It should not be this hard to buy a phone in 2021

I think what is disappointing with the experience is that I was willing to pay double what I actually did.

I would have paid more for a better camera, better battery, better performance. Yet it did not appear to exist in a reasonable screen size.

So Ive ended up buying far cheaper, but slightly sacrificing camera versatility and probably battery life.
 
danlightbulb said:
I think what is disappointing with the experience is that I was willing to pay double what I actually did.

I would have paid more for a better camera, better battery, better performance. Yet it did not appear to exist in a reasonable screen size.
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But it did exist - exactly what you wanted existed in the iPhone 12 Mini. It's pocket sized, has decent battery life and has the exact same internals as the iPhone 12, barring a slightly smaller battery. It takes great photos, has zero bloat and will be updated for years. It is still available on Amazon for almost exactly twice what you paid for the Pixel 4a.
 
that is how the market has gone now, they cater to the masses and the masses want big high quality screens

i wish they would make a stripped back iphone with no camera and sell it cheaper but its not happening
 
Squink said:
But it did exist - exactly what you wanted existed in the iPhone 12 Mini. It's pocket sized, has decent battery life and has the exact same internals as the iPhone 12, barring a slightly smaller battery. It takes great photos, has zero bloat and will be updated for years. It is still available on Amazon for almost exactly twice what you paid for the Pixel 4a.
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Decent battery life isn't good enough if I'm spending £500+ I expect brilliant battery life.

I appreciate the rest of the phone is very good. Switching to IOS from Android would have taken something quite special for me to make that switch and I don't feel the 12 mini was it.

Its a real shame about the Pixel 5 really. I think that could have been perfect if it wasn't gimped slightly on the chip and if it was reduced more due to being EOL, or if another similarly sized phone had been introduced in its place.
 
I had the exact same situation, ended up buying a Huawai P10 which was already a really old model at that time... Dunno whats so hard about making phones in the 250-500€ range with a proper size of like 5.2 to 5.8 and a decent battery+camera.... It's complete madness as if the most greedy companies in the world wouldn't care about money, don't get what's at play here. I know so many people who would pay like double of what they end up paying because there simply is nothing out there like this.
 
danlightbulb said:
Decent battery life isn't good enough if I'm spending £500+ I expect brilliant battery life.
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A large battery physically will not fit into a tiny phone. Even if every manufacturer was focused on small devices, they could not overcome this limitation. Brilliant battery life is not possible in a device of the size you want with the specs you want.
 
Proper size. Tiny manority want a little phone in 2021. Deal with it. Bigger is better and who ever said a smartphone has to be small. I hate small phones with a passion. I rarely see or hear anyone moan about the size of thier phone. Most bitch about the price but half of the idiots buy iPhones anyway. Its a free world. Choices are there if you look and my preferences shouldn't invoke an argument. These are my thoughts and I'm not changing anyone's mind. If you get upset or offended. That's your own affair. Have a nice day
 
I don't think 6" is small (oh err missus).

If you walk around with a 6.7" phone I guess you have a man bag or never go out.

We're not talking the older 4.5-5" phones anymore. 6" is quite quite reasonable for a 'portable' phone.
 
XBloodyR said:
Dunno whats so hard about making phones in the 250-500€ range with a proper size of like 5.2 to 5.8 and a decent battery+camera.... It's complete madness as if the most greedy companies in the world wouldn't care about money, don't get what's at play here. I know so many people who would pay like double of what they end up paying because there simply is nothing out there like this.
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Small phones don't sell. Apple tried it with the iPhone Mini and it's a great device, but they are going to discontinue it this year or next, because it is selling only a fraction as well as the larger models. So all these people you know who would pay double aren't buying small phones. Apple is the most valuable smartphone company in the world. Like it or lump it, people want iPhones. Yet they aren't buying the iPhone Mini in big enough numbers for Apple to keep making them.

As it happens, I'd prefer a variety of smaller and larger devices to pick from, but the buyers have spoken. They want big phones.
 
danlightbulb said:
This is crazy.

I just want a good quality, mid to high end phone that will last a few years.

I dont want a premium top of the range monster. But i want a decent camera that takes good low light shots. I want decent non bloated software. I want good battery life for when Im out walking for full days on the mountains.

Why cant they just make a good quality mid to high end phone that isn't the size of my shoes???
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I had the same requirements and opted for a Sony Xperia 5ii and never looked back.
Battery is good, photos are brilliant and music is awesome through my Cambridge Melomania's.
I pick my wife's phone up and it's as though I'm holding a tablet.
 
Squink said:
Small phones don't sell. Apple tried it with the iPhone Mini and it's a great device, but they are going to discontinue it this year or next, because it is selling only a fraction as well as the larger models. So all these people you know who would pay double aren't buying small phones. Apple is the most valuable smartphone company in the world. Like it or lump it, people want iPhones. Yet they aren't buying the iPhone Mini in big enough numbers for Apple to keep making them.

As it happens, I'd prefer a variety of smaller and larger devices to pick from, but the buyers have spoken. They want big phones.
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To be fair I would also prefer a little bigger than 5.4 like the IPhone mini so yeah... 5.6-5.8 would be much better and sell better for sure.
Also is the reason they don't sell really because they are small or because of the battery life in the first place.
 
TBH there are plenty of phones both new and second hand what compounds the choice is the individual searching for a new or different phone. As in there can be way to many choices which make it a lot more difficult than it needs to be. ie price style/size and features. Sometimes I feel we as consumers expect way too much for the money we are prepared to spend to get the features. In this day and age, we are overwhelmed by choice.
 
Batt life on iPhone 12 mini is f.u.d. and misinformation. Its got great battery life. Totaly usable can someone explain how the ‘tiny’ batt in iphone12 mini is not suitable/fit for purpose please?

i guess the op will charge his phone every day?
 
DataVampire said:
TBH there are plenty of phones both new and second hand what compounds the choice is the individual searching for a new or different phone. As in there can be way to many choices which make it a lot more difficult than it needs to be. ie price style/size and features. Sometimes I feel we as consumers expect way too much for the money we are prepared to spend to get the features. In this day and age, we are overwhelmed by choice.
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I doubt there is anything else of a problem at play here other than company greed, that's just how it is nowadays.
 
DataVampire said:
TBH there are plenty of phones both new and second hand what compounds the choice is the individual searching for a new or different phone. As in there can be way to many choices which make it a lot more difficult than it needs to be. ie price style/size and features. Sometimes I feel we as consumers expect way too much for the money we are prepared to spend to get the features. In this day and age, we are overwhelmed by choice.
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I agree the market is saturated, but for example Google has proved it can make a phone that has all the essential features at a reasonable price. Problem is its now un-doing its own progress.

It really is quite simple:

1. highish end SOC each gen (eg Snapdragon 8xx)
2. 6" screen/device size
3. double camera setup with great software
4. good screen (but all screens are good now)
5. clean OS
6. Biggest battery you can physically get in the device.

There is your £500-£600 phone. I mean, that is *almost* the Pixel 5 except they skimped on the SOC.

Anything above that (very top end chips, bigger sensors/quad cams/lidar, bigger screens, glass covers/stainless steel bezels etc) the price is in the ultra bracket.

Below that you pull back on the SOC slightly (Snapdragon 7xx series), maybe pull back to 1 camera. There is your £300 phone, which is basically what I just bought.

I would say there is room in the middle for a £450 phone too, maybe better camera but last gen SOC.

People buying premium (Iphone 12) will be happy with bigger screens hence why the mini isn't selling. It doesn't mean everyone else doesn't care about essential SOC performance or a good camera system.
 
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danlightbulb said:
I don't think 6" is small (oh err missus).

If you walk around with a 6.7" phone I guess you have a man bag or never go out.

We're not talking the older 4.5-5" phones anymore. 6" is quite quite reasonable for a 'portable' phone.
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Thing is, you can't compare the latest phones physical dimensions by looking at screen size. The P10 mentioned above is the same size as a the P30. It's just that more of the phone is screen instead of bezel. A 6.5in screen isn't a big phone.
 
Bug One said:
Thing is, you can't compare the latest phones physical dimensions by looking at screen size. The P10 mentioned above is the same size as a the P30. It's just that more of the phone is screen instead of bezel. A 6.5in screen isn't a big phone.
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No need for any significant bezels on any phone these days unless you deliberately want a physical button or keyboard. So 6" is essentially device size vertically. My 4a measures 5.75 x 2.75 inches in its new leather case and the screen fills most of that.
 
I feel the OPs pain, but it does sound like the pixel 5 would be ideal (ok, yeah it's been discontinued but still a great phone).

Everyone gets hung up about 'needing' the latest snapdragon, when they probably don't actually need it.

It would be good if google made a smaller pixel though, the size of the 3 was great. Why can't they make a small pixel 6, and a bigger pixel 6 pro? hell, even just a pixel 6 mini
 
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