Am I the only one who wants a smaller phone?

[vb4]

(This post might be kinda long. tl;dr: General discussion about how people who want smaller phones are ignored and how the OS apparently isn't built with small phones in mind anymore)

Currently, I'm kinda baffled.
It seems like Microsoft/Nokia are pretending that smaller screens are actually an anti-feature. The newest Lumias have all been huge, no matter the price range. And everywhere you go, people are screaming for larger and larger phones - Just look at the comment section on this very site.

However, I'm a Lumia 620 user. And before that, I had a Lumia 900.
I know what a larger screen is like. (Saying this because some people will try to question my preferences otherwise)

So, is there any chance that the 620 will ever get a valid upgrade? A device that is flat-out better, but retains its handy form factor?
I'm a kind of guy who misses the era of physical buttons and small phones. In fact, I would gladly go back to my N95 if it miraculously gained all the advantages of modern smartphones.
Actually, I'm eager for Microsoft band to get music controls and note taking, (As well as a European release) just so that I can offset one of the major disadvantages of a touchscreen - Needing to take the phone out of my pants for basically *everything*.
But that's just an aside.

How should Microsoft best orient itself when it comes to people like me? I'm not the only person who prefers small phones and there's definitely a market for those devices.

Should a potential 640 be a low-end phone? Or would it make more sense for it to be mid-range, or even to have a low-end and a mid-range version?

Personally, I consider even the 3.8" screen to be almost too big. At the same time, screen real estate is an actual drawback at this size.
A successor would definitely need a smaller bezel and the virtual slide-out system buttons that some newer phones use.
A reduction in thickness could also help. I have this feeling that the thickness of the device is more of an issue for me than its screen size, at this point.

Also, did anyone else notice that the notification center might not be intended for smaller phones?
It has five quick-access buttons, which are scaled unusually small. Windows Phone generally uses much larger design elements, to make it usable on the small phones that it was originally built for. Those quick access buttons simply look off, when you compare them to the rest of the OS.
Their small size (Just as the three columns option for the start screen) also make the low pixel density of the 620 far more obvious. There seems to be a counter-movement to higher pixel densities right now, but the current minimal resolution for WP is definitely insufficient. You can easily see how the OS has trouble rendering the fonts in a way that isn't completely aliased.
However, this is likely more of an issue for bigger phones. I have no idea how fans of big phones could be against resolution bumps for WP.

Would anyone want a high-end small phone?
This seems like a niche that wouldn't fill any interests.
I, for one, definitely want something like the 535, just smaller and with a shell that isn't glossy. My favourite Lumia/Nokia plastic is on the chassis of the Asha 501 and the 630.

 

[P1ng0fDeath]

yep, i believe it'd be a niche. Bigger phones became a trend some time ago. If you really think that 3.8'' is "almost too big", i'm afraid you'd have a hard time finding a phone that completely pleases you on that aspect...

but there are phones out there with flagship/flagship-like specs that are not that big. I mean, not 5'' big, like the 920 and 925 (4.5'') and 820 (4.3''). Also mid-ranges like 720 (4.3'') and the new 730 (4.7'')

now actually small smartphones, like under 4''... i don't think it'll ever happen again

 

[Stephen Pedersen]

Personally, the size of phone I like is one that will easily fit in my back pocket and can be sat on without worry of bending. I hear you though. I think the new iPhone 6 is too big. I think 4.5 is the goldilocks of sizes. I also hate phone cases for this reason. The make the phone seem twice as big and as ugly. What's the point of getting a beautiful phone if you get a clunky case on it? That's why I bought the Lumia 635. The back shell can be replaced if I ever damage it. it's a good phone.

 

[P1ng0fDeath]

about the action center, i thinks it totally needs to be scrollable. This would allow more toggles instead of the very limited 4 we currently have (5 for really big screens). Actually i think that all the action center needs to be improved as a whole, but that's not the point of this thread xD

 

[unklmik]

It's a personal reference. I, for instance, like a 6"; can't wait for the new Lumia 6" for W10. My wife prefers an iPhone 5s.

 

[Inkling]

My perfect phone would be a 735 with a smaller screen.

 

[davidD93]

As a fellow 620 user, here are my thoughts:

As the 620 was/is my first smartphone, I thought the 3.8" size was big enough when I first bought it (Feb 13), but I would not go for this size hone anymore, I can see the benefit of a bigger phone nowadays. Having said that, the notion that a 5" phone is only an average size, which seems to be increasingly likely, seems absurd to me.

For me, the 4"-5" range seems the perfect size for a phone, although as I said, you might be able to buy phones in that range soon

 

[EBUK]

I would love to see some smaller screens! I was reluctant to take the 4.7inch screen of the L735 when I moved from the Moto G 4G which has a 4.5 inch one. (I was reluctant to take that one, too). For me, a 4 inch phone would be ideal. Just the right size to do everything.

The obsession with increasingly larger screen sizes is crazy. Bigger doesn't mean better; it means I have to keep my phone in a bag rather than my trouser pocket.

 

[npoe]

I want a 4" high end Windows Phone but I don't think that's going to happen.

 

[xandros9]

I welcome smaller phones, I like my sister's 52x's size.
I feel the 920 is at the upper end of what I'd tolerate, but I'd like to try smaller phones, but those are usually budget.

 

[Harry Wild]

Most phone manufacturers now associate the size of the screen to that of assigning it as bottom, mid or high end smartphones. The last one that had high end smartphones at a 4" size was Apple. But Apple seems to have a line their products with the Android and WP philosophy based on size: small screen size is budget, low cost, pre-paid phones for carriers such as: Virgin, MetroPCS, Straighttalk, Boast, etc... and Phablets are now the premium high end models with the best state of the art components inside and the highest price.

Apple may make an Apple Mini premium it is rumor for 2015 that will be the same price point as the "Plus" leaving the 4.7" as it mid-tier level iPhone.

 

[LumiAss]

I want small phone too. Please make 1020 successor with 4" screen. Like the 808 was. It will easier to use with one hand while other hand doing another thing.

 

[Yazen]

On a keypad phone I would not mind a small screen.



3.6" screen on a keyboard phone? No problem!

On Windows Phone using only capacitive touch I honestly think 4.5" is the sweet spot. Strangely I prefer 5" on Android..




P.S ~ I have only seen one phone that could pull it off............

 

[Bagzton]

No you are not.
I think the perfect size is 4.5" and that's what I love about my L920.
I hope we get another flagship with the size at 4.5" on Wp10. But from the trends, this might just be wishful thinking.