Five trends in modern smartphones that nobody asked for

In the modern world, smartphone manufacturers are actively introducing new features and changing the design, but not all trends are beneficial. Some of them seem unnecessary, inconvenient, or even harmful to users.

MakeUseOf writes about five trends that should be left in the past.

Ubiquitous Artificial Intelligence

AI has become the main topic of 2025, but is it really necessary? For example, the Samsung Galaxy S25 series has no significant updates compared to the S24 — the main changes are only new AI features. The same goes for iPhones — while the Magic Eraser feature is useful, most other AI-based features seem useless. Many users, including those who are not tech enthusiasts, simply do not use them.

Of course, the development of generative AI is important, but not when it distracts from real innovation in hardware and device functionality.

Ever bigger displays

Even people with big hands find it difficult to use giant phones comfortably, but manufacturers keep increasing the size of their screens. Flagship models are getting bigger and bigger, and it’s getting harder to find a compact smartphone with premium features.

For example, the ASUS Zenfone 10 in 2022 had a compact 5.9-inch display, which made it popular among fans of small phones. However, its successor, the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, received a 6.9-inch screen, which completely changed the concept of the device.

Google and Apple still offer "compact" models with 6.3-inch displays, but even they seem too big. Sometimes I wish the iPhone Mini would return to the market.

Glass back panels

Glass makes smartphones more vulnerable to damage and adds extra weight. Metal bodies would make more sense, but they make wireless charging more difficult. A better alternative would be quality recycled plastic.

This material is lighter, less fragile, and can have a premium look if done right. It would be great to see it used more widely in smartphones at different price points.

Excessive number of cameras

Some manufacturers try to impress customers by adding 3-4 cameras even in mid-budget models. However, more cameras do not mean better quality images. In many smartphones, additional modules, such as a 2-megapixel macro lens or an ultra-wide module, do not produce good results.

It is much better to have one or two high-quality cameras than several mediocre ones. Apple follows this principle by offering high-quality modules instead of marketing gimmicks with extra lenses.

Bezels that are too thin

Some users want the thinnest possible bezels around the display, but is it really necessary? Phones with OLED screens and dark mode look aesthetically pleasing even with small bezels.

It’s worth remembering Samsung’s unsuccessful experiment with the Galaxy S7 Edge — curved screens caused accidental presses and costly repairs. If the desire for minimal bezels brings us back to similar design solutions, then this trend is better left in the past.

As a reminder, Android smartphone users don’t use most of the useful features in their devices. Sometimes this can be considered a mistake, as it worsens the user experience.

We also wrote that Samsung leaves a lot of its models without updates. This list may expand throughout the year as more and more devices reach the end of their update life cycle.