Xiaomi’s portless phone may be just a concept, but there’s little doubt that it’s raised some feathers. The absence of basic principles, such as buttons or a side frame, is risky even for a business known for pushing boundaries. Virtually all the ‘rules’ of phone design have been discarded, leaving some people alive.
But just like the prototypes of earlier phones, Xiaomi’s example asks a question: who really asked for this? It’s easy to say ‘nobody’, but the truth is more complicated than that. Although you are not as excited as a user, there is a reason for the existence of this phone … and it can be useful, even if nothing like it ever comes on the market.
These are not the users
It’s safe to assume that everyday users have not asked Xiaomi to make its portless, ringless phone. Many people are still bitter about the disappearing headphone jacks, let alone ports, buttons and rings. It’s also easy to find phone enthusiasts who despise waterfall screens on existing phones, and the square screen of Xiaomi’s design will only make matters worse. Some Apple fans are terrified at the thought of a portless iPhone – imagine how those Android fans would have felt the play-it-safe connection in the past.
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Simply put, Xiaomi is embracing the practical reality of using phones. If Huawei’s folding phones with screens look too fragile on the outside, Xiaomi’s four waterfall monitor is an expensive accident waiting to happen. Buttons, edges and SIM card slot provide reassuring experiences, even if not strictly necessary. And as much as wireless charging and synchronization have improved, they still lag behind the speed and reliability of their wired equivalents.
It will not be bad. The next generation of on-screen camera technology will create a seamless experience when browsing the internet or watching movies. After all, it’s clear that Xiaomi’s portless phone is more of a theoretical exercise than a reflection of the sincere question.
An earphone still helps Xiaomi to continue
However, it is the fact that a theoretical exercise is done that makes the difference. At the very least, it helps concept Xiaomi to determine if a receiver, mostly screen phone, has a receptive audience. It still teaches something, even if the answer is a resounding ‘no’.
Consider the reaction to the original Mi Mix. The almost complete design of the screen was polarizing at the time, and the bottom selfie camera was ultimately a mistake. But it taught Xiaomi more than a few things about phone design, and the lessons it learned were useful for both Mi Mix sequels and the firm’s overall phone setup. What seemed radical in 2016 became relatively pedestrian a few years later.
There are design skills that can be useful. As Xiaomi explained, the square waterfall display needs glass processing equipment and new techniques. It also had to think on the inside of a phone, without applying the usual restrictions. Xiaomi can use the expertise to manufacture its portless phone to build much less exotic products.
Expect more experiments
Given the benefits, it would not be surprising if Xiaomi followed up its portless project with more experimental phones, no matter how outrageous it may seem. The company loses very little. Any money poured into the development can easily yield dividends if the overall product range is more exciting. The concept could also bring down Xiaomi’s reputation as a forward-thinking brand, just as a ‘halo’ supercar could bring you into a dealership.
This is not to give the company a free pass. You may well complain if Xiaomi releases a phone with some painful flaws, whether it is portless or covered with curved glass. But it’s not necessarily a problem if you did not ask for the phone – it just matters that Xiaomi gets away with the right ideas of this project.