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I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

smallandroidphone.com

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Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#311
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

What kind of illoyal loser would denounce their wife in public, offer to “trade” her like some property, all over some completely meaningless bullshit cliché complaint about their choices of style?

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#312

Earlier quoted context omitted.

5% seems quite small and not worth the trouble. It might be worth it if a small phone generated 5% in additional sales, but most people buying a small iPhone would likely buy a normal-sized iPhone if no small version was available rather than making the switch to Android.

If the iPhone mini is managing to capture all of the "I want a small flagship phone" market, it's worth it. As long as the Mini exists, it's impossible for other manufacturers to try and compete.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagship

There is no such thing as a small flagship.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#314
post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

You're correct. The reason is not to attribute industry common practices to a specific company, but it makes sense also to expose it :) The producer is Google. I think (not sure) that they support their phones for 3 years.

3 years for the older ones but at least 5 years for newer devices: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/4457705?hl=en#z...

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#315
post #270

Hi Eric, I'm a hardware startup guy myself (our paths have crossed) with the distinction that my own "very specific set of skills" has been honed at smartphone megacompanies and smartphone startups. OSOM, Essential, HTC, Samsung, Apple. I've designed and built a lot of phones. I'm building one now. I think this is a noble effort, I personally prefer pocketable phones too, but I think there are nigh-insurmountable hur…

> and the component suppliers have also been looking at the trendlines so they are building bigger and bigger but... aren't they influencing the trendlines by doing this? if the only things manufacturers make are bigger and bigger, they then get to use the sale of those bigger items as justification to continue to make bigger items? Also seems a bit weird with more eco-awareness going on that some manufacturers would…

Yes, it is absolutely in a feedback loop. It's kind of bizarre to see up close.

The consumer hardware duopoly of Apple and Samsung are the only ones who seem to actually drive manufacturing trends. There are also tons of devices being made for the Chinese market, but you can't buy those because they're usually locked up in supplier agreements and honestly they don't meet "flagship" specs for display quality.

Component suppliers, true we-make-parts manufacturers, are not really trying to influence the big picture so much as make sure they are running their manufacturing lines at capacity. And if they are building panels on spec for open market sales, they are going to build >6" displays because it's a higher probability they'll actually sell at volume.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#316

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So increase the price? As a criminal defense attorney, I will never own a FaceID device. Ever. I owned an iPhone 7, then an iPhone 8, then an iPhone SE 2020, then another iPhone SE 2020. I may upgrade to the iPhone SE 2022. Cost is not an issue for me. I don't buy the iPhone SE because I'm cheap. I buy the iPhone SE because it is, on balance, hands down the best phone Apple makes right now for people who value conven…

Just curious what impact / relevance does being a criminal defense attorney have on using a device with FaceID?

IANAL. But from what i gather you cant be compelled to enter a passcode or forces to unlock phone with a fingerprint. There is no clear such protections for face.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#317

For me, the people who want smaller phones are the textbook example of a vocal minority. I've read so many Hacker News and r/apple threads about how people love and miss phones you can use with one hand. And then every few years a phone manufacturer will try it, and it won't sell at all. I almost think people with small phones just underestimate how much they'd be able to adjust to a larger phone.

> I almost think people with small phones just underestimate how much they'd be able to adjust to a larger phone.

I switched from a large Android device to an iPhone Mini because I preferred the size. Before the switch, I had used pretty much only larger phones.

So, at least for me as a data point, your assumption is wildly wrong.

Re: I want an iPhone Mini-sized Android phone

#320

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if there isn't a third factor: 3. Android OEMs can't make a good small phone, even if there was the demand to produce it at scale Because of how efficient Apple's SoCs are compared to Snapdragons, Android phones typically have much larger batteries than iPhones while getting about the same battery life. Big battery requires a big phone. The occasional somewhat small Android phone (for example Galaxy S10e) te…

Pixel 5 has great battery life. Note that none of the requirements are that it is some game machine or anything. Even less than top-tier chipsets are just fine for me. I just want a good camera in a pocketable form factor.

I think OP means that Android Phones with comparable battery life to an iOS device tend to have a larger battery to support that (when compared to the iPhone), which is more difficult with smaller enclosures (i.e. in a large phone it's easier to hide a large battery, and they don't scale entirely proportionally to screen size).

i.e. the Pixel 5 will last about 10% longer than an iPhone 12 on a single charge, but it achieves this with a battery that is about 45% bigger (2,800 mAh vs 4,080mAh). Both have the same size screen (in fact, the iPhone is slightly larger).

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