Weekend poll: Would you buy a small Android flagship phone?
Although we have a pretty good idea of what to expect atGoogle’s upcoming Pixel 7 launch event, the future isn’t quite as clear. Sure, thePixel Foldwill likely arrive sometime next year, alongside the usual round of iterative updates, but what about something a little more exciting? Earlier this week, we learnedGoogle might be working on a smaller flagship Pixel, something with all the power you’d expect from a premium device but in a form factor that fits in your hand.
Depending on your definition of “small phone,” the Pixel series has either never been pocket-friendly, or hasn’t in a couple of years. ThePixel 5is the closest the series has ever gotten, launching in 2020 with a 6" edge-to-edge display. That might sound big on paper, but it was only a millimeter wider and taller than the original Google Pixel, which sported huge top and bottom bezels framing a 5" screen.
However, it doesn’t come close to the iPhone 13 Mini in size, arguably the final true “small flagship phone” to launch in the last few years. Apple discontinued its Mini line a couple of weeks ago, replacing it with a massive 6.7" display on the upcoming iPhone 14 Plus. No Android phone matches the footprint of the iPhone 13 Mini, though a couple of them come close.Asus’s Zenfone 9 is your best bet, offering a nearly identical size to the Pixel 5. Meanwhile, Sony’s Xperia 5 IV feels small in hand, thanks to its 21:9 aspect ratio. That said, it might be too tall for some users looking for truly tiny devices. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention theGalaxy Z Flip 4, which seems to be where the market for small phones is headed.
That said, unless you’re interested in a foldable, you don’t have a ton of choices left for small phones. Google’s mobile division isn’t exactly blowing up the sales charts, and it’s hard to see how a tiny Pixel flagship would change this. Still, there’s space in the Android ecosystem for a competitor to offer a pocket-friendly phone, and if any company can afford to take losses here, providing a much-needed solution to an underserved market.
I’m curious if our readers are interested in buying a smaller phone, so I’m posing a hypothetical for this week’s poll. Let’s say Google (or Samsung, or your personal favorite Android OEM) announces a tiny flagship. It’s hard to lock down what “small” really is — as a poll from last year found,it’s truly different for everyone— so let’s say it’s about the same size as the iPhone 13 Mini. That means it’s roughly 65mm tall, 132mm wide, and has a 5.4" display. Would you consider buying this phone, or would the potential caveats stop you in your tracks?
A bit of a different poll this week, but I’m excited to see what people think. As always, if your answer doesn’t fit into the poll, feel free to .
Would you buy a small flagship Android phone?
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