The hot, early rumor is that Apple is finally going to make good on the curved iPhone rumor by introducing an iPhone 6 with a curved screen. But is this really something you’re dying for?You knew it wouldn’t be long before the rumor mill churned up the “curved iPhone” rumor once again. It’s like a broken record — with each passing year, we hear that the new iPhone will either have a convex screen, designed to sort of “wrap” around the user’s head for more ergonomic calls, and/or a curved or “teardrop” shaped back, making for an endlessly wobbly, spin-able iPhone.Hey — at least it could be used to play “spin the bottle” or make a random selection of who has to take out the trash. Only the “spin the bottle” or “app to randomly decide who takes out the trash” app designers would bemoan a curved-backed iPhone.
All last week, tech analytics dueled over this new rumors, with some asserting that the curved iPhone 6 is a lock, while still others balk at the idea. Considering that their assertions of a low-cost iPhone fell way flat with the iPhone 5s, I’m disinclined to believe them either way — especially this early in the iPhone 6 rumor cycle.
But all of this leads to an interesting question: are you, dear iPhone user, jones’ing for a curved iPhone 6?
Like so many rumored features and upgrades, it’s hard to see the real point of such a feature, beyond aesthetic value. The Android universe has experimented with curved displays already, and yet the flagship Android devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy, Nexus, Droid Razr, HTC One, etc., have steered clear of the design. In fact, Android smartphone designers have experimented with a ton of novel features (remember 3D cameras?), the vast majority of which have fallen flat on their faces. To this end, the “flat faced” smartphone remains the standard.
For my part, I don’t think that Apple introduces risky, expensive, new features to the iPhone without them having a bigger purpose. Case in point: the Touch ID. The fact that it debuted on the iPhone 5s and not the iPad Air tells me that that feature is slated to integrate with iWallet down the line, which will be powered by the iPhone (maybe the iPhone 6?). At present, it’s not really a needed feature — but it will be, once people’s money is virtually wadded into their iPhone.
Even a larger display on the iPhone 6 has purpose — bigger real estate, better video viewing, better gaming — you name it. But what will a curved screen really add to the iPhone 6? Is the straight design of the current iPhone a “problem” that needs to be solved through the development of a convex screen? I think not.
And what if Apple decides to keep the display flat, but makes the back of the iPhone 6 curved? Does that have purpose?
Maybe. It might feel better in one’s hand — it may conform to the contours of the palm a bit better. But what Apple gains in ergonomics it would lose in security. iPhones, after all, spend a good amount of time sitting on desktops and tabletops. There’s something to be said for the iPhone being able to lay flush on a flat surface. Would a wobbly iPhone be a good idea?
The curved iPhone rumor heated up years ago, when Cupertino invested in those fancy glass-cutting machines. But remember, Apple also invested in LiquidMetal as well, and still has yet to utilize that investment, either.
