Small Phones are Dead and We Killed Them 

For someone with tiny raccoon like fingers, I will keep my 13 mini going until it turns to dust.

Marques is the type of person who builds a custom coffin for a phone just to make a statement.

Apple, Samsung, and Google, should release a mini like every 3-4 generations. And make it publicly known ahead of time that that's what they're doing. Then it should actually sell enough to make financial sense and still provide the niche market an option.

The weird thing is that they invented foldable displays and didn't use them to reduce phone sizes. Instead these phones have the size of a small tablet when they are opened.

I also think there's a correlation between people who get small phones and people who don't upgrade their phone very much.

Marques: I’d like to order a coffin. (1.5 X 0.75) feet Coffin shop: But for what? Marques: It’s complicated

4:37 maybe if the 12/13 mini weren't also competing with the SE series, then it'd sell better as the cheapest iPhone

The irony is that it’s really hard to find these phones on the secondary market because people are desperate to keep them

Marques got an excuse to use the coffin (casket) again lol

"Reachable from corner to corner and doesn't require huge pockets". That's what I really miss. 😢

My perfect smartphone would be a smartphone that feels like an older smartphone but with a higher resolution larger display better camera and USBC. Older phones were thinner lighter had a headphone jack removal battery and an SD card slot what's not to love.

I really like that there is no background music in this video. Great work!

As a current 13 mini user, I’m sad. They should bring them back every like 5 years or something so once our current ones get really old and start dying we can get a new one.

RIP -FISKER- SMALL PHONES

This channel influenced me to buy the S10e in 2019-2020 and I still use it to this day. Its only drawback is the battery that I may change at some point and the fact that it may stop getting security updates in the next couple of years.

As a woman with small hands, I did not ask for larger screens. My favorite phone I've ever had was a 5" screen with a slide out keyboard that I had in 2011.

I'm proud to be one of the 5%. It's not that we have tiny hands. It's that our hands didn't get any bigger since 2014

Still rocking the 13 mini and won't 'upgrade' until its dead dead.

This brings back old (and fond) memories of Sony Xperia Z compact lines. Was using them for several consecutive years, upgrading from one compact to the next, and they were great! And yes, as someone with relatively small hands phones nowadays are just so big and heavy some days you can just feel it on your wrists and joints 😭

Marcus, I wish you would also review earbuds sometimes. I always watch your videos esp. of mobile phones. I was looking for a TWS earbuds (something not as costly as airpods pro 2 but maybe similarly good enough) and I couldn't find your review vids on earbuds at all

I’m a 6 foot 3 man with large hands and won’t give up my 13 mini until there’s a same size replacement. It’s still a gem.

As a 13 Mini user, it pains me that we'll never get great small phones ever again... 🙁

3:37 Wow the transition ❤

That's why I really loved the Google pixel folds size it's good for using one handed when you want to look at something real quick or send a message and then you can open it open for the bigger screen when you are not moving around so much

the mini coffin ⚰️ 💀

Finally found another use for that coffin 😂😂

Im just happy to still be here in 2024 with Marques. Mobile tech has come such a long way. I remember in 2018 watching him predicting mobile and being so accurate to that technology and here we are…

I kind of miss my old Sony Xperia Z1 compact, I could use the entire 4.3" screen with one hand. Going from that to the S7 was a noticeable change. I also remember when we used to mock people for using "phablets".

Small phone lover here - I can’t help but wonder if the problem is they’re bringing out new small phones *every year* - I know my journey has been iPhone 5s, original iPhone SE, iPhone 7 for a month or two, and I’m now on the SE 2020. I don’t need all of the bells and whistles, so upgrades are more “when necessary” than “when the next shiny thing comes out”. Maybe if a phone maker just did a new mini phone every 3-4 years, it would see higher sales?

Personally, the iPhone “Mini” lineup is one of the best form factor you could ask for a phone. Heck you can even text with ease using one hand!

my favourite size handsets were the Sony Xperia Z1Compact and then the Z3Compacts. I would point out that some of us need a bigger screen with a bigger typeface ! (currently using to the Samsung S24U with stylus!)

It feels like it depends on what you use your phone for. I work as a consultant (developer) and before I ended up sitting 100% at the same client I had a much longer commute to the office. Back then I had a phone that was around 4" and I carried a Nexus 7 with me to view TV-shows and movies while commuting. These days, even more so after the pandemic when I'm now working from home, I don't commute much anywhere. I watch my content on a computer monitor or on the TV. I have a Pixel 4a and I love it. It is the perfect size (actually, it might be just a smidge too big) for what I use my phone for. And that is making calls, checking the mail and, the few times i do commute somewhere, read some work related articles. Unless I can find something with a similarly sized screen I will just keep rocking this phone until the battery dies.

Speaking on the iPhone 12/13 mini not selling well; one thing I can add is that a lot of carriers wouldn’t recommend and even sometimes (like what happened to me) *discourage* and *lie* about availability of those phones to sell the more expensive and available models. So I, someone who actually asked for that product, wasn't able to buy it due to phone stores and companies not selling the darned thing. Very disappointing that small phones are going away.

Looking at my iPhone 12 mini on my desk, with a tear on my face. "You're all alone now buddy. Please be resilient, I need you"

The funny thing is that I use a Zenfone myself and sometimes miss my bigger smartphone that I had before. It was just way too big for me in my pocket, but it was still nice to work with it. And I say that as someone who likes small smartphones. I also think that the flip phones will not prevail, but the fold phones that allow you to have an 8 inch display.

5:35 crazy foreshadowing for the video you made after this one about if bad reviews kill companies

As a Galaxy S23 user,having a phone that is somewhat usable one-handed,lightweight, and pocketable is something I'll miss the more rare these types of phones become.

Asus last year : Small and beautiful This year: Big and ugly

You forgot the S24 and Pixel 8, they're surprisingly small. Regular-sized iPhones (not the huge Plus/Pro Max ones) may count too. At this point, lower 6 inches (like 6 to 6.4) is the new sweet spot. In-between minis and pocket tablets.

I went from a many years old iPhone 6s to a Zenfone 9 about a year ago, it was still bigger than I liked ( especially thickness ) but still nice to use compared to 'usual' size phones. Having the higher speccs more than made up for it and I'm still happy with it today but it makes me sad to know that there's probably not going to be a clear update for a while if ever.

I am part of the niche that wants small phones, I have an iPhone 13 mini and I'd instantly go to a SE (1st gen) sized phone if it was revamped with new specs.

As a woman of a smaller frame, this makes me so sad😭 It feels like most modern phones are just designed to give me hand cramps, and I was so happy after I got my Asus, and I was planning on buying future models when this one would eventually die, but it seems like I just gotta rely on my smartphone less

I agree as a 13 mini user, the battery life sucks and it’s the only thing that makes this phone annoying to daily use. I’m thinking of changing to the z flip cause it last longer and probably will only use the outside screen more than the inside screen for media content and Spotify, so it’s a great replacement and a great small phone in that regard even tho it’s not consider a “small phone” and more of a gimmick phone.

The fact that you did build a mini coffin for one video is amazing! lol

As a 13 Mini user, I’m so sad to see small phones go. I will keep my Mini going until another small phone takes its place (which I hope will happen). I wonder how much market there is for me to make one 🙃 Would be interested to know how many people would buy one.

This video feels like an actual funeral to me. Small flagships will always be near and dear to my heart. The world was cruel to you, minis... You'll be missed, dearly... I could just cry rn...

As someone who's been thinking of buying a phone for 2 years, waiting for a small one to come out, it's greatly comforting to see someone as influential as you publicising this topic through a separate video. This was really needed. My phone is seven now, and I've relented to getting a giant Nothing 2(a). RIP small phones.

True. That's why I bought a iPhone se as my 15 Promax's backup, instead its tiny size, I also like its LCD display when I have to use it at midnight.🧐

Still sticking to my iphone 12 mini and waiting for a good option. I'll go trough several battery changes before I'll buy one of those phablets.

My brother is a small phone guy. He even replaced the battery in his old iPhone SE to keep it going longer. He had a 12 mini and went ahead and upgraded to a 13 mini before it was too late to buy them anymore. I'm guessing he'll keep this thing going for as long as possible. I've never wanted a small phone but I don't like the size creep on everything in general. I think the 5.8" iPhone X was as big as I'd like a phone to be but then they had to push it up to 6.1" with the 12 pro for some reason.

When the iPhone 12 was initially unveiled during the keynote my friend said the face she made at 3:22 was “We agreed on two suitcases! Not a third!” 🤣 anytime I see that clip I die laughing

When I went from the 6 to 7 plus it felt larger. Going firm the 7 plus to the 13 PM felt like a massive upgrade but didn’t feel unnaturally massive. I hope a smaller company comes along and makes the smaller phones as there is clearly a small market for it and it’s nice for those people to have a new phone when they choose to upgrade.

Crazy thing is that the mini iPhones had LARGER screens than the largest "Plus" iPhones from two years prior!

It's a bitter reality that small phones aren't just a rare breed - they are truly extinct now. As a fan of these little gems myself, I find it a real shame that manufacturers are moving towards larger screen sizes without leaving room for variety. But I suppose the market has spoken, and the demand for smaller handsets just isn't there anymore. RIP, small flagships - you'll be missed.

Fascinating! love all the Daft Punk stuff! Even got a helmet there! 😎👍🏻 I just switched from the S10 to the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and the size is pretty noticeable. I still have my old iPhone 4s here and that was quite a small but great phone! They sure have been getting bigger! 😅

I remember I wanted the 12 mini but I wasnt really needing an upgrade at the time, even still today I wish I had just done it since I dont use my 15 pro that much. Small phones used to require immense R&D, creating thinking, and software optimization to have a great experience but today thats just brute forced by superb processors and giant batteries.

I blame the shareholders and customers! The same reason SUVs are the new norm. Bigger means bigger margins. And in the eyes of consumers, bigger = better.

Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 are now the most compact phones....

I got curious about small handsets recently, and just bought a used Pixel 4a as a "proof-of-concept". I think I love it. Thinking I might want to upgrade to something soon with better specs, etc, that's also custom ROM-able... Well, I ended up here this morning. Looks like I'm outta luck...

I'm still rocking my Pixel 6 but I'll probably buy a Zenphone 10 sometime this year if I can still get one. I looked hard at the Razr+ but I don't think it would hold up as a daily driver.

Well, the “regular” Galaxy S model is actually a pretty small phone comparatively but sells fairly well. The Zenfone is nice but historically it has been been hampered by lack of support for some US frequency bands and a relatively short software support period.

it honestly baffles my why the majority would rather carry around a pocket tablet.

Hey Marques, get someone to remake the sidekick with modern screen, processor, and camera. We want the same form factor with the track ball (along with touch screen) with some cool exclusive software things that make it fun.

My favourite form factor was the iPhone 5S, it fit my hand perfectly, had a little bit of heft to it so it didn't feel like it would bend or break in my pocket but fit perfectly in any pant, shirt or jacket pocket without being a nuisance or even really being visible. It also wasn't too small where I had to fumble with it like some of those old pre-smart phones.

Proud 13 mini owner here. Bought just 1 year ago. I love all aspects except on the camera there is no 2x or 3x optical zoom.

I am from Croatia and the year the 12 mini droped I started collage. I saw at least 10 of the mini iPhones in every class I had. People absolutely loved them.

I use a phone by the name of Doogee, I like the Rugged line they have. It's a bit big, thick and heavy but I can get over that with it's full to charge time from 15% in about 45mim. It has never overheated, (I live in Vegas) and I like the night vision for nighttime hikes. The battery also seems to last 2 days or more with heavy use. I got the one for gaming because it has better sound quality and can be used like a speaker. They recently came out with a mini I'm considering as an extra to have on hand. Most of the rugged phones they offer are under $400 the most expensive one I've seen was under $700.

I prefer large phones, but I do think that people who want a small phone should be able to get one. It's why I feel the flip style foldables are more interesting than the tablet style ones. The problem with phones I'm dealing with is that I've been having to adapt from Samsung switching the side buttons on the S7 and Note 10+ from left to the right on the S22 Ultra. It's weird using my middle finger to hit the volume and power buttons. They also swapped what side the stylus is on.. I'm ambidextrous, but I don't think I'd ever choose to use a stylus with my left hand, but trying to grab the stylus with my right hand, with it being on the left side of the phone, is awkward.

This is a similar thing to car manufacturers discontinuing most of the Sadans and pushing SUVs. Why always big with these people?

I just recently discovered my old Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, turned it on and browsed my music for some 20-30 minutes. After some minutes I was already accustomed to the small screen. I then put it back and turned on my Pixel 4a, which is considered compact. I thought the damn thing was far too huge. If people were forced to use smaller screen phones - they would get used to it very fast.

I'm thinking about moving to the Pixel 8 from the Pixel 6 to downsize....might even go for the 8a if it's even smaller...miss my Pixel4.😢

I'm one of those who loves a small phone. I tried to like the Pixel 8 Pro, but even before it developed hardware issues, I was already planning to sell it and get something smaller. It's just so bulky, heavy and awkward in the pocket. I've gone back to my Pixel 5 while waiting for my Xiaomi 14 to arrive and man, I love the compact size. The only drawback has been manufacturers not giving the smaller phones the high end cameras, or in Google's case also crippling the Pixel 8 through software limitations. My theory is they just keep increasing the screen size to justify an annual price increase, plus it helps that each year they get bigger and harder to hold (easier to drop and smash)...

Been using my iPhone SE (original 2016) until its last breath. Next week I'm getting a 13 mini and intend to hold on to it until the heat death of the universe.

Remembering the days we used to name phablet a phone with 6,5" screen. BTW, to days of work I prefer a small phone (5,8") to use mostly in one hand.

I have big hands but I've daily driven a zenfone 8 for like 2 years and I love it more than any phone I've used. Having a small phone is really important for me so I reckon I'll be picking up a zenfone 10 next year and then trying my hardest to make it work for as long as possible.

I think that there is the fact that foldables are slowly creeping into that void. Im a Pixel 6a user who has tiny hands and short fingers I am planning to move to a folding compact phone next.

I'm using an Iphone 13 mini for work and was pleasantly surprised by its "small" size compared to 90% of phones out there, it feels really nice to have a phone that you can actually use with only one hand + the light weight and less occupied space is very welcome. I know it's a small market, but someone should still occupy that space. I was actually interested in the Zenphones because of the size.

My generation (xennial) grew up with both analog and digital stuff. The thing I loved about tech advancement is the ability to make things smaller, more efficient, portable, and can do more stuff. Taking "small" out of the equation is disappointing. There was nothing cooler than a small phone in ur pocket. Now we have to walk around with bricks. If I want a big screen to watch / play / read books stuff, there is an ipad, a tablet .. even a laptop.. On the other hand, everyone wants to call someone (the least used function in a phone nowadays), watch a movie, read a book, play a game, etc. All-in-one devices need a bigger screen. Well there is always my laptop for that stuff. But that's just me :)

Been using the Pixel 5 for the last 3.5 years. The charging port stopped working yesterday so I've been looking for a new phone that has a similiar size and sleekness. I'm devastated. The compact phones on the market are not as nice as the Pixel 5. Sigh. I'm sad to hear that the market is geared more towards phablets now. Fortunately, I'm still able to wireless charge. But eventually I'll have to get a bigger phone and I'm not looking forward to it.

I bought a 12 mini and loved the size. Got suckered into a ‘free’ upgrade and switched to a 14. The horror set in before I left the parking lot. My pocket was bursting for the first time in years. I hated it. Not a day later I traded it back for a 13 mini. Immediate relief. I was bummed I wasted money on all the nonsense fees but learned a lesson about what I like. Now I am glad to have the most current version of the mini. I’ll keep this little guy as long as I can. Previous phones from 2012 - now: Galaxy S3 iPhone 5s Galaxy S8 iPhone 12 mini iPhone 13 mini

I’m glad I convinced an older man he should purchase the 13 mini he preferred over the standard 14. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to buy a new last gen phone, but preferred the small size. I was quite pleased to tell him they both had the same chip and would likely have the same length of support.

I think one aspect of it is that people like me, who want smaller phones, also don't have a lot of interest in getting a new phone until their current one stops working

My Xiaomi Mi 9 SE was the best phone I had, great hardware overall, amazing size, really light and comfortable. Lastes for years, unfortunately stopped getting updates. Really wish some brand would make something like that phone again

Watching from my ZF9. Yeah, I ain't gonna be getting the 11 or anything that size whenever I upgrade, that's for sure. I wonder why so many people don't get smaller phones. It's not like I have small hands, I can comfortably play octaves on the piano. But the zf9 feels comfortable, beyond that just isn't. And so many people I know complain about their bigger devices, but didn't just avoid those issues by getting something smaller. Drives me nuts cause them doing that is why I have no good options anymore!

As a small phone user (zenfone 9), its an awesome device to use on the go. When I'm at home I have a laptop/computer for big screen viewing, and even then the smaller phone is easier to hold while reclining.

I had the 12 mini and then upgraded to the 13 mini and still have it to this day. I'll keep it around for a couple more years

I'm seriously curious about _why_ people prefer larger phones the current screen format going bigger makes sense for sideways use on things like gaming to leave room for interfaces and use both thumbs, but most apps force vertical position and people seem to prefer that too, meaning a single thumb can't make use of all that screen - which doesn't make sense since the appeal of vertical format is requiring only one hand

Even the zenphone 9/10 is 5.9". I don't consider that compact tbh. For me, a "compact" should be small enough that your thumb can comfortably reach all 4 corners of the screen without stretching/shuffling in your hand/feeling like your about to drop it. I miss my 4.7" Z3 compact!

I love my 5.4” iphone 13 mini so much I bought a backup one when I heard they were gonna stop making them 😖. Usually I’d be itching for an upgrade but I’m sticking with my small phones until the wheels come off.

I still remember the days of saving for an S10e cause i loved how it looked and felt in the hand, so compact. Truly end of an era.

Small phones dying is heartbreaking to me. I currently run an iPhone 13 mini and I love everything about it (except the battery life but I’ll suck it up because I leave my screen on all the time). I have been procrastinating getting a new phone because I can’t get over getting a larger phone.

I exchanged my iPhone 11 to get 13 mini in 2021 and I am keeping it. The battery is now at 80% and I simply hate the bigger bricks. I am keeping it, no question of upgrading until there’s another worthy small phone.

I remember the first cell phones. We cycled from larger to smaller as smaller was better. Then that reversed. We went from PDAs to phones and we went from using a stylus to no stylus and many are going back again. We went from bigger phones to flip phones, and now flip/foldable. What is old is new again.

as an iphone mini owner, people always were asking me why I had such an "old" phone. dimension is the most recognizable design advance in iphone aestethic and this is what I think killed it.

You I found this out past year when i was tired of my ever larger phones falling out of my pockets. The problem isn't there aren't any small flagships, I understand the need for the size to support the uber high specs, the problem is that there are no small phones period. I wear XL gloves and can palm a basketball and i was still phantom touching the screen of my previous mid-level T-mobile branded phone. In order to get the size i wanted in 2023 i had to go to a (discontinued) previous year's model Pixel (5a IIRC) which unfortunately broke it's USB port the week after I got it.😢 I managed to get the next higher model at around 6” but it still way more phone than i want. Unfortunately for the Zenfone the availability was poor and more than i wanted.

I’m using an iPhone 13 Mini rn. I’m tiny, 5’0. I have small hands. It was already super hard to get this phone when the 13 was the newest iPhone, I don’t know what to do when I need a new phone. “Normal” sized iPhones are huge for me, and I can’t imagine it being easy for kids either.

Honestly, as a female with small-ish hands, I desperately NEED a good small phone that is globally available. The number of times my phone has tumbled out of my hands trying to reach the corner with one hand is insane. 😭

I hate big phones. Small powerful smartphones are just perfect for pocket and easy to use.

phones have really illustrated the idea that people don't choose the best thing but often something lesser. It's also a bit of a tragedy that by definition, the highest level exceptional things will always be fewer in number and harder to find among a sea of mediocre stuff. Genius is always underappreciated. I might see about buying a zenfone 10 though.

I went back to apple after years away once the 12 mini came out. Sadly broke yesterday and now have the iPhone 15. Feels to big. Miss the mini.