I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone • Hacker News Board

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#71

Post by jen20 » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:09 PM UTC

pizza234 wrote: post #41

AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #4

The Galaxy S10e is my current phone, and I'm not sure what I will do when it stops receiving security updates. It's basically perfect. It still has an SD card slot. It still has a headphone jack. It has wireless charging. It's reasonably sized. And it had flagship-for-the-time specs (albeit slightly less than the mainline S10 or S10+). Samsung doesn't make anything comparable to this anymore. The only drawback is tha…

If you have a bit of patience, install LineageOS. Samsung phones have a big following in this domain - as of today (May/2022), even the Galaxy S3 (Neo) is supported (!). I'm not saying it's trivial (it's not hard, but has a large enough amount of small actions to execute), but it's definitely worth doubling (or more) the phone duration. The FamousProducer™ of my phone supported it for 3 years. This is terrible. Linea…

> FamousProducer™

Why be so coy about this? Naming and shaming should serve as a warning to those who might buy one expecting long term support, or as a spur to action towards LineageOS for those who many have been or are about to be blindsided by the support window expiring.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#72

Post by michaelt » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:09 PM UTC

perardi wrote: post #6

“matching size and design of iPhone 13 Mini” So, by all accounts, the iPhone mini has been an extremely slow seller. https://www.macrumors.com/2022/04/21/iphone-13-mini-unpopula... Why would that form factor succeed in the Android space? --- I see these meme on tech sites all the time: “oh phones are too big I just want something simple”. That is a valid sentiment that I think is shared by basically no average consum…

> So, by all accounts, the iPhone mini has been an extremely slow seller.

Well, it's up against the iPhone SE, which has the same size, same weight and the same processor. [1]

[1] https://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphone13m...

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#73

Post by dbrgn » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:09 PM UTC

grwthckrmstr wrote: post #44

Using the Pixel 4a. Basically the perfect form factor and size. I'd upgrade every 2-3 years to a new version of the same phone with minor updates like the chipset etc. Dreading the day I'll have to start searching for a replacement :(

The Pixel 3a (my current phone) has a 5.6" screen, the 4a has a 5.8" screen and the Pixel 5 has a 6" screen. However, they're all approximately the same physical size, it's just the bezels that got smaller.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#74

Post by pmlnr » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:09 PM UTC

MrRiddle wrote: post #24

akmarinov wrote: post #13

The article person might want one, but people don't. That's why the iPhone Mini doesn't sell and is being axed.

5% sold were Mini. But I guess let’s axe it if it cuts into profit just a bit.

And together with the SE devices?

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#75

Post by gertlex » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:09 PM UTC

grwthckrmstr wrote: post #44

Using the Pixel 4a. Basically the perfect form factor and size. I'd upgrade every 2-3 years to a new version of the same phone with minor updates like the chipset etc. Dreading the day I'll have to start searching for a replacement :(

Same... Used the Pixel 2 before that. Probably will buy a spare 4a on ebay soon.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#76

Post by LeifCarrotson » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:10 PM UTC

perardi wrote: post #6

“matching size and design of iPhone 13 Mini” So, by all accounts, the iPhone mini has been an extremely slow seller. https://www.macrumors.com/2022/04/21/iphone-13-mini-unpopula... Why would that form factor succeed in the Android space? --- I see these meme on tech sites all the time: “oh phones are too big I just want something simple”. That is a valid sentiment that I think is shared by basically no average consum…

Similarly, the F150 is the best selling vehicle in the US. #2 is the Silverado, and #3 is the Dodge Ram.

Clearly, this whole 'sedan' concept is a failed form factor, every manufacturer should only make pickup trucks. Why shoot for less than the #1 market spot?

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#77

Post by pmlnr » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:10 PM UTC

asddubs wrote: post #53

my dream would be a small linux phone (probably a couple years down the line once the software is a bit more stable), but I would settle for a small android phone as a primary device, to stay a bit more realistic in terms of market share. while we're sharing pipe dreams, i would love a physical keyboard like the n900 as well. i used my nexus 5 for 7 years or so, when i replaced it i didn't even realize there no longe…

https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-pinephone-pro-keyboard-...

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#78

Post by iforgotpassword » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:10 PM UTC

hn_throwaway_69 wrote: post #31

perardi wrote: post #6

“matching size and design of iPhone 13 Mini” So, by all accounts, the iPhone mini has been an extremely slow seller. https://www.macrumors.com/2022/04/21/iphone-13-mini-unpopula... Why would that form factor succeed in the Android space? --- I see these meme on tech sites all the time: “oh phones are too big I just want something simple”. That is a valid sentiment that I think is shared by basically no average consum…

>people just like big stuff I'm inclined to think that applies more to Americans than people generally. Europeans and Australians can be quite content with smaller vehicles, smaller properties, and quite frankly smaller lifestyles.

But admittedly here in Germany SUVs are also on the rise, even though we have that "environmentally conscious" reputation.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#79

Post by roelschroeven » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:10 PM UTC

A problem is that even within the niche of small phones, not everybody has the same wishes.

Compared to your ideal specifications, my wishes are: support for microSD card storage; battery that easily and reliably lasts a full day with moderate phone usage; fingerprint sensor, not necessarily on the power button; camera decent, not necessarily great (I don't care that much about low light performance, for example).

I'm tempted to sign up even with the specifications as you list them though. Missing microSD card support could be the major dealbreaker. Or alternatively some other user-friendly reliable method of getting lots of files from my PC to the phone's storage, but so far I haven't found any. Early Android versions supporter USB mass storage and that worked pretty well, but the transfer method implemented on newer versions is very slow and never works reliably for me.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#80

Post by 0des » Tue, May 17, 2022, 3:10 PM UTC

hn_throwaway_69 wrote: post #31

perardi wrote: post #6

“matching size and design of iPhone 13 Mini” So, by all accounts, the iPhone mini has been an extremely slow seller. https://www.macrumors.com/2022/04/21/iphone-13-mini-unpopula... Why would that form factor succeed in the Android space? --- I see these meme on tech sites all the time: “oh phones are too big I just want something simple”. That is a valid sentiment that I think is shared by basically no average consum…

>people just like big stuff I'm inclined to think that applies more to Americans than people generally. Europeans and Australians can be quite content with smaller vehicles, smaller properties, and quite frankly smaller lifestyles.

Weird, all the europeans who visit me in the US talk so much about how great it is to have this much space.