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Why can't they just keep making new phones in the size of the iPhone8? Who decided that we all want to carry around mini-tablets now? Makes me want to go back

Why can't they just keep making new phones in the size of the iPhone8? Who decided that we all want to carry around mini-tablets now? Makes me want to go back to a flip phone.

saagarjha 8y ago
> Why can't they just keep making new phones in the size of the iPhone8 You mean, like iPhone XS?
- bruxis 8y ago
  The XS is larger than the 8: https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iPhone-XS,Apple-iPhone-8/phones/10766,10408 https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iP...
  - sxg 8y ago
    The XS is 5 mm taller, 3 mm wider, and 0.4 mm thicker. Does that kind of difference really matter?
    - bruxis 8y ago
      Considering the average adult male thumb length is ~70mm and female is ~63mm[0], that would be 7-8% of thumb length increased in height and 4-5% in width. That's not even including the very different screen interactions on XS vs the iPhone 8, where the screen itself was significantly smaller. [0] http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/smartphone-thumbs-2012-9/ http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/smartphone-thumbs-2012-9...
    - batiudrami 8y ago
      But the iPhone 8 is already 15mm taller and 9mm wider than the iPhone 5/5S/SE which is probably the most comfortable size for a phone. Plus, the fact that the screen itself is much larger makes it more difficult to reach everything with one hand. I previously had a Note 8 for work and have just gone back to my Galaxy S7 which, while still big, is much nicer to use - even though I thought I liked the Note while I had it.
    - ksec 8y ago
      That is with 4.0mm Bezel on every sides. So If Apple shrink the Bezel by 1.5mm, It would have the same width. Assuming you don't do Curved around edges like Samsung, Huawei has managed to make the left right Bezel shrink to 2.1mm. The major difference between X/XS and 8 is the weight. And this make the whole phone felt very different.
    - robryan 8y ago
      I think it does when the 7/8 size is already on the edge of what is reasonable to use with one hand.
  - saagarjha 8y ago
    Slightly. You can feel and see the difference in size, but only if you hold them both side by side (as opposed to the weight, which is quite obviously different).
    - kylec 8y ago
      I noticed the size difference immediately when I got my iPhone X, and I still notice it every day, even if I'm not comparing it side by side with an iPhone 8. Maybe you got used to it, but I haven't, and likely won't.
      - saagarjha 8y ago
        I'm not you, so I can't confirm what you are experiencing, but have you considered that the screen is throwing off your perception of the phone's size? For me, the biggest difference has been in interacting with the phone, which means that my fingers have to actually cross the entire height of the device rather than just the area that used to be the screen.
        kylec 8y ago
        Yes, that's another factor, along with the increased weight. But even controlling for those things I still notice (and dislike) the increased size.
    - josteink 8y ago
      > Slightly. You can feel and see the difference in size, but only if you hold them both side by side Slightly larger for every iteration over years and years makes it much, much larger in the end. I refuse to go for anything noticeably larger than the SE.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
toufiqbarhamov 8y ago
Exactly, I’ll buy a new iPhone when they release one in a form factor like the SE. I’d also love to see a high-privacy, compact, phone-first flip phone from Apple, but I understand that I might as well pray for rain in hell.
mises 8y ago
I am in total agreement here. I never got the hang of doing "real stuff" on a phone, and prefer a laptop whenever possible. Phones should be small and portable, rather than trying to replace tablets (which are in turn trying to replace laptops, in turn desktops). The last phone I really liked was the droid razr mini. I also liked the galaxy s3. Please, phone manufacturers: if you hear this, listen. I do not care about large phones. I couldn't care less about "screen-to-body ratio". I don't want a notch or a stupid sliding mechanism. I want a simple, small phone. It should have excellent battery life (don't care about thickness), be sturdy. Calls, texts, pictures, and emails are about all that's necessary, along with occasional web browsing and music playback. Maybe a reader app. That's it. But I guess you can't charge $1,500 for that. Edit: Oh yeah, and leave my headphone jack alone. Seriously.
- ianmcgowan 8y ago
  I just downgraded from a flagship android phone to a refurb iPhone SE from eBay. New battery, no visible signs of wear; $120 for everything on your list. If I have to do it every year, I'll still be ahead after 5 years.
  - mises 8y ago
    I might look into that; the recommendation is appreciated.
kalleboo 8y ago
> Who decided that we all want to carry around mini-tablets now? The market. Small phones don't sell well unless they're at a significant discount. Or else Sony would have owned the Android market with their Xperia Compact series. For a majority of users, their phones are their #1 computing platform. For many, it's also their ONLY computing platform. They need all the screen real-estate they can get.
- Doctor_Fegg 8y ago
  “A majority of users” != “we all”
josteink 8y ago
> Why can't they just keep making new phones in the size of the iPhone8? As an SE-owner, I suspect you misspelled iPhone 5s there.
tonyedgecombe 8y ago
Who decided that we all want to carry around mini-tablets now? Customers.
tobyhinloopen 8y ago
The XS is the size of a 6/7/8. The screen is just bigger
- akvadrako 8y ago
  Why post this without even checking your facts? https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9318&idPhone2=8573 https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9318&idPhone2...
  - graywh 8y ago
    visually: https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iPhone-XS,Apple-iPhone-6,Apple-iPhone-7,Apple-iPhone-8/phones/10766,8346,9815,10408 https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iP...

Why can't they just keep making new phones in the size of the iPhone8? Who decided that we all want to carry around mini-tablets now? Makes me want to go back to a flip phone.

saagarjha 8y ago

> Why can't they just keep making new phones in the size of the iPhone8 You mean, like iPhone XS?

bruxis 8y ago
The XS is larger than the 8: https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iPhone-XS,Apple-iPhone-8/phones/10766,10408 https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iP...
- sxg 8y ago
  The XS is 5 mm taller, 3 mm wider, and 0.4 mm thicker. Does that kind of difference really matter?
  - bruxis 8y ago
    Considering the average adult male thumb length is ~70mm and female is ~63mm[0], that would be 7-8% of thumb length increased in height and 4-5% in width. That's not even including the very different screen interactions on XS vs the iPhone 8, where the screen itself was significantly smaller. [0] http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/smartphone-thumbs-2012-9/ http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/smartphone-thumbs-2012-9...
  - batiudrami 8y ago
    But the iPhone 8 is already 15mm taller and 9mm wider than the iPhone 5/5S/SE which is probably the most comfortable size for a phone. Plus, the fact that the screen itself is much larger makes it more difficult to reach everything with one hand. I previously had a Note 8 for work and have just gone back to my Galaxy S7 which, while still big, is much nicer to use - even though I thought I liked the Note while I had it.
  - ksec 8y ago
    That is with 4.0mm Bezel on every sides. So If Apple shrink the Bezel by 1.5mm, It would have the same width. Assuming you don't do Curved around edges like Samsung, Huawei has managed to make the left right Bezel shrink to 2.1mm. The major difference between X/XS and 8 is the weight. And this make the whole phone felt very different.
  - robryan 8y ago
    I think it does when the 7/8 size is already on the edge of what is reasonable to use with one hand.
- saagarjha 8y ago
  Slightly. You can feel and see the difference in size, but only if you hold them both side by side (as opposed to the weight, which is quite obviously different).
  - kylec 8y ago
    I noticed the size difference immediately when I got my iPhone X, and I still notice it every day, even if I'm not comparing it side by side with an iPhone 8. Maybe you got used to it, but I haven't, and likely won't.
    - saagarjha 8y ago
      I'm not you, so I can't confirm what you are experiencing, but have you considered that the screen is throwing off your perception of the phone's size? For me, the biggest difference has been in interacting with the phone, which means that my fingers have to actually cross the entire height of the device rather than just the area that used to be the screen.
      - kylec 8y ago
        Yes, that's another factor, along with the increased weight. But even controlling for those things I still notice (and dislike) the increased size.
  - josteink 8y ago
    > Slightly. You can feel and see the difference in size, but only if you hold them both side by side Slightly larger for every iteration over years and years makes it much, much larger in the end. I refuse to go for anything noticeably larger than the SE.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

toufiqbarhamov 8y ago

Exactly, I’ll buy a new iPhone when they release one in a form factor like the SE. I’d also love to see a high-privacy, compact, phone-first flip phone from Apple, but I understand that I might as well pray for rain in hell.

mises 8y ago

I am in total agreement here. I never got the hang of doing "real stuff" on a phone, and prefer a laptop whenever possible. Phones should be small and portable, rather than trying to replace tablets (which are in turn trying to replace laptops, in turn desktops). The last phone I really liked was the droid razr mini. I also liked the galaxy s3. Please, phone manufacturers: if you hear this, listen. I do not care about large phones. I couldn't care less about "screen-to-body ratio". I don't want a notch or a stupid sliding mechanism. I want a simple, small phone. It should have excellent battery life (don't care about thickness), be sturdy. Calls, texts, pictures, and emails are about all that's necessary, along with occasional web browsing and music playback. Maybe a reader app. That's it. But I guess you can't charge $1,500 for that. Edit: Oh yeah, and leave my headphone jack alone. Seriously.

ianmcgowan 8y ago
I just downgraded from a flagship android phone to a refurb iPhone SE from eBay. New battery, no visible signs of wear; $120 for everything on your list. If I have to do it every year, I'll still be ahead after 5 years.
- mises 8y ago
  I might look into that; the recommendation is appreciated.

kalleboo 8y ago

> Who decided that we all want to carry around mini-tablets now? The market. Small phones don't sell well unless they're at a significant discount. Or else Sony would have owned the Android market with their Xperia Compact series. For a majority of users, their phones are their #1 computing platform. For many, it's also their ONLY computing platform. They need all the screen real-estate they can get.

Doctor_Fegg 8y ago
“A majority of users” != “we all”

josteink 8y ago

> Why can't they just keep making new phones in the size of the iPhone8? As an SE-owner, I suspect you misspelled iPhone 5s there.

tonyedgecombe 8y ago

Who decided that we all want to carry around mini-tablets now? Customers.

tobyhinloopen 8y ago

The XS is the size of a 6/7/8. The screen is just bigger

akvadrako 8y ago
Why post this without even checking your facts? https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9318&idPhone2=8573 https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9318&idPhone2...
- graywh 8y ago
  visually: https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iPhone-XS,Apple-iPhone-6,Apple-iPhone-7,Apple-iPhone-8/phones/10766,8346,9815,10408 https://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iP...