Killer mobile phone features we want to make a comeback!

The recent news that Apple’s iPhone 6 could feature a light-up logo, signalling the return of the notification light, was a welcome one, but it got us thinking about other features from yesteryear that we’d love to see make a return. Although some functions are best forgotten, others could genuinely help to make smartphones not only better, but smarter. Read on for the forgotten phone features we want to see pop back up!

Clamshell phones

For a little while, clamshell phones took the world by storm, proving practical, compact and incredibly stylish. Large touchscreens may have killed them off, but there’s no reason they couldn’t make a return. And with flexible screen tech and super-skinny designs, they could be better than ever before! Imagine a clamshell handset with a touchscreen that stretches all the way from the top half to the bottom (replacing the old keypad), and flexing in the middle. No joins, no bezel in the centre, just a super widescreen display that’s perfect for watching movies on. And when you flip it shut, it could be a fraction of the size of phones and phabletscurrently on the market.

The telescopic aerial

The iPhone 4 was a great example of modern hardware being too clever for its own good, as Apple crammed the phone’s antenna into the metal case in a specific way, and it suffered reception issues as a result. Sure, the iPhone 4s fixed its woes, and subsequent sequels are a lot better, but wouldn’t it be handy if there was a backup? If you’re suffering from reception issues, just yank up the telescopic aerial to chat – just like people did back in the ‘90s.

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Flip front phones

OK, so in all seriousness we’re not actually too sad to see retractable aerials make a disappearance forever, but there are some features that we really did like. Like flip fronts on phones like the Sony Ericsson T28, for instance. There’s no need for pesky lock buttons with a flip front, and there’s also no chance of accidentally hitting the keys (or onscreen buttons, with phones from 2014…). It’ll even help protect your screen from scuffs and scratches. We particularly liked the way a flip front helped to put the phone directly in front of your mouth when chatting though, feeling less like you needed to shout when talking to your nearest and dearest.

Removable batteries

Phones like the HTC One (M8), Nokia Lumia 930 and Apple iPhone 5c all feature stunning designs, but that svelte design comes at a price. Batteries on lots of high-end smartphones are now built into the phone itself, with no way to easily swap them when you run out of juice – even if some do. We’d love to see more phones take some practical design hints from their ancestors, with removable batteries – just like you’ll find on the Lumia 635 – making it a lot easier to work and play on the move for long periods of time.

Dual screens

The return of the clamshell could also herald the return of the dual-screen phone. Sure, there’s the odd handset with two screens – like the YotaPhone – but they’re nowhere near as popular as they used to be. And now’s a better time than ever to implement a second screen; flexible technology and increasingly tough coatings mean that displays are gradually becoming the toughest parts on our phones, so why not turn both the front and back of the handsets into giant screens? That way, it wouldn’t matter which way up the phone is, you’d always be able to see who’s calling and you’d never miss incoming messages.