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Good Design: Airline Seatback Designed for Smartphone and Tablet Viewing

A win for the carriers too

By Rain Noe - December 5, 2019

in Quick Hits

(This new "Quick Hits" series of posts will be short 'n sweet examples of good design. Debates welcome.)

The airline carriers have to be thrilled that people now travel with their own screens. It's got to be cheaper for them to install this folding smartphone/tablet viewing shelf in a seatback than an actual monitor:

Image credit: Chesires Shadow, on a Hawaiian Airlines flight

I also love how the charging point is right next to it. It's better than fumbling for that plug beneath the seat.

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Ray Jepson

4 years ago

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I flew to Australia a few months ago. Two flights of around 12 hours each. I'd say 3/4 people who watched movies or TV on the plane-installed screens.

I think a great addition would be some way to watch the content from my phone on the seat screen.

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- Bradley Johnson
  
  Ray Jepson
  
  4 years ago
  
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  Yes, that's pretty typical on long haul flights like that. Those flights have better movie selections, and everything is free. For shorter flights (6 hours and under) its more common for people to use their own devices.
  
  I agree with you. Screen mirroring would be a great addition.
  
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Sean Horita

4 years ago

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Handy, but hardly an elegant solution. I would think that a captive audience like airline passengers would be able to discover a cleverly hidden method of holding their devices that wasn't so...overt.

Delta and Jetblue are committing to IFE screens over BYO-iPad, props to them even if a lot of pax bring and use their own anyway. Jetblue recognized that many people like to have their laptop open and work, while being distracted by a movie on the seat-back screen. Good for them I say. Better way to own the experience.

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