May 27, 2024, 6:14 am | Read time: 3 minutes
There’s probably no need to explain how to use a phone. After all, the design of the device essentially dictates where to place your ear and mouth to speak into it. Yet, you can see some variations in how people hold their smartphones that deviate from the classic style. One of these is holding it horizontally right to the ear. Find out what’s behind this at TECHBOOK.
When making a call, you hear the other person’s voice through the earpiece. This is located in the upper part of both traditional phone handsets and modern smartphones—at a spot that conveniently fits against the ear. At the same time, you can respond into the speaker or microphone located below. Nevertheless, it’s increasingly common to see users holding their smartphones in seemingly unconventional ways, such as horizontally.
Why Many People Hold Their Smartphones Horizontally
TECHBOOK noticed some time ago that more and more people are holding their smartphones horizontally—to their mouths. There can be various reasons for this. The most significant is likely the rise of voice messages, while traditional phone calls are becoming a less significant function of smartphones. Holding the device in front of the mouth not only makes it easier to press the record button, which must remain pressed throughout the recording. It also ensures clearer communication, as you speak directly into the area where the microphone is located.
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Listening to Voice Messages
Of course, this can’t logically be the reason people hold their smartphones horizontally to their ears. This is often done to better listen to voice messages from others when not using headphones. Unlike phone calls, you hear the other person’s voice from the speaker during a voice message. However, many people don’t realize that holding the smartphone to the ear switches the sound to the earpiece.
Avoiding Contact with the Display
Holding the smartphone horizontally to the ear, instead of placing it against the surface, can have other motivations. For instance, if your cheek touches the display, you might accidentally press buttons, such as unintentionally opening apps or ending a recording.
Moreover, germs can be present on a frequently used device, especially if you don’t always tap it with freshly washed or sanitized fingers. And: “We have ten times more bacteria on our skin than our body has cells.” This was vividly explained in a previous article—about why you shouldn’t take your smartphone into the bathroom—by microbiology and virology specialist Prof. Dr. Constanze Wendt. On top of that, many users carelessly place their phones on public surfaces that could be teeming with pathogens. Holding the smartphone horizontally to the ear prevents contaminants from the display from transferring to the skin on your face.