People have been saying this for the last 5 years and will continue saying this for the next 5 years. They make less smaller phones cuz people don’t buy them
So long, small phones
Submitted 1 year ago by misk@sopuli.xyz to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.theverge.com/23913658/best-small-phone-dead-iphone-mini-z-flip-pixel-8
Comments
mojo@lemm.ee 1 year ago
verysoft@kbin.social 1 year ago
That will be a side effect of them locking abitrary features behind the bigger and thus more expensive models, if there was feature parity smaller phones would probably still be the norm.
nexusband@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Yeah, I only got the Pixel 6 Pro because of the zoom lense…i would not have chosen it otherwise. It’s too big…
hiddengoat@kbin.social 1 year ago
If you can figure out a way to cram all of the shit in a 15 Pro Max into a form factor the size of an iPhone 4 not only will Apple suck your dick in the form of a well-earned half million dollar salary but you'll likely get a Nobel Prize for breakthroughs in quantum computing and also making atoms smaller.
ayyndrew@lemm.ee 1 year ago
There are some features that just can’t be equal between a bigger phone and a smaller one (or would require gimping the bigger phone like a bigger screen (obviously), bigger battery and more size for larger camera sensors
amelia@feddit.de 1 year ago
As a woman: I’d love to use bigger phones - as soon as they give me pockets I can fit them into.
Cannacheques@slrpnk.net 1 year ago
I feel like hopefully with a potential paradigm shift, maybe one SIM card and number shared between several devices, one large phone or tablet for work or movies and a smaller feature phone for on demand urgent communications, we’ll hopefully see the market for OEMs open up a bit wider and allow for further competition/collaboration across the whole portable electronics sector
locuester@lemmy.zip 1 year ago
Absolutely untrue. It’s a heat dissipation issue. iPhone minis had so many issues with heat they can’t make em anymore.
Apple wants you to think that bigger phones are better only because they can’t make them smaller.
Swarfega@lemm.ee 1 year ago
Personally, the Pixel 5 was the perfect size and weight for a phone.
No bulky cameras. No thick chassis. No glass adding pointless weight. Very usable as a one handed device. Symmetrical bezels.
PaalUltra@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Typing this from my pixel 5. The best sized phone ever. I think imo the use case for big ass 15 feet phones is a little overkill. Most people are just buying it because it’s “premium”.
dgriffith@aussie.zone 1 year ago
The best sized phone ever.
Steve Jobs called the first release of the iPhone with its 3.5" screen, “the perfect size for human hands”.
He was probably fairly right on that claim. Humans have opposable thumbs and the average range of said thumbs when touching something cradled in the palm without external movement is about 3-4 inches.
And yet I’m typing this on a “moderate” sized Samsung A71, and to tap something on the top of the screen I need to use my other hand or shift the phone downwards in my grasp to do so.
BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 1 year ago
Currently using an Essential P1 running Lineage (Android 13) and I’m about to switch to a Pixel 4a of all things, because of size, weight (its plastic), cheap as hell (so I can keep a hot spare around and do testing for a low cost), and it has one of the highest NIT ratings of any unlockable phones.
The 5 looks good too, just not as bright, slightly larger, and a little heavier.
Swarfega@lemm.ee 1 year ago
My son has the 4a and it’s a great phone. Same size as the Pixel 5 too.
nicknoxx@feddit.uk 1 year ago
I’m still using mine.
Swarfega@lemm.ee 1 year ago
I still have mine on my desk but it has a screen issue so it’s unusable. I still pick it up just to feel it. It’s just so good in the hand.
SamBBMe@lemmy.world 1 year ago
The s23 is basically the same size as the pixel 5.
Alami@lemmy.world 1 year ago
S23 will cut your palm with its sharp edges though
rambaroo@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Yeah I wish my 5a was a little smaller, it’d be perfect. Still been a great phone so far.
BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 1 year ago
Add a screen protector - it can hide the scratches.
PHLAK@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I recently busted out my Pixel 5 (currently using Pixel 7) to try out Lineage OS and absolutely love how it feels in my hands. It’s light and easy to reach all of the screen with one hand. Man I miss that phone.
BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 1 year ago
Nice. And with Lineage its fast, root and add Kernel Adiutor to really tweak both performance and battery life.
Cannacheques@slrpnk.net 1 year ago
Pixel 3 and Samsung S4 and j series were good
GBU_28@lemm.ee 1 year ago
The day mines dies I might just not have a phone lol
sebinspace@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Ooooh nexus…
My Nexus 5 and 5X were the best phones I had ever owned, period
RootBeerGuy@discuss.tchncs.de 1 year ago
Hey, your Nexus 5X has called… actually it can’t because its still stuck in a bootloop.
eatfudd@lemm.ee 1 year ago
My 5x was the best phone I owned because I paid 250 for it and got that back from my credit card warranty and then another 450+ from a class action against LG.
swag_money@lemmy.world 1 year ago
my first ever smartphone was the 4. it was my favorite for the longest time. i kept using it as a backup and i have 2 others I’ve harvested for parts. i love how easy it is to take old phones apart :D
phoenixz@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
6 was the best, period. Could still be on sale today and be an awesome phone
nossaquesapao@lemmy.eco.br 1 year ago
I have a theory about small phones:
I see so many people asking for smaller phones, and, at the same time, the sales aren’t very good when companies give it a try. How can both be true?
I believe (from my anedoctal observations) that small phone users tend to be people who don’t want to replace their phones just for the sake of getting a newer one, and use their devices for several years, resulting in fewer sales than expected.
Nefara@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I’m a staunch and unyielding small phone user and this does, admittedly, describe me. I used my LG Optimus (4.75" or 120mm) for something like 6 or 7 years and I loved it. I don’t use my phone for games or video and just want something I can always tuck in a pocket (on women’s clothes this means tiny). It was the perfect size for my hand. When it stopped working because of the 3G/4G change over I upgraded to the smallest, most decent phone I could find: a Samsung Galaxy S7. I am still using it something like 5 years later and I would never go bigger than this, it fits comfortably in one hand, is light, and the battery is replaceable and lasts me all day. It sticks out of pants pockets but fits in a coat or jacket pocket. I would be willing to pay a higher up front cost to get a new phone if it was exactly what I wanted though, about 5" with no bloatware, replaceable battery, headphone jack, and a great camera.
nossaquesapao@lemmy.eco.br 1 year ago
You’re just like me hahaha. My first smartphone was an LG Optimus too, the L70 model. I used for almost the same amount of time, until 2020. It still works, but I stopped using it due to the lack of storage space (2GB only) and older android version. I still think that phone is the perfect size, and would love to have the same model, but with upgraded specs. Then I had to get another one, and moved to Samsung too, but the A01 core.
Grass@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
I prefer smaller phones but none of them have the specs I want. I’m never looking for bleeding edge flagships either. I just want a good enough camera, good enough screen, goddamn micro SD slot damn it, and flat glass edges with a bit of a bezel so I can put a case and tempered glass on. And whatever the maker needs to make available for custom roms to be possible because I’m damn well going to keep using it after official updates end.
They wouldn’t even need to make a new model as frequently, maybe minor revisions to replace no longer available components. USB port update shouldn’t be needed for a good chunk of time since c seems pretty great. There’s probably a shitload of tooling and supply chain issues to work out even ignoring the likely toxic workplace politics though.
esc27@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I think you may be on to something. I keep hearing podcast ads for a t-mobile phone upgrade service that brags about offering 2 year upgrades, which sounds bizarre to me because I want my phones to last at least 3 years.
kamen@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Maybe it’s about perspective. When smaller phones were the default, other phones were more of an exclusion. When bigger phones became the defacto default, smaller phones started to seem smaller in spec in comparison (mostly battery) while being at about the same price.
MajorHavoc@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I don’t want smaller phones, I’m just having a hard time growing my hands and pockets to keep up.
Pxtl@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
I just want phones that are shorter. They keep getting longer, which means more risk of breaking, and means the keyboard is unusable in landscape since it blocks the textfield.
Gloomy@mander.xyz 1 year ago
Jtlyk, you can use a custom keyboard, like Swift Key. Many have the option to scale according to your preferences.
Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de 1 year ago
I’m currently in the market for a new phone because Samsung ended security updates for my current one, not because there’s anything wrong with it. And I’m noticing that my choices seem to be buy a phablet or buy a total POS.
Remember when Samsung made a flagship phone in multiple sizes, and then also made a giant phone so big it had a built-in stylus? It wasn’t that long ago. Now the flagship phone comes with a stylus.
noughtnaut@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Look into rooting it and putting a different Android rom on it, I’m sure there’s something for your phone to extend its life quite a bit.
…unless you’re tired of that phone.
Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de 1 year ago
Yeah, I’m still weighing that as an option.
It’s dumb, but I’d sort of hate to take a nice, private rom and then sully it with Google Play services so I can get the apps I have to use for work.
Dremor@lemmy.world 1 year ago
You may want to take a look at Fairphone if you want a phone that gets updates for a long time. The current one will be supported at least until 2028, maybe 2031.
Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de 1 year ago
I’d love to get a fairphone, but the 4 is only available on T-Mobile (or it’s MVNOs) which doesn’t work for me, and the 5 has no plans for a US release.
trainline@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I believe the (old but still decent) best small Android is the Samsung s10e
LennethAegis@kbin.social 1 year ago
That's still my current phone. Newer phones just look so absolutely massive.
danielbln@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Same, holding on for dear life with my S10E. It’s the best form factor, great power button finger print reader, dual SIM, I mean, what’s not to love. (battery is kind of meh, but I’ve added a halo ring and a magnetic induction battery).
mxcory@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 year ago
Except for the Bixby button, I mostly like my s10e. I have large hands, but still wish it was slightly shorter.
trainline@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Have you looked at remapping the button? I use Button Remapper and I have it configured to open Google maps and Spotify
BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Using this right now. If they revived the galaxy mini line (~4in screen) I’d absolutely buy it.
MrScottyTay@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
I’m still on my pixel 3 which is line at the cusp of the size i can handle. I want smaller but every new phone is bigger. It’s so infuriating.
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 1 year ago
A small phone with flagship features are not happening.
To get a smaller phone, you have to give up screen quality, camera quality, fingerprint scanners and other flagship features.
I just want a small flip phone that acts as a smartwatch paired to my main phone. Nobody makes that either.
daltotron@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I think the main smartphone market is kind of like the market for cars. The only people that can afford to buy them, can afford to keep up heavy consumer traffic, are the ones who are convinced they need to swap to the top of the line model with some sort of trade-in payment plan, where they want every new trendy thing, and every piece of bullshit technology that’s not going to last even to the next flagship model. Basically, stupid people who are rich and are insecure about it. I’m certainly vulnerable to that to, just as I’m vulnerable to the unbearable lag on even just like a 6 year old phone, which should really not be that old, and then security updates and support are always a concern, I suppose. I think maybe the solution, individually, might just be to root my phone, or install some linux alternative operating system, cause I don’t wanna keep up with this bullshit anymore. I’m trapped in a world of large 19:9 and 21:9 smartphones, unusable with one hand, and with screen space that’s useless 90% of the time. I’m stuck without aux ports, and without any physical style keyboard, no nothin. I also want stuff like the DS stylus port and the flip camera they had on the zenfone 7, that shit is cool.
fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 1 year ago
My phone is about 15cm (~5¾ in) tall, and to me, that’s the absolute maximum. It’s slightly too big. The width, about 7cm (~2¾ in) is totally fine.
This (Galaxy XCover 5) was the smallest phone that seemed to exist (and I wanted one woth durability, removable battery, SD slot, headphones etc). It was very expensive though.
Trying to find cheaper ones for various people in the extended family, they all specified “oh, not bigger than my current one”, but it was impossible. There’s basically nothing less than 16cm tall, and most are even bigger.
I’m scared of this one breaking. The XCover 6 is 17cm x 8cm.
pavnilschanda@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I remember the last time this got brought up and I complained about my thumb not being able to reach the other side of the iphone 3 mini. Well, I tried the Samsung Z Fold the other day and I really like how narrow it is to the point where my thumb can effortly reach the other side when the phone is folded. Perhaps I’ll get that phone in the future when my current iPhone 13 mini dies. At the same time, I do enjoy my Apple Watch though and I appreciate the longetivity of the iPhone compared to other brands.
jordanlund@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Smart phones killed small phones. Really, a small smart phone runs into usability problems.
I loved my old Kyocera slider, but all it was good for was phone and SMS.
1" screen, phone is about the size of a credit card.
k9329@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I’d really like Google to make smaller phones again. The Nexus size was the perfect size.
spiderkle@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
Asus, Samsung and Sony are still making some very handy phones. Apple and Xiaomi can go suck it. Admittedly those phones tend to be on the premium side, but imo they also last longer…because you don’t drop them as often.
Especially the Sony Experia 5 (I through V) is the perfect balance between an old school width where you can easily hold and use the phone in one hand but also have more space to scroll vertically. Its got a beautiful 21:9 display, so cinematoc content looks dope as well.
redcalcium@lemmy.institute 1 year ago
I found my old ipod touch in the closet and power it on yesterday. Can’t believe how small it is. I swear the screen was a lot larger when I bought it years ago. I guess my perception is skewed by modern smartphone screen size which keep getting bigger.
LazaroFilm@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Their idea is but I giant phone or a watch phone. I love the mini. It’s too bad.
Gingerlegs@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I had to get the pro max because the 12 pro was getting too hard for me to read comfortably 😭😭
I just turned 40
verysoft@kbin.social 1 year ago
I think the S23 is the perfect size, I wish that was the standard, with some larger ones for people who like that.
soupbowl@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I’m actually using a Titan Pocket currently. Works well enough for me. The security updates are lagging behind that’s getting me considering switching back, but I’m otherwise cautious how I use it.
It’s a nice feeling device, and makes me wish they’d make more BlackBerry style phones with bigger displays and Android capability.
People see you whip the titan out and think “oh he’s doing that rollback technology thing”, then you use Android Pay and they really flip out lol.
jimmydoreisalefty@lemmus.org 1 year ago
Haven’t thought of small phones in a while, unless you look into dumb phones, like Nokia 3310 reboot.
Great little phone, but does not have smart features that smart phones have.
Nice to see the sizes being compared, I was not expecting it, but wow have phone become huge.
I wonder if Pine64 or similar would create a small phone, they have launched phones before…
autotldr@lemmings.world [bot] 1 year ago
This is the best summary I could come up with:
But for gadget enthusiasts like me, Google had other plans: it’s arbitrarily pushing buyers to the ginormous Pixel 8 Pro instead, bragging about how its larger handset can handle niftier features even though both phones have the same cameras and chips.
Plus, Samsung doesn’t actually let you use it like a small phone by default — you’ve gotta jump through hoops to use apps on the outer screen.
It’s called Unihertz, and its Jelly line is tiny and has nifty features like a BlackBerry keyboard or programmable buttons and extra LEDs.
The project hasn’t had a meaningful update in five months, and team leader Benjamin Bryant admits he had to pause to look for consulting work on the side.
“Samsung Display US is willing to champion us; the challenge will be convincing the Korean HQ that we are a viable enough project for them to invest time and resources into,” Bryant tells me.
Bryant admits that, in general, the small phone outlook is “bleak” and that some of his prospective customers “will be forced to upgrade in the coming year.”
The original article contains 809 words, the summary contains 179 words. Saved 78%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
dlok@lemmy.world 1 year ago
God I loved the Nexus 4, I had iPhones from iPhone 3G to 4 moved to a Galaxy S3 which I absolutely despised due to the bloatware… sold that on eBay and bought a Nexus 4 16gb for £280… Had Nexus/Pixel branded phones ever since.
devfuuu@lemmy.world [bot] 1 year ago
It’s amazing that last year when I was looking for a new phone, the one I bought was one of the smallest I could find - asus zenfone. Same physical size as my precious sony, just a few grams heavier. I’m super happy with it and ny other phone seems super huge in comparison.
TheFrirish@jlai.lu 1 year ago
Me reading this on my zenfone 10.
LainOfTheWired@lemy.lol 1 year ago
Currently in the process of switching to a degoogled OnePlus 5 which is only taking a long time because I’m having to find the right combo of system apps and replacements for googles apps which I’ve all but done.
Seriously if you’re trying to make a google free phone try LineageOS microG. It’s a spin on Lineage that gives you replacements for a lot of core apps like a location provider, and a load of other stuff you wouldn’t realise wasn’t in pure android.
Now all I need is a new battery and I have a FOSS( bar firmware, blobs, and magic earth, because no FOSS map app works well in the UK for me) phone.
But honesty I love this phone it’s just the right size and it still has touch buttons for home, back, and recent apps instead of on screen ones( which I kinda hate). Paired with dual cameras and a gorgeous 1080p OLED display.
And you want to know the best part?
It only cost me £50!
Seriously if you’re sick of modern phones and yern for the good old days this is a pretty great middle ground.
synceDD@lemmy.world 1 year ago
You only see tech nerds having small hands and small cocks what a coincidence 🤕
persistence@feddit.de 1 year ago
That’s why I switched to a flip phone. It’s smaller in my pocket.
randomaccount43543@lemmy.world 1 year ago
They will have to pry my iPhone 13 mini from my cold dead hands! Small phone gang unite! ✊
Zerlyna@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I still have an SE 2020 and now wondering if I can get a Mini. I had a 6+ and got rid of it because it made my hand cramp. I hate big phones.
Skunk@jlai.lu 1 year ago
The 13 mini made me switch to apple after years of android and even Ubuntu phone.
The form factor is the only reason I buy a new phone so let’s hope there’s still be a market for people like us.
DJDarren@thelemmy.club 1 year ago
Fellow 13 mini user here, and I’ve never loved a phone more.
GrammatonCleric@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Damn, Steve Jobs got his posthumous hooks in ya
answersplease77@lemmy.world 1 year ago
iphone 13 is gaint! I don’t I’m on the same page as you lol