Edge: A Microsoft Phone Concept

[McIvan]

Hi Y'all!
It's late here in Korea but here's a little snack for lunch:

Edge on the Behance Network

With all the speculation about a MS phone, what do you think? I literally dreamt it up one night in May!

P.S.
I've been a WPCentral reader since I jumped ship from iOS a year ago this month!
Sporting a black Lumia 900... I've been spreading the word to many other internationals & Koreans!

WP FTW!

 

[Laura Knotek]

That's a cool design. I like it.

 

[Coreldan]

It seems a bit thick. I don't baseline mind that in fe. Lumia 920, but I guess the design can either compliment thickness or not and in this case I feel the design does not really support that thickness.

Otherwise it does look quite nifty!

 

[McIvan]

Coreldan - Actually good point!

The form was really challenging to render to communicate it accurately. With a 4.0" screen it comes in at just under 3/8" thin, which I wonder if that TOO thin to be realistic. Either way, yep, I missed that and the views show that length of the beveled edge and not the true thickness.

#notesfornexttime
Thanks!

 

[Heron_Kusanagi]

OT: I almost thought I was in 9gag

Anyway, its a great design. I have one gripe though: the power button should be on the side. I really liked how Nokia and to an extent Samsung placed their power buttons for 1-hand use.

And a question: Why the Windows 8 logo is placed that way on the back of the phone?

 

[metalchick719]

It's nice looking, but I agree with Coreldan that it's a little too thick.

 

[ChrisLynch]

Sorry, but this is not a good design for a mobile device. I get the point, but it's too blocky, and why have the largest side of the "edge" be where it rests in your palm? Just overall bad design IMO. Back to the drawing both with you!

 

[power5]

Proportions are just all out of whack. Not a bad design though. It would be the surface phone if you invert the profile which will also help with in hand comfort. I do like the physical buttons as I am often pressing the search button on my Titan while changing grip.

Sharpen the radius you have on the screen edge, but like I said, invert it. You can keep the top and bottom edge straight like you have.

Specs for non imperial minded.
113.03mm long (10mm shorter than iphone)
63.246mm wide (4.5mm wider than iphone)
8.89mm thick (.29 mm thicker Ativ-s)

The style and look is exactly what I would want, but the profile needs to be tapered to the back, not the front.

What program did you use?

 

[Dr. Impossible]

I love this. The only thing I would change is to make the bevel the opposite of what it is. So the screen side has the most area and the rest of the phone disappears away from it. And a bit thinner


Thanks

-Doc

 

[Winterfang]

I like the color

 

[McIvan]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts! Truly valuable! This is the first phone I've designed so I will be gleaning quite a bit!

I've upload some boring orthographic views (but rendered in perspective) to better explain the form, and thinness.

Profile:
I REALLY wanted physical buttons (I won't rant here) and reversing the profile with this design would require them. Would they be awesome touch keys on rounded glass? YES!
...but they'd still be touch keys the you trigger accidentally!

Also, yes the edge is in you hand, it is chamfered and rounded. More notably the top and bottom corners have large rounds to 22 degree slope. Perhaps it's a bit the opposite of Lumias with the sharp corner in your palm and soft rounds on the finger tips. I just held my buddies iPhone4 and it is more comfortable with all it's edges, and that nice round in your palm. I'd have to get a model made to know for sure >_<

Windows Logo:
Well I used to hate it, but after reading notes from the designer and understanding it, I can respect it. HOWEVER a logo/icon in perspective is a very strong visual element. Too strong I thought for the front of the screen (note the home icon).

The logo is oriented for taking photos! When placing it again, the perspective was so strong that there wasn't enough visual space in the expect orientation. Plus this completely broke the symmetry of the back. I was hesitant about this decision at first, but it has really grown on me! ^_^


QUESTION: Screen size? What is the perfect size?

I have yet to find the perfect man-bag to house these trending BIG( > 4.0) screens.
(You show see all these Korean girls with both hands on their tablet phones! I don't get it)

 

[McIvan]

Orthos:

 

[power5]

There is no reason you can not keep the curved glass and bevel the sides the opposite direction. The curved glass will just need to curve around the side a bit more. I see no reason to need to remove the physical buttons if the side bevels the opposite direction. The top and bottom already taper back. Just make the sides do the same.

As for screen size, apple was the hold out to get to the 4" size and it only took them 5 years. Every other phone is more than 4" it seems. Even entry level droids. I would go with a 4.5" screen at minimum.

Logo should be the correct MS direction on the back when held in portrait. It will look fine.


There is a reason that all the phone manufacturers do not taper their designs like yours. I am willing to bet that the majority of the R&D on phone design goes to the shape of it and how users think it feels in the hand. If it felt okay by even a small portion of the focus groups, someone would have created a phone with that look. When my phone is sitting on my desk it sort of hovers because of the taper, your design will look very grounded and heavy, not to mention awkward to pick up.

 

[Villain]

I'd buy it