Landscape only phones

[Alexandicity]

We're all seeing fancy phones with accelerometers that can proudly switch between landscape and portrait modes coming out these day, regardless of whether they have a kb or not. That got me thinking. Why do phones have a portrait mode at all?

A major reason is historical, of course, and the current rational is "it's always been done like that". There was never a landscape candybar phone. I suspect this has something to do with the positioning of an old text-only screen above the keypad.

But now this is no longer applicable with the advent of screens that are also the input method. For some tasks, landscape is clearly superior (watching videos springs to mind). Some favour portraits - notably, some text lists. Others are completely orientation-agnostic (like home screens).

Physically, holding a device horizontally is no harder that doing go vertically and the thumb can easily reach all parts of regular-size phones' screens. Landscape orientations can be additionally used double-handed.

So far, the match is "even", but still, portrait seems to hold a dominant position. As we use our devices more for media (which prefers landscape) and text-input (same, via a physical or virtual keyboard). I do think, when using my phones, that more can be done sensibly in a landscape mode. Landscape screens also approximate our computer monitors more closely, which may make future convergence easier.

Any thoughts about how the future of mobile screen orientations will go?

[oic0]

I only use landscape mode on my phone for video since the top and bottom bars eat up too much real estate in that mode.

[Rudegar]

orientation can be changed under settings
and even if it don't keep it after a soft-reset
it would be pretty easy to make a program
which put it back to landscape
but many programs would not be compatible
and as stated no real benefit apart from video
and games being as most devices buttons are laid out

[Alexandicity]

I only use landscape mode on my phone for video since the top and bottom bars eat up too much real estate in that mode.

I'm thinking though that because of the way the phone was developed. If they wanted to, UI designed would quite easily put at least the top bar on one side. The bottom bar would be more tricky though. I suspect you'd do away with it and opt for a different navigation/menu paradigm. Or at least make fuller use by offering more menu options when there's more space available.

and as stated no real benefit apart from video
and games being as most devices buttons are laid out

This is what I'm not so sure about. These two are true, of course, but I suspect that the more we start inputting text on our devices, the more we'll use a landscape-style keyboard. When you start doing that in the calendars, SMS apps and other everyday tasks, having a phone in landscape suddenly becomes more appealing. 90% of the time I'm starting up my Tytn, it's to do something that requires some kind of text input. When this is the case, I'm wasting time starting in portrait then moving to landscape.

[cktlcmd]

This is why I prefer CLAMSHELL devices or anything with a slide out tilting keyboard that would allow the screen to orient itself to landscape view. Unfortunately, there are no good clamshell out there except for an outdated HTC Universal.