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> Apple seems to have underestimated iPhone SE demand to a significant degree I would love to purchase a new iPhone (or Android) if they were to make a new dev
by meritt 8y ago
> Apple seems to have underestimated iPhone SE demand to a significant degree
I would love to purchase a new iPhone (or Android) if they were to make a new device with a comparable form factor to the SE. Instead, everything has progressed to these two-handed monstrosities that have resulted in fanny packs [1] becoming fashionable again simply to hold the damn things.
[1] https://www.today.com/style/fanny-packs-are-so-popular-they-make-25-percent-accessory-t145246 https://www.today.com/style/fanny-packs-are-so-popular-they-...
- JohnJamesRambo 8y agoI don't know what phone I am going to get after my iPhone SE no longer works after OS bloat kicks in. It's the perfect phone pretty much. I like android better but I can't find a phone this size that works in the android universe. Surely there must be others like me that want a capable phone that isn't the size of a tablet?
- javagram 8y agoI’ve seen others reference the Sony Xperia Z2 compact as a SE replacement but even that phone has a 5” screen. At this rate it seems like the smartphone market has abandoned small form factor phones.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- meritt 8y agoThe X2 is two years older than the iPhone SE and the successor (Z3) is 45% larger. I'm not sure how anyone can reasonably conclude it's a replacement.
- PKop 8y agoPixel 3 (not 3XL) to me is perfect size, has the "it works" simplicity and polish of iPhone, and tuned software / camera tweaks of Google that make me not miss iPhone at all. Specifically the camera is just amazing, the portrait mode and wide angle screen shot features, and AI / visual core chip tuning the pictures makes the quality better than any other phone I've used.
- qbz 8y agoPixel 3 is 5.5"
- JohnJamesRambo 8y agoThe Pixel 3 is huge compared to what I'm looking for. I know the bigger screens like 5.5" are normal now but it is too big for me, I like to travel light and hate big phones in my pocket and hands. I like computing on an actual desktop computer with a mouse and keyboard and just use my phone for texting, maps, and taking photos, etc. https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Google-Pixel-3,Apple-iPhone-SE/phones/10932,10001 https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Google-P...
- iscrewyou 8y agoI know two people who said they won’t buy another phone until the day their SE won’t turn on. I agree, SE form factor solves a great problem for some people. Not everyone wants a big screen! Apple either isn’t making enough money on the SE, not listening to their survey group, or an executive doesn’t care. They need to fix this.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- skellera 8y agoDoes anyone really think Apple hasn’t done market research to determine which size phone would be best for them to sell? As mentioned in one of the other comments, SE was using the production lines of the 5/5s. It probably isn’t worth it to keep those going for an older phone and the R&D for a new smaller phone is a huge cost. I’m sure it’s been proven that most people want larger screens at this point. I mean, even the newer cheaper phone they have, XR, is larger than their standard XS.
- bluedino 8y agoI went from a 6S to an 8 Plus last year. I dind't go with the X because it was a first-generation product. The 6S feels comically small now. But, the Plus is too big. I think taking the bezels off the top and bottom would be the perfect size phone. Maybe a little smaller. I upgrade in the fall, so I'm interested to see what comes out. I'm looking forward to going back to a smaller phone, but the SE and 6S are too small IMO.
- scarface74 8y agoI have an iPhone 8 Plus and it is larger than I like and heavier. I bought it because I needed the larger screen to watch tutorial videos on the go that had a lot of text and the battery life was better than any other iPhone. But the X size phone is tempting. But I don’t see myself buying another phone for 3 years.
- aczerepinski 8y ago
- personlurking 8y agoLast month, a Redditor explained why the SE form factor likely won't be returning. https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/a68a1v/we_get_it_you_like_the_size_of_your_se_no_its_not/ https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/a68a1v/we_get_it_you...
- kylec 8y agoThat was just one person's opinion. Now that earnings are down, I'd guess that there's someone at Apple floating the idea of a releasing a small iPhone to boost sales, because there's a small but vocal minority of people that really want one and will immediately buy it.
- kyrra 8y agoLarger screens tend to lead to people to use their phones more, which results in more app purchases[0]. (which results in more money being made in Apple's services division). It's a way to offset the decrease in new phone sales. [0] https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-banks-on-bigger-screens-to-drive-iphone-growth-1536505200 https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-banks-on-bigger-screens-t...
- Despegar 8y agoIt's also much better for the platform that there isn't such a wide range between screen sizes. It's incredibly hard to make UIs scale from the SE to the XS Max and both be as functional and good looking on both.
- Reedx 8y agoI used to think the same and didn't like the move to the larger phones. Harder to use with one hand, more bulky to carry around. But then I fired up my old iPhone 5 and quickly appreciated the larger screen of the iPhone 8. Although I still like holding the smaller one better.
- e1ven 8y agoI think a lot depends on your use-cases, what you spend time on your phone doing, where you're carrying it, etc. I really like iOS, but one think I really envy about the Android ecosystem is that there are multiple vendors, so users aren't locked to just the most-popular size phone.
- rudolph9 8y agoDo you think this is because the larger screen is inherently better or perhaps it's because the iOS and the whole app eco-system is geared toward larger screen? Perhaps a little of both?
- Reedx 8y agoBoth, but more so because the larger screen is just inherently nicer. Basically I think the ideal is a screen that's as large as possible while still being usable with one hand. The iPhone 8 is just over the edge for my hand size, but it's close.
- dijit 8y agoMy thought is they're trying to transition the phone to being your watch, with a 'tablet' for serious typing in a bag of some kind. I mean, the Apple Watch is seriously good for most cases, it reliably sends messages using siri, I can answer calls on it, I can read my messages and do basically anything the phone can do, albeit much slower. However, they'll have to brick my SE before I give it up. I bought an SE just before they got discontinued last year with apple care. I "downgraded" from a 7, this phone is definitely the best iPhone that exists for me and my slightly smaller than giants hands.. Even if a lot of apps are obviously not tested on the SE's size anymore. :(
- ska 8y agoI vastly prefer the SE over any other current-ish options. I'll be really annoyed when my one dies, I suspect, and I wish I'd bought another one before they discontinued. This is pretty much all about pockets though - I typically wear a 3XL glove so it's not being driven by reach. I can accept needing to carry a bag if I need a laptop. For a phone it's insane.
- mikestew 8y agoI would love to purchase a new iPhone (or Android) if they were to make a new device with a comparable form factor to the SE. I am in complete agreement with your attitude. However, it looks like the SE isn't coming back, and I wanted an Apple Watch anyway (after wearing smartwatches since the first Pebble...or SPOT if that counts). So I gave in, bought an iPhone XS and a watch. Previous smartwatch usage told me that the phone could probably remain safely in the bag most of the day. An Apple Watch makes it stay in that bag even more, I found out. If I'm out and about without the messenger bag/man purse, the cellular keeps me in contact. So for me, at least, carrying the monstrosity is reasonably solved. Every use case is different, so this might not be a solution for everyone. And, yes, it is ridiculous that the solution is "go spend more money" because there isn't a reasonably-sized phone available. OTOH, most of my phone looking is "who's calling? What does the wife want on SMS? What's that reminder?" which is easily taken care of on the watch. When I do need a bigger screen, it's nice to have...well, a bigger bigger screen. :-)
- dominotw 8y agoI have regular pixel 2. It doesn't need 2 hands.
- meritt 8y agoPixel 2 is nearly identical in size to iPhone XS, both of which are 40% larger than iPhone SE.
- tenaciousDaniel 8y agoI have had wrist pains ever since getting the 6 back in 2016. Now that I'm on the X, it's gotten worse. I fucking hate these larger phones. They cause significant pain for me, and I don't even have tiny hands.