This article is from WeChat official account:Love Faner (ID: ifanr), author: Musi, from the title figure: vision China
Every year when the new iPhone is unveiled, the matching of colors, the choice of shape, and the beauty and ugliness of the appearance are undoubtedly the hot topics that everyone pays attention to.
iPhone 12 is no exception. It abandons roundness and returns to the Founder. It has changed the shape and design adopted by the iPhone over the past 7 years, but for those who have used iPhone 4 and 5 ten years ago, the new iPhone is more like It is a reappearance of the old days.
Is this Apple paying homage to the classics? I do not deny that it is often said that fashion is a circle of reincarnation, and the appearance of past generations of iPhone has actually gone through 4 stages and 4 types of design changes.
1. The road to stereotypes
In terms of styling and craftsmanship, the first three generations of iPhones did not have much eye-catching features: they all had large bezels, and the overall slant was rounded. The only difference between the three generations of models lies in the curvature of the back cover and the materials used. on.
Among them, the back cover of the original iPhone chose the “aluminum alloy + black plastic” stitching method, while the iPhone3G and 3GS are all covered with plastic, both for network signal transmission.
iPhone and iPhone 3G. Picture from: Macstories
However, at this time, the changes that the iPhone brought to the mobile phone industry did not involve a single design or function point—after all, at that time, the iPhone itself was a brand new hardware system. At this time, what people are more willing to talk about is Its graphical interface, multi-touch screen, and virtual keyboard control.
These core elements not only establish the “external” of the iPhone, but also make it significantly different from other feature phones on the market.
Only after the iPhone’s style is determined, Apple can put the design on a higher priority.
2. Glass and metal dance together
Towards iPhone 4, Apple ushered in a design watershed.
This is also the first time Apple has begun to pay attention to iPhone design after accumulating the experience of three generations of iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.
To put it simply, the iPhone 4 covers the front and rear fuselage with two pieces of transparent glass, combined with the metal middle frame, forming a square shape, and the style is very different from the previous three generations of iPhone.
This “sandwich” style design direction was once one of the prototype designs of Apple’s first iPhone. Only at that time, Apple was unable to pack all the components in while ensuring the beauty of the product. It was not until the iPhone 4 that it had a mature time.
iPhone, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4. Picture from: Haiku Deck
In the future iPhone 5 era, the iPhone 4’s Founder style continues as a whole, but its shell is cut from a whole piece of aluminum alloy, and the thickness and weight of the body have been significantly reduced.
However, in order to prevent the signal from being shielded by the metal layer, the iPhone 5 and 5s have hollowed out the upper and lower sections of the back cover and replaced it with a glass cover, forming a three-section style.
Apple’s official iPhone 5 manufacturing process snippet
The colorful iPhone 5c also appeared at this time. This is the first time that Apple has used polycarbonate to create a colorful iPhone.
Because the plastic case is easier to receive signals than metal, the iPhone 5c does not require additional openings in the case, and the frame and the back cover no longer have any traces of integration, achieving higher integration and roundness than iPhone 4, 5. sense.
iPhone 5c. Picture from: TechCrunch
In addition, iPhone 5c also changed people’s prejudice against plastic phones at that time. Even if it chooses low-cost polycarbonate, Apple’s exquisite craftsmanship has made it smooth and shiny like ceramics.
The materials are not expensive and the craftsmanship is high and low. The iPhone 5c of that year is the best example.
“Antenna Gate” incident is an oversight by Apple in structural design. Picture from: CNN
Unfortunately, the iPhone at this stage also broke a lot of controversy. For example, the “antenna door” of the iPhone 4, the hand chamfering of the iPhone 5, and the anodized aluminum back cover that will fall off the paint, etc. These are the problems exposed by the iPhone at the structure and material level.
But in any case, Apple’s attempt at the square shape was very successful, and it also left a lot of valuable design experience for the iPhone.
3. Integration
In 2008, Jonathan Ivey, the former chief designer of Apple, introduced the production process of MacBook Air to everyone at an event.
Different from the previous method of welding by a variety of metal materials, on Air, Apple adopted a new processing method: its main frame is slowly cut and perforated from a whole metal block, aluminum Alloy one-piece shell, from this.
After successfully testing the water on the MacBook, this “one-piece molding” process has gradually been applied to other Apple products such as iPhone and iPad. For example, in the iPhone 5 period, its metal frame was also made by direct milling and grinding instead of assembling multiple metal parts.
Only at this stage, Apple still needs glass to complete the back cover splicing, and when different materials are combined together, it will inevitably leave traces of bonding.
Until iPhone 6, the iPhone really began to move towards integration.
After the craftsmanship is refined, iPhone 6 has taken a step forward in lightness and thinness, and its shape has also changed.
From the side view, you can also see that the square structure of the iPhone 4, 5 period has disappeared, replaced by a completely rounded side, and a slightly curved 2.5D screen glass.
This is also the second design change in the development of the iPhone. Forward and backward, you will see two different styles of iPhone.
But after choosing a one-piece metal case, iPhone 6 also has new design problems. Out of consideration for the antenna signal, Apple had to cut out four plastic strips on the metal back cover. These “leucorrhea” have a more visual impact than the original “metal + glass” three-segment structure.
iPhone 6, 6s has achieved a higher integration,But visually it is not beautiful
Because of this, people would complain less about the space gray and white versions of the iPhone 6 at that time, because the color of the antenna strips of these two styles will be closer to the original color of the back cover instead of gold. As abrupt as rose gold.
In the iPhone 7 era, the criticized back antenna was relieved.
Compared with iPhone 6, 6s, the antenna strip on the back of iPhone 7 has been well hidden
As a result, Apple reduced the number of antennas and made the “white stripe” fit as closely as possible to the upper and lower edges of the fuselage. At the same time, it also reactivated the dark black to further cover up the visual impact of the antenna strips.
Secondly, during the iPhone 7 period, Apple also came up with a brand-new “bright black” version, which is also a “show off” of Apple’s craftsmanship.
Apple explained the production principle of bright black in a process video. It first polishes the aluminum metal, followed by anodizing and dyeing processes, and finally uses the magnetized iron powder to bathe the surface to polish the metal into a glass-like texture.
Higher production difficulty gives the bright black version a handicraft-like texture, and it also eliminates the difference between the two materials of injection-molded antenna and aluminum alloy, and achieves a very high integrated form.
But going to the extreme comes at a price-the cost is obviously one aspect, and the bright black is very scratch-resistant, and a little friction will leave marks on the fuselage. Therefore, it is destined to not be a popular product. product.
4. Full screen
iPhone X, defined as the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, is still round in shape. If you just look at the side view, you won’t find it different from the iPhone 6, 7.
But the iPhone X has changed more than previous generations because it is mainly about the screen.
After the arrival of the full-screen design, the iconic Home button on the iPhone was replaced by a sliding gesture, and the upper and lower ends of the screen were further extended to keep the same width as the frame.
The only discomfort is the bangs on the top.
It was born for Face ID and has become a new feature of iPhone in the era of full screen.
In order to cater to the full-screen form, Apple also completed a series of design changes at this stage. For example, after the Home button disappears, functions like Apple Pay and calling Siri must be completed by double-clicking and long-pressing the lock screen button.
This is why, the side buttons on iPhone X will become longer and easier for us to press.
Another point is the introduction of the wireless charging function, which makes the iPhone abandon the integrated metal design and once again choose the “metal middle frame + glass back” form similar to the iPhone 4 era.
So far, the obstructive antenna strips have been completely eliminated, the back cover has returned to a solid color, and the iPhone 8 series has also become the design end of the non-full-screen version of the iPhone.
The evolution of the back cover from iPhone 6 to iPhone 8
But if you talk about integration, the iPhoneX and even iPhone Xs products are actually worse than iPhone 7’s bright black version.
The problem is still the same. When the materials used for the back cover of the fuselage and the middle frame are different, the assembly traces will reappear. At this time, Apple can do as much as possible to erase this difference.
There was actually an attempt during the iPhone 11 era. At that time, Apple launched a new back cover process, directly opening a hole in a whole piece of glass, and polishing out the convex area of the camera, which is equivalent to achieving two textures of frosted and bright surface on a piece of glass, thereby solving the convexity. The joint gap between the camera and the glass back cover.
As for the more detailed parts, it will be solved by iPhone 12.
5. Back to ten years ago
Not long after the iPhone 12 was released, discussions surrounding the design have been endless. Right-angle frame and pure flat glass, these are the changes you can perceive after first getting started.
But in my opinion, the more important significance of the iPhone 12 is that Apple is willing to do a “delete the complicated and simplify” process on the iPhone.
The first is the border area. Comparing the iPhone 11, you will find that when we look at the iPhone 12 screen, No longer see the “protruding” metal frame around the periphery.
This is also one of the benefits of the right-angle frame, which can make the display area of the screen take up a larger proportion of the frontal vision to further enhance our look and feel.
The width from the outer border of the iPhone 11 to the display area of the screen is 5.57 mm. In the iPhone 12, this width has been shortened to 3.47 mm.
Other details on the iPhone 12 body have also been simplified as much as possible. The advancement of the cutting process makes Apple no longer need to rely on a circle of cutting edges to make the middle frame transition like the iPhone 5; there is also an improvement in the anti-drop performance of the front and rear glass, which also makes the plastic buffer between the screen and the middle frame. The circle disappeared.
This is also why the iPhone 12 looks more compact and integrated. You will no longer see the reflective highlights caused by the curved surface structure; at the junction of metal and glass, there will be no more decorative elements, and the lines are extremely concise.
But even so, the stainless steel frame, the screen and the back cover can also be closely attached to each other.
In the end, only one screen will remain on the front of the iPhone, and the distance from the middle frame will be shortened as much as possible. This is also the ultimate form pursued by the iPhone in the era of full screens.
6. The iPhone of the future?
Under a certain period, the optimal solution form of the iPhone will have different interpretations, but from the development history, we can see that the cycle of this transition is about 3-4 years. After each cycle begins, Apple will Make a major adjustment to the iPhone, inject a new design language, and reuse some elements of the previous generation.
The iPhone 12 is just the beginning of a new cycle.
Perhaps for Apple, maintaining such a pace of change is to match the average replacement cycle of iPhone users and the transition nodes of the network environment; on the other hand, this also gives Apple time to implement new technologies. It has become a truly practical function that everyone is willing to use, rather than just superficial and formal.
More than a decade has passed, the trend of iPhone has become clearer and clearer. The removal of bangs, the choice of buttons and interfaces, still grab people’s attention. Every update of the iPhone in the future will still be a challenge to break through, or it may be another round of yesterday.
This article is from WeChat official account:Love Faner (ID: ifanr) author: Moose