Core77

I like big phones because I mostly use my phone visually. I do half of my email and web surfing there and tend to send more text messages than phone calls. My Android Galaxy fits nicely in my back pocket of my jeans but I typically keep it in my purse when I'm out and about. Screen size was a big reason I didn't go with an iphone.

While the Galaxy Note II is a bit awkwardly huge, I highly recommend any designer to check it out for its sketching capabilities. The stylus input on it is unparalleled on any other device, aside from a full on Cintique. Super handy for sketching notes over photos when out and about, or plain old thumbnailing.
The iphone is actually one of the smallest offerings on the market now days. The form is 'handy' as a phone, but how often do we actually use our phones as such? For browsing content, the larger size is nice to have and can really reduce the need for a tablet.

I just started using a cell phone again after a two year hiatus (no cell phone at all). I bought a Samsung Galaxy Note for a few reasons. I text more than I talk and have vision issues at close range. For these reasons, a larger phone is handy. I also no longer carry my iPad because the Note substitutes for it just fine, and now that I've used it for a few months, I prefer Android over IOS.

Big screens are awesome to watch tv shows and movies on the go. Besides, i always carry my phone in the front pocket, and the One and Galaxy series are super slim an lightweight. I wouldn't change them over an iPhone.

This is more of a rant than a post piece.

To the writer, you are in the minority and need to look at the outside world a bit more than just America. There's a reason why phone-tablets/tablet-phones/mini-tablets are dominating. Its about convergence.

Try using a large screen mobile (4.5" + up) for a month, you'll never look at your toy-ish iphone the same again.

Like three years ago in the HK subway almost everybody was using their iphones. I recently travelled overthere again, and now on the subway 8 out of 10 young Hongkongers are using the Samsung Galaxy 3.

I've got some Columbia shorts that also have the handy pocket on the side. Unfortunately, one pair had a pen holder/pocket sewn into the pocket making it under 1/2" narrower and preventing my phone from fitting, so I had to undo those stitches. This was an older 3.7" screen smartphone, so any newer high end (non-apple) smartphone probably won't fit.

So, everyone else here seems to be on the big phone bandwagon, but only one person has mentioned how she carries hers.I don't carry a purse (maybe I should) and I prefer not to have things in my back pocket. So, here's the challenge- recommend or design a way to conveniently carry a large screen device, say a 5" smartphone or 7" tablet.

I love my Note! When I had an iphone, I was pulling out my computer all the time to do basic stuff. But this phone is big enough (and Google Drive came out with a handy update) so now I rarely have to switch to a full machine. Also, being outside a lot, the pen comes in handy. The last thing I want to do is pull off my gloves to answer a text when the temp is in the single digits. I had a pen for my iphone, but I was always forgetting it. This one being inside the phone itself is one less thing to worry about shoving in my pocket, purse, or pannier in the morning. I also don't talk much on my phone, so I don't have to worry about looking silly with it up to my head. I honestly forget that it's larger than normal until someone goes into conniptions over it.

I agree this is definitely more of a rant post. I use the galaxy s3 and no problem fitting into my size 34 and as said above, once you use a larger screen your iPhone will seem insignificant.

As a girl with smaller hands, I have to say the trend in making larger phones is rather irksome. I understand that most people basically want their smartphone to function as a miniature computer/tablet, but ergonomically I hate larger phones. I need two hands to use them, they don't fit in my pockets or smaller purses. I currently have the iphone 5 and am very happy that they didn't widen it. It still fits in my pocket and I can generally respond to texts/make calls one-handed.

I'm just hoping eventually tech companies realize that marketing to women doesn't mean making something pink, it means making something that will work for our smaller proportions.

I find that devices are becoming inconveniently thin/small. Just because things can be made smaller doesn't mean they should be. I think the mobile phone is a perfect example. It gets to a point where it is difficult to hold and difficult to operate with one hand. My problem with the large screen phones is that you can't reach across the screen to text with your thumb without making a concerted effort. There is a happy medium for size and functionality. It will be different for each person both in physical layout and how you use your device. I personally have some model of motorola droid, but am never glued to my device. When it's time to upgrade I'll probably get a galaxy s3, but add a case to make it thicker and easier to hold.

Are you serious with this? The primary characteristic for selecting a smartphone is how well it fits in a vestigial pocket on your french pants? This opinion on selecting a smartphone should be regarded as highly the nra's on gun control. Leave smartphone reviews to the geeks some of use use our phones for more than a fashion accessory.

Forget the phone. I'm focused on the pants. Which Carhartt model are those?

I own a laptop and an iPhone. The phone serves me exactly what i need for mobile data, web and computing, but I have found the phone screen is just slightly too small for me to comfortably annotate documents in lectures.
If I were looking again now, I would seriously consider a larger phone - not because I want the phone larger for most things, but as a compromise - An added tablet device would fill the one task gap but a slight compromise of the size of my mobile device seems more logical.

It's all about consolidating the number of devices one has to carry to be efficient and successful.
Cellphones killed the need for land lines in my office and tablets killed of having to lug around a laptop. My Note 2 has now relegated my tablet to a bedside reader.
With this phablet I am able to do it all from the field, from catalog display for sales calls to handling any task remotely that I would normally need to sit at a desk to accomplish.
I use an app called Splash Top to access my Mac or my PC and using the awesome galaxy stylus, I can run my office computers in the palm of my hand. This includes QuickBooks invoices, Word documents or any other application that I need to access. The ability to generate invoices in the field saves me more time and money than I can even calculate. All I do is fire up splashtop and open QuickBooks remotely, make the invoice and email it to my client, resulting in a check for payment on the spot!
I could never ever give this phone up....ever.

I once thought smaller was better. I recently got a nokia 920 and it was way bigger than my 4s, but surprisingly it actually works better in my front pant pocket than my 4s. Because like you I tend not to case my phones so that they can slip in my pocket better. The 4s is slippery without the cover...the 920 is butter. The taller size means that I don't have to dig so far into my pocket to get my phone. Also the bigger screen is better to see stuff on.

I agree with TMK... The ergonomics of modern phones are downright shameful.

I use the same pocket for a padlock with a bandana tied to it. I use it to smash car windows when they cut me off on my motorcycle.

I have the Nokia Lumia 920 and although large, fits nicely in my hand [I am above average...]. Having held a Galaxy 2 I think the thickness of the 920 is about right for use.
I agree with TMK in this regard, as thin is not always best.

Personally I would have loved to buy a 920 in the size of the old Lumia 800 and so would my girlfriend....... there is no way she will ever buy a phone larger than an iphone 4, and I know a lot of other girls are the same, so there must be a large market for this that is not really catered for !

I refuse to wear anything but Carhartt pants. My work as a fabricator and carpenter demands that utility and durability, but over the years I have come to rely on that right side pocket for the accessible and safe storage of my phone while in the shop, at a jobsite, or out & about.

No other make or model of pants I have worn provide the good fit (for the phone) that Carhartts do - many other side pockets are too wide or are cargo style, and let the phone slump sideways, which ends up feeling like you've got a bar of soap clunking around against your leg.

The Carhartt side pocket has a kind of divider at the opening (as pictured), although that is only a few inches deep - both sides of the divider go into the same pocket. The outer sleeve section make a phone easier to access and to drop back in place - nice for when I'm doing anything that might require quick access to my phone. The higher, inner sleeve provides a tighter fit for the phone passing through it - it's less convenient, but provides me with more peace of mind when I'm more actively engaged - biking, wrassling with my 5 year old, or anything else that involves my body not being perpendicular to the ground.

I would not even consider buying a phone that didn't fit into that pocket.

I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing some stirring the pot in terms of phone size in the coming year. On one side, Apple seems dead set on the iPhone's width and this is partly because of the fact that the apps need to be rewritten to fit different screen size where as Android is made to fit all kind of screens sizes. So I think we'll see all kinds of sizes on the Android side, mostly for differentiation purposes however.

However, I recently switched from an iPhone 3GS to a Nexus 4 (roughly the size of the Samsung Galaxy S3) and it's been great so far. It's thin enough that it actually feels smaller in my front pockets (size 30") than my old iPhone, I don't really notice it. I have quite big hands so I don't have a problem with one hand operation and having the larger screen is great, so much more content on there.

I think we'll still see some fighting going as to what size should the smartphone be. I think ultimately we'll see all kinds of sizes. Some people want smaller phones that aren't bulky, have small hands and value one hand operation and it's probably possible to make a small phone cheaper. On the other hand, some want the additional content (and computational power) and don't really see the larger size as a big downside.

I think it ultimately comes down to person size, lifestyle and what other electronic gadgets you have in your life. I could see women going for something like the Note since lots cary their phone in their purse anyway, there's no big drawback to having a larger phone if you don't value one hand operation (it's too big for men to use with one hand too, but it still sells). You can get both a phone and a tablet experience in one device. Then the next question do you have a tablet and or a laptop and how often is it with you. I have a laptop and as a student it's basically permanently fixed to my back so I see little point to having a tablet however I do enjoy my larger phone for when I don't have it with me. Some of my friends with tablets don't want big phones because their tablets fills that need.

TL;DR I don't think phones are one size fits all.

As an Iphone user , I tend to be a bit biased towards android ;) I live in Hong Kong and I very much agree to the rise of the SG Note amongst the residents here. Although I personally think the Note was created by Samsung for the wrong reason, fact is they stumbled on a success..
I don't think there is a right or wrong here; I might think, that a large screen on a phone looks ridiculous when making a call, but others do like a larger screen. At the same time, if somebody mentions his phone fits perfectly into the pockets of his pants, it is not a rant: it's a serious use-case.
Apple chooses to approach their target with a sniper rifle and some other brands use a shot-gun: try a lot of sizes and see which ones resonate..
Both have their pros and cons, but at least it gives, the end-user a lot of choice.
I do think that the screen size race is similar to the size decreasing trend: technology will make more possible that what is actually required for usability. Until that time; sales figures will prove, which consumer insights strike the right chord.

i remember buying the sony ericsson p800 back in the day thinking that that screen was just too, too much. now, with the option to choose between ios and its competitors, i would have to say that i'd still plump for an off the shelf selection of hardware and software, given the choice. after three years with a 3gs, i was more than ready for a change. my surprise after using windows mobile 6.5 for years before graduating to apple's walled garden and then diving headfirst into the mess of android led was palpable. however: i'm MORE than happy to stay with apple's offering. i cant say how a six inch screen, no matter how beautiful, could possibly make amends for any operating system flawed to the point of frustration.

Indeed I use the same pocket of my carpenter jeans (a larger size 40) for the same reason. I found my iPhone 4 with case would fit perfectly, and those jeans became my favorite pair quite fast for that very reason. I just switched to an iPhone 5, and while I certainly understand wanting a bigger screen from a consumption perspective, as a phone, I simply want to use it with one hand no matter what. The extra length of the 5 still somewhat irks me, as reaching the top from the bottom is a bit of a stretch, even with my XL mitts. I don't think there is a right or wrong, but when I see phones growing bigger and bigger, it just bugs the usability side of the designer in me. Like seeing someone using an iPad for taking pictures. "But the viewfinder is MASSIVE!" Exactly.

I hear these same comments a lot too but interestingly its never from people who own these phones. Same goes for the " Your thumb cant reach the top corner" arguments. Near as I can tell they're all academic with no basis in real usage studies. Truth is its not hard to find a pocket for a 4, 5 or 6 in phone. You adapt and get used to it and really come to love the extra screen space. I.e. picking a phone based on one of the 6 pockets in your fav pants is moronic.

I find it funny that people keep bringing up the fact that it is ridiculous to select a phone based on if you can fit it in a pocket. Of course that is a factor. I am going to adapt my phone decision to fit around my style, not vice versa. A smartphone is about making your life easier and the way you transport it is a huge factor. When recently shopping for a new phone, I actually ask if I can have a phone that is not tethered to the display so I can put it in my pocket and see how it fits. I am not going to carry a murse around, so I want to make sure it is not uncomfortable to carry it and get it in and out of my pocket.

Other pants and shorts intended for contractors have good smartphone-sized pockets - Duluth Trading's for example. Carhartt stuff is nice, but on the heavy side for everyday wear (unless you're roofing and framing, or doing some bouldering).

I like the medium size smartphone, So I am using iPhone 4S.