Most people are probably familiar with the concept of aspect ratio—it is commonly used to describe the proportional relationship between the width and height of an image, video, or display screen. In the commercial display industry, common numerical combinations like 16:9, 4:3, and 21:9 represent screen aspect ratios. Different aspect ratios determine whether a screen is wide, vertical, or square.
From 4:3 to 16:9, and now to a variety of other ratios, why are there so many options in the commercial display field, which emphasizes standardization?
While 16:9 screens are now ubiquitous, the historical development of screen ratios was not an overnight shift. In the early days, people’s demand for screens was mainly for televisions. The CRT screens used at that time, limited by technology and also close to the aspect ratio of early films, adopted a 4:3 ratio within the visible range, making it the classic aspect ratio of the era.
Example: The 1958 classic film Touch of Evil uses a 4:3 aspect ratio.
Later, LCD screens inherited this ratio. However, with the popularization of LCD screen technology and the formulation of high-definition video standards, 16:9 gradually became the mainstream screen aspect ratio.
Although the display area of a 16:9 screen is approximately 10% smaller than that of a 4:3 screen, the human visual field is a wide rectangle—people pay more attention to the left and right surroundings than the upper and lower areas. Thus, the 16:9 ratio seems to better align with human visual habits.
In contrast, 4:3 screens are too close to a square shape, which may cause the line of sight to shift up and down, resulting in relatively limited visual effects.
A more crucial reason is that the 16:9 ratio can be compatible with content in two other ratios—4:3 and 2.35:1. By adding black bars, the original aspect ratio of the content is maintained, preventing the image from being stretched or distorted.
Example: The 16:9 aspect ratio is compatible with different content ratios.
Example: When playing a film with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio on a 16:9 screen, no part of the image is lost.
With better visual alignment and higher content compatibility, the 16:9 ratio has become the most common aspect ratio today, supported by these and other factors.
In retail environments, 16:9 remains the mainstream, but there are still "corners" where it cannot fit. To address different usage scenarios, more screen ratios have emerged, spawning niche areas in commercial spaces.
Store shelf spaces are usually narrow and long, and traditional 16:9 screens often struggle to fit perfectly in these small display areas.
However, bar-type screens, with their unique narrow and long shape (aspect ratio ≥3:1), break through spatial limitations and perfectly adapt to the narrow, long spaces that traditional 16:9 screens cannot accommodate.
Corridor spaces are relatively long, so screens with wider and flatter ratios—such as 21:9 or 32:9—are usually chosen.
These ratios allow more content to be displayed on both sides of the screen. At the same time, their wide, flat shape does not take up much vertical space, avoiding a sense of spatial oppression.
Example: iMGS ceiling-mounted screens with a 21:9 aspect ratio offer a wider image without compromising ceiling height.
Horizontal screens occupy a large amount of space, which often affects the utilization rate of the site. In contrast, vertical advertising machines with a 9:16 aspect ratio can make full use of vertical space, making them particularly suitable for narrow retail locations.
For example, in areas like cash registers, elevators, or corners, 9:16 vertical advertising machines can be flexibly integrated into the environment, maximizing the use of every inch of vertical space.
In retail stores, merchants flexibly select appropriate screen aspect ratios based on the size and function of different areas. For main display areas, large 16:9 screens are still used; for small corners or small display stands, screens with ratios like 3:1, 21:9, or 9:16 are chosen to ensure accurate information delivery and maximum space utilization.
A screen’s aspect ratio and content presentation are complementary—only by choosing the right ratio can the best content display effect be ensured. After all, no one wants to see a stretched or distorted image.
However, this does not mean that a horizontally proportioned screen can only play horizontal content. Through the split-screen mode of advertising screens, the screen’s aspect ratio can be redivided according to content needs.
The split-screen mode of advertising screens divides the display into multiple areas, allowing multiple types of content to be shown simultaneously on the same screen. For example, a 9:16 screen can be split into two or more small areas, each displaying different advertisements or information.
Example: The split-screen mode of iMGS advertising screens enriches advertising content and maximizes the use of screen space when space is limited.
With the split-screen mode of advertising screens, the limitation of fixed screen aspect ratios is broken. More content can be covered at the same time, and even dynamic and static advertisements can be played simultaneously.
It provides an alternative to "filling the entire screen"—through intelligent split-screening, more flexible and diverse display formats are achieved.
A screen’s aspect ratio is not just a design choice; it involves multiple factors. Beyond matching content of the right size, the key is to match the right scenario. Commercial spaces will not adapt to screen products, nor will they cater to a single standard aspect ratio. Instead, advertising screens need to make corresponding adjustments for different usage scenarios to better serve the ever-changing commercial environment.
