Question: What’s been around for years, but you probably didn’t notice until the release of the iPhone X?
Answer: The bezel, which is the material border around a smartphone’s screen and the physical frame it rests in.
Many people argue that plans to shrink the bezel into non-existence began in 2007, when Steve Jobs came out with the first iPhone, which featured a 3.5-inch screen dwarfed by a thick frame. Of course, if you look at how smartphones have evolved since then, you’ll see that the full-screen phone trend that now has us firmly in its well-cradled, smudge-free grip has more to do with what we do with our smartphones than how they’re built.
The truth is, even Apple admits that it has been trying to design an all-display phone for years. But with the constant release of new and improved smartphones, what has pushed the envelope on smartphones with full screens is the fact that everyone from phone manufacturers and carriers to operating platform designers and content providers realizes that the more alluring the screen is, the more we use our phones.
Why Choose a Full-Screen Phone?
Granted, we’ve reached a tipping point where we want our smartphones to look and give us the feel of a portable TV in much the same way that we want our TVs to give us the look and feel of a home movie cinema. What’s interesting is that in the gadget wars to provide consumers with what they want, some real benefits of full-screen phones have emerged — not least of all, the prioritization of what appears on the front of full-screen phones.
To notch or not to notch? That may be the question. But the resulting phones with more screen space in smaller bodies are what’s so exciting. So let’s take a more comprehensive look at some full-screen phones:
Whole-Display Smartphones
The iPhone X delivers on all levels with an incredible 5.8-inch OLED screen, making it both bigger screen-wise yet smaller overall than previous iPhones. In other words, “Where did my bezel go?” With its nearly flawless Face ID security system pushed into the obvious notch on the front of the phone, some people may argue that this model isn’t a full-screen display. However, we’ll leave you to decide how this 82.9 percent screen-to-body ratio design captures your eyes — and heart — when you give it a look.
For a lot of people, the Galaxy S9+ is the answer to whether we need notches or not. Samsung designers have simply pushed ahead and built the Galaxy S9 and S9+ models with Infinity Displays for a near bezel-free approach to phone construction. With an amazing low-light camera, quick recharging capabilities via wireless power or USB-C and good audio even without the use of headphones, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ with their bright, colorful displays are among the best Android phones on the market today.
The LG G7 ThinQ is much like the iPhone X in looks and design. And while it doesn’t have an OLED screen, the 6.1-inch IPS LCD is plenty colorful and can even be read in the direct glare of sunlight. Plus, there’s a Super Bright setting to temporarily crank up the brightness to 1,000 nits if you find yourself in near-blinding sunny conditions. In addition, this new flagship model has a great camera and, with headphones, some pretty amazing audio output. While its battery life isn’t stellar, almost everything else on this phone is.
Ready to ditch the bezel? For help selecting a smartphone with a screen that fits your lifestyle, contact us today. At The Whiz Cells, we’re always happy to help you make the right choice.