After 10 Years, Smartphone Adopts A New Aspect Ratio
June 19, 2017
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The Galaxy S8 did it. The LG G6 did it. The iPhone 8 is expected to do it. The Essential essentially did it. And Google is also set to change the shape of the upcoming Pixel. Popular benchmarking software GFXBench has recorded information for a handset listed as the ‘Pixel XL2’ and it lists top of the range specifications, which include a larger 5.6-inch, 18:9 aspect ratio, 2560 x 1312 OLED display. The flipside is both LG and Samsung retained the same 1440 pixel width on their 18:9 aspect ratio phones, despite the narrowness, and crammed in more vertical pixels as well (2960 / 2880 x 1440 pixels respectively. Samsung had to reduce the default resolution of the Galaxy S8 to 2220 x 1080 to save battery life but all pixel densities over 500ppi look stunning regardless. The new Pixel’s display is not the only talking point. The GFXBench result also lists 4GB of RAM and an “octa core CPU @2.4GHz” and “Qualcomm Adreno 540” which is the Snapdragon 835 chipset used in US variants of the Galaxy S8. So it’s fast. Oddities include a front camera listed as GFXBench misread 7MP when the Pixel has an 8MP front facing shooter and 100GB of storage, which raises some doubts about the listing, though it is also possible these specs. But the big news remains the display. If Google is following rivals down the 18:9 route, the other key benefit is it should result in dramatically slimmer top and bottom bezels - perhaps the biggest criticism of the existing Pixel and Pixel XL devices.  Major flat panel players worldwide are ramping up production of 18:9 all-screen panels for smartphone applications as prices of these panels are currently set at a 10-15% premium over traditional 16:9 smartphone panels due to rising demand.
New models launched by a number of smartphone vendors recently, including Xiaomi's 6.4-inch Mi Mix, LG Electronics’ G6, Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, have all come with bezel-less all-screen panels. Furthermore, Apple's forthcoming premier model likely to be launched in September is also reportedly to come with a 5.8-inch 18.5:9 all-screen AMOLED panel as is Google’s Pixel 2. China-based smartphone vendors, including Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, Gionee and Meizu in addition to Xiaomi, have all stepped into the all-screen segment to tap the rising demand for all-screen phones. Global shipments of all-screen smartphones are expected to reach 150 million units in 2017, sources estimated, adding that new models targeting the CNY1,500 (US$221) and above segment in China in the year are likely to come with all-screen displays. Shipments of all-screen panels from suppliers are expected to expand significantly starting the third quarter of 2017, which will help ease the current tight supply of smartphone panels, commented the sources. Taiwan-based flat panel makers, including AU Optronics (AUO), Innolux and HannStar Display have also begun ramping up their production of all-screen panels recently but using LCD technology.

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