Is there any good small Android phone?
I like the feeling of holding and using a phone in one hand. I am using a Pixel 5 right now, but it feels a bit too large for me. I know nobody makes phone that small like the iPhone 4S or the Samsung S3 mini anymore, but is there at least a phone smaller than the Pixel 5? Maybe around the size of a iPhone 12/13 mini?
EDIT: There is a small Android phone project in development for anyone interested: https://smallandroidphone.com/
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It's quite crazy that S23 is considered "small" nowadays.
No, but you're not alone in this hunt: https://smallandroidphone.com/
There's a discord for it and everything. I'm hoping it makes it to production
Really? I thought the project was dead. I cannot find any news or update on this, let alone a whole discord server.
I got my invite by signing up on the website and they sent it via email.
I signed up just now, but there is no email. I don't know what went wrong.
Update: I have joined the discord!
The Zenfone 9 is one of the only and best small phones on the Android side. It's a really solid phone but do your own research to see if it is okay for your needs. If you are going to buy I would recommend waiting until June 29 when it is rumoured that the Zenfone 10 will come out so you can either get the new version or get some good deals on the Zenfone 9.
I really hope they change their software support policy. That was a deal-breaker for a lot of potential purchasers.
I have heard about the Zenfone 9. I think it is about the same size as my current Pixel 5, but I want a phone even smaller than that. Thanks for the heads-up about Zenfone 10 though. If it turns out Zenfone 10 will be smaller, then we're golden.
Absolutely the Zenfone 9 is the best you're gonna get
I'm loving my Asus Zenfone 9.
Great battery life
3.5mm headphone jack
Great specs
5G
My ZenFone 8 died this morning and I'm heartbroken.
Asus Zenfone have been pretty trash for me. So far i have had it repaired for 6 times. And Asus was denying that the phone was faulty and they even refused to give me back my money when i wanted to return it.
Same. Had mine since it came out because I have fairly small hands and like holding my phone in just one. Hopefully will be able to keep it for at least 2 more years. Really hoping for longer than that because it's going to be impossible to find something small soon.
Small phones are in a crisis right now. I'm still holding on to my Galaxy S7. If you want something newer there's the Pixel 4a or the Asus Zenfone 9 if you have money to spend. Zenfone 10 is coming soon and so far it's THE only small phone planned for release this year
The pixel 4a will stop receiving updates on September this year. Not a good choice fit security reasons
i upgraded from the s7 to the s22 and i think its the perfect size. really marginally larger than my s7, getting something in a similar size was important to me and it really is just right.
Isn't battery an issue? I heard that S22 was a bit lacking on that regard
I chose the s22+ due to battery size and I hate every minute with the flat brick. It is large, battery isn't great either. Camera is bad.
My work payed for the device but I regret buying this thing every day.
I have a calendar item for when I can order a new phone. And for 1 symbolic euro I can buy the device after 2 years and it's not worth a single euro to me.
Glad when I can send this monster away.
Thank you for your valuable feedback. It seems so hard to find a good phone nowadays.
Ow haha sorry I went of the rails with my emotions in the reply but it sure is my personal experience. I came from the S10 which was the perfect size to me. About half a year after I got the S22+ my girlfriend got the s23 (so not the +) and I am a bit jealouse of her cause the phone is just a bit better in every aspect that I care about.
For reference my personal favorite phones have been the samsung S5 and samsung S10. Of both I have had atleast 2 versions.
No worries!
You may want to take a look at the Xperia 10 series then. They are not as small, but they do have 3.5 mm jack and microSD card slot.
yeah, great phone if you dont mind crap SoC for the price, crap camera, no 4K video, remote control aspect ratio and crap software updates
I think for that money I would rather buy Xiaomi 12 or deal with Pixel 6A size
Sony used to seriously fuck up camera if you installed custom ROM, not sure if they abandoned this user friendly practice
I just got a Unihertz Atom XL - it's great at 4". It does feel a bit like a phone from 2013, back when screen sizes were like that... but honestly holding my "old" phone in my hand (which was a moto g7) feels CRAZY. I can't get my thumb across the whole screen and my hands aren't small. With the phone protector I had on my last phone they were about the same thickness, too.
In general, when I was doing my research, it seemed like there was a couple niche manufacturers like Unihertz that make phones that are smaller than 6" - other than that, yea the Pixel was being mentioned on "Smallest phones in 2023" lists
I have the Unihertz Jelly 2, and I love it. It fits in my front pocket (when I have pockets, bc women aren't allowed pockets). It's easier to forget it's there, which makes me less likely to pull it out constantly.
That's really nice. I backed the Jelly Star (which has the same dimensions) and can't wait to try it out. I feel like it won't be my main phone but still willing to give it a try.
i also have the jelly 2. it is awesome.
I've literally just bought a Pixel 5 because it was the smallest high-spec phone I could afford.
Although this thread is a month too late for me, I'm glad to have found it - I honestly felt like I was the only person in the world who didn't want a big phone.
I have the Asus Zenfone 9, I love this thing
Zenfone 10 coming out end of June! Hopefully it's still 5.9"
Its either Galaxy S21/22/23, Asus Zenfone 8/9 or Sony Xperia 10 or 5 Series. Unfortunatly it doesn't get smaller without landing firmly in gimmick phone land (like the Unihertz Jelly)
Also if don't mind older hardware there is the really compact Sony Xperia XZ2 compact.
These are very good phones but they are not small enough for me.
The size of XZ2 compact is very nice but I hate the curved edges and back panel. I think XZ1 compact actually suits me better, but it is almost 6 years old now. I don't think I will be able to use it for long.
It's quite crazy that S23 is considered a small today
GSMarena's HTC Titan review is funny in hindsight: https://www.gsmarena.com/htc_titan-review-675.php
It's significantly smaller than the 'small' S23
Definitely ha ha
Nah, it works perfectly fine. Matter of fact, even the precedessor - Xperia Z5 compact can run 95% of Apps just fine due to almost all Apps still supporting Android 7. I got all 3 of them - Z5 Compact, XZ1 Compact and XZ2 Compact and all of them still hold up (my XZ1 compact however developed a quite a few dead pixels sadly).
Also from what I have seen Sony phones seem to get decent Custom ROM support - but I haven't tried to custom ROM any of these myself.
I think the XZ1 still has two years in the tank - maybe even more with LinageOS. Its remarkably fast in my use due to the awesome Snapdragon 835, 720p and lightweight Software.
Maybe the XZ1 compact can last quite a while before it really becomes obsolete, but I don't want to just buy an old phone just to throw my current Pixel 5 aside. I think I will keep waiting for a new small phone for now.
Legendary phone. Almost 6 years old, and still goes for $500+ if you find one in new-ish condition.
Complete shame Sony discontinued it and left the 5" niche empty.
Actually, come to think of it, I think Sony has been releasing 5" phones as the Xperia Ace series. They are budget phones that are only available in Japan. I heard the spec is not very good, so I didn't bother to get one.
The Galaxy S21/22/23 is slightly larger than the OP's Pixel 5 however. The Zenphone 9 might be a good option as it's around 2mm narrower - not a lot but it'd be noticeable for one handed usage.
there is Xiaomi 12 and upcoming Pixel 8, both overal better options than everything you listed
Imo more of a gimmick phone in this size-range has to be the Palm "companion" phone. I think it may be a little too small tbh (kinda like the Jelly), but honestly, I'd like something close-ish to either its size or the Jelly's with better specs.
The Palm is so close for what I'd like, I think, but its gimmick as a companion device is holding it back so much.
I feel the pixel 6a and 7a sizes are still very reasonable, I'm using a 6a at the moment and it's just that little bit bigger than the 5.
I also own a 7 pro which is stupidly big...
And includes a headphone jack! Ive been loving my 9.
MKBHD's has a great video on the phone and iirc they really only disliked the back being a strange plastic.
Biggest issue is probably the lackluster software support, you only get like two years of android updates?
Very true - I think Asus defaults to 2 years of support.
I'm hoping that there will be custom roms developed for it since it's one of their more popular phones - but honestly if I was more privacy / security minded I wouldn't have gotten an Asus phone at all.
cries in moto x (2013)
Also looking for a new small phone. I had the last two Xperia 5's and they never felt premium enough to justify the price. Holding out for the Zenfone 10, Asus is pretty consistent with their Q2 releases.
@donnnnnb @sosimple530
The one thing I find annoying is our compact phone options (Sony & Asus) both refuse to support their devices for more than a couple years of android OS updates. (I don't expect to see Android 14 on the sony mk3 series, and asus likely won't support the Zenfone 9 past android 15.
and aside from that we just have the meme that is Unihertz.
OS update is less of a concern to me. If the phone is from a major company, there will be custom ROMs like the LineageOS sooner or later. It will last me a good while before becoming obsolete as long as the SOC is good enough.
Zenfones are expensive AF. Zenfone 9 for example will not get Android 15. So very pricey and bad support. Also if you are into accessories than again, avoid Asus.
Options are iPhone minis (not Android lol), S22/S23 and pixel 7a (which is larger than the Pixel 5).
If only there was a new Android phone with the size of iPhone 12/13 mini.
I'm with you 100%
I just want a small phone that easily fits in one hand, headphone jack, sdcard, the things unused to have 5 years ago but with a modern processor.
Not only expensive but Asus' quality control, customer service and aftersales are also lacking
I'm running pixel 4a for this reason (also the support for grapheneos)
4a and 5 are pretty much the same size I thought
Possibly, 4a was just cheaper and easier to get where I live.
How is it doing so far? How long does the battery last?
My wife loves hers. Good battery life.
I have a large phone but got a frameless case and it feels as thin as if I didn't have a case.
Nice, I might get one at some point as they are pretty cheap nowadays.
I easily get a full day of use with at least ~3-5h of screen time, and 90%+ health ln the battery. Imo, the only thing it is lacking is a 90/120hz screen, else it's fine.
Great to hear!
Galaxy S21/22/23, if you dont mind shutter lag
Zenfones, if you dont mind 3 times more faulty hardware than other brands, shit software support, bad software optimization, meh camera and bad VFM
Xiaomi 12, if you dont mind MIUI or installing custom ROM
Xperia phones if you dont mind remote control aspect ratio, shit software updates, meh camera and insane price
Pixel 8 if you dont mind waiting, it should be under 70/150mm judging by display size
There is a Samsung addon called Camera Assistant. It integrates with Samsung camera's settings, and allows the photo button to make a photo "on press" (while the default is set to "on release").
Holy hell thank you so much. You jusy solved a problem I didnt even realize I was dealing with. I always felt like my camera was delayed, but I thought it was just how things were on every device.
Here is a tip for the selfie camera, you can set it up so that it will take a Pic if you hold out your hand like a wave(it will do a count down so you will know). Done that multiple times when I can't click because of different reasons. Otherwise I usually just take pics with the side button instead of the on screen button (s21)
Glad to help 🙂
be aware that this option lowers the already low image quality
I am aware of that, but already low quality photo (compared to Pixel/iPhone) has even worse quality with this option.
I migrated from LG G6 to Samsung S22 after really, really, trying to like Pixel 6.
The Pixel was just too big and the camera bar made it top heavy. I hold the phone by the bottom third of the back and it was making my small hands sore. Definitely dropped it on my face while lying in bed.
I don't like the Samsung ecosystem at all, but form factor won out. It's basically my G6 but it runs modern apps. I told the Samsung store to eff off and it works ok without Bixby et al.
None of these are small phones...
those are Android phones available in the market, if you want usable smaller new phone then good luck finding one because they dont exist
Galaxy S10e is smaller than almost everything these days. I've bought a back up one since I haven't seen any new small phones I like.
Headphone jack included. Decent battery. 4g only I think is the biggest problem sometimes
My normal S10 was incredible until it finally broke a couple weeks ago. Felt super modern even 4 years after launch. Make sure to get the Snapdragon model if you do go with the S10e though @sosimple530
I also use S10. This is my second one, both bought used. Before I had S6 which was equally sweet.
I really miss the notification LED!
S10e is not really that much smaller than my current Pixel 5, though. Maybe I will try the S10e if my Pixel 5 breaks down.
The Zenfone 9 is amazing. I've had one for around a year. It's slightly smaller than the Pixel 5 and has absolutely amazing battery life. Mostly stock android with a lot of little QOL improvements sprinkled all around the system.
It had a lot of potential. But their lack of a full global launch, missing LTE bands for my Canada, and poor support make it an incredible expense for what you get. I was so excited about it leading up to the release.
IKR! The Zenfone 9 looked like a great form-factor for me but only 2 years of Android updates is just too short to me (as someone who tries to keep using the same phone until it truly croaks)
It's trash because Asus has bad quality control, customer service and aftersales.
yeah, these phones are basically useless without custom ROMs and they might not get many or at all due to the small userbase
you forgot most importantly it's 3 times more faultier than other brands which have 99-100% reliability, while zenfones like 96-97%, these data are publically available in european online shops
I would be soo happy if smaller phones were still around. I would't even mind the slower hardware or battery. I still mis my huawei y300 from 2013. 124x64x12 mm!
Im with you man, i hate that phones all went for large blank rectangle. Google Pixels and folding phone might be the only alternative. I had the pixel 4a for that reason. Upgraded to 6a and sadly they made them bigger.
Sony used to have their compact line which was so great. Wish they still had that line.
What's LOS? I am familiar with MicroG from ReVanced, but idk what LOS is
Guessing LineageOS?
Yes, LOS seems to be the colloquial abbreviation for it
Thanks! Sorry, just realized I accidentally commented on the wrong comment, but thanks for still responding!
unihertz jelly 2. unihertz also some other small phones. also has a headphone jack, fm radio, wrist strap, customizable LED, programmable hardware button.
It's a cheap Chinese company with very loose quality control. You might be lucky and the phone will work, or you might not and there will be nothing you can do about it. Also, there's obviously no chance of any bug fixes or security updates. There are many other similar companies with very interesting designs and lots of unique features (like Ulefone Power Armor 18T), but it has all the same issues. I wish mainstream manufacturers implemented some of them.
There's a Japanese company who released a quirky 4.9 inch Android phone last year but AFAIK it's only available in Japan.
https://www.xda-developers.com/balmuda-phone-review/
Maybe import that one?
Edit: Mr Mobile did a review too: https://youtu.be/Tx6GqiSipy8
Yeah, I think I will pass on this one.
NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS for a mid-range phone?? I see they took some inspiration from apple pricing!
I'm really happy with my s22. I have it naked with a screen protector and it's rather tiny.
NOT Pixel 7! I got one because the Pixel 7 Pro was gigantic, but it's just such a mediocre phone and totally not worth what they charge for it.
It is about the same size as the S10e, just a little longer. So not small but not giant like so many of the others.
If you truly want small you get a shit phone these days with Android. Best in the slightly larger than small category is the Zenfone 9.
I run an s22 and it's small enough especially without a case. Pretty good battery life and the camera array is good too. Understandable if you want smaller though. Having had it I don't think I could go any smaller.
I also use my Pixel 5 caseless since I hate the extra size of a case. I wish the new phones could use a smaller display like the iPhone 12/13 mini, but be a bit thicker so they have a larger battery.
Xperia XZ2 Compact (2018) here. Running perfectly with LOS+microG.
But as the phone is starting to fall apart, my desperation is setting in.
I think my Pixel 5 will hold on for a bit longer, but I am starting to worry that there just might not be another small Android phone.
Do you have any issues with touch? My XZ2-C has weird touch issues that make it hard to use. Where I touch is different from where it registers the touch 1 mm above. Kind of a bummer. Also, no voice over wifi on Verizon. The phone supports it, but not on VZ network.
MicroG, is that just the stripped down Gapps package?
I never noticed that, I can even comfortably play Lemuroid. What I did notice, is that as the phone gets older, it more frequently wakes the display up without activating the input. So I sometimes see the picture but can't interact, until I turn the display off and on again. Seems to be related to physical wear.
No idea, not US.
Something much better: the only free software reimplementation. You can get it integrated into the ROM. And yes, you can install Google Maps onto that .
Whoa. I'll have to check out mircoG. I've got LOS on my XZ2-C. Didbyou have to sideload mircoG?
Were you able to get VoLTE working on it? If so, HOW!? I only gave mine up kicking and screaming after the US 3G tower shutdown. Or well, after over a year of paying for a separate line & flip phone to make calls on.
...and now I like having 2 lines so I kept the flip phone.
...and I still use the LOS XZ2c like a mini tablet because I hate the stupid huge screen on its replacement.
I carry 3 phones now. Please send help
Sony Xperia 10V or Sony Xperia 5IV or Sony Xperia 1V
I have to say, as someone with not large hands, my Z Flip is amazing. At first I was worried about durability but this thing is a tank. Coming from a S10+ to this, I wanted a phone that would fit in one hand and collapse really small. Plus FLIP
Z flip is way too big for me unfortunately. It is basically as wide as my current Pixel 5 but much longer. I don't think I would be comfortable using it.
Durability is the main reason I don't even considered flexible screen phones when I was searching for a new one. How do you protect it against scratches? Plastic screens get scratched by nearly everything and as far as I know you can't apply any type of screen protector on flexible devices
Isn't S10+ pretty big phone as well?
S23 is perfect for me size wise, and the fingerprint reader is way better than the pixel phones. There a few minor pixel native features that I miss, but I overall really happy with S23 and love that my hand doesn't hurt anymore from using a large phone.
When you say the Pixel 5 is too big, do you mean when you are using it, the screen is too large? Or is it too large in your pocket? If the latter, maybe consider a flip phone that folds in half like the Motorola Razr or Samsung Galaxy Flip. Unfortunately, if you are looking for smaller screens, those unfolded may not fit your criteria.
I mean the screen is just too big. I just want to be able to use a phone one-handed.
If you can wait a couple of days, the ZenFone 10 is launching soon.