I think they designed it to be used with a case. It feels badly designed without one because it can’t even lie flat on a table without wobbling, but with a case everything is flush.
One benefit of the dock being so simple is that it should be relatively easy to design a replacement dock that doesn't suffer from those issues. I'm thinking something like Apple's iPad Dock [1]. I think the dock design they went with is more kid friendly, so if you're an adult who is going to be mindful when docking your Switch I think something more minimal would be fine.
I'm in the "this thing seems way over engineered" camp. The stand rotates not to hide the screw hole (it's a neat feature, but the screw seems to clip into something to stay put), rather it rotates just to fit the odd shape of the console.
Why not use a captive screw so it can't fall out, and design a console with a flat bottom so no rotation/moving parts are needed?
The type cover seems like a good thing in theory, but in practice feels very "tacked on." Especially in that you have to find a level surface (no pun intended) to rest the device on.
The article wasn't debating the stand so much as it was talking about the other 'accessories' (i.e. the wheels and cloth for the nano particle display.) So it appears that the stand was just testing the waters.
The "base" Apple case is marvelous. It improves the usability by almost 50% by increasing friction and letting you place or hold it more easily. Outdoors, you can use the cover as a shade, and it is also two stands in one.
Before you complain about iPad ergonomics, get one!
Clunky is the edges of the device. I find holding it to be uncomfortable due to the relatively pointy edges. Unless I put it in a case which I don't because I have the docking station.
With so many layers, I’d be deeply concerned about how fragile it is. Probably much better off being inserted in a semi-permanent role (Switch, Steam Deck), than camera storage.
I ask because I find that unlikely with a smart cover. I use one with my iPad 3 and, with the smart cover rolled up, propping it up requires little more than my finger tips supporting the back edge.
I use the official case for Z Fold 4 only because of the camera bump. The shape of the camera bump make it almost impossible to stay still on the table.
But I think Pixel Fold doesn't have the issue if I choose it. The shape can stay still on the table I think.
I thought apple was allowing accessories to connect to the dock at the bottom after the 3.0 software update. Wouldn't it make more sense, and be sturdier if it was at the bottom? Also, with a bigger piece of hardware you might be able to use the quick pass functionality of some cards (the ones with ultra super secure RFID).
As an industrial designer I'd say you're strongly mistaken. Their case design looks like it lays perfectly fine down on a surface, and efficiently wraps around the buds, why the need to stand it upright at all? It's a classic error to think boxes are more efficient in every scenario, simply look at aircraft -- far from a box and perfectly suited to the usable task!
It's not such an issue when it's lying on its back, as the camera sticks out slightly and I guess adds enough friction that it doesn't start to move.
The front is the issue. My current case is a hard plastic case that lifts up the screen, so it will never touch the table. Maybe a screen protector would work as well, but I really don't like those.
Maybe one of the fancy cases with detachable stands is better?
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