I'm currently testing the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, the big new mobile on the block, and while my full thoughts on the phone are all going in my full review (coming soon), there's something I had to share about the phone now.
It's the way the phone feels - and I don't mean in a vague, whimsical, sentimental way - I mean the actual handfeel of the mobile. The way it sits in the palm of my hand.
You see, after kicking off the curved-edge-screen trend a few years back, Samsung then ditched the concept, and now the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus have flat screens (the S22 Ultra luckily doesn't).
But the frame of the device is almost flat - it's a lot like an iPhone 13 in that way, though admittedly the edge does have a slight roundness. You know what other phone I was using recently that I also hated the feel of? The iPhone 13 Pro.
The iPhone problem
I really, really just can't like the way the iPhone 13 Pro fits in my hand. The flat edges dig into my palm further and further with each tap of the screen (yeah, I've got soft hands) and it just doesn't feel nice to hold.
It's a far cry from the experience of using curved-edge screen phones, as that feature makes the phone feel rounded, pebble-like and smooth. Before the Plus, I was using the Ultra, and that felt great to hold.
Even some phones with flat displays have rounded edges, making them fine to hold - I just tested the Realme 9 Pro Plus and that felt great.
This isn't the case for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus or iPhone 13 Pro - I don't like holding them, and it makes using them way less fun.
Maybe I should try smaller mobiles from the families, like the Galaxy S22 or iPhone 13 mini, but why bother? There are loads of Androids that do feel great in the hand, and hours spent playing games or numbing my mind on Instagram will be much more enjoyable on them.
