Apple tends to be the company that starts trends in smartphone design, which is why we've seen the headphone jack disappear from an increasing number of handsets. However, Xiaomi is going a step further than that with its latest concept smartphone design.
Today, the Chinese electronics manufacturer unveiled its first quad-curved waterfall screen concept smartphone. The quad-curve is actually an 88-degree curve along all four sides of the display, making for a smooth block of electronics. One side effect of having all sides curved is a complete lack of buttons or ports. This is a sealed unit, meaning a total reliance on wireless charging and connectivity.
Xiaomi says the most complex part of this new phone is the quad-curve glass protecting the screen. It required new equipment development, "hot bending under 800°C high temperature and pressure, four different polishing tools and up to more than ten complex polishing procedures." It also required a "breakthrough 3D bonding process" to attach the glass to the flexible display components sitting underneath it. In the process, Xiaomi created 46 patented technologies.
As for the lack of ports and buttons, Xiaomi says they have been replaced with "more elegant alternatives." On the one hand, that means this handset will be impossible to fix without professional help, and even then it's going to be hard to crack open this phone and put it back together again. On the other hand, it's sure to ship with a fantastic waterproof rating, if it ever ships at all.