Form factors decide the style for any mobile phone. Everyone wants to have functional and stylish mobile phone. Following the most commonly used form factors in mobile phones:
1. Bar
This is sometimes referred to as candy bar form factor, or block or slab type of form factors. It is having the shape of a cuboid. Since it is having similarity in shape and size of candy bar, it has got its name. It is one of the most used mobile form factors. In this type of form factor, screen and keypad are provided on the same side, in most mobiles.
2. Slate
Slate
Actually slate is also a type of bar form factor, but is an elongated one. This kind of design will have less number of buttons and they will rely on touch screens and virtual QWERTY keypads. Nowadays these kinds of mobiles are becoming popular.
3. Flip
Flip
Flip type of form factor is also called as clamshell. It consists of two sections (sometimes more also) and they are separated by hinges. Hence, the phone can be able to flip to open or to become compact. Once these mobiles were very much popular and were known as stylish mobiles. But they are decreasing in popularity these days.
4. Backflip
Backflip
Backflip is nothing but an extension or variation of flip model mobile. Motorola has released this mobile in 2010. It will have hinge on long edge of the mobile rather on small side. When this model mobile is flipped out, screen will be seen above the keypad.
5. Slider
Slider
Slider or Slide model mobile phone consists of two parts which can slide past over one another. Screen will be present on one side and keypad will be present on one side. It can be slide past so that keypad can be used.
6. Side Slider
Side Slider
It is a variation of slider mobile phone. In normal slider mobiles, two sections can be slide past in vertical direction. But in side slider models, the two sections can be slide past over the other in horizontal direction.
7. Swivel
Swivel
Swivel is a variety type of mobile form factor where the two sections of the mobile will be connected at a point or central axis. It is a less widely used model.
8. Mixed
Mixed
Limited number of mobile phone models will have mixed form factor. These models use both flip axis and swivel for sliding.
both flip axis and swivel for sliding
