Where did small-screen smartphones go? And will they ever come back?

Remember the days when you could keep your smartphone in a pocket?

One of the things that I take into consideration when looking for a new smartphone is its size. For this reason, as an Apple user, I often skip the iPhone Pro Max variant, as it’s just too uncomfortable because of its screen size.

Not long ago, I had a conversation with a friend about a smartphone upgrade, during which she mentioned the same issue of not wanting a bigger phone. She agreed that it was high time for her to upgrade her smartphone from the iPhone SE series, but she didn’t want to do it because of the increasing screen size.

My suspicions about what constitutes a comfortable-to-use device were raised again after I read a blog post on Wired & Wondering about modern phones being too big and too heavy. They’ve gotten so large that answering a text message with one hand isn’t even possible anymore. And God forbid, you drop your phone on your face while scrolling.

This got me thinking: While trends show that phone screen size is increasing, what does this change reveal about our user habits, and is there a chance that we’ll go back to smaller screens?

How has smartphone design changed over the years?

It’s no surprise that smartphone screen size has increased significantly over the years.

For example, the screen size of the first iPhone, released in 2007, was 3.5 inches. Now, an average smartphone screen size varies from 6.1 to 6.9 inches.

The changes don’t involve only the screen size, but also its thickness. This year, there have been numerous reports of companies racing to issue the thinnest smartphone. Among them are Apple with its iPhone 17 Air, Samsung and its Galaxy Slim, as well as Oppo, a Chinese-based company, that plans to release One Plus Open 2, the world’s thinnest foldable smartphone.

Smartphones have become essential parts of our lives, and going without one seems almost impossible. We use them for entertainment, work, education, and even house maintenance. So, having a bigger screen makes it easier to navigate all these matters.

What do smartphone users really want?

While many indicators point to users wanting their smartphones to be bigger and slimmer, I was thinking of how many still prefer a smaller phone.

This led me to a Reddit discussion where a user shared a graph showing how phone screen size has changed from 2002 to 2020 in comparison with phone size. The chart showed how, with every year, the screens became larger.

“I really miss phones I could use with one hand. And that can comfortably stay in my front pocket when I sit down,” wrote one user.

“I hate you market, i hate you. I love small phone and now i need fight for found it,” noted another netizen.

“Bring back small phones! Seriously, they're all too big and they wear out the spot in my pants where my pocket is. Would kill for a reasonably priced 5 inch android phone that still has decent storage/camera and battery life,” shared Redditor.

Average mobile phone screen size vs device size, 2002-2020 [OC]
byu/The-Angus-Burger indataisbeautiful

While several users expressed their wish for smaller phones, in reality, this translates into smartphones becoming bigger yet thinner.

“As devices increase in screen size, users still desire them to be easy to carry and comfortable to hold. A slimmer design creates the perception of a more sophisticated and high-end device, particularly when paired with glass or aluminum materials,” notes Jeremy Rambarran, professor at Touro Graduate School of Technology.

However, design solutions may often clash with manufacturing capabilities as the same slim design has to hold battery, camera modules, and chips, and while these components are becoming more compact without losing their efficiency, it’s still a work in progress.

“One trend is phone thinning and lightening, but there is also more focus on battery life and the environment. Companies are being forced to make more energy-efficient products because shoppers want products that last longer without cutting corners on quality. Additionally, using AI and 5G on smartphones will again change designs, expanding what smartphones can do even more,” explains Hommer Zhao, tech expert and spokesperson of OurPCB.

What smartphones will look like in the future?

Many trends tend to come back, so could the same be said about smaller smartphones?

“The market for truly small, compact smartphones (e.g., iPhone Mini size) largely appears to have disappeared for mainstream, as evidenced by the discontinuation of such models due to low sales volume. Consumer preference has overwhelmingly shifted towards larger screens for media consumption, gaming, and multitasking,” says Nic Adams, Co-founder and CEO of 0cus, the commercial hacking startup.

While it might seem that the era of smartphones as we once knew them is over, it isn’t entirely the case, especially due to the comeback of foldable smartphones.

“A niche demand persists among users prioritizing single-handed use, pocketability, plus ergonomic comfort over screen real estate. Think of it as a niche, which might be served by flip-style foldables that offer a compact form factor when closed, or potentially by new categories of ‘companion’ devices. The mass market: bigger screens are preferred, even if they sacrifice portability,” concludes Adams.

“Smaller smartphones may never fully disappear, but they may evolve to fit niche markets that value portability above all,” notes Zhao, explaining that from the production end, it’s hard to develop a smartphone without losing something, whether that’s battery life, screen space, or portability.