Smartphones are super powerful, yet they can easily pull us away from the important stuff we need to take care of. Often, being productive includes doing a lot of reading on the move, which makes smartphones handy but could also end up straining our eyes over time. These conflicting characteristics make the smartphone design we have today less than ideal.
With some creativity and adjustments, it’s totally feasible to turn a smartphone into a more efficient mobile computing device. For instance, this concept aims to combine the best of all worlds by adding an E Ink screen on the back for more pleasant reading, along with a sliding mechanism that conceals the cameras so you get to experience both screens in their entirety.
Designer: Kii Jii
This isn’t the first smartphone design to incorporate a second screen on the back for extra productivity. A notable example is the Yota Phone, which used an E Ink display that provides a friendlier experience on the eyes while also conserving battery life. If you mainly want to display static images or information, an E Ink screen won’t drain much battery until the content changes. It’s also a great way to read text while you’re on the go, just like the newer “eReader phones” that are coming out today.
What makes the inkPhone duo concept unique is that the two screens are designed to stretch almost edge to edge. There are still pretty noticeable bezels around them, but there’s a chance they could be reduced even more. Instead of cutouts disguising the cameras, the screens slide out to reveal two sets of cameras—one committed to selfies and the other for regular photos—that neatly tuck away when not in use.
In theory, this design means you could enjoy full-screen experiences in color and grayscale, based on what you need or prefer. If you have some “work” that needs to be done in full color, then you use the OLED side. Need a reading experience that keeps distractions at bay, tempting you away from social media check-ins because of its slower refresh rate and unclear quality? The E Ink side will be just right for you. And when it’s time to capture photos or join a video chat, all you gotta do is slide out the two parts and get to it swiftly.
Still, when it comes to actual use, this design may have a few drawbacks that might ruin the near-perfect experience. A sliding mechanism could lead to mechanical issues down the line, and the camera lenses might get scratched over time due to friction. Plus, there’s still the issue of distractions being a finger swipe away, keeping you as unproductive as ever.