- A Samsung executive just participated in a Reddit AMA, where he explained why the company stopped making small phones
- Your “honest answer” is that most people use phones in ways that benefit from larger screens.
- But for fans of small phones, they suggested the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip series.
There was a time when you could find quite a few compact phones, from brands like Apple, Sony, Asus and, yes, Samsung, but these days they have become a rarity. Now, however, Samsung has explained why it has largely stopped manufacturing them.
In a Reddit AMA, Annika Bizon, vice president of Mobile Experience Product and Marketing at Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland, was asked why the company no longer makes small phones, and said the “honest answer” is that it’s driven by what most people want to do on their devices.
They explained that “today people use them to work, to stream, to play, to create content… all of this benefits from larger screens.” However, Bizon also made a suggestion, adding that “if compact is your priority, the Galaxy Z Flip range is worth a look. It’s really easy to carry in your pocket when folded, with a full-size screen when you need it.”
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And that’s a good point: Clamshell foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE are actually very small until you unfold them. They are quite thick, but the overall dimensions should easily fit in a small pocket or small purse.
A partial solution
So if easy storage is your main reason for wanting a small phone, clamshell-style foldables should be suitable, and you can also use their cover screens for some things, meaning you won’t necessarily always have to unfold them to use them.
That said, for full functionality, you’ll have to unfold them and then you’ll be left with a more conventionally sized smartphone. So if your desire for a small phone arises specifically because it has a small screen or is something you can easily use with one hand, then the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip line is less suitable.
So the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 7 FE aren’t a perfect solution, but for the most part, foldables are the best option for a truly compact phone, and it looks like they’ll remain the only small option from Samsung and other brands for the foreseeable future.
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