Chinese startup Smartisan has a weird new way to use your smartphone

Hint: it’s not for those with lazy arms

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Chinese startup Smartisan has a weird new way to use your smartphone

Karen Chiu

Published: 10:00pm, 21 Aug 2018Updated: 8:36am, 20 Sep 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

Swipe. Flick. Tap. We’re so used to interacting with our smartphones through these familiar gestures, it’s hard to imagine there are other ways to move around a screen.

But Smartisan, a Chinese startup known for their, uh, “adventurous” ideas, has come up with something new.

Smartisan OS v6.6.5, a modified version of Android, comes with what they’re calling the Infinite Screen. It’s not a physical screen -- but rather a navigation feature that allows users to physically move their phone left and right to find the app they want -- instead of swiping. Just take a look at this GIF:

Who needs a giant phone screen when the length of your arm is the limit? Well, unless you’re on a crowded train. (Picture: Smartisan)

Smartisan also says when you raise the phone, Infinite Screen will automatically go to selfie mode (selfies are pretty big in China). Bringing the phone down will reveal an Earth logo, which takes you to a maps app that lets you move around the map by moving the handset.

Similarly, you can move your phone around to see different parts of a large image -- sort of like Facebook’s 360 Photos.

It’s a cool looking idea, but seemingly impractical. It’s not the sort of thing you can imagine doing easily in a crowded space, and could get quite tiring quickly.