Where have all the small phone fans gone?

[Brian Stirling]

Admit it, you're going to spend that $200 on the VR toy anyway.

I could care less about the VR thingy, not interested one bit!!!


Brian

 

[desura]

Like it has been posting nice try with your post.

But the funny thing is, apple still makes a 4" phone. Nothing is stoping them from keeping the screen size and upgrading around it for next year, and i have a feeling they will. Because there's a big crow that actually wants a small compact phone wether you like to admit it or not.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/

It would have been trivial for them to make a 4 inch version of this year's, with A8, etc.

Why didn't they? They've killed the 4 inch form factor. And all of the apps are not resolution compatible with the new phones. I dislike this move...

 

[QueBert]

Too much choice also tends to lead to being dissatisifed with the choice you end up making.

For me the vastly inferior app's and app UIs on Android apps has always been what left me unsatisfied. But the Android bunch always remind me of how I have choices, and custom roms and can different lanuchers! My Credit Union just released their app, the Android one can check a balance or transfer between accounts, that's it. The iOS one looks better, is faster and lets you take pictures of checks to deposit them, and even create sub accounts. On my M7 it's like I'm using a 2 year old beta app, on my iPhone I have about 10 more features and it's super poished. Both were released the same day, but they obviously didn't put much time into the Android one. I asked them about when the Android one will have picture check deposits and the other features "we're shooting for summer 2015"

AWESOME SAUCE.

 

[bearxor]

after having the ip6+ for a day, i'm already considering getting rid of it to get the normal 6. everything about it so far just feels too big. still going to give it like a week or two though to see if i get used to it. but if i feel this way in 2 weeks i'm gonna downgrade.

I'm almost certain it's too big for me. But OIS is a big deal for me. If the 4.7" model had OIS I likely would have gone for that model instead.

 

[badb0y]

I'm one of the ones who said that 4 inches was the sweet spot way back in the day. In some respects I still believe that but over the past year or so I have really started to like the phablet form factor which would basically combine my usage of the iPhone and iPad mini into a single device.

I actually wanted to get a Note 4 but watching the preview videos online and I can see the stutters in the web browser and interface already. I don't want to start some argument here but it just seems like 30 FPS vs 60 FPS when I see something like a Note and an iPhone side by side. Is a difference immense? No but given a choice I would go for the 60 FPS all the time.

 

[RaulF]

It would have been trivial for them to make a 4 inch version of this year's, with A8, etc.

Why didn't they? They've killed the 4 inch form factor. And all of the apps are not resolution compatible with the new phones. I dislike this move...

The 5S is still an awesome phone, i have one and dont plan to upgrade to the 6 or 6+. No need, phone is fast and does everything i need.

 

[lxskllr]

My S5 is as big as I want to go. It's my first smartphone, so I don't have much experience, but I think a bit less than 5" would be ideal; maybe around 4.7" or so.

 

[Crono]

Like it has been posting nice try with your post.

But the funny thing is, apple still makes a 4" phone. Nothing is stoping them from keeping the screen size and upgrading around it for next year, and i have a feeling they will. Because there's a big crow that actually wants a small compact phone wether you like to admit it or not.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/

You can easily put a 4.3" to 4.5" display into a bodies not much larger than their old phones. Android was already there a year ago (and for anyone laughing at the "Facebook phone", it was actually a pretty good device when you disable Home). The old Moto G was a nice size for someone who prefers small devices or has smaller hands, and the bump in screen size from 4.0" to 4.3" or 4.5" is more significant in practical use than one might think, and without the finger strain of going to 5.5" or more.

 

[purbeast0]

just went to the store to check out the ip6 in hand.

i'm definitely going to return the plus and get the normal ip6. like my ip4, it's comfortable to text with 1 hand and to use with 1 hand. the plus is simply too big for me.

 

[Yuriman]

You can easily put a 4.3" to 4.5" display into a bodies not much larger than their old phones. Android was already there a year ago (and for anyone laughing at the "Facebook phone", it was actually a pretty good device when you disable Home). The old Moto G was a nice size for someone who prefers small devices or has smaller hands, and the bump in screen size from 4.0" to 4.3" or 4.5" is more significant in practical use than one might think, and without the finger strain of going to 5.5" or more.

The Moto X has a 4.7" screen in a physically smaller body than the Moto G (4.5").

 

[Bo625]

4.3" to 4.5" is perfect for me.

 

[Zaap]

Saw my first iPhone 6 and plus today in an Apple Store in Las Vegas.

The plus is just sweet! I could see myself with one and not hate every second of it like any other iPhone. I doubt I'd get one, but for the first time its a possibility.

If the 6 is too big for someone... no question about it. Tiny phone syndrome. Because the 6 is not large at all. I found it pretty impressive too.

 

[Crono]

The Moto X has a 4.7" screen in a physically smaller body than the Moto G (4.5").

Yeah, but for people with smaller hands that's where the length of the display *might* be hard to use one handed, though 4.7" does seem to be considered the Goldilocks of screen sizes right now and most people aren't going to have an issue. For all the stupidity of Apple's ad campaign for the previous generation of phones saying how they got the size just right, they did have a point about the range of your thumb, I just don't think they nailed the one-size-fits-all display size. But very few people would have trouble with a 4.5" display. There just aren't as many 4.5" display devices out there, for whatever reason.

 

[zerocool84]

Saw my first iPhone 6 and plus today in an Apple Store in Las Vegas.

The plus is just sweet! I could see myself with one and not hate every second of it like any other iPhone. I doubt I'd get one, but for the first time its a possibility.

If the 6 is too big for someone... no question about it. Tiny phone syndrome. Because the 6 is not large at all. I found it pretty impressive too.

Well the the new iPhones are larger than other phones of the same screen size because of the bezels so I can definitely see lots of people not liking the large sizes.

 

[Roland00Address]

This Link is a phone size comparison tool where you compare phones width, heights, and thicknesses side by side. The remove phone button is an x at the bottom right corner of the phone.

Pre selected comparisons I am giving you screen diagonal sizes before the links but actually click the links and see them for it is a profound difference.

4.7" vs 4.7" vs 5"
Moto X 2013 vs Iphone 6 vs Galaxy S4

4.0" vs 4.7" vs 4.7"
Iphone 5s, Moto X 2013, Iphone 6

4.0" vs 4.6" vs 4.7"
Iphone 5s, Sony Xperia Z Compact, Iphone 6

4.7" vs 5.0" vs 5.2"
Iphone 6 vs Nexus 5 vs LG G2

Notice I am not listing anything 72mm or over like the s5 for I think they are too wide.

 

[Crono]

This Link is a phone size comparison tool where you compare phones width, heights, and thicknesses side by side. The remove phone button is an x at the bottom right corner of the phone.

Pre selected comparisons I am giving you screen diagonal sizes before the links but actually click the links and see them for it is a profound difference.

4.7" vs 4.7" vs 5"
Moto X 2013 vs Iphone 6 vs Galaxy S4

4.0" vs 4.7" vs 4.7"
Iphone 5s, Moto X 2013, Iphone 6

4.0" vs 4.6" vs 4.7"
Iphone 5s, Sony Xperia Z Compact, Iphone 6

4.7" vs 5.0" vs 5.2"
Iphone 6 vs Nexus 5 vs LG G2

Notice I am not listing anything 72mm or over like the s5 for I think they are too wide.

Yeah, that's one of my favorite sites and tools. Really gives a good idea of the different sizes.

My phone is a hair under that width, but besides being a little thicker and heavier than the iPhone 6, it's close to it and the Nexus 5 in size. 5" screen versus iPhone 6 at 4.7". I had fun telling people I got an early review unit of the iPhone 6 two weeks ago before they could get a good look at it. The white body and aluminum sides do make it look more like an Apple product than any other Nokia phone, though.

 

[desura]

O man, so the iPhone 6 is actually bigger than the Moto X? I consider the Moto X to be just barely in the threshold of being small enough.

I really don't like this resolution change. Early reports are that old apps are blurry on the new phones, meaning that resolution does matter and scaling is not the answer...

 

[Roland00Address]

O man, so the iPhone 6 is actually bigger than the Moto X? I consider the Moto X to be just barely in the threshold of being small enough.

Yept the moto x is less wide, and less tall and is practically the same weight. The moto x is thicker, by design I would argue, since they were going for a very non wide phone and you have to puts like batteries and radios somewhere, and the advantage of a less wide phone with a curved back it is easier to hold.

----

I just realized you the core m+pcb+ssd is roughly the dimensions of the galaxy note 4. With PCB and screen you can get 7.2 mm form factors, IPhone 5s is 7.6 mm , iPad mini is 7.5 mm, iPhone 6 is 6.7 mm. You could not put a core m in a phone size object for you need space for a battery but an 8 inch iPad mini form factor is theoretically possible with today's engineering with tradional parts an OEM can get. (Yes you will have to sacrifices such as the battery and shorter turbos). I hope no one makes such a device till 10mm but it can be done.

 

[JimKiler]

Why is using a phone one handed needed? Maybe it is because i started off with Blackberry with was easier to use with two hands that i have always used my phones with 2 hands (big and small screens) but if I am using my phone i use both hands. What other functions does everyone do with their second hand which on their phone?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Why is using a phone one handed needed? Maybe it is because i started off with Blackberry with was easier to use with two hands that i have always used my phones with 2 hands (big and small screens) but if I am using my phone i use both hands. What other functions does everyone do with their second hand which on their phone?

Typical use case I see in Asia. Stand on subway, use phone with one hand, grab the handle with other hand. Plus, you're not always typing away at your phone. Sometimes you're just reading and a one handed device is nice to have.

It doesn't have to be the hardware that's fitted for one hand use, but perhaps the software can be tweaked to help. Apple's one handed mode seems a step in the right direction. Google's moving of Gmail's bottom buttons to the top is not helpful.

 

[ControlD]

The typical usage I see here in the USA is texting while driving. If you can one-hand text, the phone can be held low and to one side while you bang out a message with your thumb. With a two handed phone you have to put the phone on the center of your steering wheel so it's going to be easier to get busted.

I own a Note 2 and drive a manual transmission so I never got into texting while driving. Maybe that's why one handed usage never made much of a difference to me.

**edit**
Come to think of it, I see lots of our younger engineers doing the same thing for texting at work (which you are not supposed to do). They hold their iPhones with one hand under the desk and whip out messages just using one thumb. Of course we all know they are doing it, nobody really cares.

 

[gorcorps]

720p 4.6" is not flagship yet 4.7" 750p is now flagship? Does the extra tenth of an inch and 30 vertical pixels make that much of a difference, or is it 30 pixels times apple's reality distortion field.

What are you talking about? 1080p is the minimum resolution we should be seeing at any screen size these days, and my phone has a 5" screen. I'm not sure where you got all that BS from, but it sure didn't come from me. Did you just automatically assume that I'm an Apple user because I don't stroke off to every single Android phone? That's an incredibly ignorant mindset... I'm shocked how you went down that road with absolutely no information from me other than I don't like the Z3 compact.

 

[QueBert]

Why is using a phone one handed needed? Maybe it is because i started off with Blackberry with was easier to use with two hands that i have always used my phones with 2 hands (big and small screens) but if I am using my phone i use both hands. What other functions does everyone do with their second hand which on their phone?

Eat a burrito, or burger.

 

[purbeast0]

the fact that someone has to ask why people want to use a phone one handed baffles my mind. i mean do they really think that there isn't the slight chance that someone may want to use their other hand and arm for something else while using their phone?

 

[Zaap]

The typical usage I see here in the USA is texting while driving.

So basically, Darwin Award activities.