This tiny bezel will permit Apple to grace the iPhone 16 Professional Max with a bigger show with out making the telephone itself a lot greater or bulkier. However as thrilling as this sounds, I can not assist however ask myself: will this ultra-thin bezel actually enhance the consumer expertise, or is it simply one other intelligent advertising trick?
A thinner bezel sounds tremendous interesting (at first)
Bezels on the iPhone 16 Professional Max. Or are there? | Picture Credit score – IceUniverse
Let’s begin by understanding why a thinner bezel is even price discussing. Bezels are the borders that encompass your telephone’s display, and for years, telephone makers have been shrinking them to create a extra immersive viewing expertise. The thought is easy: much less bezel means extra display. A thinner bezel offers you a bigger show in the identical bodily house, which suggests you possibly can get pleasure from extra content material with out carrying a much bigger system.
Apple hasn’t actually been slimming bezels as a lot as different rivals (like Samsung, for instance), nevertheless it’s been working in direction of making extra smooth, elegant gadgets. And now, the iPhone 16 Professional Max is predicted to take this to the following stage with a bezel that is barely there – simply 1.15mm thick. This could make it the thinnest bezel on any iPhone but, and sure one of many thinnest available on the market.
However is thinner all the time higher?
iPhone 16 Professional Max render. | Picture Credit score – PhoneArena
Whereas a thinner bezel sounds spectacular and positively drives some individuals into hype mode, I insist we should always contemplate whether or not it truly improves the telephone’s usability.
For many individuals, a virtually bezel-less design might be interesting as a result of it makes the system look extra trendy and premium. Additionally, as I mentioned, a thinner bezel can even make the display really feel extra immersive: be it for video binge-watching, gaming, or simply looking social media.
Nevertheless, there’s extra to a telephone than simply the way it seems to be. Usability is vital, and that is why I am somewhat bit involved. When the bezel is so skinny, there’s much less room for error when holding the telephone. So, we’re dealing with the potential drawback of unintended touches that make the telephone seem like it has a thoughts of its personal. Particularly for those who attempt to use it with one hand. And that’s one annoying factor!
One other potential concern I can consider is the sturdiness of the display (particularly within the breath-holding second after a wonderful flight towards the bottom). Bezels usually are not merely a waste of house, they really present some safety to the display! I do not actually wish to be extra sorry than secure… Though iPhones are usually identified for his or her sturdiness, it’s one thing to consider with such a skinny bezel.
The Dynamic Island will nonetheless be there
The Dynamic Island, the iPhone 15 Professional Max. | Picture Credit score – PhoneArena
Apple’s Dynamic Island was first launched with the iPhone 14 Professional. And it’ll nonetheless be a part of the iPhone 16 Professional fashions. The Dynamic Island is that pill-shaped cutout on the high of the display that homes the entrance digital camera and Face ID sensors, and the factor that Apple marketed as a characteristic to switch the notch. Yep, it provides some further performance, nevertheless it additionally takes up a portion of the display.
With the iPhone 16 Professional‘s thinner bezel, you would possibly anticipate a acquire in usable display house, however the presence of the Dynamic Island could spoil the impact. Certain, the display could also be bigger, however that extra house may not really feel as impactful (fast observe: “50% thinner bezels” doesn’t suggest a “50% greater display”, people) as a result of the Dynamic Island nonetheless occupies a noticeable portion of the show.
Aesthetics vs performance
Apple is understood for its meticulous consideration to element, and the iPhone 16 Professional’s ultra-thin bezel will for certain make the system look beautiful. However aesthetics aren’t all the things (regardless of how a lot I might like them to be). A telephone can look wonderful, but when it’s much less snug to make use of, that magnificence loses a few of its worth. And I’ve come to understand performance and luxury these days generally to the detriment of magnificence (we will not all the time have each!)
The iPhone 16 Professional’s thinner bezel is prone to make the system look extra elegant and trendy. Nevertheless, it stays to be seen whether or not this design selection will elevate the consumer expertise with the telephone. Certain, Apple can do some magic behind the scenes to attenuate unintended touches, and guarantee sturdiness, however nonetheless… will the magic be sufficient?
The skinny bezel race
The iPhone 15 Professional Max vs the iPhone 14 Professional Max. | Picture Credit score – PhoneArena
Telephones these days are high performers, and it is getting tougher and tougher to distinguish from the competitors. Chipsets are blazing quick and most of the people cannot inform the distinction between this 12 months’s flagship efficiency versus final 12 months’s. Or the one from two years in the past.
The scenario with the bezels is comparable. We’re getting thinner and thinner bezels, however I am unsure, simply normally, how vital slimming them is. I do not discover the bezels on my iPhone 13 Professional Max. Heck, I do not discover them on my boyfriend’s iPhone 8 (and so they’re monumental, what bothers me within the 8 is the Contact ID scenario…). So, is not that one other facet of the “numbers recreation”, similar to we now have with the megapixels on telephone cameras and processor speeds?
So, does a 1mm bezel actually make a distinction? The reply is determined by what you worth most in a smartphone. For those who’re somebody who prioritizes design and the look of your system, the iPhone 16 Professional’s thinner bezel might appeal to you (earlier than you overlook about bezels altogether). It might assist the telephone look extra premium.
Then again, for those who’re extra involved about how the telephone capabilities in on a regular basis use, you may not discover the thinner bezel as compelling. We have now the potential for extra unintended display touches, together with the minimal acquire in precise usable display house because of the Dynamic Island. Yep, this implies the advantages may not be as important as they first seem (or as Apple would need you to assume).
Do not get me flawed, ultimately, I do assume that the 16 Professional Max’s ultra-thin bezel is spectacular. And it means Apple remains to be pondering of arising with methods to assist me inform iPhone fashions aside. However whether or not this makes a noticeable distinction is up for debate. We have to get this telephone as soon as it is launched, reside with it, and let you know the way it feels to assist clear issues up. Till now, let’s wait (somewhat impatiently) for the upcoming occasion. I, for one, actually wish to see these new iPhones already!
