I haven’t liked the feel of an iPhone in my hand since the iPhone 6. That slippery, slim, and curved design has always felt like something that doesn’t quite belong in my hand. I thought I liked the feeling of an iPhone without a case, but I realized I just hate the feeling of having a case on my iPhone more than the case-free iPhone.
The original iPhone had curves like these. Then the iPhone 3G came into play. This was a phone with a curve on the back designed to fit better in your hand. It was replaced by the iPhone 4, with flat edges, rounded corners, and a sandwiched glass design that would become extremely popular. The iPhone 5, while larger, also shared these flat sides. The iPhone 6 replaced them with curved edges. Beyond changes to the camera, back material, and side material (steel over aluminum), the iPhone body design hasn’t changed much since then.
The iPhone 6s. Not much has changed.
When it came out, I said I had hoped Apple would abandon this uncomfortable, slippery design. That was five years ago. There seemed to be no hope on the horizon.
Then Apple released the iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro
The iPad Pro has flat sides. This was likely to facilitate charging of the Apple Pencil 2. However, there are other benefits. The lack of a curve allows the device to feel thinner. It, in a small way, shrinks the bezels of the device. It also makes the iPad easier to hold, as curved edges reduce friction in your hand that make a device easier to grip.
This design hearkens back to the iPhone 5, with plenty of modern upgrades. That’s not a bad thing. Many consider the iPhone 5 to be the pinnacle iPhone design. Personally, I prefer the iPhone 4, and wish Apple would bring back that design, modernized for today’s taller, slimmer full screen smartphones, of course.
While the new iPad Pro is similar to the iPhone 5, the large chamfered edges of the iPhone 5 have been replaced by smoother edges. It’s a more modern look that still feels as though it carries the craftsmanship of the iPhone 5 into the new era. It proves that flat sides don’t need to be “retro.”
The iPad could mark a change in Apple’s design philosophy, or it could reflect the company’s pro aesthetic. Apple’s MacBook Pros, for example, also have flat edges. It’s possible that Apple simply wanted the iPad to look more like a MacBook Pro than an iPhone to position it as an alternative to the Mac, not a larger iPhone.
Potential iPhone XI Design
As you can see from the two videos above, an iPad Pro-style redesign of the iPhone actually looks a lot like an iPhone still. However, such a design would be easier to hold. Also, frankly, it’s about time the iPhone looks different. Design is supposed to evolve over time. The iPhone XS is not “peak iPhone” and Apple needs to believe that copying the design of a smartphone from 4 years ago is not a good design practice.
What do you think? Is it time Apple abandons the iPhone 6 design for something more like the new iPad Pro?