- A Samsung executive just participated in a Reddit AMA where they explained why the company stopped making small phones
- Their “honest answer” is that most people use phones in ways that take advantage of 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’ve become a rarity. Now, however, Samsung has explained why it has largely stopped making them.
In a Reddit AMA, Annika Bizon, VP of Product and Marketing for Mobile Experience at Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland, was asked why the company no longer makes small phones, and they claimed that the “honest answer” is that it’s driven by what the majority of people want to do on their devices.
They explained that “these days, people use them for work, for streaming, for gaming, for content creation … all of these benefit from larger screens.” However, Bizon also had a suggestion, adding that “if compactness is your priority, the Galaxy Z Flip series is worth a look. It’s really pocket-friendly when folded, with a full-size screen when you need it.”
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And that’s a fair 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 bag.
A partial solution
So if easy storage is your main reason for having a small phone, folding clamshell styles should do the trick, and you can also use their cover screens for some things, meaning you don’t necessarily always have to unfold them to use them.
That said, for full functionality, unfold them and you’re left with a more conventionally sized smartphone. So if your desire for a small phone stems specifically from the fact that 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 clamshell foldables are the next best thing to a truly compact phone, and it looks like they’ll remain the only slim option from Samsung and other brands for the foreseeable future.
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