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Comment by metabrew | Hacker News Reader

I've bought every nexus phone when they were released, but I'm not sure about this one. The nexus 5 is already a bit oversized IMO. This thing is ridiculous.

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The present obsession with "bigger is better" is perplexing to me. I know some use cases are facilitated by larger displays, and they are valuable to people with poor eyesight, but I've never once in my life thought "boy, I wish my phone was even larger." A phone I cannot fit in my pocket is virtually useless to me.

Anything larger than my (already too large) Nexus 5 is a complete non-starter for me. I can see a place for these models in a lineup that includes smaller models, but the Nexus series does not seem to operate that way. This will be the first Nexus phone I will never own.

> but I've never once in my life thought "boy, I wish my phone was even larger."

Labeling these "phones" is the wrong thing to do. These are computers that happen to have some lineage with phones. I think the ultimate aim is this: most people don't need computers, they need and want a single device. A phone with a small display is inadequate for that, but a phone with a display this big could be more than enough for a lot of people, for almost all purposes.

More than lineage; because of the way service contracts hide the actual price of the phone, phones get premium features over other devices.

The intended market is people who don't carry their phone in their pockets, e.g. women who don't wear pockets that can fit a standard-size phone anyway. If you're just putting it in your purse, the extra inch isn't ab problem.

But they all seem to be getting bigger. Why are all offerings moving toward exclusively serving only half the market?

They are serving the whole market. You may be thinking, "I need a decent sized phone that can fit into my pocket, and I'll just use my laptop/desktop for the heavier lifting."

The vast majority of the market is thinking: "I need a computer and I also need a phone, but I can only afford one." Obviously, this second segment wants the screen to be large, because they don't have an even larger screen sitting at home.

> A phone I cannot fit in my pocket is virtually useless to me.

Conversely, a pocket that wouldn't fit a Nexus 6 (or Note 3, or iPhone 6, or a decent-size wallet, or...) is virtually useless to me.

It's the exact same width as my Galaxy Note GT-N7000, which fits nicely in my back pocket. I love the large screen, and a slightly larger screen would be awesome.

I used every nexus phone too. When I first heard about Nexus 6 specs I thought they are ridiculous too. Then I was given Nexus 6 couple months ago. At first I thought you have to be crazy to use it. After 30 minutes I thoughts it's actually not that bad. After one day, I loved it...

It feels big sometimes, but I really didn't mind it. There is small dent on the back of Nexus 6 which helps you hold it with one hand. The screen is fantastic and doing anything on this phone is such a pleasure. I type a lot, and I found it much easier to type on larger screen. Sometimes I had to use my Nexus 5, and I really struggled and thought it's too small!

For me it was pretty disappointing that iPhone jumped the size bandwagon with their latest phone as well.

Bigger != Better

One of the things I've always respected about Apple (even though I loathe the company) is how they have fought hard against the size thing. Apple's largest laptops are the same size as many company's smallest devices. I love me a little 11" laptop device but so few companies make good ones.

I hope Google will resurrect the Nexus 4 brand as a budget device and release a non-phone wifi-only device for kids at some point.

Man, I don't even want a budget phone, I want a full on high-end phone with a reasonably-sized screen. My Moto X is 4.7 inches and I think it's a tad too large. I'm willing to pay for great hardware, a big battery, and lots of storage, but I need it to fit in my hand.

Not to sound cliche but it sounds like you want the Z3 compact :P. I do agree with you that the size war is becoming ridiculous.

Funnily enough, Apple lost me when they discontinued the 17" MBP. Granted though, I'm probably far from the average consumer.

It seemed like very many years ago there were no big phones around. When the Note (1) launched it was revolutionary for its size (in 2011). If you compare the Note (1) to phones around today it is "average" at 5.3 inches.

I think the pendulum has swung too far in the stupid direction now. I purchased a Note (1) in 2011 because at that time bigger was better, but even for me now phones are getting too large. That's partly why I skipped the LG G3 (5.5 inch), why I'll skip the Nexus 6, and why I no longer buy the Note range (now up to 5.7 inch).

My sweet spot is 5-5.2 inches, no bigger. Anything larger and when you sit you notice it in your pocket (and I have decently large pockets).

What's funny is the 3 people I know who switched to the 6 from the 4S, they all wanted a bigger phone and are all complaining that the 6 is too big as well as too thin.

Do you mean 5S? Because I also got an iPhone 6 and returned it in a day to get a 5S instead. But a 4S would be a bit much...

I'm glad they released a 4.7" phone, but the plus is just ridiculous.

4.7" should be the plus, if you ask me. I'm dreading the day my 3.5" phone dies and has no reasonable modern replacement.

EDIT: I'm open to switching to Android for my next phone if anyone can point my to a small one. Priorities are good camera, ok battery life, and not awful build quality. And maybe good support from Cyanogen? I'm out of the loop on Android and don't have a sense of how important that is these days. But IIRC Cyanogen comes with real permissions control and some other things I'd like, coming from iOS. Halp!

The Sony Z3 Compact is the most balanced Android phone in the market (IMO), but it's very new so don't know if CM supports it yet... http://gizmodo.com/the-sony-z3-compact-is-androids-best-kept...

Anyone have a comparison with the Z1 Compact? Trying to decide whether I should regret recently buying the Z1C, despite knowing the Z3C was days away from launch. :P At least it was cheaper, and already supports CyanogenMod. Though I could have had fun helping port CM to the Z3C, too.

Guessing you don't speak Italian, but this video should give you some idea of the visual differences at least... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZoneBqMvD0

Also, don't know how accurate this site is, but perhaps this will be of some use... http://versus.com/en/sony-xperia-z1-compact-vs-sony-xperia-z...

Only marginally smaller than an iPhone 6, sadly. 4.6" vs 4.7" screen, though the smaller top/bottom bezel helps with pocket size, if not screen reaching.

Still more reasonable than the new Moto G/X and all their 5+ inch ilk. I'll keep it in mind!

Once your phone dies, go to the apple store and they will replace your broken phone with a new one (identical model) for $150 or $200.

Out-of-warranty cost:

iPhone 6 Plus: $329

iPhone 6: $299

iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5: $269

iPhone 4s: $199

iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, Original iPhone: $149

I could, but app developers are already ignoring the 3.5" screen devices to the point where it's getting unusable. Not interested in tying myself into several more years of it.

Case in point, Google Voice: http://imgur.com/Bsq4gYT

I have the HTC One Mini[1]. It is small with a nice screen, camera and battery life. It isn't going to impress anyone but I can use it comfortably and keep it in my pocket.

[1] http://www.htc.com/us/smartphones/htc-one-mini/

Honestly I'm hoping for a 4" screen or smaller. Maybe it doesn't exist. And though the screen is 0.3" smaller than the Z3 Compact that ZenoArrow mentioned, the One Mini is taller and thicker, and only slightly narrower.

In the same ballpack though, so I'll need to do some digging and find out how the cameras and all that stack up.

Why do you like the small screen so much?

I can hold it normally and comfortably reach the entire screen with my thumb. I can also hold it in strange ways like with my 4th finger on the top edge and my thumb on the bottom, and still reach the entire screen with my index finger. I'm sure that last one sounds weird, but I do it surprisingly often (mostly while laying down).

The gigantic phones remind me of 17" laptops. I can see it making sense if you don't have another computer, but hell if I want to carry one around. For phones, it's just a big thing in my pocket that's trying to be redundant with my surface. All I need is phone calls, texting, GPS/maps, snapcat, music, and (usually reading only) email and OneNote.

A 6" screen doesn't make any of those things easier or more convenient.

It's true that you use a 5" phone differently than a 3.5" phone. But a 5" phone comes with a lot of advantages of its own, which you might find hard to recognize if that's not what you're using.

> All I need is phone calls, texting, GPS/maps, snapcat, music, and (usually reading only) email and OneNote.

Well that's probably just because you use your current phone for these things. Who's to say that the bigger screen won't make you do more or other things with it?

I'm not trying to pick on your taste, or say that your taste is wrong. This is just a reply to the general sentiment that you express which I see expressed many times in these discussions. I'm saying that many people complaining about these large sizes are just complaining that they can't use their new phone in exactly the same way as their old one. As if that is some self-evident bad thing. But it comes down purely to taste and - as with anything that depends on taste - it doesn't hurt to try something new sometimes.

Unfortunately it's hard for me to find a phone that fits my taste.

I want a tiny phone with the best battery life and camera available. I don't care much about anything else.

> many people complaining about these large sizes are just complaining that they can't use their new phone in exactly the same way as their old one.

I don't care what i can and can't use the phone for (to reasonable extents), i care about the constraints it adds to the rest of my life. If it can't fit in my pocket everything else i do that does not involve the phone just suffers (yes, some things in life actually still happen outside the phone).

> Well that's probably just because you use your current phone for these things. Who's to say that the bigger screen won't make you do more or other things with it?

You may be right. But even so, I spend enough time on my phone even with the limited uses. If I had a bigger screen, maybe I'd use it for reading and writing emails. But I don't know that I want to.

If I could get a 6" phone that was as comfortable to read on as my Nook, I'd be all over it. The e-ink versions, not the Nook HD. Reading books is a great use case for a screen bigger than 3.5".

Addendum - Fundamentally, I see my phone as a minor utility/convenience item. I use it for occasional tasks like making dinner reservations, finding cheap gas, ordering takeout, finding ATMs, tracking runs, checking weather forecasts. None of those things need a 6" screen.

I'm sure Safari would be better on one, but I don't want to make it easier to sit around and browse the internet. As it stands, viewing photos is the best justification that I can come up with. I think these phones are just designed for a different sort of user. But people like me can't be that uncommon, can we?

> Addendum - Fundamentally, I see my phone as a minor utility/convenience item. I use it for occasional tasks like making dinner reservations, finding cheap gas, ordering takeout, finding ATMs, tracking runs, checking weather forecasts.

Again, that is probably only because you view your current phone as such. Who's to say that you won't see a larger phone an even more useful tool? I'm not saying that you will, I'm saying you haven't tried and therefore don't know.

> None of those things need a 6" screen.

It's not really a question of necessity. I agree. My contention is that you should not be dismissive of 6" (or 4.5" , or 5") devices a priori because "you don't need it" - because there is a chance you'll enjoy it more. If user experience matters to you, then it wouldn't hurt to give it a try. If it doesn't, there are some small sub $150 Windows Phones that fit those needs marvelously. And that's fine too.

I do intend to do T-Mobile's 7-day network "Test Drive" once they switch it from the 5S to the 6, so I'll find out for sure then.

Maybe an extra 1.2" of screen is just the thing for comfortably finding gas stations. But does it make up for having to carry it around all the time?

For reference, http://i.imgur.com/ZbodDFx.png and my 4S are the entire contents of my pockets on a typical day. No car clicker, no trifold wallet, small phone.

"If I could get a 6" phone that was as comfortable to read on as my Nook, I'd be all over it. The e-ink versions, not the Nook HD. Reading books is a great use case for a screen bigger than 3.5"."

My next phone is very likely to be a YotaPhone, which includes an e-ink screen. The first model was terrible but the second model is shaping up very nicely. Perhaps you might be interested too... http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/mobile-phone/3504276/yota...

YES I WANT THAT. I'm not sure I want it to the tune of $800-$960 though.

I'd be super paranoid about scratching it, since there's no really a safe side to set down. What sort of cases work for that?

Glad I could help you find something you like, I think it's awesome too. :-) I seriously doubt it'll be $960 at launch, even if that's what the data we have now suggests. I have no idea about cases, perhaps you could drop Yota Devices a line... http://yotaphone.com/ru-en/feedback/

For me it's a combination of ease of use and ease of carrying.

The iPhone 5 fit comfortably in one hand and was small enough for easy one-handed use. It was also big enough (for me) to read text without much effort (I have, once corrected with contacts, fantastically good vision though).

For carrying, I normally wear cargo pants so this isn't a huge issue. But when I go out or get dressed up for something the iPhone 5 fit comfortably into slack front pockets for me. The iPhone 6 is big enough that it makes a noticeable bulge when I sit down. It's also causes my pants to feel uncomfortably tight around my thigh. This leaves me the option of either pulling it out and setting it on the table (rude on a date, seems like I'm setting up to receive a call or texts) or leaving it in the car (an option, but not when I'm trying to meet up with people and someone gets lost (every time) and calls me for directions).

If I buy a larger phone, I'm giving up ergonomics in exchange for something I personally don't need or want.

It's so easy to use. Sure I can reach any point on a 5 inch screen, but I'm reaching to touch half of the screen. The 3.5 inch screens everything is just their under your finger. It's fantastic.

I'm not OP, but I went back to a apple phone (5s) from a galaxy 3 in part because texting with one hand was a pain.

ive got a droid maxx with a 5 inch screen, and it's a bitch to fish it out of my pocket when its got its silicone protector on.

also i miss being able to share my phone pocket with my wallet

A phone with a small screen is usable with one hand. It also fits inside pockets easily.

> The nexus 5 is already a bit oversized IMO.

Really? The physical size is barely bigger than an iPhone 5.

As for the 6, looks a little chunky in photos, but if it's slim with a small enough bezel it could be manageable...

Wait until you need reading glasses.

Size matters

The ability to increase the font size and still see the screen at arms length is really nice

Fortunately the Moto X 2 looks like basically a Nexus.

I think as more of the older crowd has gotten into smart phones the screen size has gotten larger to compensate for their poor eyesight.

I think this point is backed up by the fact that the rendered text size has not changed in any appreciable way.

And you'd be wrong because resolution has gone up. I can ably read very small text on a 1080p screen which I wouldn't be able to on a lower res one. The larger form factor means I can take advantage of all that extra DPI ably.

I know resolution has gone up. I didn't say otherwise. I can also read small text.

Neither of those points is an argument against what I claimed. I was stating that resolution has gone up, along with screen sizes, but that the default text rendering size has not gotten any smaller (i.e. they're not putting more stuff on the screen).

Yes, Nexus 5 is great except for the battery life. I hate that this is so huge, and that it has a physical home button. The larger battery (thanks to larger screen) will be an improvement to battery issues, though.

That isn't a physical button, it's a speaker. Dual front facing speakers.

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