Right on cue, just like every year. Yesterday Apple dropped the iPhone 17 lineup at their “Awe Dropping” event, and within hours the internet was flooded with the usual complaints: “Why are all these phones so massive?” People started begging for smaller phones like they were asking Santa for world peace. The comments sections were full of folks mourning the death of the iPhone Mini and demanding Apple bring back something you can actually use with one hand.
But here’s the thing that cracks me up – Apple didn’t even hint at a smaller phone. Instead, they gave us the iPhone 17 Air, which despite being super thin at 5.6mm, still rocks a big screen. The regular iPhone 17 bumped up to 6.3 inches, and the Pro models are as huge as ever. Apple clearly got the memo that nobody actually puts their money where their mouth is when it comes to small phones.
This whole situation is like watching that friend who constantly complains about wanting to eat healthier while ordering pizza for the third time this week. Or how everyone says they hate reality TV but somehow The Bachelor is still cranking out seasons after 20+ years. We’re really good at saying one thing and doing the complete opposite.
The small phone crowd is genuinely passionate, don’t get me wrong. They’ll write novels about how phones should fit in your pocket without looking like you’re smuggling a sandwich. They post throwback photos of their old iPhone SE like it’s a beloved family pet. They make solid points too – smaller phones are way easier to use with one hand, and you don’t need a purse just to carry the thing around.
But when it comes time to actually buy a phone, most of us end up going bigger. Because let’s be honest – we all got hooked on watching YouTube videos on our phones. We want to see our Instagram photos without squinting. We need keyboards where our thumbs don’t feel like they’re playing Twister. That massive screen isn’t just for show anymore; it’s basically our TV, computer, and game console all rolled into one pocket-sized rectangle.
It’s like how people say they miss small local restaurants but still hit up McDonald’s twice a week. Or how everyone complains about social media while scrolling through TikTok for three hours straight. There’s this weird gap between what we think we should want and what we actually reach for when nobody’s watching.
The thing is, the small phone people aren’t totally wrong. They’re pushing back against this idea that everything has to keep getting bigger and “better.” In a world where phones are basically turning into tablets and laptops are the size of dinner tables, wanting something that actually fits in your hand feels almost rebellious.
Maybe the real problem isn’t that people don’t want small phones – it’s that they want small phones that don’t suck at everything else. The iPhone Mini was pretty great, but the battery died faster than a houseplant in my care. Most small Android phones end up being the cheap, crappy versions with terrible cameras. People want the impossible: a phone that’s small but still takes amazing photos, lasts all day, and runs every app perfectly.
Looking at yesterday’s iPhone 17 launch, it’s pretty clear Apple has moved on from the small phone experiment. The iPhone Air might be thin, but it’s not small. The focus is all on better cameras, faster chips, and longer battery life – all stuff that’s easier to pull off in a bigger package.
The small phone fans will probably keep fighting this battle every year, posting their annual “please make phones smaller” rants every time September rolls around. And honestly, good for them. Even if they’re outnumbered, having different options is better for everyone. Some people really do prefer smaller phones, even if there aren’t enough of them to make Apple’s accountants happy.
Until then, we’ll keep watching this funny dance between what people claim to want and what they actually buy – which is pretty much human behavior in a nutshell.
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