Anyone miss using a smaller phone?

[Morty2264]

Looks nice, wish it would work on Verizon, if so I'd be interested providing the specs are up to snuff

A new Sony phone?! OMGOSH I'm so THERE! That's super exciting! That's too bad that it wouldn't work on Verizon. I'm very interested in seeing what this phone would be like!

 

[Inders99]

The large offerings don't fit well in my pockets nor do I use it like most do like watching vids and staring at social media garbage. It's just a tool for me so I go as small as I can while still using a phones with competent features.

 

[Chuck Finley69]

The large offerings don't fit well in my pockets nor do I use it like most do like watching vids and staring at social media garbage. It's just a tool for me so I go as small as I can while still using a phones with competent features.

I agree with a phone as tool but I dual carry a iPhone XR and Pixel 3a which I can’t really go smaller unless I want to use a tablet or laptop more. That defeats mobile device advantage when on the road.

 

[Laura Knotek]

My first "big" phone was also a Moto X Pure Edition, which still works great as a backup phone, but I doubt I'll ever go smaller than that again. As my eyes get older my screens seem to get bigger

That's exactly the same with me. The MXPE was also my first "big" phone. I loved the curved back, since it was easy and comfortable to hold without a case.

Since then I've only used big phones, since I also need something that I'm able to see clearly.

 

[ptkelly]

I've never had a huge phone but my current Sony Xperia 5 ii is an odd size and shape that fits my 79-year-old small hand with stubby arthritic fingers amazingly well. Now if they only hadn't made it more slippery than a freshly caught Cutthroat Trout.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I miss smaller phones. The one I miss the most is the 2013 Moto X. That was a rock solid device for it's price point. Everything seemed well designed.

Sadly, I am now contemplating the bigger Pixel just so I can have a battery that can get me through more than a day.

 

[Morty2264]

I miss smaller phones. The one I miss the most is the 2013 Moto X. That was a rock solid device for it's price point. Everything seemed well designed.

Sadly, I am now contemplating the bigger Pixel just so I can have a battery that can get me through more than a day.

Isn't that an interesting sacrifice we have to make now - size for battery life?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Isn't that an interesting sacrifice we have to make now - size for battery life?

The sad part is, whatever Moto did to the OS, they managed to do it with 2200 mAh of battery....

 

[Morty2264]

The sad part is, whatever Moto did to the OS, they managed to do it with 2200 mAh of battery....

That reminds me of the good ol' days with my Pixel 2, which managed a pretty decent battery life with only 2700 mAh...

 

[Joseetje82]

Nope, I have prescripted glasses -13!!

 

[gray2018]

I do and I don't personally. I think it's part of the times that smart phones are just bigger. My Note 9 being at 6.4 in screen size, though felt like a large device, didn't feel too large despite being difficult to use sometimes.

I think the most comfortable sized phone that got the form factor completely right that I have ever used was the LG V30. I love the build on it and I definitely never had a problem using it. That being said, I don't think I could ever see myself going back to a device smaller then that.

One thing I would rather companies go back to rather than a smaller phone is curved screens. Curved screens don't do anything but cause issues and really serve no purpose other than gimmicks that are no longer relevant. I am glad to see Samsung going back to flat screens it seems. Now if they could add the memory card back in, that would be great instead of being Apple Jr.

 

[anon(50597)]

Isn't that an interesting sacrifice we have to make now - size for battery life?

I guess that depends on the user. I have the Pixel 4a which is as big as I want to go and my battery life is just fine. I don't watch movies or play games on it though.

 

[Morty2264]

I guess that depends on the user. I have the Pixel 4a which is as big as I want to go and my battery life is just fine. I don't watch movies or play games on it though.

I agree! I'm a light to moderate user so I don't necessarily need the biggest and most powerful battery out there.

 

[ptkelly]

When I was younger I asked a friend who was a mechanic why the engines got such rotten mileage. I said my grandmother had an old 2-door Chevy that got great mileage, ran great. and never broke down. He thought a minute and said, "Well, that was a sweet engine and it would still run a car great. Or, it would run the radio, heater, air conditioner, electric windows, electric seats...." "I get it."

Perhaps an element of the same is happening with phones. Also, measuring phone size by screen size is misleading because phones used to have bezels and a few still do.

Me? I don't play games on my phone, do no social media, and since I'm deaf I don't take phone calls. My phone automatically quits charging at 80% but it will charge from 50% to 80% in an amazingly short time.

 

[Donglelife872]

While the S5 was so big and so cool in its day, it seems tiny now.

 

[Morty2264]

While the S5 was so big and so cool in its day, it seems tiny now.

Phones that we thought were SO HUGE back in the day are now tiny! How things have changed! Phones started off huge and then they become super small. Now, they are becoming big again! Will we revert back to smaller phones again? Who knows!

 

[Laura Knotek]

Phones that we thought were SO HUGE back in the day are now tiny! How things have changed! Phones started off huge and then they become super small. Now, they are becoming big again! Will we revert back to smaller phones again? Who knows!

I'd really be surprised if they got small again, since the bigger screens work better for watching videos, which is a use case that I don't see going away.

 

[the_boon]

Phones that we thought were SO HUGE back in the day are now tiny! How things have changed! Phones started off huge and then they become super small. Now, they are becoming big again! Will we revert back to smaller phones again? Who knows!

Manufacturers have long ago stopped giving a damn about the ergonomics of their smartphones, and so have most consumers it seems.

It sucks but as an individual the only option you have is to go out of your way to buy more rare/niche devices that may provide those better ergonomics/form factors, but you will undoubtedly be giving up several things as opposed to going for a mainstream device.

 

[Morty2264]

Manufacturers have long ago stopped giving a damn about the ergonomics of their smartphones, and so have most consumers it seems.

It sucks but as an individual the only option you have is to go out of your way to buy more rare/niche devices that may provide those better ergonomics/form factors, but you will undoubtedly be giving up several things as opposed to going for a mainstream device.

I definitely see what you are saying. If you're going to go smaller, you'll inevitably lose some features - bigger battery being one of them.

 

[Donglelife872]

The S5 has been a faithful performer for me, but next to the Note 20 Ultra, it just seems kind of puny and inadequate. I'm certainly not missing the smaller screen.

Back in 2014, my 2010 era iphone seemed the same way, in comparison to the S5.

The S5 DOES still have the better mp3 experience for me, mostly due to the playlist format. However the S5, when new, had better battery life. It wasn't unusual that I'd end the day with 80% battery life (using mostly just the onboard samsung music app).