[MohawkUS]

I currently have a Galaxy S5 and man is 5.5'' the worst size. It's always either too large or too small for what I am doing. When watching gaming videos I can't read the UIs and when doing general tasks it's too bulky. I would prefer just having a 6''+ phone or in having a smaller phone and a tablet. My mother has an iphone and I think that's a good size for a smartphone. I wouldn't go any smaller than 3.5'' for sure as I do at least want to read websites and blogs as well as be able to easily read my emails on the go.

 

[Steve_72]

I have the Samsung Note 3 and think its way too big. Got it kind of impulsively as it was a really good deal but hate the real estate it takes up in my pocket. Will most likely go back to something smaller once my contract is up. Kind of miss my old iPhone 4 brick. 

 

[heatofamatch]

For most things you use a smartphone for, reading and writing, I'll take at least 5". For music use (i.e. always in your hand, always browsing songs and fiddling with EQ -use), I still wonder if there's an acceptable android phone with as small a screen as possible: smaller than 3.5", preferably under 3".
 
But most of the discussion about size is really about whether the person speaking is used to the idea of a given screen size. It was never the level-headed discussion about whether you can use the phone with one hand - if a part of you wants more space and you cede to it, then you can accept a larger phone, you will find a way to work it even if it's too large for your hand or pocket. If you can't allow the idea, then you make stupid jokes about how holding up a phablet or tablet to your head is silly -- but look how much the mainstream size has gone up over the last 3 years!

That never would've happened if we were all so serious about usability or whatever argument we use to pretend we're civilized, lol.
 
And as an aside, I don't believe for one second that Steve Jobs necessarily had no hand in the iphone 6 - you don't know that! And he's done an 180 on himself several times before, just like Virgin Atlantic stopped doing that "4 engines 4 longhaul" thing once the oil prices tripled.

 

[xkonfuzed]

Galaxy note 3's screen size is perfect. I think its 5.7inch if im not mistaken

 

[oqvist]

I guess Note 2 is about the perfect size. Plan was not getting an Ipad or something on the side more of a one size fit all. It´s a bit more bulk but it does go down in my pocket and since I have big hands one hand operation is not a problem.
 
I had a ipod touch 3G before and it was way to small for web browsing to feel anywhere near useful. There is benefits with a more compact format but that is pretty much it.
 
I am thinking of getting a tablet anyway and I don´t believe I will go any bigger with my next smartphone. I really like the Note 2 it tolerated a LOT of abuse. An Iphone would have broken 5x over with this use
 
But my next phone if I do get a tablet will rather be slightly slimmer then slightly bigger.

 

[SP Wild]

I thought that iPhone 4 and 5 was the perfect smart phone size, I still think it is. But...when I think of the amount of time I spend making a phone call to the amount of time I use it for its computational capabilities...the nexus 5 seems quite logical in size.

The whole problem is the term smart phone...the telephony functions of these computers is of least importance on priorities for consumers.

 

[oqvist]

Yeah sound quality and reception is really bad on "smartphones"

 

[argentum]

HTC One M7 here. Reception could be better, but sound quality is pretty good.

 

[SP Wild]

Yeah sound quality and reception is really bad on "smartphones"

Do you mean internet reception? I agree its kinda not reliable like at home on wireless. Phone reception wise, I've never had a problem with any phone.

I was happy with the sound quality of the headphone out of my Nexus, until I tried again out of my iPod...the iPod sounded much smoother in the top end and I hated to hear that...I shouldn't care but geez once an audiophile always an audiophile.

 

[Coq de Combat]

Do you mean internet reception? I agree its kinda not reliable like at home on wireless. Phone reception wise, I've never had a problem with any phone.

I was happy with the sound quality of the headphone out of my Nexus, until I tried again out of my iPod...the iPod sounded much smoother in the top end and I hated to hear that...I shouldn't care but geez once an audiophile always an audiophile.

Yeah, you never really should compare smartphones to dedicated DAPs once you get used to the sound quality of them. The only phone that's really been listenable (or actually, quite good, to be honest) is my iPhone. My Note 2 was the biggest disappointment, but not the worst quality (I hold a NEC for that achievement, wow). I just expected so much more for some weird reason. I would love to hear if the new Sonys are up to par with their DAPs... I have a NWZ-A828 sitting right in front of me, that sound quality in a phone would be mighty nice!

 

[justrack]

I'm at 4.8" now (S3) and since I'm used to that I don't think I could happily go any smaller. But I've always appreciated compactness for a phone considering that it gets carried with me everywhere, so I don't wont to go any bigger.  I still refuse to put it in a case because of the added bulk. 
 
I've always thought it was interesting how samsung released the s3/s4 mini. I'm wondering if these "mini" phones will become more popular as phones get bigger and bigger, the manufacturers will have to create smaller versions for those who perfer to keep their phone in their pockets. 

 

[oqvist]

Do you mean internet reception? I agree its kinda not reliable like at home on wireless. Phone reception wise, I've never had a problem with any phone.

I was happy with the sound quality of the headphone out of my Nexus, until I tried again out of my iPod...the iPod sounded much smoother in the top end and I hated to hear that...I shouldn't care but geez once an audiophile always an audiophile.

 
Yes both. If they had real antennas like in the old days they would work much better. 

 

[heatofamatch]

  I've always thought it was interesting how samsung released the s3/s4 mini. I'm wondering if these "mini" phones will become more popular as phones get bigger and bigger, the manufacturers will have to create smaller versions for those who perfer to keep their phone in their pockets. 

 
Their intention of doing "mini" phones is just to tie the smaller/second-from-top model into the brand of the larger phone, for easier marketing. At this point I don't think anyone's really intent on doing smaller phones of serious quality anymore - you can see this in how all the "mini" phones get bigger by the year.
 
The S5 mini is 4.5" and Sony's Z3 compact is 4.7 inches, neither of which can be considered small by any stretch of the imagination, but guess what, they line up nicely with the new iphone6, so that's set the tone for that market segment this year.

 
I've always wanted smaller phones with at least midrange specs, and by small I mean 3.2 or 2.8 inches with very thin bezels. If smartphones are truly replacing or powering all our other portable gadgets, then there's a need for them in every size and shape as well. why not more variety in this way too?
 
But I know phablets/large screens are insanely popular in parts of the world. People can argue online about usability as much as they want, but IRL ever since the first Galaxy Note, all I see is people embracing large screens, adapting to the size and making it work for them, so they're bound to do well. I'd also love to see a smaller phone of higher quality, but really it's the consumers who assume they get short-changed with smaller screens (especially in emerging markets) that's keeping us from these gadgeteer wet dreams.

 

[justrack]

   
Their intention of doing "mini" phones is just to tie the smaller/second-from-top model into the brand of the larger phone, for easier marketing. At this point I don't think anyone's really intent on doing smaller phones of serious quality anymore - you can see this in how all the "mini" phones get bigger by the year.
 
The S5 mini is 4.5" and Sony's Z3 compact is 4.7 inches, neither of which can be considered small by any stretch of the imagination, but guess what, they line up nicely with the new iphone6, so that's set the tone for that market segment this year.

 
I've always wanted smaller phones with at least midrange specs, and by small I mean 3.2 or 2.8 inches with very thin bezels. If smartphones are truly replacing or powering all our other portable gadgets, then there's a need for them in every size and shape as well. why not more variety in this way too?
 
But I know phablets/large screens are insanely popular in parts of the world. People can argue online about usability as much as they want, but IRL ever since the first Galaxy Note, all I see is people embracing large screens, adapting to the size and making it work for them, so they're bound to do well. I'd also love to see a smaller phone of higher quality, but really it's the consumers who assume they get short-changed with smaller screens (especially in emerging markets) that's keeping us from these gadgeteer wet dreams.

 
Good points, the "smaller" ones are never as featured as well as their bigger relatives. But there's got to be a limit to this bigger and bigger trend. Also these things tend to come and go in cycles. First it was how small can we make a phone, now its how big can we make it before people realize its just not practical to carry around everywhere.

 

[heatofamatch]

 
Can I just say how much I love the Xperia Mini? It's such a wonderful size and probably the last non-low-end small android phone too.
It's one of those things I kick myself for not having bought one while new units were available.