Debate: Pretty phones vs durable phones

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Mariyan Slavov
Mariyan Slavov
Phonearena team
Original poster
• 1y ago

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say. Personally, I don't pay much attention to how phones look; I need them to be durable. And they're simply not. Frustrating. That brings up phone cases once again...

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DFranch
DFranch
Arena Apprentice
• 1y ago
↵MariyanSlavov said:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say. Personally, I don't pay much attention to how phones look; I need them to be durable. And they're simply not. Frustrating. That brings up phone cases once again...

I'd rather have a durable phone over pretty. I can accept a glass screen as I do prefer it to the old plastic screens which scratched easily. But there is no reason for glass on the back. Why put glass on the back only to have 90% of the population put a plastic case on it. Could it be to sell accessories?

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Mariyan Slavov
Mariyan Slavov
Phonearena team
Original poster
• 1y ago
↵DFranch said:

I'd rather have a durable phone over pretty. I can accept a glass screen as I do prefer it to the old plastic screens which scratched easily. But there is no reason for glass on the back. Why put glass on the back only to have 90% of the population put a plastic case on it. Could it be to sell accessories?

I think the accessory angle is just a consequence, not a cause or conspiracy. Still, manufacturers are willing to keep doing the glass sandwich thing over and over again...

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stferrari
stferrari
Arena Apprentice
• 1y ago

I am a veteran Sxx Ultra user. Pretty has never entered into my buying equation. I would love for the Ultra line to come with a titanium body but not at the expense of wireless charging and degraded signal (cellular, WIFI and/or Bluetooth) issues. Maybe we need a new Ultra rugged ceramic like material that has titainium like ruggedness with EMF transparency. Yes I am a SciFi buff?

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MikeManic
MikeManic
Arena Apprentice
• 1y agoedited

I believe it all comes down to what you're more interested in.

Such as, I love the look of the Moto G Stylus 5G emerald back plate, but I love the durability of a metal backplate.


Potentially, one could produce a durable phone that looks good via hydro-dipping metal plates instead of painting/colored adhesive.

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SkintaroD
SkintaroD
Arena Apprentice
• 1y agoedited

Motorola was using some "alternative" materials in the 2010s - the rubbery back of the Atrix 2, the kevlar and nylon of the Droid Turbo (favorite), the fabric and even wood panels for the Z series. The stainless steel rear panel of my Nokia 6300 felt really premium back in the day too.

I personally would be fine with plastic. Give it a nice grippy texture like the grips on a Sig Sauer and we'd be in business.

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pimpin83z
pimpin83z
Arena Legend
• 1y ago
↵MariyanSlavov said:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say. Personally, I don't pay much attention to how phones look; I need them to be durable. And they're simply not. Frustrating. That brings up phone cases once again...

I guess I'm the only one who liked when Motorola & Apple made these joints.


https://ibb.co/wdD2BNj

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Crispin_Gatieza
Crispin_Gatieza
Arena Master
• 1y ago
↵SkintaroD said:

Motorola was using some "alternative" materials in the 2010s - the rubbery back of the Atrix 2, the kevlar and nylon of the Droid Turbo (favorite), the fabric and even wood panels for the Z series. The stainless steel rear panel of my Nokia 6300 felt really premium back in the day too.

I personally would be fine with plastic. Give it a nice grippy texture like the grips on a Sig Sauer and we'd be in business.

I can't see an iPhone with a Pachmyr case ? I sure do miss my P226.

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Crispin_Gatieza
Crispin_Gatieza
Arena Master
• 1y ago

I think practical is more important to me than pretty or durable. I had never used a case on a phone until I got the Sony XZ3 and it was only because a case helped find the fingerprint scanner. Easily the worst placement for an FPS in history until the Note 8 said "hold my beer". Nowadays these slick glass bars of soap make it almost mandatory.

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Mariyan Slavov
Mariyan Slavov
Phonearena team
Original poster
• 1y ago
↵SkintaroD said:

Motorola was using some "alternative" materials in the 2010s - the rubbery back of the Atrix 2, the kevlar and nylon of the Droid Turbo (favorite), the fabric and even wood panels for the Z series. The stainless steel rear panel of my Nokia 6300 felt really premium back in the day too.

I personally would be fine with plastic. Give it a nice grippy texture like the grips on a Sig Sauer and we'd be in business.

Motorola did it again (well, Lenovo) with the ThinkPhone and its kevlar back. It's amazing and would look sick on an iPhone, for example.

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