HTC makes some beautiful phones, but designer Andrew Kim still sees room for improvement. The HTC 1 is his vision for a device with an even more refined and harmonious design. Can you spot the hidden kickstand?
Ah, there it is, built into the design itself (as opposed, he says, to being added as an "afterthought.")
The flip-out stand is representative of Kim's rigorous design, in which nothing is extra and everything has its purpose. His HTC 1, built of machined brass with silver finish and hiding stereo speakers at its top and bottom, pushes minimalist smart phone design even beyond that of the iPhone 4, for better or worse. As much as I would like a clever little kickstand, I think I would miss my dedicated volume buttons.
But it's not only the hardware that's been stripped down for the HTC 1; Kim overhauled HTC's Sense UI, too, distilling the existing widgetmania to a calmer, simpler set of icons and notifications.
While the HTC 1 is just one designer's idea of the perfect smart phone, it shows that despite what some people think, minimalism can always get more minimalist. And if the designer is clever enough, stripping away unnecessary design elements can lead to ingenuitive new functionality. [Design Fabulous via Yanko]