I’m in the market for a new smartphone so I’ve been looking around. My Motorola Droid still works just fine, but it’s starting to show its age. I’ve been waiting to see what the next Android phone version, i.e. Ice Cream Sandwich, has to offer before making a decision.
Anyway, I’ve noticed an interesting trend lately; the screens on Android smartphones are growing. Many of the new devices are in the 4.3-inch range. The new lineup for Verizon’s 4G LTE include the Revolution by LG, the DROID CHARGE by Samsung and the ThunderBolt by HTC. All these devices have a 4.3-inch screen. Then there’s the 4.8-inch Acer Iconia Smart Android smartphone that was recently seen at Computex. I don’t know about you, but that’s a pretty large screen for a smartphone.
Now jump to the Dell Streak 5-inch “mini-tablet†and devices like the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab. The 7-inch Galaxy would be a bit of a stretch as a smartphone, but the Dell Streak isn’t that far behind the Iconia Smart. Although I suppose the Galaxy tablet could be used as a smartphone with a Bluetooth headset. Interesting concept, don’t you think; getting rid of a smaller device in lieu of a larger replacement. I digress.
So where’s the sweet spot for smartphone screen size? I’m not sure, but the more I look around, the more I think anything over 3.7-inches might actually be too large for a phone. Larger screens are great for checking email, surfing the ‘net, Tweeting, reading documents, etc, but all that real estate comes at a cost.
Portability and battery life are an issue with the new, larger devices. It’s becoming commonplace to see people walking with their smartphones in hand rather than put them in their pockets. Why? Because they’re so darn big, that’s why. The other thing I commonly see is people tethered to plugs because their batteries are about ready to die. I don’t necessarily need the plug because I can swap out my battery, but my battery life is definitely an issue. With that said, I travel with three batteries for my Droid; a primary and two extras. I really can’t afford to have a dead smartphone at 5:00pm when I need to make a call or two.
Smartphone or mini-tablet, you be the judge. But give this some thought: smartphones are designed for mobile communication while tablets are designed for convenient access to informational content. As we move toward larger smartphones we’re basically creating a less convenient communication tool in favor of a better consumption device.
I think the most basic question should be, what’s the primary purpose of a smartphone, i.e. a mobile phone? Perhaps it’s time for me to take a step back and re-evaluate my needs. Just sayin’.
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