5 ms·

My kingdom for a phone with stock Android and a 4.7" display.

by coldpie 7y ago

wmf 7y ago
Get an XZ1 Compact and put a GSI on it. I gave in and got an S10e which is only slightly larger but is all screen.
- mjcohen 7y ago
  I like my S10e. I got the 256GB because I have lots of music and video. Works nicely when it is plugged into a monitor.
- AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
  If memory serves, when the XZ1 Compact came out in the US, it was severely handicapped in some way, although memory escapes me as to why. Something like the fingerprint reader inside the power button was disabled due to a lawsuit, and the camera was awful if you went off the stock OS that Sony shipped. Real pity. I held the phone in my hands at a Best Buy and got incredibly close to buying it.
  - kelnos 7y ago
    My last Sony phone was the Z5 Compact, which was the first and last Sony phone in the US to have a fingerprint sensor until they cleared that legal mess up. I ditched it for the Pixel 2 (and now 4) eventually; Sony's software got worse and slower with every update, and the phone would heat up for seemingly no reason. The camera was really good, but I couldn't install a custom ROM without crippling it due to DRM junk. As much as the Pixels aren't perfect, and the physical size of them is not what I'd like (I'd really like something like a 4"-4.2" screen), they've at least been consistent in build and software quality (to the point where I haven't been motivated to flash a custom ROM), and the cameras have been wonderful.
  - hedora 7y ago
    > the camera was awful if you went off the stock OS that Sony shipped I would have bought that phone if not for this issue. (I can’t remember why the stock OS was unacceptable, even before purchase)
  - phh 7y ago
    > the camera was awful if you went off the stock OS that Sony shipped. Thankfully they stopped that bullshit , including on this very model in their Android Pie update.
- neltnerb 7y ago
  I look periodically to see if anything has changed. https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2018&fDisplayInchesMax=5&sOSes=2&sOSversions=2910,2900 https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2018&fDisplay... Nope. Literally seven phones, with the search just limited to sub 5" diagonal, Android 9 or 10, and a release in the last two years. My phone now is an Xperia X Compact. Based on that list of seven the Xperia XZ2 Compact would be my next choice. Which actually looks like a fine phone, but not much of an upgrade versus what I already have. And it's from 2018 anyway, feels kind of silly to upgrade from a phone from 2017 to a phone from 2018 in 2020. Librem... if you're listening... I'll pay extra for a phone that's under a 5" diagonal. You can quote me on that and call it a pre-order. I don't have market research to back it up, but I do hear more and more people basically saying they haven't bought a new phone in years because they're all too big. Do they not include people who wear women's clothing in their market testing?
  - andrepd 7y ago
    Don't filter by screen size, filter by physical size instead (phones are getting ever better in screen/size ratio). I also filter by RAM>3GB: https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2018&nHeightMax=145&nWidthMax=68&nRamMin=4000&sOSes=2 https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2018&nHeightM...
    - usrusr 7y ago
      Those interested in small phones are usually looking for one-handed operation and zero-width bezels are not the right tool for that.
      - deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
  - scarejunba 7y ago
    Your search is broken for some reason. It doesn't find this phone that works on T-Mobile unlocked and is smaller than that https://www.gsmarena.com/palm_palm-9290.php https://www.gsmarena.com/palm_palm-9290.php
tshanmu 7y ago
try the nokia android one phones
- coldpie 7y ago
  Those all look huge. The Moto X is the last phone I've owned that I found to be an acceptable size. Compared to that, the Nokia lineup is enormous. https://phonesized.com/compare/#1192,359,1105 https://phonesized.com/compare/#1192,359,1105 Edit: That same site has these tables, which show that there really are zero phones in that form factor on the market https://phonesized.com/charts/ https://phonesized.com/charts/
  - res0nat0r 7y ago
    My Pixel 3 is small and I can text and hold it using one hand with no problem. https://store.google.com/us/product/pixel_3_specs https://store.google.com/us/product/pixel_3_specs
    - coldpie 7y ago
      Sadly not actually small. I have a Pixel 3A right now and I hate it, it's way, way too big. What I need is something where I can reach the top of the screen (notifications, Firefox URL bar and tab controls, other controls) while using one hand, without loosening my grip on the phone. This worked fine up to about 4.7" screens. Beyond that and it's just impossible.
      - wpietri 7y ago
        Agreed. I happen to have my old Moto X handy; I stuck it to my fridge to access OurGroceries, and it's still working fine at the ripe age of 7. The 3A is nearly an inch taller than the original Moto X: https://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Motorola-Moto-X,Google-Pixel-3a/phones/7885,11060 https://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Motorola-Moto-X,Go... As you say, that makes it awkward to use the phone one-handed. I'd definitely buy something more the Moto X size if it were otherwise equivalent.
      - 7y ago
Baeocystin 7y ago
The Droid Mini remains my favorite smart phone I've purchased. Even its current run speed isn't a deal-breaker- it's the lack of battery replacements and security patched android that keeps me from still using it. If a modernized phone came out in the same form factor, I'd buy it day 1.
pge 7y ago
That's exactly how I (reluctantly) became an iPhone user. The iPhone SE was the only decent phone with a smaller form factor, so I had to make the switch from Android.
- canuckintime 7y ago
  Sadly iPhone SE has been discontinued by Apple and is no longer a decent phone tbh. I can’t recommend it.
  - kemotep 7y ago
    There are rumors of a new iPhone SE 2 coming later this year[0]. If true it might be right up the gp's alley. [0]:https://www.techradar.com/news/iphone-se-2 https://www.techradar.com/news/iphone-se-2
    - ryantgtg 7y ago
      Macrumors is guessing this 4.7” “iPhone SE 2” might come out in March. https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-se/ https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-se/
bosswipe 7y ago
iPhone 8 is your best bet.
- olivil 7y ago
  Recently switched from an iPhone 8 to a 11 Pro, which is smaller than the standard 11, and it`s pretty close size-wise but a bit thicker.
abrowne 7y ago
I've been liking the Nokia 1 I recently bought.
KozmoNau7 7y ago
When my girlfriend's Galaxy S4 Mini finally died, we looked high and low for a good replacement, but didn't find anything good under 5 inches of screen. In the end, we decided to find a phone that was at least not too wide, so it could still be used one-handed. We ended up buying Motorola One Visions for us both, since my Moto X Play was getting rather long in the tooth. While it is a 6.3" screen, the bezels are rather small and it has a 21:9 aspect ratio, so it doesn't feel clunky at all, it falls naturally in my average-sized hands. Overall we are both very pleased. It's afforable, plenty fast (especially now with Android 10) and it's on the Android One program, so you get stock Android with a few Motorola features on top, no bloat and great battery life. It's a damn good midrange phone.

My kingdom for a phone with stock Android and a 4.7" display.

wmf 7y ago

Get an XZ1 Compact and put a GSI on it. I gave in and got an S10e which is only slightly larger but is all screen.

mjcohen 7y ago
I like my S10e. I got the 256GB because I have lots of music and video. Works nicely when it is plugged into a monitor.
AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
If memory serves, when the XZ1 Compact came out in the US, it was severely handicapped in some way, although memory escapes me as to why. Something like the fingerprint reader inside the power button was disabled due to a lawsuit, and the camera was awful if you went off the stock OS that Sony shipped. Real pity. I held the phone in my hands at a Best Buy and got incredibly close to buying it.
- kelnos 7y ago
  My last Sony phone was the Z5 Compact, which was the first and last Sony phone in the US to have a fingerprint sensor until they cleared that legal mess up. I ditched it for the Pixel 2 (and now 4) eventually; Sony's software got worse and slower with every update, and the phone would heat up for seemingly no reason. The camera was really good, but I couldn't install a custom ROM without crippling it due to DRM junk. As much as the Pixels aren't perfect, and the physical size of them is not what I'd like (I'd really like something like a 4"-4.2" screen), they've at least been consistent in build and software quality (to the point where I haven't been motivated to flash a custom ROM), and the cameras have been wonderful.
- hedora 7y ago
  > the camera was awful if you went off the stock OS that Sony shipped I would have bought that phone if not for this issue. (I can’t remember why the stock OS was unacceptable, even before purchase)
- phh 7y ago
  > the camera was awful if you went off the stock OS that Sony shipped. Thankfully they stopped that bullshit , including on this very model in their Android Pie update.
neltnerb 7y ago
I look periodically to see if anything has changed. https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2018&fDisplayInchesMax=5&sOSes=2&sOSversions=2910,2900 https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2018&fDisplay... Nope. Literally seven phones, with the search just limited to sub 5" diagonal, Android 9 or 10, and a release in the last two years. My phone now is an Xperia X Compact. Based on that list of seven the Xperia XZ2 Compact would be my next choice. Which actually looks like a fine phone, but not much of an upgrade versus what I already have. And it's from 2018 anyway, feels kind of silly to upgrade from a phone from 2017 to a phone from 2018 in 2020. Librem... if you're listening... I'll pay extra for a phone that's under a 5" diagonal. You can quote me on that and call it a pre-order. I don't have market research to back it up, but I do hear more and more people basically saying they haven't bought a new phone in years because they're all too big. Do they not include people who wear women's clothing in their market testing?
- andrepd 7y ago
  Don't filter by screen size, filter by physical size instead (phones are getting ever better in screen/size ratio). I also filter by RAM>3GB: https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2018&nHeightMax=145&nWidthMax=68&nRamMin=4000&sOSes=2 https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2018&nHeightM...
  - usrusr 7y ago
    Those interested in small phones are usually looking for one-handed operation and zero-width bezels are not the right tool for that.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
- scarejunba 7y ago
  Your search is broken for some reason. It doesn't find this phone that works on T-Mobile unlocked and is smaller than that https://www.gsmarena.com/palm_palm-9290.php https://www.gsmarena.com/palm_palm-9290.php

tshanmu 7y ago

try the nokia android one phones

coldpie 7y ago
Those all look huge. The Moto X is the last phone I've owned that I found to be an acceptable size. Compared to that, the Nokia lineup is enormous. https://phonesized.com/compare/#1192,359,1105 https://phonesized.com/compare/#1192,359,1105 Edit: That same site has these tables, which show that there really are zero phones in that form factor on the market https://phonesized.com/charts/ https://phonesized.com/charts/
- res0nat0r 7y ago
  My Pixel 3 is small and I can text and hold it using one hand with no problem. https://store.google.com/us/product/pixel_3_specs https://store.google.com/us/product/pixel_3_specs
  - coldpie 7y ago
    Sadly not actually small. I have a Pixel 3A right now and I hate it, it's way, way too big. What I need is something where I can reach the top of the screen (notifications, Firefox URL bar and tab controls, other controls) while using one hand, without loosening my grip on the phone. This worked fine up to about 4.7" screens. Beyond that and it's just impossible.
    - wpietri 7y ago
      Agreed. I happen to have my old Moto X handy; I stuck it to my fridge to access OurGroceries, and it's still working fine at the ripe age of 7. The 3A is nearly an inch taller than the original Moto X: https://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Motorola-Moto-X,Google-Pixel-3a/phones/7885,11060 https://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Motorola-Moto-X,Go... As you say, that makes it awkward to use the phone one-handed. I'd definitely buy something more the Moto X size if it were otherwise equivalent.
    - 7y ago

Baeocystin 7y ago

The Droid Mini remains my favorite smart phone I've purchased. Even its current run speed isn't a deal-breaker- it's the lack of battery replacements and security patched android that keeps me from still using it. If a modernized phone came out in the same form factor, I'd buy it day 1.

pge 7y ago

That's exactly how I (reluctantly) became an iPhone user. The iPhone SE was the only decent phone with a smaller form factor, so I had to make the switch from Android.

canuckintime 7y ago
Sadly iPhone SE has been discontinued by Apple and is no longer a decent phone tbh. I can’t recommend it.
- kemotep 7y ago
  There are rumors of a new iPhone SE 2 coming later this year[0]. If true it might be right up the gp's alley. [0]:https://www.techradar.com/news/iphone-se-2 https://www.techradar.com/news/iphone-se-2
  - ryantgtg 7y ago
    Macrumors is guessing this 4.7” “iPhone SE 2” might come out in March. https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-se/ https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-se/

bosswipe 7y ago

iPhone 8 is your best bet.

olivil 7y ago
Recently switched from an iPhone 8 to a 11 Pro, which is smaller than the standard 11, and it`s pretty close size-wise but a bit thicker.

abrowne 7y ago

I've been liking the Nokia 1 I recently bought.

KozmoNau7 7y ago

When my girlfriend's Galaxy S4 Mini finally died, we looked high and low for a good replacement, but didn't find anything good under 5 inches of screen. In the end, we decided to find a phone that was at least not too wide, so it could still be used one-handed. We ended up buying Motorola One Visions for us both, since my Moto X Play was getting rather long in the tooth. While it is a 6.3" screen, the bezels are rather small and it has a 21:9 aspect ratio, so it doesn't feel clunky at all, it falls naturally in my average-sized hands. Overall we are both very pleased. It's afforable, plenty fast (especially now with Android 10) and it's on the Android One program, so you get stock Android with a few Motorola features on top, no bloat and great battery life. It's a damn good midrange phone.