone without a case".

tiltowait 3y ago

I don't see how using cases is an argument against people wanting thin phones. A thin phone plus a case is thinner than a thick phone plus a case. More practically, a case is a necessary evil if you're worried about accidentally damaging your expensive device. Put me in the camp of wanting thinner phones. I don't use a case. My 14 Pro is thicker than I like. I miss the thinness of the 6s. I end every day at 40% battery life; the extra capacity is wasted on me, since it's not good enough to last two days. My last phone was 5 years old, still had 81% capacity when I replaced it, and always lasted the full day. Am I everyone? Obviously not, but I expect market research has led Apple and others to the conclusion people do want thin phones, else they would make thicker phones. I guarantee there will be people upset that their phones are thicker for reasons that don't benefit them.