I wouldn’t say they have NO effect. I am sure I could imagine a phone offensive enough that I wouldn’t want it.
I think that people who care more about brands and appearances have a hard time understanding/believing those that don’t (or don’t much).
For example:
My idea of a computer is a plain beige/black box under the desk. No logos, no style. It is has been that way for 25 years.
I drove a plain white corolla because it was given to me when it was 10 years old. I drove it for the next 15 years. I didn’t have to, but it didn’t bother me and it got me to work.
I pretty much wear jeans and plain t-shirts every day. I dress up for work because I have to.
I have no desire to communicate anything with my personal “style” besides unoffensive and forgettable.
I could keep going but I wont. You get the point.
I think these things matter more to a lot of other people. In my mind I think of those people as a bit shallow, but I probably shouldn’t.
I don’t use a case* so I care a tiny bit. I would choose black over any other color, given a choice. If not given a choice (a hand-me-down, for example) I would take what I’m given without complaint.
More than once I have taken out my phone and heard someone say “Your phone is so thin. What is it?” It’s an iPhone without a case. It’s what your phone would look like if you ever actually saw it.
I care about how I look, and buy clothing and accessories accordingly, but I don’t care about the appearance of the thing that stays inside my pocket 85% of the time. I don’t buy phones to impress others; I buy them for utility.
I never even took the protective plastic off of my current phone before I put it in a case. I care far more about the appearance of the case than the phone. Unfortunately, the lovely case with the purple hibiscus pattern was absurdly fragile and therefore useless, and my current case is the color it is so I don’t grab hubby’s phone.
We’ve been informed by our carrier that our phones will become outdated and obsolete this year, so we should replace them. When we absolutely must get new phones, we will find the cheapest model of a phone that still works and buy that. Neither of us will care what color it is because we both like to keep products as long as possible before replacing them and will get sturdy cases for our new phones.
I say it about cars, definitely; and also about nearly all my shoes. I do like to have one pair each for summer and winter weather that don’t look totally absurd with a dress, for the about two occasions a year when I wind up wearing a dress.
If I’m buying something new, after I’ve sorted out the practical considerations, if there’s then a color choice I’ll pick a preferred color (though for some items, including a car if I could afford a new one, it’s going to have more to do with visibility than with whether I like the color. Give me a color that shows up if I drop the item in the grass or mud.) But it is way way down the list.
I’ll admit to caring what my glasses look like, since I can only afford one pair at a time (it’s a complicated lens prescription) and they’re what everyone sees when they look at me. But even for those it’s not the top consideration – the top considerations are can I see as much as possible, are they comfortable to wear all the time, are they hard to break, and do they protect my eyes as much as is plausible for something that’s not full scale goggles? After all that, then I look at style and color.
I’m aware that there are people who do care what their shoes look like, what their cars look like, and even what their phones look like. I most certainly don’t tell them that I don’t believe them. I don’t even tell them that I think they’re being silly. Different people care about different things.
I suspect that the people who design phones tend to be people who care what phones look like. People who don’t give a damn about it probably don’t go into phone design. I also suspect that the companies are willing to pay them because there is some percentage of their market who cares what they look like. That doesn’t mean that everyone does. However, I’m also unconvinced that companies only design things because their customers want them. Are there any significant number of people who want a slippery phone? And yet, the things exist.
I care in the negative sense. Don’t want one with neon colors, any sort of pattern, etc. So solid black, white, silver or some such. Since those are by far the most popular options, then I’m happy with just about any phone look. It’s functionality, ruggedness, etc. that I care about.
I was going to point out the pointlessness of disapearing rear cameras (one of the next big things, possibly) but then later articles pointed out the possibility of using it as a ND filter, so there may be some practical value after all.
I just want it to look normal and not have any flashy designs. I don’t use any phone covers. Lately I got a new dark silver-grey-backed phone, a basic model but I am quite satisfied with it owing to the practical aspect - it works well in all its basic functions.
About appearance and features I care absolutely zilch, zero, nada, not at all. I live beyond cell service so my 5-inch Samsung only takes or makes calls when far from home, and is mostly used for browsing when WiFi is available. I make no fashion statements. I need no fancy AV features; I don’t absorb vids or music with it. I don’t care what anyone may think when they see me clothed. If I just blend in a another old coot with a fone, fine. If I want attention, I’ll whip out my tinwhistle and play The Work Song or Jambalaya.
Well, there’s exterior appearance and exterior design. As you say, most are glass and metal rectangles covered with rubber cases, so appearance isn’t a big deal. I do care about button placement, speaker placement, charging options, do the cameras sit flush or make it wobble, is there a headphone jack, giant bezel, etc.
As far as appearance, it just has to black or silver/metal. Like others, I prefer to go caseless; I’ve yet to drop a phone, but I handle mine less than many. I bought my first case recently, though, for non-phone reasons. One of my bank cards “upgraded” me to a trendy black metal version that sets off metal detectors, so I keep it in my phone case rather than my wallet.
If the phones are otherwise identical and the same price, then I need something to help me decide which one to get, and color isn’t a bad way to do it.
I’ve actually specifically went out and looked at the cases for phone models before deciding which one to get. Cases matter more, and I find it odd that different outside colors are even made.
It would make far more sense to have different bezel colors.