- Companies started making bigger phones
- People bought the bigger phones
- Companies stopped making smaller phones
this post was submitted on 17 Mar 2025
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why did 3 happen because I never stopped buying them. I had a Pixel 4a that I used until it almost exploded. I'm on a 6a now and this thing is uncomfortable. I miss typing with one hand.
You're not "most people". "Most people" want to watch movies and TV and other sorts of media consumption on their phones, and having a larger screen allows one to do that with ease.
Why do people buy TVs? I feel like people forgot we used to have deligated tools. I can open a can with my pocket knife, but it's not the ideal way to do it... ugh
Do you carry your TV with you to Dr appts? To work? To the bedroom or kitchen?
Didn't think so.
Jackass I'm not watching movies and TV at Dr appts and at work. I make food in the kitchen and I have a TV in my bedroom like an adult.
Good lord it reminds me of the "this movie boring aah" where the dude is watching fucking family guy om his phone in the movie theater.
Edit: this is what you sound like.
This is actually how people live now. It feels crazy to say this but I actually know people like this in real life who use their phone while "watching" a film. There has even been debate about whether production studios are dumbing down scripts to cater to people who are literally not paying attention. We live in insane times.
Yeah I heard about this. Its, really unfortunate and part of the reason I was lashing out so bad. If you follow the comment chain we work it out.
Just a friendly reminder to please keep it civil.
Jackass Iβm not watching movies and TV at Dr appts and at work. I make food in the kitchen and I have a TV in my bedroom like an adult.
My wife and I also make food in our kitchen and have a TV on each floor of our house, including our bedroom. However, the TV in our living room (which is on the same floor as our kitchen in an open floorplan) does not - and cannot - face the kitchen at all, so when we are making meals or whatever in the kitchen and want to watch a show, we use our phones. And when I have a dr appt (or I'm on my lunch break), I'll watch stuff on my phone while I'm waiting.
Is there anything else you want justified, or are you just gonna move the goalposts again?
i'm not moving the goalpost, I'm standing by what I'm saying. I dont need my brain to be constantly stimulated by media to function in day to day life.
iβm not moving the goalpost, Iβm standing by what Iβm saying.
Great, then you should understand that this is entirely subjective, meaning that there is no "right" or "wrong" way for one to enjoy their media (as long as they use headphones in public spaces - fuck those who don't).
Remember, this isn't team sports. You're absolutely allowed to enjoy your media the way you desire, and if that means you prefer it on your TV at home, that's OK! However, that doesn't invalidate others' preference to enjoy it on their mobile devices. For me specifically, having a smaller device that can be placed anywhere convenient is preferred over a TV in a static location. Like I said, my living room TV cannot be seen from the kitchen, and I have zero desire to wall-mount it because it weighs over 70lbs (it's nearly 20 years old, but still crystal clear).
I dont need my brain to be constantly stimulated by media to function in day to day life.
Good for you (seriously). Personally, I like having the capability to do so. I don't do it all the time, but when I do, it's nice to have. And that's OK, too.
I didn't mean to try and invalidate how people consume their media, I'm just frustrated with the fact that there is no longer an option to even buy a smaller phone. When you I had originally responded to you with the TV comment, it wasn't about invalidating people who do watch tv on a phone. It was about the fact the ideal way to do it is on a tv, with the assumption that it was implied you could also watch stuff on a smaller phone. IMHO, a 6.5" screen for viewing is not that much different from a 5" screen, but it makes a world of difference for holding and using it. I can't type on my phone without using two hands currently, its constantly pulling on my pants, and if I'm not wearing a belt (say, sweatpants or shorts) I'm constantly pulling my pants back up, and I have a few pairs of pants where the thing falls out of my pocket and in between the car door while im closing it because of how big it is. I hate it and I want a smaller one. I apologize for any of it being a personal attack, but I still feel like every single phone being 6"+er is frustrating for people like me, and I know for a fact I'm not the only person with these problems.
I hear you, man. My dad (gen X) is like that, even today he still prefers the size of the iPhone 4. He's got a 14 now, but laments the larger size quite often π
My personal daily is the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and my work phone is a bog-standard iPhone 12. I will absolutely concede the fact that the larger Pixel can be difficult to use with one hand, but IMO - with the keyboard's one-handed mode and Quick Cursor installed - the benefits of the larger display far outweigh the difficulty of one-handed usage. Although with my work phone, I can whip it out with one hand and shoot a message or email to my coworkers far quicker than similar work on my Pixel... Though there are other difficulties with iOS in general that I can't justify (such as the complete inability to scale things down to fit more content)... But that aside, the physical size of my iPhone 12 is quite nice for its intended purpose.
There is something to be said for the physical battery size in a smaller device, especially where battery life is a huge selling point these days. Having two flagships where size is the only difference, the smaller one is going to suffer in battery life. The iPhone 13 mini has the exact same specs as its larger non-Pro sibling (except a slightly lesser resolution, but retaining a slightly higher ppi), and its battery life just doesn't hold up as well. That may not matter to some people though, and these things do charge pretty quickly, so I guess that's subjective.
All that said - Unfortunately, we're stuck in a world where profits reign king, and small phones (even with top-tier specs like the iPhone 13 mini or Zenfone 8) just don't sell very well because companies have convinced people that bigger = better.
They might watch less TV than you. They just do it more conveniently.
Pixel 5 is the best phone ever made. It was small and light yet durable, and had a flawless rear fingerprint reader and a headphone jack.
Pixel 5 definitely doesn't have a headphone jack. It's also the biggest phone I've ever used! It is quite a nice device though.
5a has headphone jack. My 5a broke recently so I "upgraded" to an 8a and it's been exclusively worse. No headphone jack, fingerprint scanner barely works, effective battery life is less...
Pixel 5 definitely doesn't have a headphone jack.
I guess I was thinking of the 4a. This is too long ago haha
It's also the biggest phone I've ever used!
Either you're confused or you've only ever used absolutely tiny phones. This is a 6" device.
Well it's my current phone and it's bigger than the last one. Have you only been using massive phones if you think this is small?
Have you only been using massive phones if you think this is small?
Yes, because the Pixel 5 was the last of the small phones, other than the Zenfone. They literally do not make phones anywhere near that small anymore, and haven't for years. It's 6.2" and up at this point. Go talk to anyone and ask to hold their phone and pay attention to how massive and heavy it is. That was the first thing I noticed with my Pixel 7 that I unfortunately traded my 5 for.
Recently switched from a 4a (literally what you just described -- it even actually has an aux port) to an iPhone 13 Mini.
The Mini is a better size. Better build. Better standby battery life. Better performance from the A15. No fingerprint unlock is a loss, but FaceID is... fine.
I would kill for another Mini.
I'm right here with you. My 4a is still barely clinging on to life and there isn't a single phone I can move to that isn't huge and has a headphone jack. I do not watch videos on my phone, a larger screen gives me nothing positive.
I mean we're getting into Apple vs. Android there and I will vehemently disagree with you on all accounts if you want to go there.
The thing is made of glass, which is as fragile as can be, not to mention way too heavy.
And FaceID is absolutely atrocious if you wear anything on your face, which I often do, like sunglasses and helmets, or if you're laid on your face.
And FaceID is absolutely atrocious if you wear anything on your face, which I often do, like sunglasses and helmets, or if you're laid on your face.
About that... I work in a clean room, which means everything except my eyes and nose are completely covered - including wearing safety glasses over my regular glasses. My work phone is an iPhone 12, and in that situation, its FaceID still works most of the time. I can't say the same about my Pixel 9 Pro XL, as its face recognition needs the entire face.
But I digress...
Do we use the same software ? I can wear a neck gaiter, a beanie, glasses and faceid will still work (if the gaiter doesn't cover my nose)
How secure do you think faceID is when you can cover your entire face and still unlock your device?
I responded to either one of your comments here, but I can say that FaceID is pretty damn good for what it is, and it will not unlock for any of my coworkers while in a cleanroom. FaceID uses more than just the camera, as it can see through sunglasses.
in that situation, its FaceID still works most of the time
I don't know what to tell you. I had one for 3 months and ended up selling it because it was so awful. Not just FaceID, so many different (and very basic) things. If I was so much as wearing sunglasses, it simply would not unlock, which makes sense, because it can't see my face.
for what it is
Why not just use something that's better? That doesn't require a giant hole in your display?
it will not unlock for any of my coworkers while in a cleanroom
What are the chances everyone in your cleanroom has the same eyes as you? And what are the chances that there are hundreds of thousands of people somewhere who do, or that someone could simply fake your eyes to unlock it?
Valid points, honestly. I have the iPhone because it's what work provides me. So I made it work for me. Β―β \β _β (β γβ )β _β /β Β―
My personal device is the Pixel 9 Pro XL, for what it's worth.
With FaceID you can wear gloves, which is very importantes to me. So it depends on the usecase
my theory is that (most) people want their money's worth. if you have two phones, one bigger than the other, but you don't know the prices of each, the perceived value of the bigger one is higher, even in they're both the same price you wouldn't assume right away that the bigger one had to cut things out to offset the bigger display.
phones are also a big gift item, and people are not concerned with niche likes in those cases.
I'd say that the increased popularity of foldable phones currently speak of our desire of smaller phones (my partner at least says it's the reason she loves hers) with a higher perceived value. I hope marketing departments are taking the right notes from these and not that foldable is better.
Watching porn itβs better on a bigger screen. Duh.