Ugly as ****

[widgeteer]

ANY screen space is valuable, otherwise we all wouldn't be on here griping and moaning about bezel sizes. Even just a few mm on each side is significant, especially because it's multiplied by the very thin aspect ratio of the phone.

Bezels don't cause lack of screen space, they create a bigger phone. That's why people gripe about them.

Again, I don't think the edges on the Samsung phones eat up any noticeable screen real estate. The screens are already much bigger than virtually anything that's come before, so I'm not seeing the downgrade. The usable area on a Note 8's 6" plus screen is already bigger than any of the iPhones, for instance.

 

[epicrayban]

I would also argue the slight edges actually help make actions like sliding out panels easier and more natural. For example, many of Google's own apps have slide out menus.

The edges of the S8 and the Note 8 have been refined for years. You're not really wasting precious space. In real world, day-to-day use, the edges are not distracting nor are they dysfunctional. They don't impede typing, they don't impede reading or video watching, they really don't impede anything. It's not like things are getting cut off.

Also, I rarely ever get false palm presses thanks to the slimmer profile. The ergonomics of the S8 are absolutely amazing. And a lot of that is owed to the edge screen technology and design.

 

[spinedoc77]

Bezels don't cause lack of screen space, they create a bigger phone. That's why people gripe about them.

Again, I don't think the edges on the Samsung phones eat up any noticeable screen real estate. The screens are already much bigger than virtually anything that's come before, so I'm not seeing the downgrade. The usable area on a Note 8's 6" plus screen is already bigger than any of the iPhones, for instance.

Yes but that's just semantics. Is the phone being made physically narrower to make the bezels thinner, or are the bezels being made thinner with no change to the physical width of the phone. Like the chicken and the egg it doesn't matter, only the end result of how large the screen is and how thin the bezels are.

I'll agree to disagree on Samsung phones eating up real estate, but these are just our opinions and how we see the phone. Text on the sides gets distorted, covered by glare, I've seen reports of decreased s-pen sensitivity, edges get covered by fingers, ghost touches, etc. Once again these may or may not be issues for you, and Samsung has improved this with each successive generation of curved screens, but the issues still remain in my experience. Although I'll temper my experience with the Note 8 as only fondling one in store.

I'd also disagree that the phones are substantially "bigger", they are taller and that is different IMO. If viewed in terms of width they are actually smaller/narrower, and not all of that is a function of the 18.5:9 ratio IMO. I'm sure that the usable space on the Note 8 is bigger than an iPhone plus, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing. I'm sure a 10" x 2" phone would have more usable screen as well, but it's not something that would be functional. Of course that's an extreme example, but you get the point. At this point I prefer the ip7+ screen over the note 8 ONLY on the basis of size/width, side by side it actually looks larger (even though it isn't). My favorite phone to compare to is the Mate 9 which has a screen which looks huge next to the N8, yet is technically .4" smaller. Of course the caveat is the bezels are fairly large.
[doublepost=1505150597][/doublepost]

I would also argue the slight edges actually help make actions like sliding out panels easier and more natural. For example, many of Google's own apps have slide out menus.

The edges of the S8 and the Note 8 have been refined for years. You're not really wasting precious space. In real world, day-to-day use, the edges are not distracting nor are they dysfunctional. They don't impede typing, they don't impede reading or video watching, they really don't impede anything. It's not like things are getting cut off.

Also, I rarely ever get false palm presses thanks to the slimmer profile. The ergonomics of the S8 are absolutely amazing. And a lot of that is owed to the edge screen technology and design.

I'll have to take your word for it, I only have a few minutes in store time with the Note 8. But on my last curved edge phone, the Note 7, I found slide out actions more difficult as I felt I had to slightly curve my finger/thumb on the edge to get the slide out to appear. On a flat phone it was a more simple quick swipe. I've also found things do get cut off slightly, well not cut off but slightly distorted, especially things like small text on internet sites. Honestly it's far from the end of the world, and yes I'm nitpicking about a lot of this, but for $1000 you better bet I'm going to nitpick even the smallest design flaw.

Anyhow just my opinion, apologies if it seems like I'm trying to make it anyone elses.

 

[epicrayban]

Yes but that's just semantics. Is the phone being made physically narrower to make the bezels thinner, or are the bezels being made thinner with no change to the physical width of the phone. Like the chicken and the egg it doesn't matter, only the end result of how large the screen is and how thin the bezels are.

I'll agree to disagree on Samsung phones eating up real estate, but these are just our opinions and how we see the phone. Text on the sides gets distorted, covered by glare, I've seen reports of decreased s-pen sensitivity, edges get covered by fingers, ghost touches, etc. Once again these may or may not be issues for you, and Samsung has improved this with each successive generation of curved screens, but the issues still remain in my experience. Although I'll temper my experience with the Note 8 as only fondling one in store.

I'd also disagree that the phones are substantially "bigger", they are taller and that is different IMO. If viewed in terms of width they are actually smaller/narrower, and not all of that is a function of the 18.5:9 ratio IMO. I'm sure that the usable space on the Note 8 is bigger than an iPhone plus, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing. I'm sure a 10" x 2" phone would have more usable screen as well, but it's not something that would be functional. Of course that's an extreme example, but you get the point. At this point I prefer the ip7+ screen over the note 8 ONLY on the basis of size/width, side by side it actually looks larger (even though it isn't). My favorite phone to compare to is the Mate 9 which has a screen which looks huge next to the N8, yet is technically .4" smaller. Of course the caveat is the bezels are fairly large.
[doublepost=1505150597][/doublepost]

I'll have to take your word for it, I only have a few minutes in store time with the Note 8. But on my last curved edge phone, the Note 7, I found slide out actions more difficult as I felt I had to slightly curve my finger/thumb on the edge to get the slide out to appear. On a flat phone it was a more simple quick swipe. I've also found things do get cut off slightly, well not cut off but slightly distorted, especially things like small text on internet sites. Honestly it's far from the end of the world, and yes I'm nitpicking about a lot of this, but for $1000 you better bet I'm going to nitpick even the smallest design flaw.

Anyhow just my opinion, apologies if it seems like I'm trying to make it anyone elses.

No apologies needed to me. Just sharing my experiences, too. If this was a year or two ago, I would be more inclined to agree with you. For example, going from the S7 Edge to the S8 has resulted in less distortion, less accidental palm-presses, and easier use of the screen. It's been quite a refinement over the years.

I joked in the Note 8 thread that they'll refine the edge screen so much that it'll one day go back to being flat!

The good news is, plenty of flat screen options that have eliminated bezels and put larger screens in tinier packages. Still a win. And there should be plenty more options as the tech develops, and as Apple catapults a less-bezel design to new heights of popularity (just like how it took the iPhone Plus to elevate large phones to popularity. The Apple brand is a powerful thing).

 

[widgeteer]

Yes but that's just semantics. Is the phone being made physically narrower to make the bezels thinner, or are the bezels being made thinner with no change to the physical width of the phone. Like the chicken and the egg it doesn't matter, only the end result of how large the screen is and how thin the bezels are.

I'll agree to disagree on Samsung phones eating up real estate, but these are just our opinions and how we see the phone. Text on the sides gets distorted, covered by glare, I've seen reports of decreased s-pen sensitivity, edges get covered by fingers, ghost touches, etc. Once again these may or may not be issues for you, and Samsung has improved this with each successive generation of curved screens, but the issues still remain in my experience. Although I'll temper my experience with the Note 8 as only fondling one in store.

I'd also disagree that the phones are substantially "bigger", they are taller and that is different IMO. If viewed in terms of width they are actually smaller/narrower, and not all of that is a function of the 18.5:9 ratio IMO. I'm sure that the usable space on the Note 8 is bigger than an iPhone plus, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing. I'm sure a 10" x 2" phone would have more usable screen as well, but it's not something that would be functional. Of course that's an extreme example, but you get the point. At this point I prefer the ip7+ screen over the note 8 ONLY on the basis of size/width, side by side it actually looks larger (even though it isn't). My favorite phone to compare to is the Mate 9 which has a screen which looks huge next to the N8, yet is technically .4" smaller. Of course the caveat is the bezels are fairly large.
[doublepost=1505150597][/doublepost]

I'll have to take your word for it, I only have a few minutes in store time with the Note 8. But on my last curved edge phone, the Note 7, I found slide out actions more difficult as I felt I had to slightly curve my finger/thumb on the edge to get the slide out to appear. On a flat phone it was a more simple quick swipe. I've also found things do get cut off slightly, well not cut off but slightly distorted, especially things like small text on internet sites. Honestly it's far from the end of the world, and yes I'm nitpicking about a lot of this, but for $1000 you better bet I'm going to nitpick even the smallest design flaw.

Anyhow just my opinion, apologies if it seems like I'm trying to make it anyone elses.

I DO NOT agree with you! But I like the conversation. Good stuff on your part.

For what it's worth: I have owned an S8 Plus, and now a Note 8. No loss of sensitivity with the S-Pen at hte edges, no ghost touches, no glare. Yes, there are webpages here and there where text looks a bit wonky. Not enough for it to be a thing, at least for me.

 

[Channan]

The iPhone has curved display corners but guess what? Once again Apple does it the intelligent way by never lighting those pixels. You'll never see the rounded corners, they're merely so the display fits the device.

Sorry

Haha so not only were you completely wrong with your assumption that the iPhone doesn't all pixels, but video stretches all the way to all corners, cutting off the corners as well as that entire space for the front cameras and speaker.

IMO Samsung did it way better. Apple could still change that with a software update (as can Samsung) but what I just saw on the keynote looked awful for videos.

 

[DakotaGuy]

Nope, rounded corners at the bottom are comparatively okay. The truth is, they're actually bad though, no matter what Apple does. What I was really saying is that the top corners being colored is aesthetically and functionally idiotic.

Concerning the S8, it uses rounded edges and corners and it is therefore terrible. Allowing refraction and reflection of light. Moreover, it shows video content in the rounded corner, does it not? That is horrible as all media content should remain square (corners), in its natural state.

I know the iPhone will cut off the top and bottom portions of the screen during video playback for the square corners.

Nope. You were wrong.

 

[9594864]

Haha so not only were you completely wrong with your assumption that the iPhone doesn't all pixels, but video stretches all the way to all corners, cutting off the corners as well as that entire space for the front cameras and speaker.

IMO Samsung did it way better. Apple could still change that with a software update (as can Samsung) but what I just saw on the keynote looked awful for videos.

Yes I was wrong and what Apple showed was beyond embarrassing for the company. They're morons now. It's pretty sad honestly.

Aside from the display, they put control center at the top, with Notification Center. At the top of a much taller display. They should have been left and right swipes on the home bar instead of the app switching back and forth on the home bar. Just another example of them being completely incompetent.
[doublepost=1505342376][/doublepost]

Nope. You were wrong.

I was wrong about that, yes, and I'll now tell you that Apple has incredibly stupid people in charge. To do the things I saw in that new phone. Wow. The stupidity is unreal. They actually take video full screen, including the cutout. It's honestly the most unbeliable thing I've seen from Apple, and now I know they're stupid enough to do anything. I'm sure they'll release AR glasses now, which is another abysmal idea

 

[DakotaGuy]

Yes I was wrong and what Apple showed was beyond embarrassing for the company. They're morons now. It's pretty sad honestly.

Aside from the display, they put control center at the top, with Notification Center. At the top of a much taller display. They should have been left and right swipes on the home bar instead of the app switching back and forth on the home bar. Just another example of them being completely incompetent.
[doublepost=1505342376][/doublepost]
I was wrong about that, yes, and I'll now tell you that Apple has incredibly stupid people in charge. To do the things I saw in that new phone. Wow. The stupidity is unreal. They actually take video full screen, including the cutout. It's honestly the most unbeliable thing I've seen from Apple, and now I know they're stupid enough to do anything. I'm sure they'll release AR glasses now, which is another abysmal idea

Hey I'll give you a lot of credit for admitting you were wrong. I've seen a lot of people say Apple would never do something and when they do you never hear a peep from them again. The notch is very distracting in full screen video or photos.

 

[9594864]

Hey I'll give you a lot of credit for admitting you were wrong. I've seen a lot of people say Apple would never do something and when they do you never hear a peep from them again. The notch is very distracting in full screen video or photos.

Yes it is a complete disaster in videos and photos. I was shocked when I saw it being used in media content, and especially when they had a movie running full-screen. Aside from the fact that it is cutting off a lot of content, it draws your eyes to it due to the non-uniformity.

I did see that you can double tap the screen to get the video to have black borders but by default it is using the notch apparently, which is from my experience and knowledge of Apple over the last 8 years; completely un-Apple.

 

[mi7chy]

It's actually more costly to take a standard SAMOLED display and cut out the notch. Apple could've gone with a standard symmetrical display and apply the savings towards increasing the base model storage to 128GB. My guess is that it was a face saving decision to not make it look too much like a Galaxy by making it differrent and thus uglier. At least now they can remove the notch in next year's iPhone XI as refinement and give people reason to upgrade.

 

[spinedoc77]

It's actually more costly to take a standard SAMOLED display and cut out the notch. Apple could've gone with a standard symmetrical display and apply the savings towards increasing the base model storage to 128GB. My guess is that it was a face saving decision to not make it look too much like a Galaxy by making it differrent and thus uglier. At least now they can remove the notch in next year's iPhone XI as refinement and give people reason to upgrade.

I'm convinced it was a design decision more so than anything else. That idiot Ive at work again, I think he lives in a vacuum where he honestly thinks his design decisions make sense. No doubt those around him are afraid to say anything with Jobs gone. It's such a ridiculously simple solution, just permanently black out the ears and make them a permanent part of the status bar which no dev can infringe on. But Apple is actively encouraging devs to NOT fill that space, they actually believe it should be there front and center.

 

[mib1800]

So this thread title "ugly as ****" is describing the iPhone X then.

 

[mi7chy]

So this thread title "ugly as ****" is describing the iPhone X then.

Can't think of uglier device other than the Pixel but it's the back side which you won't look at as often as the front.

Three nicest designs are S8, LG V30 and Note 8.

 

[Klyster]

Gee guys, I'd hardly call any phone these days ugly

 

[Channan]

Yes I was wrong and what Apple showed was beyond embarrassing for the company. They're morons now. It's pretty sad honestly.

Aside from the display, they put control center at the top, with Notification Center. At the top of a much taller display. They should have been left and right swipes on the home bar instead of the app switching back and forth on the home bar. Just another example of them being completely incompetent.
[doublepost=1505342376][/doublepost]
I was wrong about that, yes, and I'll now tell you that Apple has incredibly stupid people in charge. To do the things I saw in that new phone. Wow. The stupidity is unreal. They actually take video full screen, including the cutout. It's honestly the most unbeliable thing I've seen from Apple, and now I know they're stupid enough to do anything. I'm sure they'll release AR glasses now, which is another abysmal idea

I'm shocked and impressed you came back to admit your predictions were wrong. I wish I was a little less harsh now. Haha

I don't know why Apple didn't just use the bottom middle of the screen with force touch to go home like Samsung does with the Galaxy S8.
[doublepost=1505349419][/doublepost]

Gee guys, I'd hardly call any phone these days ugly

There are plenty of phones I would say are ugly that I know other people would disagree with. Symmetry > minimal bezel IMO. I'll take larger, symmetric bezels in landscape over notches and unequal bezels any day.

That's why I think the Essential Phone is ugly. Not just because of the notch, but because the bottom bezel is much larger than the top.

The iPhone didn't have to look so bad. Even with the notch, it could have looked way nicer even if not perfect. The middle example would have been ideal, but with a little more rounding to the top two corners.

 

[Jimmy James]

I wasn’t really liking the idea of a 1200$ iphone 8 so I was thinking of switching to a note 8 when/if they released it... but that thing is ugly as ****. I’d rather pay the extra money for an iPhone 8.

But in your other, earlier thread you said the 2017 iPhone line will flop when compared to the competition. Now it looks like the only thing that flopped is you.