As you add more compute per user interaction ("smart" features), you increase power consumption. To keep an 18hour discharge cycle, you have to have more battery. Since phone thickness is a negative marketing feature but increased screen size is a positive marketing feature, you end up with bigger phones.

Every time they reduce compute power consumption, feature inflation overtakes the gain and more power is needed over time. Try turning on battery saver in the morning... even with "normal" use the battery will last significantly longer due to disabling background power consumption.

The box for HTC HD2 had <---- BIG ----> as dimensions of the phone. It had a 4.3" screen that actually was huge at the time (2009), but it's hilarious from today's perspective.

Skill issue

I like how the Pixel devices, while not small, are putting the flagship features in both the "normal" size model and the XL/Plus.

and your pockets! in both the literal and figurative sense.

I miss when flagship phone were affordable and worth the cost

every time i "upgrade" my phone it gets bigger, i hate it. the perfect size was what whatever iPhone 5 was doing, i want to go back to that

I got the Pixel 9P for this reason. It's actually notably smaller than the previous models.

I miss physical keyboards that you were able to flip from the back.

I miss phones that experimented.

I had the Motorola backflip (that was a fun one) and had one of the first phones with a fingerprint sensor that everyone said was a gimmick, had the one with the "indestructible screen" (Motorola Z2 force iirc) that I had a lot of fun throwing around till I broke it (But not the screen! I'll give them that lmao), had every Nexus device until the bitter end (I cursed Google for a long time when they decided Pixels was the way forward, I didn't pick up a pixel again until the Pixel Fold 0G) and so so many others over the years.

Until one day they just stopped being cool for years, hell the Foldy phone has been the coolest innovation they've put out in years and we're already back to nothing but iterations again

I have large hands and I don't like having to make the compromise of features or size. I prefer phones around 5in or a smidge under. But to have a modern camera I have an almost 7in phone. It's really frustrating.

Companies trying to make foldable phones happen are going the wrong way.

They are making giant phones that unfold into tablets when really they should be making small phones that unfold into something just large enough you can watch Netflix on.

Those were the days

This is why the sales of cargo pants are up.

It's not even flagship phones. Even the cheaper ones are huge. When I had to replace my LG phone (6") I went to an electronics store to see what's on the market right now. Of all phones availiable there only were two android phones (I don't know which brand) that were sized similarly to my LG phone. Both of them were in the 800-€-price-range.

Similar with iPhones. Almost all models exceeded the 6" screen size, except for one or two models which were in the 1000-€-price-range. They also had an iPhone SE there, that had the desired size. I bought this as a refurbished one online for a fraction of the original price.

It's harder and harder to find a phone that has a size that either fits in your hand or that can be carried inside your pants without restricting your ability to sit down while the phone is inside the pocket.

I have big hands and loved my Samsung Galaxy Flip 4 for this reason, plus it would fit comfortably in my pockets (especially when leaning/bending forwards)

Notice the past tense? Despite taking very good care of it, the hinges didn't last long. Rip

I'll go shittier phone before I'll go phablet ever again. I bought a motorola razr 2023. I bought a foldable because I want the shit to fit in my pocket. It also is the only flip phone I've seen that hasn't made the imbecilic decision to coat the entire front panel in glass. I don't need a full miniature phone making my shit more fragile when it's clamped shut. If they continue to glass panel it up on the outside of newer editions I'll try to find a case that just covers the entire outside.

But ultimately I'm holding onto this thing as long as I possibly can.

I have no idea why everyone -- including the reviewers -- think people need a glass panel on the outside of a flip phone with all kinds of smart capabilities. The phone is fucking closed. If I want to use the phone I'll open it. All I need is maybe the time.