Phone manufacturers do not provide the choice I want

[ozaz]

I've just discovered gsmarena's wonderfully comprehensive phone finder tool: http://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3

The phone I want is a compact ~ 5" phone with a big battery capacity and at least 32GB internal storage. At the moment I'm achieving this by clinging to a 2013 Galaxy S4 (height 137 mm, width 69 mm) with a 5200 mAh extended battery installed.

To find a more modern phone, I added the following requirements to the phone finder:
Min year: 2014
Max height: 145 mm, Max width: 72 mm
Min RAM: 3GB, Min Storage: 32 GB
Min Display Resolution: 1080p, Min Camera Resolution: 12MP
Min Battery: 3000 mAh

What it found was just 4 phones, none of which are made for Western markets:
Hauwei Honor 6 & 7, Xioami Mi4, Sony Vibe Shot

I know I can bring several more phones into my list of options by relaxing the battery capacity requirement to something like 2600 mAh and relaxing the minimum width requirement to something like 74 mm. But I just hate the reluctance of manufacturers to putting large batteries in phones and the gradual upward size creep of flagships that used to be 5" (with a handset width of about 70 mm) a couple of years ago. IMO the two main size options for flagships should be 5" and 5.5-5.7", not 5.2-5.3" and 5.5-5.7".

No question here...just a rant


EDIT:

Should add, I also put OS requirement of Android, and minimum display size requirement of 4.9" in my search.

Actually, here's a question - Is there an upcoming phone for western markets that might satisfy my requirements?

 

[AppleRobert]

Best I could do with some concession.

Available through Amazon.

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Asus-ZenFone-2_id9050

 

[ozaz]

Best I could do with some concession.

Available through Amazon.

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Asus-ZenFone-2_id9050

Thanks for suggesting, but it's just too big for my liking.

 

[gotluck]

I'm hoping the nexus 5 2015 will deliver, but may not meet your battery requirements. I'm still on a s4 myself too. Next sony z compact has a shot too. That's it for western markets afaik

 

[nviz22]

I've just discovered gsmarena's wonderfully comprehensive phone finder tool: http://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3

The phone I want is a compact ~ 5" phone with a big battery capacity and at least 32GB internal storage. At the moment I'm achieving this by clinging to a 2013 Galaxy S4 (height 137 mm, width 69 mm) with a 5200 mAh extended battery installed.

To find a more modern phone, I added the following requirements to the phone finder:
Min year: 2014
Max height: 145 mm, Max width: 72 mm
Min RAM: 3GB, Min Storage: 32 GB
Min Display Resolution: 1080p, Min Camera Resolution: 12MP
Min Battery: 3000 mAh

What it found was just 4 phones, none of which are made for Western markets:
Hauwei Honor 6 & 7, Xioami Mi4, Sony Vibe Shot

I know I can bring several more phones into my list of options by relaxing the battery capacity requirement to something like 2600 mAh and relaxing the minimum width requirement to something like 74 mm. But I just hate the reluctance of manufacturers to putting large batteries in phones and the gradual upward size creep of flagships that used to be 5" (with a handset width of about 70 mm) a couple of years ago. IMO the two main size options for flagships should be 5" and 5.5-5.7", not 5.2-5.3" and 5.5-5.7".

No question here...just a rant


EDIT:

Should add, I also put OS requirement of Android, and minimum display size requirement of 4.9" in my search.

Actually, here's a question - Is there an upcoming phone for western markets that might satisfy my requirements?

May I suggest a compromise with the HTC One M9 or Xperia Z3?

 

[Fernandez21]

I've just discovered gsmarena's wonderfully comprehensive phone finder tool: http://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3

The phone I want is a compact ~ 5" phone with a big battery capacity and at least 32GB internal storage. At the moment I'm achieving this by clinging to a 2013 Galaxy S4 (height 137 mm, width 69 mm) with a 5200 mAh extended battery installed.

To find a more modern phone, I added the following requirements to the phone finder:
Min year: 2014
Max height: 145 mm, Max width: 72 mm
Min RAM: 3GB, Min Storage: 32 GB
Min Display Resolution: 1080p, Min Camera Resolution: 12MP
Min Battery: 3000 mAh

What it found was just 4 phones, none of which are made for Western markets:
Hauwei Honor 6 & 7, Xioami Mi4, Sony Vibe Shot

I know I can bring several more phones into my list of options by relaxing the battery capacity requirement to something like 2600 mAh and relaxing the minimum width requirement to something like 74 mm. But I just hate the reluctance of manufacturers to putting large batteries in phones and the gradual upward size creep of flagships that used to be 5" (with a handset width of about 70 mm) a couple of years ago. IMO the two main size options for flagships should be 5" and 5.5-5.7", not 5.2-5.3" and 5.5-5.7".

No question here...just a rant


EDIT:

Should add, I also put OS requirement of Android, and minimum display size requirement of 4.9" in my search.

Actually, here's a question - Is there an upcoming phone for western markets that might satisfy my requirements?

Well, if your willing to go slightly larger (157mm by 75mm) you could get a Galaxy S6 with a 3300mah mophie battery case, effectively giving you almost 6000mah of battery.

 

[ozaz]

I'm hoping the nexus 5 2015 will deliver, but may not meet your battery requirements. I'm still on a s4 myself too. Next sony z compact has a shot too. That's it for western markets afaik

Yeah, I'll wait and see on the Nexus 5. Motorola disappointed me with their options.
I expect Z4 compact will have a screen which is smaller than I want.

May I suggest a compromise with the HTC One M9 or Xperia Z3?

Not too keen on the HTC One M9 due to uninspiring battery life results (from reviews I've seen).
Xperia Z3 is probably closest to what I want amongst phones in the Western markets. But it's a bit big. If it had a 5" instead of 5.2" display and a bit smaller top and bottom borders it would be very appealing to me.

Well, if your willing to go slightly larger (157mm by 75mm) you could get a Galaxy S6 with a 3300mah mophie battery case, effectively giving you almost 6000mah of battery.

The width and height is where I don't really want to have to compromise beyond the limits I've set (which are already bigger than what I like). With the Mophie pack, the S6 is 20 mm and 6 mm bigger than the S4 in the height and width dimensions. The depth is what I don't care about, but unfortunately everyone wants to make their phones razor thin and the trend away from removable batteries means no more extended batteries (which add depth but not height and width).

All this may sound nitpicky, but I just feel that with the amount of phone manufacturers around and the amount of phones that are being made it's frustrating that I have to compromise. Problem is manufacturers aren't producing great variety in phone sizes & battery options. Everyone follows the same trend......gradual upward creep in display size, gradual decrease in phone depth, and move away from user replaceable batteries.

 

[ucfgrad93]

All this may sound nitpicky, but I just feel that with the amount of phone manufacturers around and the amount of phones that are being made it's frustrating that I have to compromise. Problem is manufacturers aren't producing great variety in phone sizes & battery options. Everyone follows the same trend......gradual upward creep in display size, gradual decrease in phone depth, and move away from user replaceable batteries.

I hate to say it, but as I see it you only have 2 options.

1. Find someone or company to import one of the phones you do like but aren't available here. Likely to be rather expensive and you probably won't have any support if you have any problems.

2. Relax your requirements in order to find a phone that is available here. Seems like your best bet to me.

 

[ozaz]

I hate to say it, but as I see it you only have 2 options.

1. Find someone or company to import one of the phones you do like but aren't available here. Likely to be rather expensive and you probably won't have any support if you have any problems.

2. Relax your requirements in order to find a phone that is available here. Seems like your best bet to me.

A 3rd option is just to carry on using my S4 which is a very comfortable size for me, and with extended battery installed I'm never short on power. Even though it's two years old it still runs smoothly enough for me. However, more internal storage and (ideally) a fingerprint reader would be nice.

 

[ucfgrad93]

A 3rd option is just to carry on using my S4 which is a very comfortable size for me, and with extended battery installed I'm never short on power. Even though it's two years old it still runs smoothly enough for me. However, more internal storage and (ideally) a fingerprint reader would be nice.

Yep, that would definitely be another option. Update the thread and let us know what you did.

 

[unlinked]

Xiaomi sell phones online and ship to the EU. The Mi 4 seems to be compatible with 4G on EE and 3 (if I read the specs correctly). Why not just buy that?

 

[MRU]

You may be in luck. Sony M5 to be announced shortly

The Xperia M5 also offers a 13-megapixel front-facing camera, but has a 21.5-megapixel camera on the rear that Sony claims will be a market leader for mid-range devices.

When it comes to the rest of their hardware, the M5 is a smaller, more powerful device, with a 5-inch 1080p display, 64-bit 2.0 GHz processor, and 3GB of RAM. Both devices run Android Lollipop 5.0 and offer 4G connectivity and up to two days of battery life, but there's only a paltry 16GB of internal flash memory apiece. The smaller M5 has the added benefit of being both waterproof and dust-tight, with IP65 and IP68 certifications.

If it has microSD card and comes in at mid range pricing - it could be very much worth checking out.

 

[aneftp]

Phone manufactures are very well aware what the public wants. But what the public wants and what is good for the company are two different things.

There is no reason iPhone 6/6plus should have 1Gb ram when iPad Air 2 which was released 6-7 weeks later had 2GB ram.

But Apple leaves people wanting.

As for android. Samsung tries to put the kitchen sink and have many models. They focus on thinness and unfortunately battery life is a lesser priority. Gimmicks such as software trying to extend battery life by powering down cell radios and displays are just that. Gimmicks.

 

[ozaz]

Xiaomi sell phones online and ship to the EU. The Mi 4 seems to be compatible with 4G on EE and 3 (if I read the specs correctly). Why not just buy that?

Where is their online store that ships to EU? I know they ship accessories to EU (mi band, power bank, etc) but I have not seen EU shipping for their phones.

You may be in luck. Sony M5 to be announced shortly
If it has microSD card and comes in at mid range pricing - it could be very much worth checking out.

I'll keep an eye on it. Seems like it might be pretty good value for money, and even though its a relatively small battery I'd trust Sony to achieve acceptable battery life.

But on the downside, even though the display is smaller, the handset size is the same as the Z3. Also, don't like the fact that M5 has max 16 GB internal storage. I've been finding this relatively low amount of internal storage inconvenient even with an SD card installed. So I would probably just get Z3/Z3+ if I decided to buy something at the top end of my acceptable size range.

 

[unlinked]

Where is their online store that ships to EU? I know they ship accessories to EU (mi band, power bank, etc) but I have not seen EU shipping for their phones.

2 people I work with bought Xiaomi phones last year and I remember them saying they bought them direct. Maybe they were confused and it was actually a reseller of some sort.

 

[Fernandez21]

Samsung also seems to be coming out an S6 mini that might actually be pretty good. Rumored specs are 4.7" 720p screen, snapdragon 808 (which should fly running at that resolution) and 2gb ram. No word on battery or storage options, but migh be worth checking out.

http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_samsung_galaxy_s6_mini_photos_leak_out-news-13249.php

 

[tbayrgs]

Samsung also seems to be coming out an S6 mini that might actually be pretty good. Rumored specs are 4.7" 720p screen, snapdragon 808 (which should fly running at that resolution) and 2gb ram. No word on battery or storage options, but migh be worth checking out.

http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_samsung_galaxy_s6_mini_photos_leak_out-news-13249.php

I'd take a Moto G over this, even with just a Snapdragon 410. Same RAM, likely bigger battery, expandable storage and probably much, much cheaper. And best of all...no Samsung or carrier bloat and no TouchWiz.

 

[Savor]

I went with a rant myself a few times already on the current trend on where smartphones are heading. I compared the current state to the video game console industry during the last two gens. Greater capability, but also overstuffed, redundant, and forming bad trends. 2015 has been quite a disappointment so far. Market is saturated with so many options I don't like being too big, 2K,no sd slot, or not a large enough battery capacity for the sake of making them slimmer.

To answer your question, I say no. Maybe the Z Compact series but that's about it. And I can't stand the glass rear Sony puts on them since I prefer my phones naked. Philippines just got the Xiaomi Mi 4i which is a nice option but hardly a huge upgrade for me coming from Mi 3. It cost only $220 with Snapdragon 615 octa core and close to same battery capacity as the 3 but only 16 GB. I said in a previous post, I need expandable storage or 64 GB bare minimum on my next phone. So Mi 4i which has a nicer, shorter size and probably better display and cam may not be an option for me.

I am living in Asia which has more options than the Western markets, and I still find it very difficult to filter the specs, size, and features I need. I have to settle for white box China-made phones that have less reliability than the Xiaomis, Meizus, and Huaweis of China. And the more popular China brands all have question marks themselves when it comes to specific features and reliability. The midrange market with a more acceptable size and universal screen resolution is the one to target within the next few years over the overstuffed, overhyped, and overpriced flagships.

 

[ozaz]

Maybe the Z Compact series but that's about it. And I can't stand the glass rear Sony puts on them since I prefer my phones naked.

I also dislike the glass back.

I've dropped my GS4 so many times with no real consequence (all that happens is the plastic back falls off and battery pops out, and I have a number of chips around the bezel)

If I had a Sony phone I expect i would have shattered the glass a few times.

 

[Wrathwitch]

Although I love my Note 4, I really miss the S3 I had in pebble blue. The phone unfortunately after the kit kat update, did not let me successfully dial out. Traded it in on warranty for an S4 which sits at home as my back up smaller model in case I actually need to take it somewhere in my pocket.

 

[Fireblade]

Although I love my Note 4, I really miss the S3 I had in pebble blue. The phone unfortunately after the kit kat update, did not let me successfully dial out. Traded it in on warranty for an S4 which sits at home as my back up smaller model in case I actually need to take it somewhere in my pocket.

Hmm, the pebble blue S3 has been the ugliest and worst smartphone in my life, tastes differ I guess

 

[Wrathwitch]

Hmm, the pebble blue S3 has been the ugliest and worst smartphone in my life, tastes differ I guess

LOL! I liked the smooth pebbl-y feel of it, the curved glass was nice and it was my first phone that wasn't black, it was also the first Android phone that was worth it's salt other than the Nexus line imo. Sigh... I would trade my S4 for a new S3 as a back up phone haha!

 

[s0nicpr0s]

I also dislike the glass back.

I've dropped my GS4 so many times with no real consequence (all that happens is the plastic back falls off and battery pops out, and I have a number of chips around the bezel)

If I had a Sony phone I expect i would have shattered the glass a few times.

I use a Nexus 4 and haven't actually had much issue with the glass back. After roughly a year with it I put a Zagg skin on it to help protect it, but that has lost its adhesive for the top 1/3 of the phone. The only scratches really are a series of them all nestled together right in the middle about camera level. But no cracks despite being dropped numerous times. My bezels are dinged to hell though...