Why All Phones Look The Same

If you were around in the early days of cell phones, you’ll probably remember the iconic designs of the Motorola Razor, Sidekick, Pebble, LG chocolate, and stranger designs like the Samsung X830 or the Motorola V70.
There seemed to be an endless amount of unique phones to choose from. Each with their own unique operating system.But today, that’s all gone away. Almost every smartphone is a slab of glass with a large touchscreen without much any uniqueness or personality.
So what happened? Well, in short, the iPhone happened.

[@zerotymn]

Personally I think smartphones have reached a mature stage where more features are just additions rather than something that would blown everyone expectations nowadays.

[@Silkl4sh]

I couldn't agree more. I have always been a phone nerd. However since 2019 until Sept '23 I have used Samsung S10+, which was so great I had no reason to move on. Unfortunately bluetooth totally died and I had to switch to S23, which is sorta faster and has 120hz display but other than that I see no differences at all. I feel disappointed by 4 generations gap and the price I had to pay to literally get nothing better than I already had.

[@WololoWololo2]

​@@Silkl4shthen move to Z Fold 5 lol

[@superiortoall22]

@@WololoWololo2why? Mediocre cameras and heavier, clunkier.

[@Electrifize]

​@@superiortoall22Cameras are no way near being mediocre. It's as good as an S21 Ultra but without some features and a 10x lens, and it weighs only 20g more than an S23 Ultra

[@jag92949]

I actually think newer iPhones are more attractive than the older ones.

[@Sting_ray]

“Google made an operating system named Android” Google didn’t make Android, they bought it in 2005.

[@The92Waffles]

semantics. they bought it and made it their own

[@dmt00000]

And they bought it and were working on it way before the first iPhone came out. Retarded author of the video makes it sound like it was a reaction to iPhone.

[@itsarian.]

They technically dont even own the code since its open source

[@MoffieGirl]

That is not what open source means, but all right

[@MoffieGirl]

No wonder why Tech looks the way it does. People don’t even know what open source means.

[@friendlybane]

It's the touchscreen. It killed buttons. And of course, there's not many ways to manufacture touchscreens, and not many manufacturers doing it, so you end up with similar looking devices.

[@Silkl4sh]

IMHO switching from 16:9 to wider screen ratios with small screen bezels was the striking blow. Until then many manufacturers tried to be different. Samsung had their physical home button, LG had it's logo below the screen, Sony was squarish, iPhone was just iPhone.

[@onesteeltank]

​@@Silkl4shI agree. Was around 2017-2018 that phones rapidly became hard to distinguish

[@islowclick]

@@onesteeltankI think it's good. Gives one less reason for people that brag to others about their new phones

[@onesteeltank]

@@islowclick that's a really stupid reason I'm not going to lie.

[@bluecherryreal]

Because it’s a good design and no point in changing it

[@SalvoBS]

true

[@z0rden_]

İts bad,big screens and camera bumps are ugly and hard to carry

[@Chucky096]

​@@z0rden_then use a blackberry classic or worse

[@User-ge7ni]

@@z0rden_skill issue

[@cursorguy]

@@z0rden_ really? I personally prefer the bigger phones since I watch a lot of movies and stuff on them. If I’m wearing basketball shorts or something more loose ike that my phone does sag them a little bit but it still is pretty easy to carry

[@bushidorox]

The early 2010s were full of smartphones with distinct designs. The iPhone 4/5 era, Galaxy S3, the HTC One…and most of that ‘personality’ was in and around the bezels of the phone. The ‘indistinguishable glass slab’ really came into existence once we started moving towards borderless displays. Ridding smartphones of bezels gave us larger screens, but that removed any remaining personality smartphones used to have.

[@alexpham4002]

I mean, there is still the back side to distinguish the phones

[@ouya_expert]

Man the HTC One's front facing speakers were GOATed. Didn't have to cup the speakers like an idiot throughout its lifetime

[@markm0000]

There’s always room to innovate and make a personality out of something so bland. The problem is phone manufacturers don’t want to try anything new because they’re only interested in making profit and something different would be controversial to investors. The only way I see out of this is standardizing dimensions and making custom cases with shapes and features to fit people’s individual personality. Kinda like replaceable covers on old Nokias.

[@rarigate]

Kinda like how televisions look all the same now, since its technology reached its peak. People expect a phone redesign every single year, that's not how tech work.

[@maxonite]

Pretty spot-on. Nobody goes to a store and complains about the TVs all looking the same, we should stop doing that for phones too. But for some reason people want to buy a new one every 2 years still, so they want innovation

[@bomlife1572]

maybe its human brain / progress reached its peak that cant design or invent more things for its technology

[@skyssleepy]

iphon same thing each year

[@laifyalif]

there is only... one small thing that kinda breaks ur argument ...the frame??? like, that exists, tvs can still have personality!

[@oilsine]

@@bomlife1572duuuuudeeee true, we need aliens

[@AppleExplained]

If you want to learn my video-creation method in a detailed course let me know here: greg-s-site-7f5d.thinkific.com/

[@MrReddFlames]

Ok

[@cosmo1377]

first

[@theairaccumulator7144]

no😊

[@MrReddFlames]

@@cosmo1377 no.

[@ProdByJacob-_]

can i have the song name? please and thank you

[@thisskydork124]

Why all toilets looks the same

[@definitelyjustjj4042]

In my opinion it wasn’t the original iPhone that caused the lack of uniqueness, but the iPhone X. Back in 2010-2016 there were still unique smartphones with different designs, but since the iPhone X and its screen to edge + notch design, every phone more or less looks the same now.

[@genzeuronymous7787]

there were bezel less phones long before the I phone 10, it was the inevitable design direction for smart phones

[@handle__]

Yeah, it's basically since bezeless phones that phones are less unique. There were so many unique touch screen phones. Altough there were unique large screen-to-body ratio phones as well like pop up camera phones like Oppo Find X.

[@toonyandfriends1915]

the screen of the iphone x is from samsung

[@justinmartin8887]

@@toonyandfriends1915oh my how frightening

[@lol-yz2kd]

@@toonyandfriends1915 only the screen. But apple made the design which is everyone did copy again

[@kjooni]

Agree, when I first had my touch screen phone, because of nostalgia I still used my flip phone as a secondary for about 2-4 years until it died...even now I would still choose a flip or a keypad phone as a secondary...

[@IntegraDIY]

there were PDA’s with on screen qwerty keyboards way before the first iphone, they were running windows and looked very basic and sleek but were very powerful for the day

[@user-vt6td9hp3g]

and they were crap

[@PeteS_1994]

Blackberries as well

[@paolozago6123]

But they were using mostly stylus as an input device, because the screen was too small for finger input. Symbian too had some nice devices, not only Nokia, but also Sony Ericsson with their UIQ interface, but still mostly were operated by a stylus

[@cursorguy]

The iPhone was the first smartphone to truly utilize a touchscreen. That was its whole gimmick really

[@FG-gu9rn]

@@cursorguyBut what about the pocket PC’s?

[@johnmilner9640]

I love the early 2010s because it was an era when tech companies were experimenting, and we still had verity and iconic names Ex: Microsoft surface RT Ex: Apple iPhone 5s Ex: apple iPod classic Ex: Microsoft Zune HD Ex: Blackberry Bold Ex: Samsung Galaxy Mega I could go on...

[@chandlerbing7570]

Still got my Surface RT. It was kinda still usable until 2019 when websites stopped working on internet explorer

[@Joe-ko2kc]

@@chandlerbing7570 The build was pretty nice. As a surface duo owner, it's a shame how microsoft almost never supports any of their new products/ideas.

[@Carcosahead]

That’s why I miss Sony Ericsson, they where always experimenting

[@RKingis]

It's because they are handheld computers that make phone calls. We've gotten to a point where most changes are where most people will never see..

[@ggwp638BC]

One key detail, compatibility WASN'T the only drive factor. Screen size was. Pretty much nothing on a phone beats more screen size (as long as the total area of the phone is still manageable). Simply put, screen is content, it's where everything about the phone is. Mechanical keyboards are a tool to get information into the screen, but with touchscreen you can do always with it and add more screen. Home buttons are useful, but not necessary, so away with it for more screen. So on and so on. Even things that aren't necessarily physical objects in the phone, but concepts, lose to screen size: the original size of the iphone was meant to be easily navigated with one hand - today you need humongous hands to have full access to your phone's screen with your thumb.

[@user-qx6xh4kz6l]

2:22 was a reference to One and Only NOKIA

[@paolozago6123]

Most of the design, material and finish differences today are in the back of the phone. And then we hide them behind an ugly cover :D

[@AlexRaylight]

Because "modern" phones are fragile as f*ck. They keep using so much glass in them, just to force your to cover it up so it doesn't shatter from a simple fall... Just give me a damn plastic phone, that I can even throw like a baseball and not worry about its safety!

[@50Steaks68]

Out of necessity. Those things are fragile AF

[@anponmon]

Before it was hardware that mattered. Now phones are only differentiated through software only.

[@laurenslee9134]

I'm so old that I remember when a person had a beeper, it meant they were really important and successful. Then I recall the huge cell phone in a bag that people would carry around. Now if you had *that* you were doing pretty, pretty well for yourself.

[@jevonsims900]

When I was growing up a pager/beeper meant you were either dealing drugs legally at a Pharmacy or Hospital or illegally on the streets.

[@laurenslee9134]

@@jevonsims900 yea, no doubt!

[@thecapone45]

Absolutely loved the Motorola Razor. What a time to be alive. That being said, I loved the consistency in iPhones and not having to “re-learn” a whole new phone. I recently found my old phones from my early college days and I realized I had forgotten how to use them. My old iPhones, however, were very familiar to me. That sort of consistency just didn’t really exist back then. Same for MP3 players.

[@xXmlgamingXx355]

I’d take practicality over uniqueness any day.

[@keijijohnson9754]

You can definitely have BOTH as foldable makers have been proving nowadays

[@bosphaxay7109]

@@keijijohnson9754 Foldables are not pratical. A phone that breaks when using it in day to day life is not practical. A practical phone is something that works when it has to and isn't a hindrance. Most 'not unqiue' mobile phones fit this category.

[@GreatName707]

@@keijijohnson9754 normal phones are better than foldables. Maybe in the future foldables can actually compete with normal phones

[@WololoWololo2]

Z Fold 5 already competes with S23 Ultra LMAO 😂😂

[@MegaLokopo]

@@keijijohnson9754 Due to the serious concerns of a complete lack of durability of foldable phones, they really aren't that practical yet.

[@diniconights]

Devices like the lg wing, surface duo and like you mentioned foldables are the step to the past and i love it thats why i love these devices so much

[@harysviewty]

Lg dualscreen, rollable

[@diniconights]

@@harysviewty definitly but the case is an accessory and the rollable wasn't released sadly

[@vincentsolomitajr4029]

Apple worries more about adding features instead of having a solid OS by the time the OS is running good they have a new one with new bugs

[@RBRT02]

You simply cannot put a Note (or S Ultra as they are now called) between normal smartphones and says they are all the same.

[@samastra1066]

I miss bezels

[@SwordTomato]

tf?

[@limegreentechnologies8803]

Bro is running out of ideas

[@andrzejroskowicz245]

Everyone wants weird looking phones to exist but nobody wants to buy them

[@David_Granger]

Though the app ecosystem on the iPhone only came later.

[@turnoverbros]

Yep, a year after the original iPhone

[@David_Granger]

@@turnoverbros Yep. Such, it shouldn't be counted with the original iPhone. Apple was initially opposed to third party apps on the iPhone.

[@q_2676]

Unrelated to the video: i dont know if you’ve already made a video about it but why iPads are named “iPad nth generation xx-inch” instead of “iPad 10” or “iPad Pro 4/iPad Pro 4 Plus(for bigger screen versions)”?

[@noelgeogy786]

“And some were indestructible” 😂😂

[@furkanayas3339]

the deal is, it suitable with the content, so it's efficient. You are watching 16:9 ratio content, from 10-30cm distance (mostly), 5-6 inches are perfect for these conditions. if you have a tablet, you probably don't like watching stuff while laying your bed, putting your head on the pillow. because 10-15" are too big for that orientation. you also won't prefer consume the content from 2" watch screen. sometimes you need same screen in distance. also the weight, there is a threshold, after a certain gram, you can't get comfortable with the phone, your focus get badly effected as well. so the experiences and optimizations turn the design into this. but we are using computers, calling these as phones are not that accurate anymore. while we are using cable and T9 phones, they were mainly focused on calls and texts. today people write books on their phones, have meeting, sell stocks, buy cars, vote stuff, check medical record, follow patient, design their room before buying the actual furnitures with AR etc

[@brettmacahilos8609]

I miss really the old days where the White bezel screens on smartphones is widely applied, now its rarely to see with it

[@lol-yz2kd]

Because it will look weird. Why can't u understand it that uniqueness doesn't mean better lol

[@BaconFaceMcGee]

I kind of miss the pre-iPhone days.

[@redbearddan2000]

Now there are foldable phones that can bring variety on the market and maybe experiment with designs. Even though people still complain, this is the most unique think you can find now

[@AdamasOldblade]

Yeah I don’t miss the Wild West of phones. I remember being 17 in 2004 with my Sidekick II and while flippin it open and closed was endlessly entertaining… give me a touch screen any day. And my god I do not miss texting with T9. Horrible.

[@jimmyhaymaker]

I loved t9 lol. It was so accurate. I miss those days.

[@CybernerdShua]

I wish Apple would add T9 dialing on the phone app.

[@jag92949]

Before iPhones, I remembered using cell phones only for calls.

[@BryanzHAn03]

Before iPhones there were smartphones already have cameras and can access the internet via GPRS, 3G etc. The first iPhone couldn't record video, no app-switcher, no "App Store," and there's probably more I haven't mentioned. Meanwhile there are Nokia phones that can record video, in-camera effects/filters, MMS, copy and paste (yes, a Nokia smartphone from 2002 had copy-paste!)

[@commentarytalk1446]

You skirted around the core paradigm = Biggest screen size possible that fits in hands and pockets and still feels light enough in both while being bigger due to how much time people look at their smartphones... that's why the convergence has occurred around the same physical design. You can argue the "expected UI design" is now baked in and becomes a standard too but that feeds into the visual size necessity and trend of larger screens due to how much people use their phones. Inevitably this design limitation will almost certainly be solved when goggles/glasses can be lightly and comfortably worn (amongst other material challenges) that micro the size of current designs such as Vision Pro et al. then the screen issue goes away and full computer capacity and usability is possible either voice-ai and/or gesture/eyes etc as well as traditional input devices. Before then we may see thinner and better foldable screens to increase size? If you notice all the older designs had tiny screens.

[@ibrasowe]

Change it to: Phones explained

[@MrBrewman95]

Why does it sound too racist for you? 😂😂😂

[@kalpanajagarlamudi8795]

2:00 lack of knowledge. Andrion is an Open-source project. And they took it made own os but later when google released their own android, it was mind-blowing as the apis and sdks are simple and efficient. Then google started its monepoly

[@ZalgoPinkamena]

Not a single person argued about missing features on the old phones pre iphone. Everyone was happy with their phones. The iphone just made everyone having access to the internet, and I personally think it was a mistake.

[@llukem]

Kinda funny how the Apple Explained video starts with naming a bunch of old competing non-Apple phones from the 2000s lol.

[@Pearloryx]

I believe that 1970s to 2000s were a time phones experiment on which design that satisfied the customers the most.

[@itzgamerz3102]

It’s form makes it optimal for its most used storage space, the pocket of our pants

[@GDAtlas]

i appreciate you putting the link in the comments

[@TheStopwatchGod]

They've perfected the design.

[@lol-yz2kd]

Yeah and people still want a new design for iphone like apple alre4perfected the design for iphone why they want more

[@TellyMan200]

The moto razr was my go to phone back in the 00s. oh the days before apple phone was a suprising array of diffrent phones.

[@joermnyc]

I wanted that slide cover phone from the first Matrix… but then learned it was only available in Australia, and it wasn’t as cool in real life (it didn’t spring open, and opening and closing it wasn’t how you answered and ended a call.)

[@ragvrai]

“And some were indestructible”… those days

[@benten42069]

Unless we make some groundbreaking technology, this is what phones will probably look like forever. They will have smaller bezels, maybe a hidden front facing camera and that's it. But we still have a ton to improve tho, especially the battery, phones haven't had a good battery in ages

[@SwordTomato]

"good battery"

[@oh-noe]

More performance, more efficient components, better batteries, better camera solutions (apple ProRes with log is great on iPhone), and more storage as the norm and I will be happy. Especially the camera software is very boring. It feels like a toy. Over-processed images out of the box, just give me the raw image and let me process it myself

[@laurenslee9134]

You're exactly right. When I get a phone I want to get the best and hate knowing I'm forking out $1,000 + and the battery of that device will be crap in 1-2 years. There should be solid state batteries in phones by now I'm sick of lithium ion batteries.

[@102830189291]

Apple is now at 3nm chips. cant get smaller than that for at least 20 years. The phone already has enaugh power to play current AAA games. There literally is nothing letft to improve@@oh-noe

[@MISCELLANEOUSENTERTAINER]

"...some were indestructible"...Yeah, gotchu...Legendary Nokia 3310😅

[@hellslayer9638]

I miss the slider phone alot , nokia does make feature phones even flip phones now but they haven't released a slider phone yet , please bring those back man

[@drewjr14]

Some were indestructible. Lmaoo Nokia 3310 😂

[@aresnir2725]

Today all smartphones are literally indistinguishable. Its not just "all phones are rectangles with rounded corners". They have literally the same smallest design features: same placement of multiple cameras, same notch for front camera, same buttons on sides and so on.

[@creepycreo9004]

"Some were indestructable. " 🤣

[@Iosaiv]

The things you say about the Razr just ain't right yo. One of the best phones I ever had and it was fast.

[@chibha96]

I can relate and find similar approach is being adopted in automobile.

[@jfrunnerCanada]

Like planes, they have reached their optimal shape

[@erotech1]

Yes, I want to know how you make these videos, please!

[@wyzemann]

I have no lingering nostalgia for those old clunkers. I owned only one brand, Nextel, before permanently adopting an iPhone 3Gs in autumn ‘09. After nearly 15 years, I've never been tired of Apple’s exceedingly lofty standards or services. Good riddance to all those pre-iPhone corpses; may they forever R.I.P.

[@bomlife1572]

“I have no lingering nostalgia for those old clunkers.” of course cause you owned only one brand which is Nextel, thats why you dont even know the beauty and nostalgia of other old school phones

[@wyzemann]

@@bomlife1572 None of them were worth my interest then or now. I'm enjoying the “glass slab revolution” to the fullest🌞. Happy Holidays, bud!

[@Eok6]

I want more experiments in design

[@_georgios1999]

ngl the old phone names sound like gun names. I'd sure be able to unlock and use a Samsung XA30 in battle

[@mikaxms]

That's not entirely true. There are also foldable phones.

[@MegaLokopo]

Yea but apple doesn't make them yet, so they haven't been invented yet in the eyes of apple or their fans.

[@newellslab]

Z fold for the win

[@maxonite]

Which are less than 2% of the market share so irrelevant

[@lol-yz2kd]

Irrelevant

[@shahabazshaikh7113]

Where's the link?🤔 Because I want to know how you made videos like this.

[@emiel333]

“It’s too expensive, doesn’t have a physical keyboard” *Steve Ballmer

[@ej1033-]

piano moment

[@SyndiGlo]

Sidekick XL didn’t slide open like that. It Sidekick’ed out and around.

[@thom0172]

Why is there not an mute switch on the iPad

[@blurvision2844]

Next video suggestion: history of the Apple Watch

[@FittestTrack]

i remember when my parents had blackberrries, good times with atari breakout

[@niravjhaveri]

The last point about phones being indestructible (Nokia) was the best!

[@kritiksingkong]

We need remade Nokia 7700 style to modern smartphone design....

[@LeahDykema]

Indestructible were the best! Those had the most entertaining backstories ever!

[@Dedicated2WendyWilliams]

I think the next big thing that needs to happen to phones is 1 week battery life, I think battery technology needs to improve, eventually it will;

[@madhououinkyoma]

And some were indestructible indeed!

[@eppttyy]

That’s what the Blackberry and Motorola thought too before they were replaced by the iPhone. Innovation never stops.

[@Ginger_Dalek]

At the end, when he said "And some phones were indestructible." who immediately thought of the Nokia 3310?

[@kdumi6064]

Share your thoughts on windows phones

[@mma0911]

I watch MrMobile's When Phones Were Fun series to reminisce

[@setspeed]

smartphone market is mature now. that is also why you don't see many new companies

[@hermanwooster8944]

The distinct designs of the 2000s may seem quaint now, but they were annoying. It meant you had to relearn the basics every time you got a new phone. And it wasn't as if it was better.

[@CamMJ18]

simple reason copy and paste and slight changes

[@titan_burn_gaming_yt]

WOW LOOK WHO WAS THE FIRST ONE COPY

[@TheRythimMan]

Supply and demand. And phones that looked like iphone are in high demand. I sort of miss physical keyboards though.

[@blurvision2844]

Next video suggestion: why the Apple Watch ECG doesn’t check for a heart attack

[@Fennecbutt]

Liability. Pretty simple reasons.

[@Robospidera1]

I feel like eventually design has to change more or else we will suffer from lack of innovation.. just as smartphones are good and work we need the next big thing.

[@MegaLokopo]

What would that even be? Video is still the fastest way humans can receive information, and a touch screen is the fastest way to transfer information to a small device.

[@CybernerdShua]

​@@MegaLokopoI can't say for certain because technological advancement isn't always predictable but BCIs, VR, folding phones, and watch-like devices are all things that come to mind for possible "next big thing" contenders. Don't let a lack of imagination limit your possible futures. Admitting that you don't know what's coming but that something has to change is not a bad thing.

[@skylovescars69420]

@@MegaLokopoNot really, but at this current time yes.

[@MegaLokopo]

@@CybernerdShua I don't know if folding phones would count in my playbook as the next big thing, because they are still so similar to normal smartphones, the only difference is a larger screen in a smaller form factor. VR maybe, but there isn't a good way yet for people to interact in vr, keyboards are just so much faster and mroe accurate than voice or controllers. Watches probably not just because they have smaller screens and are harder to type on. But I don't know.

[@MegaLokopo]

@@skylovescars69420 What would be faster than audio and video for receiving information and what would be faster for sending information to a device than typing?

[@hanro50]

The issue is that phones, in a sense, became more then phones. They evolved and essentially became pocketable computers and inherented the standardization prevalent in the computer space. Since that space often has 2 types of customers. App developers and Users. App developers want a standard piece of hardware. They don't want to deal with weird edge cases.

[@SharkStudios.]

“Apple happened.”

[@golsitito4492]

I remember the days in where if your phone fell was the ground that was in trouble.

[@blackbird1665]

I hate seeing this once great channel fall off because of lack of topics to cover. 68.000 views and 0 likes? Really?

[@NigelMontezuma]

WHY AREN'T IMAC/MAC PRO KEYBOARDS BACKLIT

[@ConsciousRobot]

Same reason all cars "look the same"

[@raidenstark315]

I hope modern phones find a way to bringmg back the old designs, it really sucks how every phone is a big rectangle

[@gtabro1337]

Were Nokia, Siemens and Sony Ericsson not at least somewhat popular in the US in the 2000s?

[@mr.whimsic6902]

If only phones were edible...

[@Radiioactiivoo]

Ahh back then phones were so cool every phone was unique

[@somepath410]

….and some where indestructible… Nokia says ‘hi’

[@gargabwala2675]

And Some were indestructible... Only reminds me of one phone.

[@rajpawar9343]

Those days were nice tough.

[@lol-yz2kd]

Definitely no. Those cellphones back then is just so hassle to use and everyone knows it if born in that era.

[@ANTICHRISTJC]

I cried watching this 😢

[@djfcb]

Google didn't make Android, they bought it.

[@adamk203]

I still long for a smartphone with a tactile keypad. I hate typing on a touchscreen so much. The Nokia 6800 is the best phone I've owned, because it was both indestructible and had a flip-out keypad.