This yr, Samsung unified the design language of its S-series flagships, making the S25, S25+ and the S25 Extremely feel and appear the identical (barring the digicam). The curving sides of the S24 Extremely are lastly gone, changed with the stable, squared-off strains seen on the cheaper Galaxy S handsets. Flatter sides make the system simpler to grip, slide into your pocket, or prop up if you’re making an attempt to {photograph} them for a tech web site.
I’ll be trustworthy, they appear to be iPhones. And older Galaxy S telephones. And, properly, even older iPhones. Smartphones have hopped from flat to curves for so long as smartphones have existed.
With Samsung, we’ve gripped onto rounded sides from the debut of Galaxy S (2010) by to 2015. Then, the Galaxy S6 (2015) had extra flattened sides earlier than the sequence returned to curves for the S8 (2017). It stayed that manner till the newer S24, with latest years progressively hammering out these curves. The S25 sequence, now, has flat sides for each mannequin.
Are flatter sides really simpler to grip? I don’t know. I’m a hypocrite. I’ve discovered a number of evaluations and impressions items the place I really like flat sides. I’ve discovered the identical variety of tales the place I beloved curved gadgets. Why do you have to ever consider me once more? I’m positive there are tech journalists who’ve caught with one kind issue being higher, however I couldn’t discover them.
Every time it occurs and the corporate explains its change, the designers say this lack of curves/ introduction of curves is best than no matter it was final yr. In an interview with Vainness Truthful in 2024, Jony Ive mentioned that Apple selected rounded edges for the iPhone 6 sequence as a result of they made bigger telephones really feel much less clunky. That was when the iPhone 6 Plus had a heady 5.5-inch display screen, which appears… quaint in 2025.
My concept is that our palms get used to no matter cellphone kind issue we’ve used for the final couple of years. Which means when the design will get shaken up (otherwise you swap to a unique producer), one has to pay extra consideration to holding it. However that impact fades.
If the 2 most vital, most influential cellphone makers have settled on flat sides, then there are causes for it. Till there’s a fair larger cause to return, as soon as once more, to curves.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cell/smartphones/curvy-sides-flat-edges-the-galaxy-s25-and-the-arbitrary-shape-of-smartphones-130047461.html?src=rss