Comment by mrweasel | Hacker News Reader

Comment by mrweasel | Hacker News Reader

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The smaller screen sizes doesn't seem to be something that anyone really tests for anymore. If I have to lookup something on my phone it's pretty often that I just give up in anger. Websites will have a header, and maybe a footer or some sticky element and even on the iPhone SE2/3 the result is having maybe 25% of the screen for actual text/content.

In the review the author write:

> The iPhone Air is the perfect solution to this, its screen size sits right in the middle of the normal Pro and Pro Max sized phones

That's probably true for them, and a lot of other people, but I'd argue that it's WAY to large. The Air is larger in all dimensions, except it's 1,7mm thinner, it even weighs more than the SE. It's also larger than the iPhone 17, but lighter and thinner. I don't really get the need for the phone to be thinner, if you're just going to make it larger in all other directions.

To some extend I get the larger screen, because it's just because it's not made for me. I don't use my phone for much other than calls and a few apps, but for a ton of people it's their only computing device, so a slightly larger screen makes a difference. I just wish that Apple would also make a device for people who just needs their smartphone or the occasional parking app and mobile payments, but who doesn't care about the browser, video and to some extend the camera.

> The smaller screen sizes doesn't seem to be something that anyone really tests for anymore.

I do. I write iOS apps.

I just recently stopped using an original SE as my low-end test (because of the OS support). I now use a Mini 12 as my low-end test.

Thank you! Even Apple seems to forget the SE, I frequently see UI elements in Apples own software overlap, so I think it's even rarere to see 3rd parties care.

It’s important to test whacky screen sizes; especially now. I’m not a fan of Liquid Glass’ profligate waste of screen space.

The new iPadOS lets you resize windows into weird shapes, like tall and narrow, or short and wide (or narrow). I think VisionOS is even more flexible.

Also, I want my apps to continue working, when you flip them into landscape. A lot of apps become worthless, in that state.

I understand the new foldable will likely have challenging dimensions.

From holding both I prefer the iPhone 17 over the Air when it comes to dimensions. Weight is roughly the same. And the 17 has so much more features. Plus the 17 is only slight more expensive. And it has the better aluminum housing.

I have an iPhone SE and will hold onto it until the day they make something vaguely commensurate but better.

It isn't like I would be rushing to upgrade anyway but the refusal to cater is tiresome

A thinner phone fits better behind a front pocket wallet.

Sure, but again comparing it to the SE, which I consider the better form factor, it's 1.7mm thinner. Unless you count the camera bump, in which case the SE is thinner.

The SE also have a small camera bump ~2mm, so 9.3mm max thickness, compared to the Air at 11.3mm. The Air suddenly becomes a chunky phone, especially if, like most, you put on a cover.

Maybe it's driven by battery size?

All phones need to do phone-stuff that uses power, and (for any given generation of tech) battery capacity scales with volume.

If all else is the same, then: A thinner phone has less internal volume for things like the battery than a thicker phone does. Perhaps if it had the XY dimensions of an SE at this thickness, it would have bad battery life. (We all remember phones with bad battery life, yeah? It was an awful time.)

But if it's also made wider/taller ("bigger"), then: There's more volume for a battery.

And, of course: This increases the frontal area.

But because people make fun of bezels, this means that the screen should also increase in size accordingly.

And so we have it: The iPhone Air. It's both big and skinny, it does all the usual phone stuff without giant garish bezels, and the battery life is pretty OK (instead of terrible).

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