Polls

Do you have faith in the future of 2:1 display ratio?

by Preslav Kateliev

Apr 25, 2017, 9:14 AM

Do you have faith in the future of 2:1 display ratio?

This year, Samsung and LG both pushed for a bit of a weird new trend in smartphones — the elongated display. In their quest to offer a larger screen in as compact a body as possible, the companies made their new flagship handsets have a 2:1 ratio, which does give us more screen real estate, but doesn't really play well with standard, widely-spread 16:9 media.

Of course, we do expect that apps that don't support the ratio will soon be updated to do so — Sammy and LG combined are too big to be ignored. And sure, some Netflix shows may be streamed in 2:1, but we don't see the tons of independent YouTube creators rushing off to change the way they film just to accommodate a weird new trend.

We are left wondering — will we see more smartphones with an elongated screen by the end of 2017? Could Apple's much-rumored-about all-screen iPhone that's supposed to come out this year follow this trend, or will Cupertino insist on sticking to 16:9? What do you think about the future of 2:1 displays?

Do you think 2:1 ratio will become more widely adopted?

Yes, probably by most major brands

54.44%

Nah, I see it being isolated to just a few brands, but most will stick to 16:9

30.27%

Nope. I am pretty sure that even Samsung and LG will consider dropping the idea by this year's end

15.29%

Options

57 Comments

57. Spyro

Posts: 334; Member since: Mar 29, 2017

If they fix the god-awful black bars when watching a 16:9 video, then yes, it will be the future.

posted on Apr 26, 2017, 4:58 AM 0

45. power21

Posts: 80; Member since: Jul 15, 2015

I don't like the narrowing of the screen. The phone is losing a lot of real estate when reading in the vertical way.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 4:45 PM 0

41. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

Anyone here old enough to remember this advertsing from Pontiac? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eKCfzQtn18 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO6U_KawAdg

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 3:57 PM 0

32. youssef44

Posts: 547; Member since: Apr 29, 2014

16:9 is much better

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 3:03 PM 0

40. TechieXP1969

in what way. Its the same...its just wider...so I dont see how its better.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 3:53 PM 0

29. AlikMalix unregistered

Yes I actually love it. Should be standard.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 2:40 PM 0

28. jove39

Posts: 2153; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

I love this new 2:1 screen ratio...hope to see more oems using this screen ratio in upcoming devices.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 2:27 PM 1

25. Bondurant

Posts: 787; Member since: Jun 04, 2014

I tried the s8 at stores. I like the overall built quality and bezel less thing, but display did not in anyway feel big as it was supposed to and could be because of the 2:1 ratio making it feel like a regular sized screen than a big screen phablet.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 11:46 AM 0

26. monoke

Posts: 1213; Member since: Mar 14, 2015

16:9 content especially in portrait orientation is not any bigger than say a 5.2 screen. The longer diagonal will only be made beneficial when content is created or edited to fill the screen along with a larger dpi adjustment. This is when images will appear bigger particularly in landscape. Ex. Play a wide-screen movie that with no side letterbox on this and a 16:9 5.2 screen. Image will be noticeably bigger.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 1:50 PM 0

24. Bondurant

Dont like it but its better than making wider sides.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 11:43 AM 1

54. hurrycanger

Posts: 1777; Member since: Dec 01, 2013

Same thought

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 10:23 PM 0

23. darkkjedii

Posts: 31807; Member since: Feb 05, 2011

It's the future.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 11:33 AM 3

21. TBomb

Posts: 1776; Member since: Dec 28, 2012

Here's my argument to not go 2:1... If you keep the shorter side of the screen the same and just extend the edges, yes you don't have "full screen" but the screen that is being used is the same size as it is on the 16:9. at least with 2:1 you have the option to grow the screen in certain situations that isn't media consumption.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 11:02 AM 0

22. TBomb

Here's some shameless self promotion:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-screen-half-empty-full-taylor-bombard?

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 11:04 AM 0

20. monoke

Videos and games will always adopt TV aspect first and foremost. Unless TVS adopt this aspect, which I doubt, this isn't gonna change anytime soon. For Web browsing and apps, they're fine and u do get more content especially if u use landscape like myself. So it's ultimately, do u want top/lower bezels to be filled with more screen, at the cost of videos/games never filling out. Or remain at 16:9 and most likely keep bezels as previous years cuz oems do, more than anything, want to maintain the longer rectangular form factor. There's a reason a form factor like the bb passport doesn't appeal to most people.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 10:58 AM 0

39. VZWuser76

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

The 2:1 ratio was introduced back in 1998 by an Italian Cinematographer as a medium between the 16:9 TV ratio and the 2.2:1 cinema ratio. So instead of having no black bars on TV content and having them on movies, you'll some on TV and some on movies. Or you'll have to drop or stretch the picture to fill the screen. I'd prefer they leave it as is.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 3:50 PM 0

16. brasstax

Posts: 546; Member since: Apr 16, 2014

This is the future at least till bendable phones become mainstream. It is pretty much why we had taller and taller buildings eventually paving the way for the skyscrapers. The only way they could build a building big enough to accommodate that many people was to build up. Ditto the smartphone. With screen sizes beginning to itch up again after seemingly stagnating for 2 years around the 5.5 inch mark, taller and/or bendable is the only option really.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 10:30 AM 0

15. Export

Posts: 98; Member since: Apr 24, 2017

As long as our screen tech is in further development most likely display ratios will change with, same thing happened with 4:3 and the change to 16:9, 16:9 was the oddball then it became standardized and the same will happen here.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 9:57 AM 0

14. TechGirl90 unregistered

I'm sure it'll catch on, but as of the moment, it's definitely in it's Baby Stage. Until more OEMs do this 2.1 Ratio with their Products, I personally don't see much Content being developed to take advantage of that new Format.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 9:56 AM 0

8. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

After getting the 8+, this is the way to go. It is so much more one handable than my note 4 its not funny. It feels so much smaller in the hand even with a case on. As the ecosystem gets adjusted to the new screen resolution it will only be better. But I have no complaints.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 9:50 AM 0

38. VZWuser76

I tired out a dummy unit in a store and while it feels ok in the hand, you've got to sctrech more than before to reach the top of the screen. I see a lot more adjusting in hand to hit the parts of the screen you want to. I'm also not a big fan of the shape as it's starting to look like one of my remotes. I guess what I'm trying to say is... https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/12/121780/4303600-ren+and+stimpy.png However since Google seems to be on the bandwagon as well, I suppose there's no getting around it. If those three are championing it, it'll most likely catch on.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 3:45 PM 0

7. AgentZero

Posts: 314; Member since: Aug 16, 2014

2:1 to aspect ratios is like lightning connector to other ports .. -_- no body likes it but companies are gonna keep using it anyways

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 9:46 AM 2

6. stuck_788

Posts: 54; Member since: Jul 26, 2013

first it was 1:1, then 4:3, then 16:10, then 16:9, then 18:9, then 18.5:9... now already talking about 21:9 in all devices not only movies... geez...

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 9:36 AM 1

4. Bankz

Posts: 2555; Member since: Apr 08, 2016

Btw, unlike samsung, the lg g6 totally killed it with the 2:1 as they've being the ones thats made good use for that aspect ratio. As of now, their use for the 2:1 aspect ratio totally blows everything out the water right now ranging from their camera app/ui (which is the best in the world anyway) to their calenda ui. Its awesome tbh. Infact its like they have a mini landscape support of some sort, like the iphone plus version. Big ups to lg!!!

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 9:31 AM 1

12. peace247 unregistered

Why so much hate to samsung in every article? Smh

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 9:55 AM 1

17. RoryBreaker

Posts: 326; Member since: Oct 11, 2015

IMO coming to market with only 32gb of storage may have added to LG's product seeming inferior.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 10:36 AM 0

2. Bankz

Of course content will eventually be developed for it but its going to be a long wait tbh.. Peharps if the Iphone Edition goes that rout then it will help fasten development as developers will want to make content for anything IOS thus making 2:1 far more popular. Otherwise it will naturally catch up but it going to be a pretty long wait.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 9:24 AM 0

11. peace247 unregistered

True...adaptation of this ratio by apple will definitely speed up the development.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 9:54 AM 0

36. TechieXP1969

Really? Hmmm..did you notice content providers took forever to adopt Apple's crazy non-standard resolutions? Devs are going to do it nowm because devices already exist now that support it. When Apple finally catches up, the hardest part of the work willbe done already. It will just be another platform to provide it on. So far, when I watch 1440p movies, they all fit the screen. I havent needed to stretch it out. In fact so far I haven't even seen the box I seen in videos to stretch a video wider. When I go on YouTube for example, and search for a 1440p video, when it plays it fits the screen. No matter what the aspect ratio is, 1440p is still 1440p. Netflix is a different ballgame. For one, they dont have much 1440p content vs 1080p and 720p content because obviously 1080p and 720p is older.

posted on Apr 25, 2017, 3:31 PM 0

50. Settings

Posts: 2943; Member since: Jul 02, 2014

I don't see the point. These 2:1 displays are large but narrower, 16:9 is also large but wider. Some people like it, some will not. So dont shove your preference to those who won't and don't. Technology is a choice.