I miss when you could get a flagship phone that could fit in your hand
I know I have small hands but c'mon. Flagship phones these days are strait up small tablets, not even what we'd have called on phablets 15 years ago.
I know it's what people buy, but I'm still sad that if I want a phone that small then I have to deal with camera and display a couple gens old
724
Comments283
every time i "upgrade" my phone it gets bigger, i hate it. the perfect size was what whatever iPhone 5 was doing, i want to go back to that
Wider, longer, flatter, thinner, and harder to hold without touching shit at the edge of the screen. I miss being able to grip a phone by its buttons.
I loved my iPhone 5 more than any other device I've owned. Perfect size.
iPhone 5 / original SE was a good design, and a good size, but it was also the first iPhone I had to buy a case for because it was so damn light and thin it was hard to handle compared to the thicker, glass-plated 4.
13 mini is pretty comparable
It's one of the best ones to come out recently, but it's still significantly taller than the pre-iPhone 6 models
iPhone 4S is still the most perfect form for a smartphone I've ever owned
iPhone 12 or 13 mini is similar to that size
i don't use iPhones anymore, that was the one time i tried them and aside from the size and some features i much prefer the openess of android
I've never owned an iPhone, and wouldn't normally recommend them at all, but looks to me like its one of the only recent smartphones that is small 😞
Actually looking into it a bit more: there's some smallish ones such as the Asus Zenphone 10 and foldables such as the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra.
https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-small-phones
https://m.gsmarena.com/best_compact_phones_buyers_guide-review-2029.php
But yeah they're still not as small as the iPhone 5
Oof this is the reason why I went with Fold. Basically when folded it takes almost the same area as an iPhone 5 albeit quite thicker. But my hand adjusted to the thickness quite nicely.
Having basically a small tablet when you unfold the phone for actual two handed use is good too.
I miss phones that experimented.
I had the Motorola backflip (that was a fun one) and had one of the first phones with a fingerprint sensor that everyone said was a gimmick, had the one with the "indestructible screen" (Motorola Z2 force iirc) that I had a lot of fun throwing around till I broke it (But not the screen! I'll give them that lmao), had every Nexus device until the bitter end (I cursed Google for a long time when they decided Pixels was the way forward, I didn't pick up a pixel again until the Pixel Fold 0G) and so so many others over the years.
Until one day they just stopped being cool for years, hell the Foldy phone has been the coolest innovation they've put out in years and we're already back to nothing but iterations again
You would really enjoy the When Phones Were Fun series on YouTube if you haven't seen them
The box for HTC HD2 had
<---- BIG ---->as dimensions of the phone. It had a 4.3" screen that actually was huge at the time (2009), but it's hilarious from today's perspective.When phones were still fun
Well, it may only have had a 4 inch screen, but it also had huge bezels. It's less tall than modern flagships, but almost the same width, making it similar for one handed use.
https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size/HTC-HD2,Google-Pixel-9-Pro/phones/3887,12285
Notice that the dimensions in the picture are marked only for the screen proper, not including bezels.
16:9 + huge bezels. A Huawei Mate 8 (6.0") which would be tiny today is still more of a brick than a S25 Ultra with 6.8".
Notice that the dimensions in the picture are marked only for the screen proper, not including bezels.
Those were the days
I literally gasped. iPAQ510, my beloved
I would vomit if I had to look at the Windows logo every time I pulled out my phone. Google is not perfect and they've made mistakes with Android, but at least it's Open Source. Microsoft has a much worse record of opposing Open Source initiatives...
This was nearly 20 years ago, Microsoft was annoying but fairly benign at the time. This phone with Windows Mobile 6 was released alongside the first release of android and the first iPhone
You're right, they haven't been this overt since the 2000's. But their flagship OS is still closed-source and forces ads and unpopular privacy violating features like Recall to this day...
Windows phone had a lot of potential
I wish I could get a flagship phone with a swappable battery, headphone jack, SD slot and allow my apps to interface with each other's files when I want without having to fuck around with permission bullshit.. I don't care if it's the size of a dinner plate
Fairphone might be somewhat closer for what you want
Yeah, that's the problem. Why only 1 phone has the options most of us want?
I hate this billionaire-controlled timeline we're on.
Most people don't care and if there's no microSD slot, you can sell more expensive phones via overpriced internal storage. No 3.5mm jack, but we've got these wireless buds you could try. Would be stupid for companies to put these things back unfortunately.
Because most people don't need a 3mm jack anymore, I prefer to use a USB-c dac anyway the sound is better.
And I offload the data to a NAS anyway so the storage is irrelevant anyway.
FP5 doesn't have a 3.5mm jack 😔
An external DAC is better anyway, just put that on your headphones.
Having to use a USB hub to use my earphones while i'm charging my phone is not my idea of a pleasant user experience.
Yeah that is fair, but I preferred that a lot more than just using the 3mm jack on my Redmi Note 13 Pro. Man the DAC in that thing sucks.
HMD Skyline and Fusion also
Edit: Skyline doesn't have headphone jack
No headphone jack on those unless I missed something.
Looks like Skyline doesn't have one but Fusion does
Fairphone is also gigantic.
App restrictions can be disabled in developer options.
I would categorize that as having to fuck around with permission bullshit but thank you for the suggestion.
Also make it durable. Thicker. Heavier. I'm going to slap a case on it otherwise
I don't know of any with swappable batteries anymore. The HTC U24 and U23 series both have headphone jack and MicroSD slot. There are a few others.
Just get a USB-c dongle and let that sit on your headphones. These days nearly everything has USB-c anyway and the sound is way better. The last phones I had with the USB-c jack (RedMi Note 13 Pro and iPhone 4 before that) all sounded worse than me using a cheap DAC. Getting an expensive DAC will improve the sound even more.
Personally I say that most would need to get a NAS before they need a SD card or you need to get a dedicated Camera or MP4 player if your pictures or music exceed the 500GB max and streaming isn;t an option using a NAS.
The rest of your points are valid.
Yeah spending 100s of dollars on whole other devices you have to carry around instead of like 10 for an SD card makes a ton of sense.
Yeah man cause a SD card that sits in your phone also works as a backup solution.
It's not a backup. Neither is a camera or MP4 player (which also can't play games or display books/comics, so I'd be up to 4 devices to have all my media covered). It's a way of keeping my media available while I am on the go with or without a internet connection. It's by far the simplest solution and allows me to do everything on my phone.
A MP4 player can play games or display books/comics. The once from FiO basically are Android devices from which you cannot call (or maybe with an internet connection you can).
Being on the go without an internet connection is getting rarer and rarer anyway so that is less of an issue for most.
Truth of it all is that most people want tinner phones and/or wireless earbuds/headsets and the people who do not are for a big part audiophiles who want better audio quality than a phone is going to offer. So there is only a relatively small section of users who prefer the audio jack.
I used to want one and a SD card and a good 3mm jack as well, but it just doesn't exist. So I switched to using a NAS (a raspberry Pi can get your pretty far), plus an iPod or Spotify with dongles or just wireless.
I think the real truth is most people just take whatever the phone corporations shovel down their throats without thinking too much about it as long as they have the newest model. Phones have been thin enough for years now. They've hit the point where they can't make the camera as thin as the rest of the phone so it sticks out and won't sit flat. It's ridiculous. It's not like they've replaced the features we lost with new better technology anyway. There's no reason customer focused reason to remove those features. They did it to sell more shit and make their devices less repairable. Expecting people to carry two or more devices when one could do everything is asinine. Also my phone has a Hi-fi DAC and gives fantastic audio quality through the headphone jack.
What phone do you have then?
Apparently the market is not big enough for phone's to really exist with all the features everybody want for an acceptable price. Otherwise more options with good sound quality and SD card slots exist. But the nature of how DAC's works is that it is hard to fit that in a slim phone and especially if you want long battery life etc.
Maybe taking two devices is a bit stupid, but on the other hand you can also ask yourself how often you can leave your phone at home or wherever when you want to listen to music.
I would also prefer a phone that has a good DAC, has a SD card and has good working apps. So unless Apple is going to start making that again (they never will), I'll probably stick with an iPhone and a separate audio device or wireless buds/headphone. Android is not for me and finding the correct Android is a bullshit mess. But I know of others who are interested in an Android device with a good DAC.
Companies trying to make foldable phones happen are going the wrong way.
They are making giant phones that unfold into tablets when really they should be making small phones that unfold into something just large enough you can watch Netflix on.
You mean like this? https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-z-flip6/
I think Motorola makes a much better flip phone in terms of experience overall. I also really like their software, however their track record on updates is less than stellar.
I believe foldable phone is "invented" by idiots who don't know design and good products. Literally "if we put in advanced tech, people will buy it", lol.
I think what I would like is a bigass flip phone that unfolds into a tablet but instead of being thick as hell because the tablet is some OLED bullshit, I just want like, a e-reader. So I can have an easy way to read a book in my pocket.
You mean like the latest Razr's? https://www.motorola.com/us/en/family/razr.html
Skill issue
How did you get a picture of me?
I miss when flagship phone were affordable and worth the cost
This is the real problem.
They do NOTHING to improve or innovate. In fact, we've lost most great features over the years. The headphone jack for high quality audio, the micro SD card slot for easy upgrades and migrations, the IR blasters, the replaceable batteries...
It's a fucking joke. Peak phone tech was the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Sorry, you gotta upgrade everything every 5 years, because otherwise there's a security vulnerability! Sorry, looks like there will be no new updates on your software, no compatibility! Surely, things have become so much more efficient in the last 5 years as a result of processing gains, and surely that will be passed onto the consumer rather than eaten up in the middle, and surely we need that increased processing power so you can run the increasingly dwindling number of social media sites that are actually relevant!
Sorry, looks like we got rid of the headphone jack because it takes up too much space and it's too hard to make the phone water resistant! The IR blaster isn't relevant anymore because everyone has unilaterally switched to wifi operated smart TVs! Surely! Sorry, the micro SD card slot took up too much space, we need to use that space for processing power! Same with irreplaceable batteries! Sorry, the 16:9 aspect ratio we used to have for phones isn't available in any phone anymore, because we decided to replace the physical buttons and ugly bezels with basically unusable screen space! But we're still gonna have a hole punched in the screen for the camera!
I dunno. Modern phones are fucking dogshit now, I hate them so much it's unreal. Even the software is progressively getting worse year over year. Shit used to be so basically functional and it's become so horrible.
You no longer need to have flagship phone, to have good experience though. I am rocking my Samsung Galaxy A52 and it does everything I want it to. Only current localization and direction seem to behave weirdly and not accurate when navigating using Google Maps (especially when walking) but on other apps it's perfectly fine, so go figure, lol.
I miss physical keyboards that you were able to flip from the back.
Nothing has come close to the soothing tactile perfection that was the N900.
Its been 15 years. Nothing.
Omg, the N900 was the best phone I ever had.
Linux, physical keebler, keyring/lanyard hole, an active camera cover, a proper camera button, even a little built in stand!
So good.
Plus an FM transmitter!
Lol, omg!
I don't think smartphone keyboards became usable until Swipe typing became a thing.
I have the opposite viewpoint. I miss big phones that were actually big, and not just really tall.
I miss my Nexus 6.
That is my exact complaint. The phones are too tall! I am ok with it being wider, but the height is insanity. The whole balance of the phone is awkward and I would be ok with more of the weight on the bottom instead of the middle of a tall ass phone.
They used to have a whole variety.
Now top-end phones are all almost the same dimensions
I'll go shittier phone before I'll go phablet ever again. I bought a motorola razr 2023. I bought a foldable because I want the shit to fit in my pocket. It also is the only flip phone I've seen that hasn't made the imbecilic decision to coat the entire front panel in glass. I don't need a full miniature phone making my shit more fragile when it's clamped shut. If they continue to glass panel it up on the outside of newer editions I'll try to find a case that just covers the entire outside.
But ultimately I'm holding onto this thing as long as I possibly can.
I have no idea why everyone -- including the reviewers -- think people need a glass panel on the outside of a flip phone with all kinds of smart capabilities. The phone is fucking closed. If I want to use the phone I'll open it. All I need is maybe the time.
It's useful to take pictures. I usually turn on the outside screen so the people I'm taking picture of can pose themselves better. My kids love it too.
Sometimes I also use it for maps navigation when walking somewhere new. There's actually lots of use cases for it, I just get a case with screen protector for it.
I got the plus version of the same phone to get the bigger screen on the back.
It wasn't worth it, I never use that screen and it just annoys me. I wish my phone was smaller.
We're the kind of people that are pushing our phones to end of support, it's not a market that moves product and thus not one the big companies listen to.
I of course don't miss small flagship phones because my S10e is still perfectly serviceable.
My next phone will be e-ink at any size
They can pry my 3.5 mm jack from my cold dead hands. Already got the battery replaced once.
I'm gonna miss that swipe pad on the power button when it finally gives up the ghost.
Also still on a S10e, havent found a newer phone that isn't a downgrade in some aspects.
s9+ here still. I intend to use this phone until it costs more to repair than to get a new one.
I got the Pixel 9P for this reason. It's actually notably smaller than the previous models.
I love my 9 pro! The size is perfect, and i didn't have to sacrifice on camera this time.
What about the screen manufacturer error did you check your imei for extended warranty?
I don't know what you're referring to.
Display defect affecting specific units
https://www.digitaltrends.com/phones/google-will-fix-your-faulty-pixel-9-pro-and-pixel-9-pro-xl-display-for-free/
Ah, well I don't have that issue.
Oh is it?? I loved my pixel 3 and when it was time for an upgrade the pixel 7 was the flagship and was way too big. I switched over to a Samsung s21 5g and it's been a decent size, but I'm at a loss for what to do when this one inevitably dies on me. Glad to hear the newer pixels are potentially one-handable for my tiny hands.
I just want a keyboard or a modern take on the Sidekick design.
I remember when I was picked on at work for how big my Note 3 was. They used to call it "my insecurity". Now it's basically smaller than the smallest standard size.
The Note 3 did look ridiculously large back then. Kind of insane.
What, Flagship? There's no small phones anymore.
https://lemmy.world/c/compactphones - the activity here reflects this x_x
iPhone SE is small. I have been buying them when coming out, they have been fantastic. If you want android, not sure what’s out there.
The next one will likely be big. They also discontinued the Mini which was an awesome phone.
Yea unfortunately it could go up in size. We will see shortly
The 3rd gen SE is 4.7 inches, the new one is rumored to be 6.06 and shaped like iPhone 14. MacRumors often gets these things right, too.
That’s too bad. The old se series was great
Yeah. I'd settle for a 17 mini, but I doubt we're getting one of those either, given that there was no 14, 15 or 16 mini :/
Same here. The Google Pixel, but I think they recently eliminated the small version.
Man I loved the 2016 one. Got the 2020 one when that broke and that was already too big for me. I have chronic tendonitis, stretching like that is painful.
This is why the sales of cargo pants are up.
Yeah, Big Pants is into this. What if instead of phone cases manufacturers sell pants to carry the phone around. Imagine...
... the iPants. Specially made for carrying the latest iPhone with you. For just 2999,-. You can't wash it tho, and it will not be compatible with the upcoming model.
The patriarchy strikes again!
....its 2035 and the ending of jeans as we know them. Today the birth of the unipocket marks the start of another page in crotch covering technology. We'll no longer be bound by the primitive tubular jeans of old. Jeans with two small front pockets that wouldn't cover anyone's privates in the case, the oh so common zipper failure. No, no ziper, no flimsy buttons either. Those have always been weakness. The future is brighter than we could have ever imagined. That's right! Front and rear screens covering every crotch on the planets. And a screen belt to hold it all together. And for the perpetualization of Victoria's Secret, the new double circular scraw... A scraw covering every pair of tits on the planet! Imagine full crotch ads! Imagine all the profit!
We'll all start wearing kilts with enormous sporrans
Sir! Please calm your sporrans! Or are you happy to see me? Wait hold on, we have a family guy short, it's the classic chicken fight scene.
It was already difficult enough to undo bra hooks, but now you can watch 6 unskipable ads instead and it'll release itself automatically. Much profit indeed.
People simply did not buy the small phones.
I bought them until they stopped making them... My favorite phone was the Sony Xperia X Compact with a 4.6" screen. It had decent midrange specs and a great camera.
There are some niche small budget phones from China these days which beat your old Xperia. No flagships, but small (and cheap)
I don't see any
https://m.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nHeightMax=135&nCPUCoresMin=8&sFormFactors=1
Asked ChatGPT for a list and got this: (the "UniHerz Jelly Max" and the "Qin3Ultra" look decent)
• Fonepia Q9 mini – Display: ~4.0 inches (540p) – Release: 2024 – Overview: A very pocketable device from a niche manufacturer, built for minimalists who value size over high‑end specs.
• Cubot KingKong mini 3 – Display: ~4.5 inches (480p) – Release: 2024 – Overview: Engineered for durability and compactness, it fits easily in one hand or a small pocket.
• Doogee S mini – Display: ~4.5 inches (480p) – Release: 2024 – Overview: A rugged mini smartphone that offers the basics in a very small chassis.
• Blackview N6000 – Display: ~4.3 inches (540p) – Release: 2024 – Overview: Known for its tough build, this phone packs essential smartphone functions into a tiny screen.
• 8849 Tank mini – Display: ~4.3 inches (520p) – Release: 2024 – Overview: Combines a robust (if no‑nonsense) design with an ultra‑compact form factor.
• Ulefone Mini 20T Pro – Display: ~4.7 inches (720p, 90Hz) – Release: 2024 – Note: This model offers a slightly larger screen and smoother performance; manufacturers in this segment are known to refresh their lines in early 2025, so a 2025 update is possible.
• Unihertz Jelly Max – Display: ~5.0 inches (720p) – Release: 2024 – Overview: Unihertz specializes in ultra‑compact designs, and while the Jelly Max launched in 2024, expect an updated version in 2025 as the brand continues to cater to fans of credit‑card‑sized smartphones.
• QIN 3 Ultra – Display: ~5.0 inches (720p) – Release: 2024 – Overview: A compact phone with modern features; there are indications that its series may see a refresh or an updated variant in 2025.
• NanoPhone – Display: ~3.5 inches tall – Release: Late 2024 (with promotional pricing and deals extending into early 2025) – Overview: Marketed for minimalists and those wanting to reduce screen time, this ultra‑mini smartphone offers 4G and Wi‑Fi in a device that can literally fit in your wallet.
But do they actually work with US carriers (VoLTE)?
This Uniherz Jelly Max claims to support Verizon and T-Mobile https://www.amazon.com/Unihertz-Jelly-Max-Smallest-Smartphone/dp/B0DFM5B5CQ
I bought one as recently as the iPhone 13 mini, but Apple has also discontinued their normal sized phones :(
I know, I said as much in my post - although rereading it, it's kinda phrased ambiguously
The problem is they took it too far.
Plus, the larger phones do actually fit in my hands, so...
I like how the Pixel devices, while not small, are putting the flagship features in both the "normal" size model and the XL/Plus.
Pixel 9 yes, but Pixel 7 didn't have the telephoto camera that 7pro had.
A lot of companies are doing that these days, especially on the Android side. I love how Google promises certain gimmicks that don’t make it to the actual device even after months of release though lol.
I think my issue is that there has been an Overton-like window shift wrt what is considered normal sized and what is considered large.
It's not even flagship phones. Even the cheaper ones are huge. When I had to replace my LG phone (6") I went to an electronics store to see what's on the market right now. Of all phones availiable there only were two android phones (I don't know which brand) that were sized similarly to my LG phone. Both of them were in the 800-€-price-range.
Similar with iPhones. Almost all models exceeded the 6" screen size, except for one or two models which were in the 1000-€-price-range. They also had an iPhone SE there, that had the desired size. I bought this as a refurbished one online for a fraction of the original price.
It's harder and harder to find a phone that has a size that either fits in your hand or that can be carried inside your pants without restricting your ability to sit down while the phone is inside the pocket.
That's not an "even". Cheaper phones have been larger as the default for a while now, because they're often the primary, if not the only device their owners have.
Unihertz specializes in small phones. They aren't flagship spec but they are midrange at sensible prices. They also have keyboard phones and even a phone with a built in DMR radio for Amateur and GMRS use.
Not a plug, I don't even own one I just love that they are daring to be different.
Chinese company and the phones use Mediatek chips, so no custom ROM support last I checked. Otherwise I would have been all over it.
Is what Pharrell calls his daily meds
4in phones had poop batteries, but 6in is too big.
A big bright screen uses more battery. They could make the phone slightly thicker to accommodate a bigger battery.
Still, a 5in oled phone in dark mode is reasonable. LCD eats power like mad.
I agree. 5 in is The Sweet spot
I started off with iphone 7, then pixel 5, now on pixel 7a. With each phone, it got increased in size. Pixel 5 was a compromise for me. Pixel 7a feels a step too big to be pocketable.
Pixel 5 was the perfect size, imho.
Do you have small pockets?
Not that it’s everyday practical, but you can definitely get small phones. There are definitely lesser known names out there that make phones in all sizes.
And there's still room for a headphone jack.
It’sa silly little thing, but manages to get like 5 days standby or 2-3 days light use.
I know they exist, but I specifically mentioned flagship phones because they have the best cameras and screens, and I take a lot of pictures
As you add more compute per user interaction ("smart" features), you increase power consumption. To keep an 18hour discharge cycle, you have to have more battery. Since phone thickness is a negative marketing feature but increased screen size is a positive marketing feature, you end up with bigger phones.
Every time they reduce compute power consumption, feature inflation overtakes the gain and more power is needed over time. Try turning on battery saver in the morning... even with "normal" use the battery will last significantly longer due to disabling background power consumption.
lol. Is that a windows phone?
It is lol
Know what's even crazier? I've installed a launcher on my pixel 7 pro to give me a Windows phone homescreen.
Fuck Microsoft, but those phones were banging. If only anyone made apps for them
The Pixel 9 Pro is a flagship phone, the only difference to the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the size, charging speed and battery capacity
The phone you see on that left is a pixel 7 pro.
Is the pixel 9 pro much smaller than that? Because I wouldn't call the pixel 7 pro "small"
Yes, the Pixel 7 Pro was when Google still only had 2 models, the big pro model and the small non-pro model.
With the Pixel 9 series there are 3 options, the budget pixel 9, which is a small phone, the Pixel 9 Pro, which is a flagship but the same size as the small Pixel 9,or the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which is the big version of the flagship Pixel 9 Pro. So you no longer need to compromise if you want a small Pixel phone
isnt the pixel 7a the budget pixel 7?
Oh the p9, p9p, and p9a is the same size as the p7a. Nice! Still a bit large but still a great improvement on the p7p
I actually went from a 7 pro to a 9 pro, and while Idk if its small enough for you it is a massive change in usability for me. I disliked the 7 it was usable but annoying at times to reach stuff I almost never have that issue with the 9 pro.
I still have my flip 4, it's a tough little nut to crack. Has been my daily for 2 years now, going for 3!
I have big hands and long fingers. I'm still waiting for phones to get big enough for me lol
Oh, I feel you. I have been eyeballing iPad Mini as a phone, but can't make myself buy an Apple product.
Same for me with the Samsung Note. It's just a great size but can't bring myself to use it and screw apple and their technology design for idiots.
The zenfones upto 9 were the perfect size imo, I'm fine with 6.2-6.3 inches though.
I’m not a size queen, I’ll take any inches I can get,
One of the few positives of today's designs is the better screen-to-body ratios that we have. This would mean that we can have a 5" screen in the same physical body size that previously used to house a 4 point something inch screen. But for some reason the latest flagship small phones are from a few years ago - I guess sales figures show they're not sought after.
I have the same problem and my latest was an asus zenfone after a ton of research. Its been pretty solid actually.
Zenfone was heavily promoted as a "small" phone but its larger than the base galaxy, despite having a smaller display
I do wish it was slightly shorter. They just don't make small enough phones anymore for my taste.
I have large hands and I don't like having to make the compromise of features or size. I prefer phones around 5in or a smidge under. But to have a modern camera I have an almost 7in phone. It's really frustrating.
I miss my Droid Mini.
I mean, i still have it. It's just nigh worthless.
I'm still rocking a galaxy s8 and I love it. Only problem is many of the apps are dropping support and I cant update the os.
Really not looking forward to a new phone but itll have to happen soon
There's definitely someone making a LineageOS port.
Because, like I said in the post, flagship phones have the best cameras, and I take a lot of pictures
Image sensor and optics quality drop off pretty quickly once you leave flagship territory.
I am happy with the size of my iPhone 16 and pretty sure there are other brands that don't have these massive phones as tablets.
If I didn't need the flexibility my Android (Lineage) gives me, the iPhone 13 mini is one phone that's actually a nice size.
And my Samsung S10e - just it's out of date for firmware updates.
Though I'd actually prefer something smaller and use my phone for less.
This is why I get just the regular s24 or whatever, like the pixel 8a.
I dont like big phones.
Even that's too big.
That's a pixel 7 pro on the left, which is only a little bigger than the 7a. I want something way smaller
Aren't the Pixel phones reasonably compact still?
Yea the a series is supposed to be the small, cheap and good line
The non-a but not the Pros are smaller, but "affordable flagship"
Pro series are the big premium flagships or Foldy phones (until el Goog changes their mind (again) at least)
This is not true at least not anymore. The pixel 8a is almost the same size as the pixel 8. If anything it's a tiny bit bigger and heavier
https://www.gsmarena.com/google_pixel_8-12546.php
https://www.gsmarena.com/google_pixel_8a-12937.php
Also the pixel 7, 8 and 9 are all practically the same size which IMO is not small at all. They are all huge with screens over 6in in size.
They also all weight in the 190g ballpark which in my opinion is too heavy as well.
I'd probably have a Pixel if I didn't have a habit of dropping my phone off the top of a ladder.
the A series is smallish, the last small android phone was probably the Asus Zenfone 10, then Asus axed that line and merged the Zenfone line and ROG phone line and followed the ROG phones size. A phones however aren't flagship so theyd fail the check.
Here I am on my zenphone 10 wishing it was a little smaller
hence why i kinda wanted to put "small" in emphasis, because small today isn't the same as small before. its still small enough that it can be used in one hand though, just on the edge of it. Almost everything else is larger than it.
6a is pretty good and will be supported for a bit. Wish they were more repairable though...
Yep, just bought one the other day and it was about 1/8th" shorter than my previous phone
Still too damn big
The phone on the left is a pixel 7 pro.
So, yes, by modern standards.
But no, as you can see by the comparison to the phone next to it.
And that's kind of the point I'm making.
My wife's P7 and my P8P are both roughly the same dimensions as an old landline handset would be (my phone is maybe half an inch thicker than the landline at my work)
Cell phones of the 00's were small by phone standards, modern phones are closer to old landline handset sizes than 00's cells, so I'd say the 00's cells are the ones off the standard
Do you carry a landline phone in your pocket whenever you leave the house?
That's pretty clearly not the grievance I was complaining about, I'm pretty sure you're intentionally missing the point so that you can be contrary
I've just gone from an iPhone 13 mini to a Pixel 9, and two weeks in I'm still amazed at how damn big it is. I still have the 13 and get a bit spun out when I pick it up.
It's kinda sad that there are hardly any small phones anymore. I chose the 13 mini because I wanted a small phone that I wasn't going to spend all day doomscrolling on, and that broadly worked well for me. This time I wanted a phone that runs GrapheneOS, and don't need the expense of any pro models, so the Pixel 9 was it. And it's huge.
I'm rocking an SE2 and probably next year I'll reluctantly upgrade to an SE3, which I will keep for at least two more years. After that, I'm fairly certain I'm cooked, as all available phones will be faceid phablets. FML.
Hey at least it doesn't have 3566 tonnes displacement
I thought that was going to be my mom.
Well, yes.
However I do feel that top vanilla Samsung (S2x) and iPhone (normal Pro, especially since the 16 has the good snappers like the big model) at least still fit the bill of being natural one-hanged-phones.
Even Sony ships of flags (1 ... of which "1 IV" runs Lineage OS!) while big arent as wide and much more handy.
But, I cannot help myself thinking that there must be some market sense in like actually small but premium phones. Something like a 4.2" slab with a 4" screen (thin bezels) and proper cams.
Since shitty versions exist, it must be just less profitable for the big brands to get in to (and phone startups can't make much difference until Linux phones come of age to handle the software side of upgrades and security/privacy).
Bullshit. I have an s24. Before that, I had an s10e.
They both are too big for one handed use, but the s24 even more so.
Before I bought the s24, I even considered to switch to ios after years of Android only, just for their iPhone Mini range. Guess what, they cancelled that.
There are simply no phones by major manufacturers that can be used with one hand.
I have definitely wondered that, since my "normal" phone is already too big for real one-handed use, should I just get the big/plus/max version just so it's a bit more like a tablet? If I am typically going to be using it with two hands, seated at my desk or on the couch, maybe I would like that better.
5mm diff (actually more the 1mm diff in width) can indeed be noticeable if it's already borderline. Still basically the same phone tho.
Via gsmarena.com/size-compare-3d:
The s10e was really small
Now I'm wondering what hand sizes are you referring to
IPhone 5, s10e, s24.
One word: cartels. Also why make good phones when they can give you an uncomfortable one so you wanna switch sooner.
No way. I have an S24, and this thing is huge compared to my S10. Which was already bigger than I wanted. The last phone I've had that I liked the size of was the S6.
I definitely would love a 4.2" slab.
I thought about the 1 IV, because it still had a headphone jack. But there was a deal going for the S24. That's how they get ya.
Yes, Sony phones are a bit expensive.
I'm not sure what are you taking about the size difference between S10 & S24 tho ... they are the same size (if anything one could say S24 has gotten smaller)?
Did you per change purchase the vanilla S20 but the plus S24 model? :)
Via gsmarena.com/size-compare-3d:
Oh, I have the 24+, I guess. It's way too big. The S10 was an OK size, but I want smaller than that even.
May I ask why did you get the plus model if the non-plus model was too big already?
Because my S10 died a day before a business trip, and they had it in-stock.
Yea you have a point but also the bulge on my pants has never looked bigger
The pixel 9 pro is smaller than my pixel 6. And i hope they continue making smaller pro phones, and an xl variant cus i want to buy a smaller pixel when i need to buy a new one
When I upgraded from a Pixel 6a to a Pixel 8, I was really surprised to find out that not only was my phone slightly smaller, it also had a slightly larger screen. I'm not super happy with google, but the things they focus on with the Pixel line has me pretty bought in.
I have big hands, so I had the opposite problem. To this day my favorite was the galaxy note 4 because he was a beefy boy ❤️
Same! I really liked the Note 5 cause I worked for Sprint and got it for free at release. Until the whole exploding batteries thing...
I’m still on my 2016 iPhone SE. It’s slow and buggy but for my purposes it’s great and the screen is only 10cm (4in).
I still have mine as a secondary work phone. Love the size and format of it in general, although I think I'd still prefer a phone slightly bigger (~10%) and with a higher resolution (1080p?) display, mainly for media consumption.
Outside of that, I second the slow and buggy comment (although in my experience this has been mostly with Microsoft Teams, which is a buggy mess regardless)
consumers in general wants bigger phone, market follow along
sadly, small phone is a niche now
There's more to it than that. Big phones are more marketable and have better profit margins. It's not all consumer preference. Kinda similar to cars actually
Why can't you use the one you like?
I miss that you can't get them, but I also don't miss having one.
You can literally get them. Buy used
I've got pretty small hands but I am really comfortable with my 6.4 inch Oppo Reno Z, it has all the reachability I need, it isn't too heavy or too light and it's got a large enough display for me.
I used to use a galaxy S4, which has a 5 inch display. I find the galaxy quite cramped and not very usable, but the AMOLED was just as good as the Reno Z, and even had better PPI.
Something that would be pretty frustrating would be if phones get any larger, because I find that the sizes currently are pretty much perfect for everyone, although there should be more options when it comes to smaller phones.
I've recently set up my launcher that way that I can access all of my apps without the need of constantly moving my hand up and down. This shit is ridiculous.
The Oppo X8 (non-Pro) is probably the smallest flagship with a top level chip and good camera currently made but it is only available in a few markets.
I went from a Pixel 6 Pro (I believe the one on the left might be a Pixel 6 Pro as well) to a Pixel 9 Pro recently and it's just about the perfect size for a phone IMO (6.3").
Close, it's a pixel 7 pro. Practical identical from appearance.
The 9 pro looks to be the same size as the 7a, which is still a bit bigger than I want but way more reasonable than I was expecting
With a Spigen Tough Armor case, right? Had one on my 6 Pro, too, saved it from quite a few nasty drops.
When you consider the 9 Pro's screen to body ratio it's pretty compact, especially for a flagship. Ten years ago a phone of its size would have maybe had a 5" screen.
My base S23 is perfect
Hell yeah brotha! Right there with you.
My hands are big and i want bigger phones
I think that you have plenty of top-of-the-line phablets to choose from
eh. I really liked my pixel 3a xl. perfect pocketability with fantastic screen size.
not particularly wild about the pixel 8's size. :|
i started carrying a manpurse in 2003 and it was a great decision
The Sony Xperia 5 used to fit the bill, but the gen 6 (the Xperia 5 V) came out a couple of years ago and did not get a bump like the 1 (premium) and 10 (mid range) which now have a 7th gen. I also think it was dropped from US sale even further back, maybe with the 4th or 5th gen?
Even that phone is fairly large (well, tall - it has a unique shape as it has a 21:9 screen ratio) but now it's gone, there's nothing that fits the bill for me size wise outside of the newer flips from other manufacturers. The dropping of the Xperia 5 was a sad day for me as I've been on the smaller Xperia phones since the Z was launched way back...
...switching from Xperia means losing the headphone jack too.
Still waiting for an iPhone mini here. Cant use the older versions because wtf is lightning port.
…. iPhone SE has had multiple iterations for awhile… they are small
Yeah but they also use lightning connection, if you read my comment.
Why is that a show stopping problem when you want a small phone? Cables are like a dollar anymore. Get a spare cable. It’s not a big deal it doesn’t have usb c
Why would I want to carry another cable for my phone? Literally every single device I own can be charged with a single USB-C cable.
What you can’t carry a 1oz cable that’s tiny? Poor excuse for saying you want a thing but refuse to do it because of something insignificant
The "why" is that you seem to want one of those phones. Having a cable specific to it seems like a small burden in comparison.
I still have my Pixel 6 Pro and, whatever its dimensions, they're a pretty good fit in my hand. I definitely value the bigger screen as I get older and my vision gets wonkier.
I had it until recently. It was always a bit too big for me. Now I have the Pixel 9 Pro (not XL) and I think it's perfect!
The phone on the left is a pixel 7 pro, so it's a "small" flagship.
Compared to something like Galaxy s25 ultra or pixel 9 pro xl, the phone on the right is downright miniscule
You sound like you need the new Razr or the Z Flip
I love the idea of foldable phones but I cannot trust myself with something so fragile. I can hardly even take care of a traditional phone.
I'm lucky the Pixel 6 is as easy to repair as it is I'm on my third screen in like 2 years. Though I do kinda wish I did the 6a since it's smaller.
It might be easy but I just bought another used 6 for the price of a new screen. Compared to what a screen on my 4a cost, its crazy to fix the 6.
Well shit
You never heard of a phone case? It also comes with a pre installed screen protector.
Yes I have but they aren't much help against an SUV
Why are you running your phones over?
It's a long story
I loved the idea of these foldable phones until I saw a Z Flip in real life, and it’s so damn huge when open, feels really uncomfortable to use. Was pretty disappointed :(
I agree, that's why I moved to the Razr, it fits a lot better in the hand.
I feel like that doesn't actually solve the problem
It literally fits in the palm of your hand and you can use it as a fully functioning device while closed, what do you mean?
I didn't realize you had access to all the same features and cameras while closed.
Can I get that, but without unfolding? I didn't need it to unfold, I just want it to be small
or pocket
hmm, 7786?
My main reason to get a new phone the last 20 years have been "oh shit, phone's broken, I need a phone"
But I understand people who buy from shit companies with shit support and 5 days of updates. They didn't take updates into account and suddenly they find themselves vulnerable...
But flagship phones? GTFO! There's an order to what stuff should cost ie. a home > a car > a months rent/mortgage > a months groceries > a phone
When phones jumped groceries I shook my head, and now where flagship phones are in the rent/beater car territory... Wtf?!? How are people getting this kind of spending money?
Or, alternatively, my phone needs replaced and I buy a flagship because they have much better cameras, I take a lot of photos and don't want to carry a second device. I also intend to keep it until it's unusable. Sent from my 5 year old flagship absolutely nobody thinks is a fancy phone and I doubt ever did.
Because they have better camera sensors and optics by far, and I take a lot of photos.
A few gens was being generous
Why would what people think of you factor into this at all? Who gives a fuck what phone people have?
No no no, just wear headphones at all times and also a smart watch and keep the smartphone in your bum bag /s Conversational interfaces definitely understand what you are saying and asking for.
Skill issue /s
You have some duolingo to finish up buddy
It's true. Idk why people are down voting you
Dunno either it was just a joke, we all have duo to do!
Flagship means the best of the best, of course it’s gonna be large and fancy lmfao.
There’s plenty of phones that fit your niche, but it’s like expecting a cigar boat to be the flagship of the navy dude lol. Gotta temper yourself to realistic expectations, especially when the term “flagship” is thrown out.
This makes no sense. Large doesn't mean fancy. Back in the day, making the phone smaller was fancy.
The minimal company's flagship phone is a minimal phone. It's their signature phone. The flagship was the ship that had the ranking officer/admiral on it, representing the fleet. Apple, google etc all decided their flagship phone would be huge.
OP wants more flagship phones, that is the type of phone the company markets as its main phone, to be smaller. It has little to do with the best but how phones are used. So tell him "tough luck because most people use their phones as a TV so they will remain big". It's not because that's a better phone.
Which has nothing to do with the the historical term and already established convention of the term “flagship”, no one has ever called their compact phone a flagship, got any proof to back that asinine claim up?
If it’s not the fanciest and most expensive, then by definition and original convention, it’s no longer a flagship phone.
Terms have specific uses, let’s not dilute them to make ourselves feel better. Language IS fluid, but when people are obstinate to already preestablished conventions… a small phone will never by definition eve be considered a flagship, but bloviate if you want.
Ok there why didn't you bother opening a dictionary or googling it.
He's just saying most phones companies (of all sizes) are making are big phones. Get over yourself
More specifically, it's typically the vessel the admiral commands from, not just their one he happens to be on.
So the smallest and worst ship would be the flagship? That’s the defence? Lmfao because that makes total sense dude…. And how is that supposed to defend what a flagship is?
How does that mean the smallest and most compact? As my original comment stated, that’s like claiming a cigar boat is the flagship, which no navy would do even if they were making smaller boats. Their largest and fanciest, would STILL be the flagship of the fleet….
I “did read a dictionary”, which is maybe why I’m speaking? OP fucked up what a flagship is meant to be. Atleast I’m not the one making up new definitions to defend my asinine defence. How does the definition support your argument? It would STILL mean the best and most resourceful unit. Which wouldn’t be the smallest…..
Other definitions include “largest” why did you include the one that doesn’t…?
Which how is that the smallest and most compact…? That’s literally contradicting the established conventions dude lmfao. But again, bloviate about how you don’t understand language and want to make it what you want I guess…. Flagship has established conventions, and OP is asking for the opposite. Full stop.
Each fleet has its flagship, all companies have flagships. Yes the best phone of each company is their flagship. Flagship phones isn't limited to some arbitrary sized companies.
And no phone manufacturer has ever called their small phones their flagships, so for to OP to say they miss them, is them not actually knowing what the term is.
Can you provide an example of a phone that fits OPs definition as being sold as a “flagship”? Because OPs arguing for something that’s never been done before.
Flagships CAN be small, but it’s never been done in history before, still waiting for an example, I’ve asked twice now. Because OPs barking up the wrong tree. That’s the issue here.
You’re making this argument, while not providing anything to support it, I’ve even asked for a source to prove your point, all you’ve done is provide a definition that i then provided multiple that directly contradict the one you provided.
In the history of the term, it’s never been a cigar boat dude…. It’s always the largest and fanciest, not the smallest and fanciest. Prove it dude. Step up or fuck off.
Minimal company's flagship phone is the minimal phone
Lol who said I wanted "the smallest and most compact"
You've lost the plot here, take the L
Does “fit in your hand” not mean small and compact?
I’m not the one using the term flagship to mean a non flagship phone. You’re trying to change established definitions and conventions.
You want a fancy small phone, no phone manufacturer has ever called a phone that fits that description as a “flagship” so to say you miss the. Is just straight up bullshit and you being an idiot and not using established definitions correctly.
Not only is that laughably not true
But even if it was true, it wouldn't mean anything because being a flagship phone isn't about size, it's about showing off your tech.
But like I said, I don't have to get hypothetical, because phones this big weren't considered flagships in the past, they were considered "notes" and "tabs"
You aren't wrong, and I'm not sure why the other person is arguing with you. Seems like that Monty Python sketch about arguing.
He is wrong.
I'm asking for small flagships.
They used to make small flagships.
Flagship doesn't mean biggest, it means best.
If settle for a small non-flagship phone with a flagship camera pod and display tech. But they don't make those either.
When??? You keep saying that, but flagships have always been large and fancy and never small and fancy. Can you provide an example? Because what it seems from every explanation you’ve made in this thread, you just don’t know what the term flagship means…
Sounds like you just need to learn words properly, the only one wrong here is you using an established term incorrectly and are conflating a small phone as a “flagship” which has NEVER been the case. Please provide an example of a flagship being small and compact, I would love to see how you came to fuck this well established term up so horrendously.
Best doesn't have to mean biggest.
I want all the fanciest best shit, and I want it to actually fit in my hand
So you don’t want a flagship, you want a small compact phone with all the fixings. That would no longer be the flagship anymore by using established conventions.
Flagship has specific meanings and you’re ignoring them to bitch and moan.
Lol everyone disagrees with you about what the conventional meaning is. It sounds a lot like you're the one who is ignoring definitions to bitch and moan 👋
??? Multiple people have told you the same thing…..
Sounds like you don’t want to admit that you fucked up.
Well sounds is a lot different than being factually incorrect and obtuse like you….
Lol you made up an argument, pretended I said it, and got mad when I corrected you.
You can bring a mule to the comment section, but you can't make him read the thread.