Smartphone Ergonomics Requires Giving A Damn About The User
As someone who went from the iPhone 4S to a ‘phablet’ Android phone, then the 2016 iPhone SE and now the 2020 iPhone SE, I’m acutely aware of the ergonomic trade-offs at both ends of the scale. Bigger phones are a challenge to hold and use, but the smaller phones require UI attention that appears to be absent from both manufacturers (Apple in this case) and app developers.
I have to wonder if the reason Apple has given up on both the SE and Mini models is that they’ve decided those customers just aren’t profitable enough for them because those people are less willing to upgrade.
It’s not that app developers can’t design for smaller screens, I’m sure the tools are there to help them do so. But there seems to be a lack of will or desire to make sure the app works across all device sizes.
Imagine the uproar if Mac apps, for instance, were unusable on MacBooks or MacBook Airs because their UI had been designed for larger MacBook Pros or iMacs.
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