Summary
- Foldable phones are saturating the market, with the potential for new features and designs.
- Cameras on phones are becoming more professional, with innovative lens features.
- Gaming phones like the ASUS Rog Phone 9 offer a unique user experience and could increase in popularity.
Over the history of mobile phones, there have been some wild design changes. People thought the brick style of phones in the 1990s was game-changing, and it was because phones had only been used in homes or cars up to that point. Then, flip phones became a huge deal. The Blackberry changed it up again with a full keyboard and then Razr made being thin stylish.
Nowadays, most people are used to looking at phones and seeing rectangular boxes with rounded corners that can be charged wirelessly. iPhones, meanwhile, have more or less looked the same since they were introduced. Many Samsung phones feature terrific cameras and large screens, but they have a generally similar design. However, there are plenty of other manufacturers that are taking big swings in terms of how their phones look.
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While some have unique cameras or crazy designs, they can all do similar things, like call or text. But that doesn’t mean that some of the new features or designs aren’t things we are going to see more of in the future. There are some fascinating designs that caught eyes recently — here are some of them and why they could be a sign of things to come in the future.
1 Foldable phones with a jolt
They’ve become common now
Foldable phones are having their moment again. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 were some of the top foldables released this year. With dual-screen modes and maneuvers that make them much smaller than any conventional phone these days, foldability has become a bit of a gimmick. While the market for them is becoming more saturated, their use cases are still a bit limited.
What the industry is waiting for is a foldable iPhone. While Apple is reportedly building it, it still hasn’t come out yet or even been announced by the tech giant. It would definitely change how people look at foldable phones because of how popular iPhones are — it could basically return the foldable phone markets to what they were in the early 2000s.
This is something to keep an eye on in 2025 and beyond.
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2 Cameras with a professional boost
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is a sign of things to come
Huawei
Camera improvements are something that most manufacturers focus on any time they put out a new phone. Whether they’re adding multiple cameras — some for video recording and others for photos — or enhancing front cameras for selfies, photography is at the top of mind. But something like the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is taking things a step further. While the huge lens looks more like something you would see on a professional camera or even an old camcorder, the inner workings are much more impressive.
The lens is retractable, which gives you better zoom. Not only that, it has an adjustable aperture that can change between f/1.6 to f/4.0, giving you a lot of control over the lighting and depth of your pictures. It’s something that can be taken away from this phone, as more phones will aim for more professional components to up the ante for photographers.
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3 Gaming-specific phones
Your phone and gaming systems will go hand in hand
The Gameboy was such a huge innovation for the time because you could bring your gaming system with you wherever you went. Having a Nintendo Switch means you can travel with your gaming system or even then just hook it up to your TV. The ASUS Rog Phone 9 knocks the socks off the industry as one of the latest gaming phones to come out of 2024.
While it isn’t the first of its kind, it is the most recent, launching in November 2024. This phone is packed with AI features, such as:
- Automatically records victories
- Offers a translation feature
- Cancels out unnecessary noise
- Features AI image recognition
The design of the ASUS Rog Phone 9 is truly impressive, with an incredibly high refresh rate (you might get a smoother picture on your phone than on your gaming monitor). There could be more gaming phones in the future with more attention paid to making the gaming experience a special one.
While gaming phones are a niche product, those that can do it well should continue to try to raise their game.
4 Customizability will make phones more fun
They can also fit nicely into your budget
Phones like the CMF Phone 1 actually let you customize your phone in ways other phones never could. That’s because it is meant to be taken apart and redesigned the way the user prefers. You can add a case, a kickstand, and other accessories right to the phone. All you need to do is unscrew the back screws and add or subtract to the outer portion of the phone.
The customization factor makes this a fun experiment and if phones like this catch on, others will imitate it.
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The CMF Phone 1 has the luxury of choosing this kind of design because of its low price point ($239). People who are paying $700-$1,000 for their phones want the manufacturers to make a phone they can use for just about anything. The customization factor makes this a fun experiment and if phones like this catch on, others will imitate it.
CMF Phone 1
Nothing’s first budget, the CMF Phone 1, is a solid Android phone with a unique system for attaching and detaching accessories like a kickstand, lanyard, and wallet.
5 Tri-fold is the new bi-fold
Make it look like you’re opening up a wallet case
Huawei / Pocket-lint
The Huawei Mate XT is a first-of-its-kind tri-fold smartphone. It has three separate screens that, if the phone is open fully, basically makes it a mini tablet. It’s a hard product to mass produce for many manufacturers because this form factor is unique and advanced. The problem with the Huawei Mate XT is that it is incredibly expensive (up to nearly $3,400 when converted to USD).
The design is also delicate, meaning it can cost you a lot and can potentially break on you more easily. Going forward, manufacturers will need to figure out a way to make these more durable. Samsung is reportedly already developing oneof its own, but initially, it will be costly and difficult to do. If they can — and potentially lower the price while it’s at it — this kind of phone will make sense for those looking to have a versatile smartphone.
The Huawei Mate XT is currently exclusive to the Chinese market and there haven’t been any announcements on when or if it might be available abroad.
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