When we travel by plane, we always end up in the same situation: trying to balance our phones on the tray table, adjusting it again and again, until it finally falls flat just as the movie starts. That frustration is what pushed me to design my own solution.
v1: The first try
The first phone stand I made was honestly not that good. It was big and kind of clumsy, it only had one angle, and you couldn’t easily put it in your pocket. Also, if the tray table was closer or further away, or higher or lower, the screen was harder to see for some people. I made the shape circular so it would fit into the cup holders on airplane tray tables so it would not slide away during some light turbulence.
It did the job, but not very well.
v2: Making it better
Lets call it v2, even if I probably prototyped 10 versions already. This new phone stand is made of two parts: a round outer part and an inner part that moves. They are connected with two screws on each side, so you can tilt the phone up and down and choose the angle you want. The shape is still circular so it fits perfectly into the cup holders on airplane tray tables, and I have tested it with SAS, Norwegian, Finnair and Icelandair. Also some trains and busses. With this version you fold it flat, so finally easy to put it in your pocket. You could also change the angle, which made it much easier to watch the screen no matter how you were sitting or how tall you are.
This version fixed some of the problems, but it also had one big issue. The screws on the sides were sticking out. That meant it could scratch things in your pocket or your bag. Also, when tilting it often it became to loose to quick.
v3: The latest version
That ment I needed a new upgrade, we are on v3. This time, the screws are pushed in, so they don’t stick out. That makes it nicer to touch and safer to carry around. I also added a rubber ring with the screws to add some friction when tilting it.
To use it, you just flip down the table, place the stand in the cup holder, put your phone in it, and press play on Netflix.
Not perfect yet
There is still one problem. After some time, the stand still becomes a bit loose. That’s something I need to learn how to fix in the next version. But that’s why designing is so much fun. You try, test, fail a little, and then improve.
Why I like this project
I really like working on this because I can see the progress from version to version. Each time, I learn something new. My goal is to make a phone stand that is small, simple, adjustable, and easy to bring with you when you travel.
And this is definitely not the last version.
Want to try it and give me some feedback? Buy one here:
