Apple moved to a throwback design with flat edges for the iPhone 12 lineup, and that trend continues to date with the iPhone 14 series. All models of the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone 14 have had the same flat edges covering the phones. But if a new rumor is to be believed, things could change with the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max.
According to a leaker who goes by ShrimpApplePro, the iPhone 15 Pro lineup could have thinner bezels and curved edges. Both the design features could combine to give the phones an “Apple Watch-like look.” And you know what? I’m all for it.
I like it curvy, Apple
Apple moved to flat edges with the iPhone 12, which was a breath of fresh air after having curved edges on the iPhones for years. It was beautiful to look at, but I never liked it. The flat edges look great, but they’re also not particularly comfortable to hold.
And this problem becomes exacerbated once you go with Pro Max variants of the iPhone, as the edges start digging into your pinky finger. I’m a dedicated Pro Max iPhone user due to my battery anxiety, but it comes at a cost. I hold my phone in a way that my pinky finger rests at the bottom of the device, and the bottom edge hurts my finger if I’m using the phone for long durations at a stretch. And that has been the case with almost all recent flagship smartphones, thanks to Apple paving the way in 2020.
Unfortunately, what Apple does, the smartphone industry follows. It happened with the notch, and it continued with the flat-edge design. As a result, almost every smartphone launched in 2022 was a nightmare to use, personally speaking.
That’s why I’m glad about even the slightest possibility of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, aka iPhone 15 Ultra, having curved edges. It also means that Android smartphone companies will likely follow suit and end flat-edge phone endeavors. I hope we get to see more curvy smartphones in 2024.
iPhone 15 Pro is going back to 2014 for ‘innovation’ purposes
In 2014, Apple shifted to curved edges on the iPhone 6 from the iPhone 5s’ boxy design. At the time, the flat edges weren’t a usability issue because the phones were small, and our holding habits were different. But it’s 2023, and if the latest rumor is to be believed, Apple is basically going back to 2014.
Samsung also introduced its Galaxy Note Edge, which had a “waterfall” style display on the right edge, in 2014. It was followed by the Galaxy S6 Edge with curved edges on both sides – something that has been appreciated by the Asian market. As per ShrimpApplePro, Apple will introduce curved edges with thinner bezels, but it will still have a flat display. That’s good news for some, but is sort of a disappointment for me as someone who actually likes curved displays.
In a way, going back to the old “curvy” design is also a case of Apple admitting that it made a wrong choice going with the flat edges. And people have been vocal about it on social media, saying the flat edges don’t make big devices good for usability when compared to phones with curved edges.
Curved edges also makes it easier to reach the top-left corner of the device with one hand (if you are a right-hander) and vice versa. And considering that iOS still has some apps with design elements at that part of the screen, it’s a welcome design change — even if it means dialing back time nine years.
One of many changes for the iPhone 15
In 2023, the lineup-starter iPhone 15 will be the star of the show. It is said to borrow the Dynamic Island from the iPhone 14 Pro series, which will reduce the gap between the basic and Pro models. But there is no word if the 120Hz refresh rate will trickle down to the iPhone 15. If it doesn’t, the Dynamic Island implementation will be interesting to see, since it won’t be as smooth as on the iPhone 14 Pro series.
The iPhone 15 series is touted to have the same display size as the iPhone 14 lineup. It will also feature curved edges. It looks like the primary differentiating factor between the vanilla models and the Pro iPhones will be the cameras, especially until the under-display Face ID shows up on iPhone 16 Pro series.
Combine all of that goodness with a comfortable, more practical design, and we’re potentially looking at a killer year for the iPhone. It’s still too early to get too hopeful, but things do look like they’re heading in the right direction.
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