Are Taller Screens the Future of Android Phones?

Since the introduction of the first iPhone in early in 2007, the smartphone industry has remained relatively consistent with device proportions and shape. However, with the March release date of LG’s new G6 model and the upcoming April release of the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8 Plus, Android users are anticipating a potential industry-wide change in the size of future smartphones.

As compared to the normal 16:9 aspect ratio of iPhones and previous Android smartphones, these phones have ratios of 18:9 to 18.5:9, respectively. The switch to a taller screen has been met with varied reactions. Though celebrated by many users, Samsung and LG’s new Android prototypes have sparked online debate over the benefits and weaknesses of a taller screen.

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Andrew Martonik, of androidcentral.com, claims that the narrower, taller screen is an improvement. Although turning the phone for watching videos or playing games leaves black bars on either side of the apps, generally speaking, the taller design allows much more information to fit on the screen. Martonik predicted that this feature will result in higher productivity with the Androids, as you can hold it in your hand and vertically scroll while absorbing more as you read.

Tech Crunch’s Romain Dillet gave the LG G6 similarly positive reviews, saying that, though the screen is not ideal for games, videos, or apps designed for the 16:9 aspect ratio, the taller screens could display more content, thus making it better for real life usage. He even called it a “phablet,” and predicted that Apple would soon follow suit.

Alternatively, some people are claiming that the taller screen is more susceptible to breakage without much benefit. Most apps are still configured for the standard aspect ratio, and despite there being requests for developers to redesign their apps to fit these taller screens, most developers have yet to heed the call. Game designers also complained about the difficulty they had with image resolution and sizing, as formatting to the taller screen is a new issue and thus unchartered territory.

It seems that, in general, the smartphone-reviewing community likes the reduction of the size of bezels (those spaces on the top and bottom of the phone for features like the camera and microphone). If the kinks can be worked out, the overall positive consensus will probably mean that smartphone designs in the coming years will have a different aspect ratio in their future.