Are mobile phones losing their character?

Samsung Galaxy (Left) and iPhone 4 (Right)

Walk into a mobile phone store these days and you’ll notice that most of the phones look the same; black in colour, huge screens and possibly one small button at the bottom. It’s almost impossible to tell the difference between two phones anymore.

The main reason behind the new look smartphone is the desire for more content. The very function of a mobile ‘phone’ is no longer about sending texts, or calling a mate, it’s now about browsing the web, gps, video recording and taking photos. All these activities require a larger screen which makes the most of every millimetre of the phone’s size. Gone are the days when mere buttons and a black and white screen were enough to communicate effectively; it’s all about the touch screen now.

A touch screen is a bit like marmite; you either love it or hate it. The traditionalist will always opt for a mobile with buttons, it’s familiar and provides the user with something they can actually feel and touch. Unlike a touch screen, which is often quite difficult to get to grips with, buttons provide the user with feedback after pressing each button - when you’ve pressed a button, you know you’ve pressed it.

Anyway, enough about buttons. The main difference is the lack of character and personality in modern mobile phones. Essentially, it’s just a screen. Where’s the design and individuality? Nowadays, the only way to inject some taste and style into a smartphone is adding an accessory – like a phone cover or sock.



Old skool - Nokia 3200  (Left) and Nokia 3310 (Right)

Not surprisingly, when more than one product looks and feels similar, a legal dispute is almost always inevitability. In April 2011, Apple sued Samsung for an alleged infringement of their design patent, claiming Samsung had “savishly” copied its product design. At the moment, the legal battle between Apple and Samsung lies mainly with patents for operating software. Samsung are currently attempting to counter sue Apple concerning an alleged patent infringement for operating systems within both phones. The case is to be heard in Australia next month.

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I came acrosss this funny advert while searching for images of old phones.


"No larger than a cordless phone" "Fits in your briefcase"