Concept Phones


PSP 4 CONCEPT LOOKS BIG, ADVANCED, HAS DOUBLE SCREEN





Created by Gregory Pizzatto, the PSP 4 concept is an innovative console design, that involves a comfortable control system. This system involves two button pads, one on each side of the device, plus a widescreen touchscreen, that seems to fold up and unveil a double display.


PSP 4 Concept Looks Big, Advanced, Has Double Screen


This looks a bit like Sega’s Game Gear, so if you’re nostalgic, you’ll like the product. I can envision a 4 to 5 inch display available on board, in a double form that folds up and gives you double the screen estate. Also, an accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS, SIM card slot, microSD card slot and HDMI port would be on board.
Notice how cool the two shoulder buttons were integrated and how sleep the entire thing is. The portable console concept will most likely use direct software downloads for games, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a game cartridge would thrown in there for good measure, considering how wide this thing is.


PSP 4 Concept Looks Big, Advanced, Has Double Screen

SAMSUNG BANG & OLUFSEN SMARTPHONE LOOKS HOT

Created by NAK Studio (Antoine Brieux), the Samsung Bang & Olufsen phone looks mint, I have to say. Inspired by B&O and the classic Samsung design, the device inherits the powerful specs of a Galaxy S II and the sound gear of the B&O brand. Here’s the result:


Samsung Bang & Olufsen Smartphone Looks Hot

This model is nicknamed BoPhone M and it comes with a 1.5GHz dual core CPU, HSPA+ connectivity and a 4.3 inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display. The handset measures 9.48 mm in thickness and comes with 64 GB of internal memory. At the back there’s an 8 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, plus a 2 megapixel camera upfront.
As far as connectivity goes, you also get Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi a/b/g/n and USB 2.0. Android 2.3 is the OS of choice and there’s even a nifty accessory for this Samsung concept phone: an enhanced B&O dock that gets the top of the top acoustical technology and “big sound from small speakers”. I must also notice the curved design of the Bang & Olufsen concept phone and the teardrop shape that it uses. Beat this iPhone 5!

Samsung Bang & Olufsen Smartphone Looks Hot
Samsung Bang & Olufsen Smartphone Looks Hot
Samsung Bang & Olufsen Smartphone Looks Hot
Samsung Bang & Olufsen Smartphone Looks Hot
Samsung Bang & Olufsen Smartphone Looks Hot

SOCIAL IPHONE DESIGN REMINDS ME OF THE MOTOROLA FLIPOUT


Gregory Pizzatto imagined a new type of iPhone, one that’s focused on social networking and adopts a square design. The resulting device can be seen below as the Social iPhone concept, with a sliding QWERTY keyboard, that reminds me very much of the Motorola Flipout.


Social iPhone Design Reminds me of the Motorola Flipout

Well, it’s mostly the square form factor that looks like Flipout and not the sliding mechanism that is quite different. I assume that a diagonal of around 2.5 to 3 inches is available for the touchscreen, as well as at least 16GB of internal memory and a 5MP camera that should be enough to take pics and post them on Facebook.
The physical keyboard is something that Apple won’t implement too soon, but one can dream, right? However, the keyboard of this concept iPhone looks pretty comfortable to use and a part of me is wondering if that’s a touch keyboard as well… It’s interesting to see how segmented the back of the device is, making me wonder if finally this is an iPhone with a removable battery.

Social iPhone Design Reminds me of the Motorola Flipout
Social iPhone Design Reminds me of the Motorola Flipout

GOOGLE NEXUS 3 LOOKS SKINNY, USES VERY CLEAN UI


Federico Ciccarese is at work again, this time with a Google Nexus concept, the Nexus 3 you can see in the following images. This handset shows an innovative interface, that’s most likely suppose to be the one of the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, in the vision of Ciccarese Design.


Google Nexus 3 Looks Skinny, Uses Very Clean UI

We’re dealing here with a slightly curved smartphone that will eventually be called Samsung Nexus Prime, but Google Nexus 3 does just as good. Notice how slim this unit is and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was below 8 mm in thickness. The design reminds me a bit of the Nexus S, albeit thinner and with a less curvy form factor.
Ever wondered why they made some phone concepts curved? The idea is to get the handset to emulate to your face for a better experience and if you ever used a Nexus S you know what I’m talking about. The icons from the Android dock at the bottom looks very clean and very well spaced out, while the notification bar at the top doesn’t seem to have changed much from Gingerbread. If I were to guess some specs for the Google Nexus 3, these would be it: dual core 1.5GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, 16GB of internal memory, 8MP camera, front cam, NFC and maybe even LTE.

Google Nexus 3 Looks Skinny, Uses Very Clean UI
Google Nexus 3 Looks Skinny, Uses Very Clean UI

TRANSPARENT DUAL DISPLAY PHONE COMES WITH AUGMENTED REALITY FEATURES AND MORE


Transparent phones are more than a fashion, they’re a thing of the future as one or two concepts have shown before. This time we have a dual display transparent handset on our hands, one created by Wenhing Chu & Kok Keong Wong and known as the Space 3.


Transparent Dual Display Phone Comes With Augmented Reality Features and More

The device uses two sliding transparent surfaces that attach to one another and form the smartphone. You can split them and still pair them most likely via wireless and this is very cool, since you get double the screen estate you’d normally benefit from. We must also mention that the screens have divided roles, as one is the Mother and the other one is the Lens.
You can shift from passive to active UI output and also you’ll interact via gestures with this handset if you want. Imagine the opportunities of the Lens screen: augmented reality: tons of photo taking options, great navigation services and landmark positioning on the map, augmented gaming and social networking. Incredible!

Transparent Dual Display Phone Comes With Augmented Reality Features and More
Transparent Dual Display Phone Comes With Augmented Reality Features and More
Transparent Dual Display Phone Comes With Augmented Reality Features and More
Transparent Dual Display Phone Comes With Augmented Reality Features and More

NOKIA W7 HANDSET RUNS MANGO OS, FEATURES 4.2 INCH AMOLED DISPLAY


Here we are again, yet again with a Nokia Windows Phone device that runs Mango OS. This time it’s a model created by Deviantart user Larmthe4, who shows us a Nokia concept phone with a 4.2 inch AMOLED HD multitouch display, a 1GHz CPU and 768MB of RAM.


Nokia W7 Handset Runs Mango OS, Features 4.2 Inch AMOLED Display

The Mango OS smartphone packs 576MB of ROM, 16GB of internal memory and a Carl Zeiss 12 megapixel camera with dual LED flash. Nokia W7 looks extremely skinny and bundles innovative ports such as a microUSB 3.0 and mini HDMI. This model measures 9.8mm in thickness, weighs 142 grams and adopts a curvy look, that’s the most modern industrial phone design nowadays.
There’s also a camera button on board and the classic WP7 interface with a touch of Mango and the novelty it brings. Till we get to see the real and first Windows Phone 7.5 handsets, concepts such as the Nokia W7 remain a landmark in the handset segment. Will the Nokia Sea Ray look anything like this? What do you say?

Nokia W7 Handset Runs Mango OS, Features 4.2 Inch AMOLED Display
Nokia W7 Handset Runs Mango OS, Features 4.2 Inch AMOLED Display

ANDROID ICE CREAM SANDWICH CONCEPT THEME LOOKS INTERESTING, CREATED THROUGH CUSTOMIZATION


In lack of a proper launch date for Android Ice Cream Sandwich, we’ll just be happy with a concept theme for the upcoming release. Confirmed by Eric Schmidt to come in October/November, Android 4.0 has been shown as the following design pictured below.


Android Ice Cream Sandwich Concept Theme Looks Interesting, Created Through Customization

This was achieved through the Nite UI theme that borrows a lot from the new Android Market and a bit from the new Google Voice widget, with its minimal design. The theme isn’t all about rooting and flash zip, instead it’s a bunch of apps that you can get from Android Market and couple together.
With enough free time on your hands, you’ll make your device look like this and maybe, just maybe you’ll get the Ice Cream Sandwich feeling going on a month or so before its launch. How about a concept for Windows 8 now, I mean a new one, since we’ve already had those on our website. In case you’re wondering what Android Ice Cream Sandwich is all about, know that it will unify Gingerbread and Honeycomb into a single platform and most likely debut on the Samsung Nexus Prime handset in a couple of weeks.
[via Phandroid]

IPHONE 5 DESIGN CREATED BY TOBI INVOLVES A SMART COVER


You might be familiar with the name tob!s or Tobi, if you’ve followed our Sony Ericsson concept phones section before. Now, Tobi is back with an iPhone 5 concept that you can see below, pictured in the white version. Quick reminder of the latest rumors: the launch date of the new iPhone is October 7th. Excited?

iPhone 5 Design Created by Tobi Involves A Smart Cover

Tobi proposes a more rectangular device, most likely adopting that rumored edge to edge screen and possibly sporting a bigger diagonal. This design seems very iPad-inspired, if you look at the back case especially. Another inspiration from the Apple tablet is drawn with the inclusion of the Smart Cover accessory that attaches to the device. The problem here is: do we really need this accessory?
Notice the elongated Home button area that fits in perfectly with the rumors we’ve heard, about that are being some sort of touchpad enabling gesture control that will help you browse in menus. So, what do you think of the designer’s effort?

iPhone 5 Design Created by Tobi Involves A Smart Cover

CURVED PHONES TREND SPREADS, THE RESULT IS THE AXIO POWER SMARTPHONE

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Curved phones are all the rage now, with models such as the Nexus S and Xperia Arc adopting the trendy curve nowadays. Well, let’s take the curvy shapes to the next level and check out the AXIO Power smartphone, a design creation of Christos Ragias.




Curved Phones Trend Spreads, the Result is the AXIO Power Smartphone


The idea behind a curved phone is reduce the crowd in your pocket and adapt the handset to the natural shapes of the human body, even with the device in your pocket. Another advantage is the fact that a curved cellphone will stick to the user’s face better, since our heads aren’t squares after all. This model looks really nice and wide and I’d see HTC creating such a device.
As you can see this model comes with a pretty powerful camera, maybe an 8 megapixel unit with dual LED flash and a speaker in the area. The power button is also interestingly integrated in the middle top and it spells out “Power”. There’s something very “automotive” about this phone, but I can’t really put my finger on it…


Curved Phones Trend Spreads, the Result is the AXIO Power Smartphone


HTC PHENOM IS A TINY HANDSET WITH SENSE UI




HTC Phenom is a concept device created by Marc Aynote from Tokyo, Japan. All I can do with this handset is suppose what it’s all about, since I have no specifications and design details for it. Thus, I can assume it’s a handset for youngsters and teens, since it’s pretty tiny, slim and appealing.




HTC Phenom is a tiny Handset With Sense UI


It comes with the classic HTC back case, some very interesting buttons at the bottom, that seem to light up in a nice way and an original concept design. If I were to guess, I’d say that the display on this phone is a 3.2 inch one, showing the classic HTC Sense interface, in a version older than 3.0, if I’m not mistaking.
This means that the specs on this device aren’t that evolved, so we might get a 800 MHz CPU here, 700 MB of RAM and maybe 2 GB of internal memory. This model supports 3G, Bluetooth, WiFi and should come with a 3 or 5 megapixel camera. Priced at $150 let’s say, this would become a total hit on the worldwide market, but we have to remind you that right now it’s a mere design, but one can dream, right?


HTC Phenom is a tiny Handset With Sense UI



Snake Phone
Snake phone

Having a phone that can wrap around your wrist or arm could be useful, especially if you're prone to losing things. But that doesn't mean anyone would want the snake phone, created by Product Visionaires, curled around their entire arm. Imagine unwrapping one of these things if you get a call. Yikes! Shrink the design down to a manageable size, and this phone would probably be a hit with people who frequent the gym.

Kyocera Kinetic OLED cell phone
Kyocera Kinetic OLED cell phone
The Kyocera kinetic-energy-powered concept phone unfolds from a wallet-shaped, pocket-friendly device into a widescreen OLED display. The phone sports a physical keyboard that pretty much goes away when not in use. The keys are inset into the frame of the phone. Just start typing, and--like magic--the keyboard emerges from the phone's skin. We don't know what kind of battery this phone is supposed to use, but it's probably epic.

Hidden displays
Hidden displays
In another take on the flexibility of OLED, some concepts point toward using rollable displays to create small phones with large screen sizes. This one, designed by Tao Ma, was apparently inspired by one of humankind's finer creations: the D battery.

Nokia Morph
Nokia Morph
When Nokia conceptualized the Morph cell phone, it wanted to show how nanotechnology could radically change portable electronics. The Morph is made of transparent and flexible material, is self-cleaning, and includes nano-sensors that can learn from the environment. In one example, Nokia suggests that the nano-sensors would be able to detect airborne threats and alert users to them.
The Morph, as its name suggests, would also change form, the company says: "Using the same principle behind spider silk, this elasticity enables the device to literally change shapes and configure itself to adapt to the task at hand."
Bend in Touch
Bend in Touch
Inside this touchscreen phone called Bend in Touch, Ukrainian designer Andy Kurovets places a pop-out display that nearly doubles the screen real estate of the device. While one screen handles Internet tasks, the second can display a video. The Bend in Touch also features a pop-out camera and flash.
Transformer phone

Transformer phone
There are Android phones and then there are alien phones, like this one modeled after a Transformer. This concept phone, created by Parkoz Hardware, is a must-see in action. Put it this way: You wouldn't want this phone ringing on your bedside table in the middle of the night.
That's one glassy phone
Yanko Design phone
Sure, semitransparent LCD screens aren't new -- but a glass phone, like the one here dreamed up by Yanko Design, would offer more to see than just the wall behind your desk. Then again, such designs look as if they would attract more smudges and fingerprints than a fish tank in a preschool.
Window Phone

Window Phone
This Window Phone concept, from designer Seunghan Song, constantly "illustrates" the weather via the phone's user interface. Seems a bit too weather-centric for my tastes, but it's definitely a perfect gift for Al Roker.

The Camera-Projector-Printer

The Camera-Projector-Printer
Talk about multitasking phones. Meet designer 's phone, game controller, photo printer, and projector. When it comes to full-featured phones, this handset is tops.

Separating Handset
Separate Keitai
This concept touchscreen phone, developed by NTT Docomo and Fujitsu, is called Separate Keitai. It features a separate screen and keypadlinked together via Bluetooth. Magnets keep the two sides of the Separate Keitai together when they need to be. Assuming that the microphone and speaker are connected to the keypad, a product like this could finally make it easy to look up a contact number for a friend while speaking with someone else. The creators say the benefit of the phone is that it allows you to make a phone call and write an e-mail at the same time.

Pebble phone: Blobby and mysterious
Pebble phone
This device, dubbed the Pebble phone, first appeared at the tech trade show CEATEC 2009. The Fujitsu concept features a black blob encased in rounded glass. Dragging the blob to different areas on the phone causes it to morph into different screens, including a keypad, a media player, and a Web browser. It isn't clear what technology would power a phone like this, but I'm guessing Apple already has a patent on it.

Master chief's phone of the future
Radia phone
This concept phone, dubbed Radia, is a gorgeous, polished piece of -- dare I say -- art. The only problem is that it doesn't have much to offer in the phone department. The circular display is pretty small for Web browsing or watching videos. The Radia looks as if it would work fine as a dialing device or as something to impress your fancy-pants friends with -- but not much else.

Melding phones with humans

Body as phone
With these concept phones that turn your hand or arm into a phone, you can forget about hands-free devices. At left is a concept by Yanko Design's Sunman Kwon. It's a wearable phone in which the keys are projected onto the user's fingers; to place a call, you must make the international symbol for the telephone. The middle images are from industrial designer Jim Mielke and are of his Digital Tattoo Interface phones; these devices are implanted into your forearm and fueled by the circulation of your blood. And the phone on the right, designed by Biodomotica's Massimo Marrazzo, is always handy no matter what you're doing.

Hopefully not this

O2 Mobile phone
This monstrosity, known as the O2 Mobile phone, was inspired by the "molecule esthetics" of the oxygen molecule and created by Tjep Design. Other than the fact that it has a screen and a keypad, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this phone in no way resembles any phones of the future.

Touch Wood -- No, seriously
Touch Wood phone
The Touch Wood project was developed as a partnership of NTT Docomo, Sharp, and Olympus, and is part of a reforestation effort. Built of surplus wood from forest-thinning operations, this phone promises to be waterproof and bug-resistant while maintaining the texture and aroma of natural wood. Phones like this would be great for tech-loving tree huggers who need to stay connected with friends and tweet about nature's splendor while protesting the latest logging operation. Watch out for splinters.

Cool design, no frills
hockey-puck concept phone
Here's another hockey-puck concept phone. This one was designed by Jamie Lawrence for folks who don't care about anything besides using a phone as a phone. This slider's two glossy halves separate to reveal a small touchscreen. A nice-looking, no-frills concept.

Buzz Lightyear, eat your heart out
Kora Bracelet Phone
This mammoth wearable phone looks as if it might be the cell phone of choice for Iron Man. It has a lot of buttons -- including a directional pad, a camera button, a keypad, and what looks like digital music controls -- and a lot of screen real estate. Akihabara News says the phone is called a "Kora Bracelet Phone" and was reportedly made by Fujitsu.

Fan-made PSP takes the gaming cake
PSP Redesign
This concept phone, based on the popular Sony PlayStation Portable gaming system, appeared on Flickr courtesy of user BluezPS. This fictitious device, dubbed PSP Redesign, melds a gamepad with a touchscreen phone. Though this phone may be a Photoshop fantasy, I like it. I hope Sony can learn a thing or two from this design when working on future phones and mobile gaming devices. (No UMDs, please!)

F-Circle
F-Circle
This phone, designed by Yuji Ito and called the F-Circle, was made by Fujitsu and appeared at CEATAC Japan in 2009. It obviously borrows from the rotary-phone aesthetic and melds that with a touchscreen. It's nice to look at, but what about practicality and ergonomics?

Just say 'hello' or 'cheese'
Sony Ericsson
I hope Sony Ericsson someday makes this concept phone, which comes with the imaginary specs of an OLED display, a 3.2-megapixel camera, 2GB of storage, and an integrated FM tuner. I love the ultrasleek handset, and it offers a flip-down camera. It has been three years since Sony Ericsson showed off the phone, so it's time to bring this product to market -- or at least to update the make-believe specs and give the device a 10-megapixel camera.