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Those phones are still _huge_ compared to the original iPhone. The iPhone 4 was perfect at 115mm * 59mm and weighing just 137 grams. The 13 mini was the last

Those phones are still _huge_ compared to the original iPhone. The iPhone 4 was perfect at 115mm * 59mm and weighing just 137 grams. The 13 mini was the last bearable iPhone at 132mm * 64mm and 135 grams. Newer phones are simply too large and clumsy, and difficult to handle with one hand even for me as a grown man with fairly large hands. I don't want a tablet sized phone, I want a fully functioning phone that doesn't feel like a brick in my pocket.

walterbell 1y ago
iPhone Fold rumored 121mm * 84mm, but weight is likely 2X mini, https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/rumoured-iphone-fold-size-concept-drawing-and-renders.2456447/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/rumoured-iphone-fold-si...
- bigstrat2003 1y ago
  That sounds like it'll still be too big. When it comes to phone screens nowadays, it is the width, not the height, which is the problem. It's physically impossible for me to use my phone (Nokia XR20) one handed, as my thumb isn't long enough to reach the far edge of the screen. So if the new iPhone is getting wider, odds are it'll be too big to fit in the hand even if the height is similar to the iPhone 4.
Tade0 1y ago
The other day I checked gsmarena for any smartphones with a width of 68mm or less (like my Xperia 5 V or previous Galaxy S8) that came out this year. Here's the single search result that appeared: https://www.gsmarena.com/cubot_kingkong_mini_4-14099.php https://www.gsmarena.com/cubot_kingkong_mini_4-14099.php Its CPU is comparable to that of my old S8, but the GPU is considerably worse. This size category actually extends to 70mm, as there are no other vaguely mainstream phones smaller than the Galaxy S25 clocking in at 70.5mm.
hackernewds 1y ago
You have small hands, the modern phones are made for MKBHD reviews
SilverElfin 1y ago
The iPhone 4 was peak industrial design.
- nico_h 1y ago
  iPhone 4 was a beautiful piece of hardware, but it felt indulgent. Just too heavy (it’s still my second favorite iPhone design). The iPhone 5 and 5S were a better compromise in terms of performance and design per gram. I contend they were the peak of utilitarian industrial design. Plus lightning port, and touchid on the 5S. Maybe the finest example of the “naked robotic core” that you stuff in the case of your choice.
freediver 1y ago
Extended the life of my 13 mini by going to Apple store the other day and replacing its battery. Perfect phone again.
- SoftTalker 1y ago
  Still using my 12 mini. Hope to get to retirement with it then either go phoneless or find something very small for talk and text.
- layer8 1y ago
  And it should be getting iOS support for around three more years, given that iOS 26 still supports the iPhone 11.
nico_h 1y ago
Same! I want a small and not too expensive phone for typing and using on the go, fits in my hand and in my pocket. And a (small) tablet for drawing and videos, it has less constraints in term of size, and can live in my bag.
neilv 1y ago
2010 Motorola Defy (107mm x 59mm, 118g, IP67). I loved the hardware, but it had some awful "value-added" Motoblur software atop Android that seemed to put Motorola in the loop on Internet communications, where it didn't belong. And unfortunately the Defy was locked down against alternate firmware. So I got a Samsung i897 Captivate (122.4mm x 64.2mm, 118g), and found a nice alternate firmware Android fork for it. Currently, after various phones that didn't work as well, or that were creepily invasive (e.g., iPhones, vendor Android), I'm currently using GrapheneOS Android firmware, with Pixel 7 hardware. Plus a case sufficient to let it likely survive a drop. The result is a bit of a brick, which beats up my trousers pocket, looks dumb, and sometimes causes chafing. I've started experimenting with not carrying a phone at all again, and it's a bit of a relief, though occasionally I miss a photo. (But it's not the same as walking phone-less before. Everyone and their dog has now set up networked surveillance cameras, feeding centralized data fusion of the current regime. So you're arguably being tracked even more now, phone-less, than when you used to walk around enjoying the benefits of your earlier phone.)
- saltcured 1y ago
  I really liked my Moto Razr-i from 2012 that was similar size to your Samsung. Wikipedia says 122.43 mm × 60.71 mm × 8.38 mm at 126 g.
layer8 1y ago
The Rakuten Mini in the video is 106.2 x 53.4 x 8.6 mm at 79 grams with a 3.6” screen, so much smaller and lighter than the iPhone 4. The Rakuten Hand (also in the video) is 138 x 63 x 9.5 mm at 129 grams with a 5.1” screen, a bit taller and thicker but also narrower and lighter than the iPhone mini. Unfortunately, the hardware, software, and interoperability of those Rakuten phones is too limited and outdated.

walterbell 1y ago

iPhone Fold rumored 121mm * 84mm, but weight is likely 2X mini, https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/rumoured-iphone-fold-size-concept-drawing-and-renders.2456447/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/rumoured-iphone-fold-si...

bigstrat2003 1y ago
That sounds like it'll still be too big. When it comes to phone screens nowadays, it is the width, not the height, which is the problem. It's physically impossible for me to use my phone (Nokia XR20) one handed, as my thumb isn't long enough to reach the far edge of the screen. So if the new iPhone is getting wider, odds are it'll be too big to fit in the hand even if the height is similar to the iPhone 4.

Tade0 1y ago

The other day I checked gsmarena for any smartphones with a width of 68mm or less (like my Xperia 5 V or previous Galaxy S8) that came out this year. Here's the single search result that appeared: https://www.gsmarena.com/cubot_kingkong_mini_4-14099.php https://www.gsmarena.com/cubot_kingkong_mini_4-14099.php Its CPU is comparable to that of my old S8, but the GPU is considerably worse. This size category actually extends to 70mm, as there are no other vaguely mainstream phones smaller than the Galaxy S25 clocking in at 70.5mm.

hackernewds 1y ago

You have small hands, the modern phones are made for MKBHD reviews

SilverElfin 1y ago

The iPhone 4 was peak industrial design.

nico_h 1y ago
iPhone 4 was a beautiful piece of hardware, but it felt indulgent. Just too heavy (it’s still my second favorite iPhone design). The iPhone 5 and 5S were a better compromise in terms of performance and design per gram. I contend they were the peak of utilitarian industrial design. Plus lightning port, and touchid on the 5S. Maybe the finest example of the “naked robotic core” that you stuff in the case of your choice.

freediver 1y ago

Extended the life of my 13 mini by going to Apple store the other day and replacing its battery. Perfect phone again.

SoftTalker 1y ago
Still using my 12 mini. Hope to get to retirement with it then either go phoneless or find something very small for talk and text.
layer8 1y ago
And it should be getting iOS support for around three more years, given that iOS 26 still supports the iPhone 11.

nico_h 1y ago

Same! I want a small and not too expensive phone for typing and using on the go, fits in my hand and in my pocket. And a (small) tablet for drawing and videos, it has less constraints in term of size, and can live in my bag.

neilv 1y ago

2010 Motorola Defy (107mm x 59mm, 118g, IP67). I loved the hardware, but it had some awful "value-added" Motoblur software atop Android that seemed to put Motorola in the loop on Internet communications, where it didn't belong. And unfortunately the Defy was locked down against alternate firmware. So I got a Samsung i897 Captivate (122.4mm x 64.2mm, 118g), and found a nice alternate firmware Android fork for it. Currently, after various phones that didn't work as well, or that were creepily invasive (e.g., iPhones, vendor Android), I'm currently using GrapheneOS Android firmware, with Pixel 7 hardware. Plus a case sufficient to let it likely survive a drop. The result is a bit of a brick, which beats up my trousers pocket, looks dumb, and sometimes causes chafing. I've started experimenting with not carrying a phone at all again, and it's a bit of a relief, though occasionally I miss a photo. (But it's not the same as walking phone-less before. Everyone and their dog has now set up networked surveillance cameras, feeding centralized data fusion of the current regime. So you're arguably being tracked even more now, phone-less, than when you used to walk around enjoying the benefits of your earlier phone.)

saltcured 1y ago
I really liked my Moto Razr-i from 2012 that was similar size to your Samsung. Wikipedia says 122.43 mm × 60.71 mm × 8.38 mm at 126 g.

layer8 1y ago

The Rakuten Mini in the video is 106.2 x 53.4 x 8.6 mm at 79 grams with a 3.6” screen, so much smaller and lighter than the iPhone 4. The Rakuten Hand (also in the video) is 138 x 63 x 9.5 mm at 129 grams with a 5.1” screen, a bit taller and thicker but also narrower and lighter than the iPhone mini. Unfortunately, the hardware, software, and interoperability of those Rakuten phones is too limited and outdated.