We Need a Mini-phone Revival

With advancements in battery technology, increasing component costs, and a growing discontent with the space (both physical and mental) that phones occupy in our lives, it may be the right moment to reconsider mini-phones. Who’s interested?

Two conversations with friends who aren’t tech-savvy made me reconsider whether Apple and Asus exited the mini-phone market too soon.

One friend, expecting my criticism, showed me his new iPhone Air. His need to explain himself was understandable, as the tech press reviews from my colleagues had been less than favorable.

To sum up his argument: “I don’t need three cameras. I just want a phone that’s easy to use when I’m lying in bed.” It was hard to argue with his concise reasoning.

Another friend was looking to replace his aging iPhone 13 mini, Apple’s last compact phone introduced back in 2021. Despite having a different personality from the first friend, his needs were quite similar.

He didn’t take many photos and wasn’t a ‘power user.’ He just wanted a device for WhatsApp, Instagram, email, and a few music-creation apps — all in the smallest, least intrusive form possible.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Don’t call it a backlash

While it’s not clear-cut enough to label it a smartphone backlash, there’s an evident sentiment of dissatisfaction with the space smartphones occupy in our lives, both physically and mentally.

Millennials and Gen Xers reminisce about their formative years enriched by personal interactions and some degree of anonymity, whereas Gen Zers express concern over the constant connectivity. There has even been a slight return to using simpler, “dumb” phones.

The challenging reality for smartphone manufacturers is that many people now desire less from their devices, not more. However, this might not be an entirely negative scenario.

As component costs rise, manufacturers face difficulties in innovating. They are either compelled to increase the prices of their latest smartphone models or essentially charge more for existing features.

Could the solution be to offer less? To introduce smaller phones with smaller screens, reduced RAM, simpler processors, and more basic camera systems — all at a lower, potentially mid-range price?

The main drawback of earlier small phones was their battery life, but this is no longer an issue. Thanks to silicon-carbon (Si/C) technology, OnePlus recently unveiled a phone about the size of an iPhone 17 Pro, which is relatively small by today’s standards, yet it boasts a battery capacity approximately 88% greater.

With more efficient batteries and modern mid-range processors that rival flagship models, today’s mini-phones could meet the needs of many users.

Mattias Inghe

Haunted by failure

The discouraging data point here is that both the previous mini-phone generation and the current thin phones have struggled commercially. However, this may stem from how they were marketed rather than their inherent qualities.

Perhaps consumers were put off by the prospect of paying near-flagship prices for devices that offered less, even if those additional features were unnecessary for many users.

The vision isn’t for a slender iPhone 17 Pro Max or a diminutive iPhone 13 — essentially what the iPhone Air and iPhone 13 mini turned out to be — but rather a more compact and affordable iPhone 17e.

I know at least two people who would be eager to own such a device. Are there any other interested parties?