Slide phones - a simple guide

The term ‘slide phones’ is used to refer to two types of mobile handset – the older generation of small, two-part flip handsets or any modern smartphone which features a hidden QWERTY keyboard. These sit below the upper part of the screen, with users sliding them out when they are needed for text entry.

Advantages of traditional slide phones

One of the best things about slide phones is just how small they are. The two part form factor means they’ll take up half as much room in your pocket or bag.

Slide mobiles also offer larger screens than those with standard candy-bar form factors – making them easier to use. Makers of slide phones cite the fact that the flip action allows you to take and end calls without pressing a button, which has found favour among busy users.

Additionally, the upper part of the phone ensures that the keyboard is protected from scratches and bumps.

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QWERTY slide phones

A slide-out QWERTY keyboard is fast becoming a standard feature in many mobiles. The chief advantage of these is that they make it much faster to enter text, so they’re perfect if you’re planning on using your mobile for email, work or MS Office documents.

Slide phones with QWERTY keyboards also appeal to people who find touchscreen keyboards too fiddly to use, or those who just prefer to type on something that feels more tactile.

As a result, we have seen QWERTY keyboard equipped slide phones arrive from almost all the major brands including, HTC, BlackBerry and Nokia.

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Buying a slide phone

Slide phones are on offer across all major networks. You can pick up slide phones on pay as you go and pay monthly plans, with some excellent tariffs and monthly allowances.

History of slide phones

After the initial spate of generic phone design, slide phones were perhaps the first type of mobiles to bring a new design approach to the sector. One of the first ever slide phones was the Siemens SL55, which wowed phone fans with its innovative looks.

Since then slide phones have become some of the most popular around, with newer models taking the slide form factor to new heights with concealed QWERTY keyboards and ever more compact dimensions.

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