Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

smallandroidphone.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 1001 posts

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#131

Post by porcc »

michaelt wrote: post #72
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...

Not the same size, the comparisons are misleading as both those phones look small compared to the 13 max. The SE has a form factor that matches many Android phones, small-phoners (like me) want to go smaller than that if possible.

https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size/Apple-iPhone-12-mini,...

I had the previous SE from years back and it's still my preferred size, the current mini is significantly bigger than it.

As an aside, I had to switch to the 12 mini as the old SE started becoming unusable due to its age. I did switch to a Pixel 4a temporarily but that was too big for what I wanted and traded it in as soon as I could.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#132

Post by UI_at_80x24 »

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…

I agree with you 100% I am knocking on 50 years of age, but I have the eyes of an 80 year old! I'd LOVE to be able to use a 9" tablet as my primary phone.

I have a plethora of screens available to me, including a PC as my primary computing device; but when I'm on the go I need a _larger_ screen not a smaller one.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#133

Post by jazzyjackson »

moonchrome wrote: post #122
erohead wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I touch on this on the site. 5% of iPhones sold are minis. That's 10m sold per year! That is more than enough demand to cover the NREs and costs of making a phone. * https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/21/cirp-iphone-13-best-selling-l...

>That is more than enough demand to cover the NREs and costs of making a phone. Then why is Apple dropping it ?

because covering costs is not the same as maximizing profit

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#134

Post by pkulak »

So do I. So I just bought an iPhone Mini after about 10 years of using Android phones. The hardware is better, notifications took some getting used to, but it's fine. Phones are an appliance.

I think Android phones just don't have the power efficiency to be small anymore. End of an era.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#135

Post by gs17 »

LeifCarrotson wrote: post #76
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?

Isn't that sort of what Ford decided (except they also still make SUVs)? AFAIK, they stopped making sedans for most markets.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#137

Post by JumpCrisscross »

roelschroeven wrote: post #79

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'…

> Missing microSD card support could be the major dealbreaker

And for the other guy a 3.5mm jack and for a third a physical off switch and look at that we have too many dealbreaker features for the form factor.

Power users tend to have more dealbreakers than the average consumer. Anecdotally, it seems power users prefer smaller phones. This might be what kills the small phone factor.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#138

Post by andjd »

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.

This narrative is cited a lot, and fueled rumors that Apple would kill the mini for iPhone 13. They didn't. So clearly it's profitable enough for them even though it's a comparatively low-volume product.

I think the issue with small form factor on Android is whether too many apps will have broken UI on such a small screen. Software support has been the issue with other innovative android phones, such as the LG Wing and even the original Samsung Fold.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#139

Post by Kon-Peki »

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…

I have the 13 Mini. Multiple people have asked me what it was and then commented that they wish they knew about it when they got their current phone.

I think sales are probably limited significantly by the marketing plan of both Apple and the carriers that sell phones - I'm sure that the larger phones are more profitable.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#140

Post by reaperducer »

bloqs wrote: post #39
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…

Every female member of my family has complained about devices being too big. Its clearly based on anecdotal evidence. People with smaller hands want to be able to operate the phone fully with one hand.

Every female member of my family has complained about devices being too big.

My wife's solution to iPhones being too big was to upgrade all of her handbags and to buy flouncy dresses with pockets.

Wanna trade families? Please?

Post reply on HN