Smartphone design has seen vital convergence over the previous three years, specifically. Shows and facet rails are virtually universally flat throughout firms and product traces. Batteries are massive. Ultrawide and telephoto cameras are all however customary. Even the corners of telephones are almost all rounded out. A few of these traits are nice, others I might do with out.
However, for much too a few years, firms have used ugly, annoying protruding lenses which might be too usually aligned to the top-left of the telephone. This not solely makes the lenses liable to breaking if the telephone is dropped, nevertheless it additionally makes the telephone uneven. Everybody is aware of how a lot telephones wobble when positioned on a desk, and it is annoying as heck.
Nevertheless, the upcoming iPhone 17 and the Galaxy S26 each seem like adopting Google’s superior digicam bar design, one which not solely facilities the digicam configuration but in addition creates a pleasant, even, horizontal digicam island instead of raised lenses. I feel it is higher for any variety of causes, and it appears prefer it’s lastly turning into the usual.
Down with raised lenses
Above, you may see leaked renders of the Apple iPhone 17 Air, Apple iPhone 17 Professional, Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge, and an official render of the Google Pixel 10 Professional. There is no denying the similarities right here.
Ever for the reason that Pixel 6, Google has proven the world {that a} digicam bar is the superior means to deal with all that clunky digicam {hardware} in a chic style. In spite of everything, there is not any approach to hold a telephone feeling skinny and nonetheless ship the digicam high quality folks need with no massive ol’ digicam lens protruding of the again. Telephones just like the Honor Magic V5 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 are in all probability the epitome of this idea.
Nevertheless, many firms tried to take the “easy” method by inserting the digicam sensors behind massive, protruding lenses on the backs of telephones. This design is just not solely ugly (for my part), nevertheless it additionally invitations mud assortment, makes telephones really feel inconsistently weighted, causes wobble, and even generally places lenses proper the place your fingers maintain the telephone whereas taking an image.
Digicam islands like these on Pixel telephones repair all of these issues. They assist middle the burden and bulk of the cameras. They supply a flat floor so the telephone would not wobble when it is positioned down. They even reduce down on mud assortment by eradicating all these further protruding areas.
They’re even aesthetically nicer, including stunning symmetry to the design and a few extra fascinating angles and design components that boost the boring black rectangles we have all grown used to.
The issue is that, whereas Apple and Samsung are copying Google’s design, they’re forgetting one of the crucial essential elements: flatness.
Google is the one one doing it proper
For those who take a look at the angled renders of the Galaxy S26 Edge, iPhone 17 Professional, and Google Pixel 10 Professional above, you may in all probability discover one thing unusual in regards to the digicam lenses on two of the three telephones. That is proper, each Samsung and Apple appear to have misunderstood the whole objective of the digicam island.
As an alternative of flattening the backs and fully fixing the issue of asymmetry and wobble, each of those firms have solely decreased these points. The lenses nonetheless protrude, and whereas there’s little doubt that these all will wobble lower than earlier designs, this could have solved these points.
In the meantime, Google’s glorious digicam visor design is just not solely fully flat throughout the whole floor, nevertheless it has a extremely elegant layer of metallic trimming the surface and the appropriate quarter of the design. This helps beef up sturdiness over time and reduces the variety of glass surfaces that might break within the occasion of a drop.
Google is setting a design customary
I am actually glad to see the digicam visor making its means right into a extra standardized smartphone design format, even when Google nonetheless does it greatest. It is higher than the boring raised lenses for a ton of various causes, and I feel it will make this subsequent batch of smartphones look much more fascinating than what we have seen previously few years.
It is also one of many causes I used to be so upset when Google ditched the digicam bar with the Google Pixel 9a and has even talked about eliminating the digicam bar on the remainder of the Pixel lineup, as AI removes the necessity for bodily {hardware} prowess.
Since Google and Samsung have had a foul behavior of copying Apple’s designs these days, it is good to see the shoe on the opposite foot on the {hardware} facet of issues. I am hoping this implies extra firms will begin adopting the digicam bar as a result of, fairly merely, it is the appropriate transfer.
Get Google’s greatest Pixel ever in a dimension that’ll really slot in your hand and your pocket, all with out compromising on one of the best {hardware} options. The Pixel 10 Professional is a powerhouse telephone in a supremely manageable dimension, and it is acquired the digicam {hardware} to match that Pixel pedigree.
