As smartphone screens continue to increase in size to reflect changing consumer habits, a battle for supremacy between Samsung, Apple, and Google has developed with the South Korean company forging ahead thanks to its latest folding phone.
At the forefront of the folding smartphone revolution is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4. Apple’s response to the challenge is the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which has a 6.7-inch display, as does the Google Pixel 6 Pro.
Steadily increasing smartphone displays
These display sizes are a far cry from the early days of smartphones. When the first iPhone was released in 2007, it had a diagonal screen of just 3.5 inches, but as the consumption of media and entertainment has developed, smartphone companies have responded by increasing screen sizes to meet the needs of users.
With the explosion in the popularity and density of TV live-streaming platforms, the consumption of entertainment has changed, powered in part by improvements in smartphone technology, which have provided more reliable connectivity, reduced latency and superior sound and images.
Responding to changes in consumer behaviour
The crowded streaming service market includes platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Discovery+, Peacock, and Paramount+, and the rising ownership of smartphones has led to an increase in consumers watching TV shows and movies on their mobile devices.
Larger smartphone displays have also helped transform another area of the entertainment industry. A live casino UK is now able to offer a dedicated mobile version to its customers. The advantages of the developments in screen sizes include being able to play on the go while providing an excellent overview of traditional live casino games such as roulette and blackjack, along with live game shows like Deal or No Deal: The Big Draw.
The rise in use of smartphones to consume entertainment has risen in tandem with increased smartphone ownership across the US. In 2011, just 31% of Americans possessed smartphones, but a decade later the number reached 85%. Thanks in part to strong iPhone sales, Apple, unlike its tech industry rivals, is in the position of being able to avoid laying off employees and consequently circumvent disruption to its core business.
Transforming the gaming industry
Improvements in smartphone technology and, in particular, screen size have also helped usher in a new era of gaming. Gamers can now use their smartphones to play online video games, with titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile developed specifically for use on mobile devices. When the free-to-play shooter was released in 2019, it achieved 100 million global downloads within the first two months. The game remains highly popular, with over 3.8 million downloads recorded in the last month of 2022, and with the Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile set for release in 2023, the video game is likely to remain dominant.
With plenty of scope for bigger screens, this is just the latest stage of the battle to achieve supremacy in the smartphone market. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 is leading the way right now, but Apple is likely to continue to increase its screen sizes to meet the requirements of its customers.
