Smartphones hold all of our important information and are a lifeline to the rest of the world for most Americans. Phones have gotten larger and larger. There are still plenty of small options available if you are willing to work with an Android platform, but even so, they are very limited. Though there are a ton of iPhone fans out there who love their devices, there is a large audience that prefers smaller phones and may not be able to stick with Apple for much longer if smaller phone options aren’t released.

Why would someone want a smaller phone?

Because we rely so heavily on smartphones, it just makes sense the screens would get larger in order to make it easier to see everything and navigate through them. The LA Times, however, points out that there are many people who like phones that are easier to hold in small hands or can fit more easily into their pockets. About 37 percent of iPhone users are using older phones that are outdated in order to keep them smaller and easier to use. The size of preference for this group of people is about 4 inches, and Apple has noticed that they aren’t buying new ones.

Apple’s rumored announcement

Apple will be making an announcement, and if the rumors are true, this will be a low cost version of the iPhone that is back to the 4 inch size. When cell phones first came out, we were obsessed with getting them smaller. There were commercials that showed cell phones next to different small items to show just how small it was. Then, we moved to increasing size with the smartphone trying to make them bigger and bigger. On this end of the spectrum, we’d see commercials showing the phones off next to items to show how large it was. There has to be a happy medium that suits all customers.

There are a lot of people who love the iPhone but just can’t justify buying a phone that won’t fit in their pocket easily or that they have to stretch their hand too far to be able to reach something on the other side of the screen. There are iPad minis and iPads for that kind of screen, so some customers find it unnecessary to have such a large option for their phone.

It’s all about options

Ultimately, it is about options. Every phone manufacturer needs to provide enough options for all their customers that will meet all the needs. There should be large phones for those who want them and smaller phones for those who can’t handle it being too big. There is no right answer for all. Apple, a company known for only providing one or two options of iPhone at a time may have a hard time competing if it doesn’t start offering more of these options. We will see when the announcement is made, but it would definitely be a good move for Apple.

Source: LA Times