Opinion: Give me back my compact Android phone!
Yesterday, while I was taking home groceries, my wife called. Two bags in one hand, I tried to reach for my phone. I managed to take the call and not drop the eggs and the stupid asparagus (I despise those), but as I was putting the phone back in my pocket, a sudden realization hit me. Modern phones are way too big for single-handed use! I have a 6.7-inch device, and my hands are of average size, but every time I need to operate the phone with one hand, the gymnastics begin. It all reminds me somehow of my long-gone guitar-learning days. Gotta stretch those fingers!
Samsung Galaxy S10e
Later that day, when I was looking past the impudent asparagus on my plate, I tried recalling a time when I did manage to handle my phone comfortably with one hand. And there was none. The past three years of my life, I’ve been struggling with my phone, dropping it several times, tapping on wrong icons, dialing friends and acquaintances unintentionally. It can’t be solely me, I thought. There are people with even smaller hands. My wife broke three phones in three years, and all her devices had a “Plus” in their names.
My beaten up Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray
Finishing my revenge on the asparagus, I planted myself at the laptop in search of compact phones. I’ve done it before, to no avail. In my phone graveyard, there’s a fair share of minis – an old Nokia 6700, an LG K510 (It’s a girl’s phone, I know), and my favorite Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray. A 3.3-inch display, 480 x 854 resolution, 16:9 ratio, retina-display worthy ppi of 297. So I browsed the bigger online stores in my area and found only two viable alternatives. The Samsung Galaxy S10e, which is on the compact side of things, and the iPhone SE 2020.
Apple iPhone SE 2020
I don’t like the punch-hole thing much, and the S10e plasticky design and feel put me off. At the same time, I wasn’t quite ready to switch (I’m planning to try a switch actually, so stay tuned for another article soon, iPhone SE 2020 involved). Phones with Compact and Mini parts in their names are extinct now, I realized with dolor. Screen estate is a good thing, I know, but there should be a choice for people like me. I’m frequently on my bike, in the mountains, driving (Don’t text and drive!), on the move in general. And I need at least one hand free. I need a compact Android phone, even just as a backup.
Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact and Apple iPhone 8
So, Samsung, LG, Sony, Motorola, and all the others. Listen to me carefully! Take notes if necessary. Look at the iPhone SE for God’s sake! It’s the closest thing to a Mini, and people like it! People are buying it, and people are switching from Android. It’s a 4.7-inch phone with enormous bezels. You can do better! Give me back my compact Android phone!