Thinking Small: The Return of the Compact Phone
In many circles of my friend and family circle, I am considered the “phone guy”. Whenever anyone is looking into upgrading their phone, a lot of times they consult with me to make sure that they are making the right decision. As such, some people will ask what phone I use as a barometer for what is a good phone. Currently, the phone I use is the LG V60 ThinQ, which is a very powerful and versatile device (see Juan Carlos Bagnell’s excellent review of the device here). I love this phone and it is many things, but one thing it is not is compact. In fact, the V60 might be the largest phone that is not a foldable device that is available in the United States.
Over the past week, as I was watching Apple and Google announce their new phones, I looked at my V60 and the sheer size of it struck me. The reason for this is because Google and Apple have brought to market two phones that are much smaller and more in line with the ergonomics of one-handed use as opposed to the bigger is better screen mentality that Samsung and LG have adopted in recent years. The Apple iPhone 12 Mini and Google Pixel 5 are bucking the bigger screen trend and instead opting for a smaller phone experience that excels at and prioritizes communication over multimedia consumption. The existence of these phones has made me wonder, is the small smartphone making a comeback?
