It’s no secret that most of us mortals carry our cell phones with a case and in fact paradoxes occur, such as people spending over a thousand dollars on a phone and having a very cheap Chinese case for a little over a euro (this is really your case). It is true that some cases have tricks up their sleeve to increase their functionality, such as a holder or a flap to store cards, but the main reason remains. Protect your cell phone against possible falls, shocks and accidents.
Google knows this. So much so that he even has it in mind when designing his terminals. This is what Claude Zellweger, head of Pixel design, explains in an interview for Inverse, where he goes so far as to specify when this paradigm shift began: since the Pixel 8 series, Google started designing phones with case usage in mind.
When resistance is not a premium feature, enclosure becomes a necessity
Zellweger supports the need to always think about all aspects of the product, including this one: »One of the important things is that 90% of people use a cover.“That’s why they took this into account with the Google Pixel 8, which resulted in:
“Just like color is not an idea that we leave to the last minute, covers cannot be either, because you have to design (the decor) in such a way that they are beautiful and pleasant to to carry.”
Although on paper this theory seems good as long as the case and cell phone combination provides a good experience, it is something positive for users, the B side on which It doesn’t stop at the fragility of Google phones. Because ultimately saying they design phones to work better with cases implies that designing their phones to work better without them takes a backseat.
Because the reality is that in the high-end segment of smartphones it is quite common to use a superposition of sandwich-type glass layers that are very attractive to the eye, but with which you can get upset in the event of a fall or of choc. blow. Why aren’t strength and durability premium features?
In fact, in our analysis after several months of using the Google Pixel 8 we say of both this model and the 8 Pro that although ‘The grip is more comfortable, even if both suffer from the same disadvantage: the double-sided glass slips a lot in the hand, It is advisable to purchase a case with the phones.‘
Despite this, our experience is that of ‘have a cell phone at the level of what one would expect for the high-end range to which it belongs” and that’s good, but this percentage of 90% that Zellweger says It is not so much because we want to bring a case, but because it is necessary Do this to keep the mobile phone in good condition. If phones were more durable and resistant, this percentage would surely decrease considerably and I would be the first: if I could have it like the first day in case of a fall, carry it in my pocket and so on, I would appreciate these beautiful finishes in my daily life.
Cover | Ivan Linares for Xataka
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