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It feels like a broken record at this point, but with this week’s new Pixel 9 leaks, there are still plenty of people forgetting that small smartphones are dead and asking Google for a “Mini” device. .
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Over the past decade, smartphones have become Really big. While the average cell phone was once small by modern standards, many of us now essentially carry a tablet with us, and in some cases literally carry a tablet with us thanks to its foldable design. However, as mobile phone screen sizes settled into the 6-7 inch range, the demand for smaller smartphones continued to grow.
And once again, it’s clear that small cell phones are essentially dead.
A recent reminder of this is the Asus Zenfone 11, which added “Ultra” to its name, supersized its packaging, and ditched the last flagship-tier Android phone with a screen size less than 6 inches. This was not surprising because, realistically, it is never possible for a small cell phone to survive in today’s market. The Pixel Fold also had a very small outer display that was easy to use, but Google is moving away from that display with the sequel.
People have spoken and overwhelmingly prefer larger phones. Heck, like I said in 2022, if Apple can’t make a “Mini” work, then none of her Android manufacturers are going to do it.
With a new Pixel 9 series leak revealing that Google will have three devices to choose from, some are still asking for a “Mini” in Google’s lineup. I never think that will happen. It’s not just because the market doesn’t exist; largely For people looking for a small smartphone, the Pixel 9 series is already pretty close to what they’re looking for.
Both the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are expected to sit below the 6-inch display, with both devices apparently measuring 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5 mm. That’s slightly larger than his Pixel 8, which our own Abner Lee praised as a “dream little phone” in a review last year.
In fact, I think this is pretty small for a modern phone. Huge, Huge Most people will be excited to get a flagship-level experience on a device of that size. That’s because it nicely separates the difference between truly “small” devices like the iPhone 13 Mini and larger ones. Adequate by modern standards.
So the Pixel Mini of your dreams will (probably) never come to fruition, so be happy if a full-featured, smaller Pro is on the way.
This week’s top stories
Circle to Search achieves first major expansion
Google launched its first major expansion of Circle to Search this week. Previously only available on Galaxy S24, Pixel 8, and Pixel 7, this feature is now rolling out to the following devices:
- pixel 6/pro
- pixel 6a
- Galaxy S23/+/Ultra
- Galaxy S23FE
- galaxy z fold 5
- galaxy z flip 5
- Galaxy Tab S9/+/Ultra
Google also confirmed that Circle to Search will be coming to Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet “soon.” Circle to Search also adds inline translation. Samsung further stated that Circle to Search is more popular than any of the company’s Galaxy AI features.
Samsung’s One UI 6.1 is here
Circle to Search’s expansion on Samsung devices is also thanks to the One UI 6.1 software update currently rolling out to some 2023 Galaxy devices. This update, which should be fairly widely available by the time you read this article, brings some AI features and other tweaks to Android 14.
More top stories
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