Death of the clamshell?

[theninthcloud]

Is it just me, or is this form factor dying a slow painful death?

Outside of the RAZR (which has a generally negative reaction nowadays) the last noteworthy one (IMO) was the Moto V600. Everything else these days has been a slider, candybar or otherwise.

[carcomptoy]

Um...have you seen the majority of the phones carriers have? At least in the US, it's 90% clamshells.

[MikeUK]

In england clamshells aren't huge, but still nokia have announced N76, there have been other 3G handsets like Samsung Z540 and V6 maxx, non 3G nokia ones like 6131.

[MAdBudz]

The thing is, anyone who is interested in functionality does not buy a clamshell.... if you want to take a quick picture or use your phone like a stand alone camera you buy a candybar or a slider with camera on the back not on the sliding part. If you are interested in using it for video viewing again it is annoying to turn your clamshell sideways and view it like that while open. the only thing saving the clamshell form is a spinning front display which still is annoying when trying to make quick use and quickly turn off the phone... all in all I think the clamshell serves one purpose; protecting your screen/keys. Agree? Disagree?

[MAdBudz]

Basically landscape viewing is annoying on a clamshell....

[carcomptoy]

I still think it's a useful form factor. It's very easy to use with regards to answer a call or locking the keys, which of course the latter being done automatically. It's useful especially for beginners and light users. Plus it keeps size down.

I still want a clamshell just because I have never used one as a primary phone for an extended period of time. It always intrigues me as a form factor, and with the N76 I think Nokia's finally got it right with regards to an S60 folder.

[difenbaker]

The thing is, anyone who is interested in functionality does not buy a clamshell.... if you want to take a quick picture or use your phone like a stand alone camera you buy a candybar or a slider with camera on the back not on the sliding part. If you are interested in using it for video viewing again it is annoying to turn your clamshell sideways and view it like that while open. the only thing saving the clamshell form is a spinning front display which still is annoying when trying to make quick use and quickly turn off the phone... all in all I think the clamshell serves one purpose; protecting your screen/keys. Agree? Disagree?

I agree with that - the clamshell is one effective way to protect the screen/keys. And by opening and closing that flip - is also a good and quick way to answer or end a call. Which is what I think most americans want - that "quickness" of the clamshell.

The latest clamshells (like the 6290,N75 and N76) also addresses still another problem with clamshells - the ability to reject a call while the phone is closed. Usually, one has to open them to do that, right? With these new ones - which has a call and reject key on the outside, should eliminate that problem altogether.

I think clamshells are here to stay... in fact, nokia's slide in its market share in 04 is due to the fact that they've been slow in adopting the clamshell to their lineup. A fact that Moto and Samsung are only too eager to exploit. Nokia's makin up for it now though, with a healthy selection of clamshells along with candybars and sliders.

The form factors that I think is loosing ground are the swivel types (SE s700) and the hybrid clamshell (p900/p990)... they haven't been making a lot of those of lately.

cheers!

[carcomptoy]

The thing is unless the swivel mechanism is highly springed like the 7370 for instance, it's really a nuisance. Like with the SE W550/W600...it's aggravating how you have to turn it all the way.

[Jose_R.A.M]

Clamshells here were mightily popular a couple of years(or more?) ago (uk) along with candybars but as the sites of popular UK retailers show, almost all of what's on offer is either a bar or a slider....the main flip/clam manufacturer left is Moto, with majority of their handsets being in the RAZR range.

More often than not, if you see a clamshell here, it's a Moto. (Based on sales previous 06 sales though, they are still quite popular)

In terms of available individual models, Global Form Factor popularity goes as follows:


CandyBar
Flip Clamshell
Slide
Swivel/Jack-knifeOver all sales figues, at least for 2006 (which I can't find) may change some of those placings.

[666joe]

Hmmmm always hated clams always will - great for not pocket dialling or texting but they are always that bit thicker than there candybar counterparts....

[Jose_R.A.M]

Hmmmm always hated clams always will - great for not pocket dialling or texting but they are always that bit thicker than there candybar counterparts....

Yes, and also for power smartphone users, activating/accessing apps in the pocket.

I think the N93 transformer form makes good use of both screen/key protection and optimised landspace viewing. But that is infinately much much too large to ever become popular, not to mention probably far to complicated for most users. *Looks forward to N76 sized "N93" *

[jayesh]

jose stop dreaming nokia aint making that :p

[chokia]

Clamshell is still world's favorite formfactor

Form Factor: Likelihood to Consider for Next Device Purchase
http://www.cellular-news.com/images/press/report-6.jpg

Cellular News
16th October 2006

Cellphone Buyers Want More Than Just a Thin Device

Strategy Analytics has released a new report which concludes that promoting a device on the basis of an ultra-thin form factor is no longer enough to stand out from the crowd. At the end of 2006, virtually all manufacturers offer thin devices. According to Strategy Analytics however, thin, in and of itself, is no longer a basis for differentiation.

"While `thin' is certainly a hot design trend, Strategy Analytics research with wireless device buyers suggests that the appeal of a thin device is less than universal," according to Paul Brown, Wireless Analyst at Strategy Analytics. "More people are likely to consider buying a clamshell device then an ultra-thin clamshell for their next cell phone purchase."

Kevin Nolan, Director of the Advanced Wireless Laboratory (AWL) added, "Style, Physical Dimension, Perceived Build Quality, Usability, Display and Applications are just some of what buyers consider, in conjunction with brand and price."

Of course in Asia too, no other reason there are so many clamshells being produced for Japanese and Korean markets.

Source: www.cellular-news.com/story/19867.php

[Dynamoo]

Certainly in the UK, most people seem to use candybar/monoblock phones.. but ask any of them and they'll admit that the darned things activate all the time accidentally, even when locked.

I prefer clamshells because they protect the keypad and main screen. When I got my new work phone I had to fight for a clamshell though.. our standard device is a Nokia 6230i which is not bad, but for the same price you can get a Nokia 6131 with a much bigger screen and larger keypad and pretty much identical specs other than that. Most of the 6230i users who've seen the 6131 are somewhat jealous! (Although the 6131 has a stupid auto-open button which keeps activating).

There's not a massive amount of choice with high-end clamshells though. I'd like to move onto the 3 X-Series tariff, but they only have the Nokia N73 or the SE W950i as phones. There's not exactly a huge number of 3G Symbian smartphones around in a clamshell form at the moment.

Of course you could go for the worst of all worlds and get a slider.. I've never seen the point in those!

[stephanie]

I've always like clamshells/flips - they're so cute! Very comfortable to put in your purse or in your pocket too (when you're not like wearing leg hugging pants). But the last flip I got was 2 years ago, a razr, most of my phones since then are candybars. I didn't like to buy another clamshell coz their features are like so basic, like the series 40 of nokia, and the non-smartphones of samsung and motorola. I think it's only now that clamshells are becoming smartphones - like the N76 and the 6290. I know that there was a 6260 before - but it was like just too big. (The N90 was a monster! hihihihi :D)The new ones today are more stylish and smaller and that's why Im liking them again.

[stephanie]

..And by opening and closing that flip - is also a good and quick way to answer or end a call. Which is what I think most americans want - that "quickness" of the clamshell.

Up to now I still dont know the US's obsession with flipphones - most of my friends are like so "flip crazy". It reached a point that they wont look at another new phone unless it's a flip. Why is that?

[Jose_R.A.M]

Up to now I still dont know the US's obsession with flipphones - most of my friends are like so "flip crazy". It reached a point that they wont look at another new phone unless it's a flip. Why is that?

I have a few friends and relatives who also have that clamshell OCD...

.."it doesn't matter what phone it is - as long as it's a flip".....:rolleyes:


jose stop dreaming nokia aint making that :p

..unless...unless we kidnap OPK and force production!:D

@ Chokia, that's exactly one of the articlesI was looking for. I think we had it posted here somewhere before.

Are there any valid global sales figures though? At least top 10 sales of 2006?

[carcomptoy]

Up to now I still dont know the US's obsession with flipphones - most of my friends are like so "flip crazy". It reached a point that they wont look at another new phone unless it's a flip. Why is that?
They just really like the form factor. I think part of it is Hollywood and TV too...a lot of the phones used are flips and they're all cool and suave when they flip open their phones :p

At least that's what I like to think.

[Jose_R.A.M]

I was just about to ask in 666joe's "Ugly Betty" thread, if those guys were sponsored by motorola as everyone seems to be using a RAZR.

And somehow their V3's external screens are huge, and even occupying space that isn't even a screen.