Hi, my name is Tom Smykowski, I'm a staff full-stack engineer. I build and scale SaaS platforms to millions of users, working end-to-end from system architecture to frontend to mobile. On this blog I share what I learn about software engineering, technological trends, and the nature of digital content creation.
What This Article Covers
Explore the unexpected dominance of vertical video in 2023 and its implications on content consumption across platforms. Dive into the historical context of visual orientation, from ancient art to modern digital media, and consider why vertical formats have gained traction despite a longstanding preference for horizontal viewing.
Questions This Article Answers
- How did vertical video become popular in a world accustomed to horizontal viewing?
- What historical precedents exist for vertical and horizontal content orientations?
- How do different cultural artifacts, like hieroglyphs and clay tablets, inform our understanding of visual orientation?
- Why do modern devices and user habits favor vertical over horizontal formats?
- What might the future hold for content orientation as technology continues to evolve?
Length and Time
A thought-provoking exploration of visual media trends and their historical underpinnings. Approximately 10 minutes to read.