Curved displays on smartphones are not the big selling point they were just half a century ago. In fact, curved displays quickly became so controversial that their mere presence could easily turn potential customers away from purchasing a phone. However, I still quite like it.

It would be a mistake to pretend that the implementation of curved screens has not been problematic since the first Samsung Galaxy Note Edge appeared. Nonetheless, I think curved screens still have advantages that make them worth keeping. Furthermore, the recent curved screen phones have given me hope that things are finally getting good.

My main reason for preferring curved screens is not based on mechanical insight. Beauty is subjective, but I generally like the look of curved displays compared to flat ones; flat phones like the iPhone 12 look better with flat sides, but phones like Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra, with its curved front and back and side rails minimal phones look even better.

It's not just about aesthetics. Curved displays, especially on 6.5-inch and larger devices, reduce the depth when you hold the phone, making it easier to tap buttons and keyboard keys with your thumb Quad-curved displays like those on the Xiaomi Mi 11 and Huawei P40 Pro If you're lucky enough to get one, you'll also appreciate this when holding the phone horizontally, as many people frequently do for gaming or watching videos.

Curved displays also offer the opportunity for new and unique ways of interaction. The most common is to light up the edges of the display to show notifications, making them easier to see when one is far away from the phone or when the phone is upside down.

For example, on the Huawei Mate 40 Pro, you can control the volume by double-tapping either edge, and on the Motorola Edge, when playing games on the square-cut display, you can call up the notification shade, list of recent apps, and and access to a virtual shoulder button.

However, there is such a thing as too curved. The Horizon Display on the 2019 Huawei Mate 30 Pro, on the other hand, is so curved that it is difficult to see both ends at once. This is not particularly useful if you are trying to take a photo and can't locate the subject and end up cropping off the top.

What also doesn't help is that the unique features added to the edges are probably available elsewhere. Accessing them from the edge is faster and requires fewer taps than performing the task in the usual way, but it is easy to forget if you are not used to having alternative options. This is something I often do, despite having tested a variety of phones with such a feature.

This only gets worse if your phone has an unfortunate encounter with a hard floor. Curved displays are more fragile and even more expensive to replace than phones with standard bezels. If you're worried about this happening, there is no easy way to prevent it with a screen protector or case. There are cases and screen covers that fit, but they are quite difficult to apply and do not offer the same level of protection as the regular flat type.

Looking back at these factors, the history of curved displays has been checkered. However, this year may be the beginning of a renaissance for this arched display.

Several major curved smartphones have already been released this year, like Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra and Xiaomi's Mi 11, and more are rumored to be on the way. What's more, Samsung and Xiaomi have done is shrink the angle so that the curved surface hides the bezel rather than adding a new control surface. In addition, improvements in false-touch sensor technology mean that phones are better able to recognize and ignore wrong touches, which can be unsettling for users.

This feels like an appropriate compromise between those who like curved screens and want to see them developed and those who greatly prefer the practicality of flat screens. While I miss the gimmicky controls, this feels like a more sustainable way to get curved displays on cell phones. Until folding phones become mainstream and change everything again.