Will Newburn talks on his StarTac, above, and, at right, compares the sleek phone to one of his first wireless purchases. As portables become smaller than the land-line handset in the average household, a lot of effort goes into achieving the right proportions. It is a human thing to do. So an extension or some kind of cover is preferred. Qualcomm's Lombardi agrees.
People tend to like to know that there is something they are talking into.
During focus groups and interviews with customers and potential customers, it became clear to Samsung that a comfortable fit was important, says Peter Skarzynski, vice president of marketing. Ear seal itself is very important. People want to find a spot to put their ear. But it's getting close and leading to a whole new set of challenges. You start getting much smaller and you can't read the display or punch buttons.