In the age of monotonous smartphones, each better than the last usually only due to beefier specifications, aesthetics can often feel like a lost art. After brands like LG stepped out of the smartphone game, it seemed the bar set by phones like the LG Wing would no longer be raised.
However, 2022 proved me wrong. Yes, a vast majority of smartphones across the year have retained the usual candybar design with a large screen, a big camera module on the back and the forgettable sides. But there have been quite a few stand outs that have taken the road not taken.
Be it the new Glyph Interface on the Nothing Phone (1) or the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro series which pretty much came as a surprise to everyone, 2022 set one thing straight: Designs are important, but plain old paintjobs don’t cut it anymore in 2022.
Instead the growing trend is interactive designing. Elements of the phone that you can control. These could be a notch you can tap and long-press on, or a back panel you can actually draw and scribble on.
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PremiumHere are the top interactive design smartphones of 2022 that caught our eye and will be inspirations as move to new possibilities that 2023 brings.
Nothing Phone (1) – Glyph Interface
An unsurprising addition to our list, the Nothing Phone (1) is no doubt the face of innovative design for smartphones in 2022. The Glyph interface is one of the most important aspects of the Phone (1) alongside its transparent back panel. The interface comprises 5 light bars of varying sizes and shapes.
These light modules can light up either together or independent of each other. Use cases include alerting users of incoming calls and messages when the phone is silenced, checking charging status and acting as fill lighting during indoor macro photography and portraits. The Glyph interface is set to get more features in Nothing’s next major software update – Nothing OS 2.0.
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iPhone 14 Pro – Dynamic Island
The iPhone lineup has had an awkward notch up since the iPhone X ushered in the new design language for Apple’s flagship phones. While subsequent Apple iPhones have made the notch smaller, it still remains a part of the iPhone thanks to FaceID, the brand’s IR-based facial recognition tech that uses two front-facing IR emitters and receivers. Things seemed to take a turn for the worse when leaks of the iPhone 14 started showing an ‘i-shaped notch’ comprising a punch-hole and a pill-shaped notch next to each other.
However, Apple surprised everyone with its actual implementation of the new i-shaped notch with Dynamic Island, its software-based tech that made the most of the awkwardly placed notch by turning it into a interactive black bar that can expand and contract in various shapes and sizes to show users calls, notifications, their media player and more. The bar also acted as a multitasking portal for quick switching between apps.
Dynamic Island grew popular very quickly, and Apple’s sales of the iPhone 14 Pro variants backed this up. Rumour says the Dynamic Island could come to the entire iPhone 15 series next year. Whether that is true or not, we know for a fact that the Dynamic Island will influence Apple designs and possibly some Android phones in the years to come.
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Realme GT 2 Pro – A paper-inspired back panel
The Realme GT 2 Pro was a powerhouse under Rs 50,000, carrying the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and other specifications to match in a sturdy build. However, for those not easily impressed by what’s under-the-hood, the phone had what Realme called a paper-inspired back panel.
While it barely affected the ruggedness of the device, the paper back panel opened up a world of possibilities, allowing users to quite literally pick up a regular pencil and start doodling or scribbling on the back of the phone. You could even take an eraser and erase mistakes (or everything) and start over again.
The limitless possibilities here made the Realme GT 2 Pro the first phone that actually let users customise the exterior of their device without investing in skins on cases. While the design also came to the Realme GT 2, it hasn’t since been seen on other devices. I do hope though, that Realme and other brands begin focussing on new approaches to the back panel like this one.
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Secondary display
Asus ROG gaming smartphones are not new to innovative designs, having had unique aesthetics complete with cooling vents and the brand’s signature air triggers for years now. However, the brand outdid itself with the ROG Phone 6 Pro.
The device featured a secondary display on the back, which was an evolution of the dot matrix display on the back of the ROG Phone 5S which also launched early this year. The secondary display could display a range of information, as well as double up as a fun addition to the phone.
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It’s even more useful than the lights on the Nothing Phone (1), but chances are you won’t see many ROG Phone 6 Pro units in the wild due to the high price tag the phone comes with. Regardless, the addition is a great look at the possibilities of auxiliary displays on smartphones.
Tecno Phantom X2 Pro – Retractable portrait lens
Innovative design doesn’t have to necessarily revolve around aesthetics, it can also add to the functionality of a phone. The Tecno Phantom X2 Pro is a good example of this. A recent launch, the phone features a portrait lens that actually pops out of the camera island when you’re taking portrait shots.
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Moving cameras are not new – we have seen cameras move in a pop-up motion like the one on the OnePlus 7 Pro or flip out like with the older Asus Zenfone series phones. Unlike these, the purpose of the moving camera on the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro is not to hide the camera but to take better pictures.
How useful this actually is something I wouldn’t comment on until I have a chance to try out the phone myself, but this is an interesting concept regardless.
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December 17, 2022 at 06:20PM
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Dynamic Island to Glyph Interface: 2022 is the year of interactive smartphone designs - The Indian Express
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