A modern smartphone has become much less functional than, say, 10 years ago. Yes, many functions today work much better than before, but still there are such things that either they don’t do at all or they do, but nobody pays attention to this when buying.
Modularity
At one time, modular smartphones were broadcasting "from every iron." Various projects of modular smartphones were laureates of the MWC and IFA exhibitions. But now we have only LG G5, about which the company itself is trying to forget, but Moto Z2 Play, about which everyone except motorcycle fans have forgotten.
Why no one needs modularity? Because the smartphone is not a computer. A typical desktop can be of almost any shape and size – obviously redundant, and. Open your PC and see how much free space it has. But does it bother you? Hardly.
The Mac Pro of the previous generation was as compact as possible with top performance. That's about the size of a PC today. But it will not be – because there is enough space even in a small apartment for a “box” in which there is more air than parts. But in the pockets for a smartphone so much space there. And a better smartphone with an optimal filling is better than a bunch of modules that you still need to carry somewhere. And those who fall off, play, the connection disappears, and replacing the smartphone with a new one becomes a headache – after all, if the old smartphone can still be sold, then the modules for it will go at best as a free sign.
3D screens and 3D cameras
Do you remember how fashion came suddenly in 3D? It was everywhere. The Nintendo 3DS portable console, a bunch of 3D TVs, and even smartphones started to do. And 3D-cameras, and the screen with the support of "glasses-free" 3D.
And where is it now? At the dustbin of history. Even Nintendo abandoned 3D screens, replacing 3DS consoles with cheaper New Nintendo 2DS XL, and in the Switch they didn’t even begin to make 3D.
Why? Yes, because it is not particularly necessary, at least, not everyone needs it, but a lot of problems. Without glasses, a 3D screen can be viewed only one way, and with glasses a bunch of restrictions on the angle of view. 3D content itself is not always required. In addition, VR is much more interesting, although not everyone needs it either.
And if we talk about a movie or a game, then even a simple movie with the proper talent of a screenwriter, director and actor, can enthrall much more rapid 3D effects. And in games, pixel "turkey" is sometimes more demanding than another AAA-blockbuster, and even in stereoscopic 3D. However, for mobile games, all this doesn’t matter and it doesn’t matter – people poke in “three in a row” and are satisfied. Well, why is there 3D?
Heat moisture protection
Yes, yes, do not rush to swear. Today, dust and water-protection can be found in many places, but let's be honest – it almost does not bother anyone. Once the Sony Xperia smartphones have made a name for themselves, including thanks to the heat and moisture protection. And today everyone takes Xiaomi, where there is no protection at all. And who cares?
Or take the same iPhone. Yes, Apple says something about protection against splashes, but does not accept “drowned” smartphones under warranty. And how to prove – is the user violated the conditions of operation or was there really a defect in the design that led to flooding, even under acceptable conditions? Therefore, people still just do not drop the smartphone into the water and do not take underwater photos – you never know what. Then you can not prove anything to anyone, but money lost for repairing or replacing a smartphone is pitiful. In the end, if you need to take pictures of fish – you can buy aquabox.
And so any smartphone today will survive if you call a taxi in the rain. But in the rain, we do not like to be for very different reasons.
3D touch
As you know, Apple costs coughing – everyone starts to cough even louder. But 3D-touch "did not take off" even from Apple – is it worth talking about the rest?
In fact, to get used to spend more effort for the sake of some actions that can be done with less effort is simply inappropriate. Moreover, no intelligible indication of the force of clicking on the screen was invented. The user, as a result, only guessed – did he press hard enough on the screen to make the function he needed? Or even so – is it enough weakly pressed – after all, why should we push harder than necessary?
In general, sheer confusion with these 3D tachi. Another unnecessary 3D, as in the case of the backs of smartphones. “Save this tweet,” as they say.
Luxury service (a la Vertu)
I remember how I visited the Vertu office in Moscow immediately after the release of some of their next Android smartphone. There, they told me a lot about how their “Concierge” service works – in fact, it was this service that attracted Vertu users most of all, and not the “brunettes” on the case. “Conridge” is something like a personal assistant who is ready to solve any (almost) your problem, but for your money, of course. That is, if you need to bring a pack of your favorite cookies to an uninhabited island where you relax – you can solve this through the "Concierge", but having paid all the costs.
The problem is that most of the work of the Concierge today can be done by free voice assistants, including from Google – moreover, around the clock, without days off, breaks and nervous breakdowns. Yes, not all the work, but this is not a premium segment.
And not only in the assistants case – our whole life has become more “digital” and many services – from ordering a plane ticket to booking a table in a restaurant – are more accessible. Did you know that now even by train you can buy a ticket right in the app? In any case, in Moscow it already works.
Second screen
Where is Yotaphone doing now? And not only he, but all these projects from Samsung and LG, in which a small second screen complements the main one.
Not so, the idea is not bad, but try to force all developers to use your second screen, especially if each such smartphone has a different second screen format. And indeed – in fact, the second screen was always needed only to cover the flaws of the main screen, or the phone as a whole.
E-Ink in Yotaphone – to extend the autonomy. Additional screens in the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and LG X View – to take out the individual interface elements.
Now, as we see, one screen can take any form and have any kind of cutouts. In the era of frameless smartphones, no additional screens are simply needed.
Metal case
Do you still remember how everyone got into metal cases? Like, they say, it is beautiful and all. Smartphones even made a special “under the metal”, people still checked there – is it cooling? Is it real metal? Does current conduct?
But, alas, the metal in the case is an impractical thing, and therefore it was finally abandoned. I am waiting now, when they finally give up the glass, because its practicality is not much higher. At least, if the manufacturer does not want to earn more on repairs.
We are not monkeys, in the end – we do not have to consider only what glitters are attractive.
Qwerty keyboard
And finally – the most controversial. Yes, now I’m surely many will object: “What do you mean! QWERTY-keyboard many people need! Now, if they had released such a smartphone, as% smartphone_model%, but with Quarte, I would immediately … ".
But let's be honest. Absolutely all the QWERTY-keyboards in smartphones were uncomfortable. Yes, some better, others worse, but it's still not at all what to type on a laptop or PC keyboard. Yes, you can put a full QWERTY in a modern smartphone, and … Get twice the thickness. And the weight is one and a half times more. And the mechanism of the slider, which will surely break, fall apart, clog up, get loose and in general will simply enrage itself by its presence in all situations, except for the need to type large text.
And yet, a full QWERTY keyboard does not mean a full YZUKEN keyboard. The Cyrillic alphabet has never been a priority when creating such smartphones before – many Russian letters had to be typed through some complicated combinations of buttons.
So yes – typing on the touch screen is inconvenient. But on QWERTY – not so convenient as to tolerate the other inconveniences described above. And if there is no difference, then why pay more?
Chief editor of the blog – Erika J. Wells .
