I feel like a broken record at this point, but in light of the new Pixel 9 leak this week, there are still plenty of people who want a “Mini” device from Google, forgetting that small phones are dead.
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Smartphones have become available in the last decade indeed big Where the average phone is small by today’s standards, many of us today mostly carry around tablets – in some cases literally, thanks to foldable devices. But since phone screens are 6-7 inches in size, there has always been a vocal group of those who want smaller smartphones.
And time and time again, it’s become clear that small phones are actually dead.
One of the latest reminders of this was the Asus Zenfone 11, which added “Ultra” to its name and made the package super-sized, eliminating the last flagship Android phone with a screen size below 6 inches. This was not at all surprising, as realistically a small phone would never survive in today’s market. The Pixel Fold also had a very small external display that was fun to use, but Google is moving away from that in the sequel.
People talk and they prefer big phones. Heck, if Apple can’t make the Mini work, no Android manufacturer will in 2022, as I said.
Google will have three devices to choose from in light of new leaks of the Pixel 9 lineup, some of which still claim the “Mini” in Google’s lineup. I don’t think it will ever happen, not only because there isn’t a market for it, but also because most People who want smaller phones, the Pixel 9 series will already be pretty close to what they want.
The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are both expected to sport lower 6-inch displays, with both devices measuring 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5 mm. It’s just a hair bigger than the Pixel 8, which Abner Lee praised in last year’s review for being “the little phone of my dreams.”
And, really, I think it’s as small as a modern phone should be. wide, wide most people will be excited to get a premium experience on a device this size, as it does a good job of distinguishing between something really “small” like the iPhone 13 Mini and something big. sufficient by modern standards.
In short, that Pixel Mini you’ve been dreaming of will (probably) never happen, so let’s be glad we’re getting a smaller, full-featured Pro.
This Week’s Top Stories
Circle to Search is getting its first major expansion
Google unveiled the first major expansion of Circle to Search this week. Previously only available on the Galaxy S24, Pixel 8 and Pixel 7, the feature is now rolling out to the following devices:
- Pixel 6/Pro
- Pixel 6a
- Galaxy S23/+/Ultra
- Galaxy S23 FE
- Galaxy Z Fold 5
- Galaxy Z Flip 5
- Galaxy Tab S9/+/Ultra
Google also confirmed that Circle to Search is coming to the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet “soon.” Circle to Search will also add in-line translations. Samsung later noted that Circle to Search is more popular than its Galaxy AI features.
Samsung’s One UI 6.1 has arrived
Circle to Search’s expansion to Samsung devices is also largely thanks to the One UI 6.1 software update, which is now rolling out to several 2023 Galaxy devices. The update, which should be pretty widely available by the time you read this, brings several AI features and other tweaks on top of Android 14.
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