Every current flagship phone is now using a different aspect ratio and the 16:9 aspect ratio display that was the standard is now a thing of the past, this really annoys me that manufacturers are choosing to have these stretched displays instead of function and usability, watching video and web browsing looks stupid and all for the sake of fitting as much screen as possible and the bragging rights
Let’s think about it instead of not thinking.
What is a smartphone? It’s a small handheld mobile computing device, it’s designed to be used occasionally with a single hand, but most importantly, it’s designed to fit into the pocket of pants or shorts, to fit in a handbag or purse. With these facts in mind, we use our brains to reason and deduce the most intelligent design, the epitome of design for such a device. We conclude that it is critically important that the device remains quite narrow such that our hands can comfortably grip it, and we conclude that the height of the device is of much less concern, because while the top of the display can no longer be reached with one hand, there are plenty of functions that can be done with one hand, such as answering a call, or replying to a text. We also know that the height doesn’t matter when we think about putting this device away, in our pockets or other storage devices.
We are left with the realization that a smartphone will optimally have a display that is roughly 2:1 height/width. Now, video is of no concern because we’re intelligent enough to know that we will letterbox and pillarbox all video such that it is displayed in its full content and correct aspect ratio. Then of course there will be those of us humans who are less-smart and are all upset that the entirety of the display isn’t used for video, even though that is obviously the most intelligent design. As for all other apps, we gain significant, additional content per frame, which amounts to more information being displayed, which amounts to a superior experience.
One caveat I will say because it’s my personal thinking about this additional height: the system or apps should be designed with this additional space in mind, not just adding content that would otherwise instantly be scrolled to, but using the additional space to display content that wouldn’t have instantly been scrolled to. In other words, a design that is not simply showing the next four lines, but rather, a design that makes the app a faster, or better experience due to new interactive content or buttons, etc.