VideoGist - Small Phones are Dead and We Killed Them

Small Phones are Dead and We Killed Them

Marques Brownlee

8 min, 42 sec

An in-depth look at the demise of small flagship smartphones, the industry's trends towards larger phones, and the reasons behind the shift.

Summary

The speaker discusses the rarity and eventual extinction of small flagship phones, with the last standing being the Asus Zenfone series.
The evolution of smartphone sizes is observed, from small screens to the nearly mainstream seven-inch phones.
The trend shows that despite occasional releases of smaller phones due to demand for compact alternatives, these models do not last long in the market.
The Asus Zenfone 9 and its successor, the Zenfone 10, are highlighted for their flagship quality in a smaller size, but the trend did not continue with larger successors.
The speaker discusses Apple's experience with the iPhone Mini, its poor sales despite positive reviews, and its replacement with larger models.

Chapter 1

0:00 - 20 sec

Introduction to the topic of small flagship phones and their rarity.

The speaker has consistently mentioned how small flagship phones are a rare breed in past videos.
It is pointed out that the small flagship phone breed is now extinct.

Chapter 2

0:27 - 49 sec

A historical overview of the increase in smartphone screen sizes and the occasional introduction of smaller variants.

The speaker recalls the transition from smaller phones to larger four, five, and six-inch screens, almost reaching seven inches.
Manufacturers have repeatedly introduced smaller alternative phones as screens got larger, such as the Samsung Galaxy S Mini and iPhone Mini.

Chapter 3

1:25 - 52 sec

The speaker praises the Asus Zenfone series for maintaining flagship quality in a smaller form factor.

The Asus Zenfone 9 is celebrated for its flagship specs and won the speaker's small phone of the year award.
The Zenfone 10 improved on the Zenfone 9's few flaws, but the trend of small flagship phones ended as the Zenfone series moved to larger sizes.

Chapter 4

2:23 - 2 min, 50 sec

An examination of Apple's venture into smaller flagship phones with the iPhone Mini series and its eventual discontinuation.

Apple's iPhone Mini, despite positive reviews, sold poorly and was discontinued in favor of larger models.
The iPhone Mini's failure is attributed to the lack of sufficient market demand for small phones.

Chapter 5

5:42 - 1 min, 52 sec

Analysis of the shift in market trends that influenced Asus to transition from the small Zenfone to a larger model.

Asus' new Zenfone model is a large 6.8 inch phone, following the general trend of increasing smartphone sizes.
The speaker speculates that the previous small Zenfone models did not sell well, leading Asus to shift focus to a larger flagship.

Chapter 6

7:41 - 52 sec

Discussion of the enthusiast phone dilemma and its impact on the market for small flagship phones.

Enthusiast phones, like the small Zenfone, have a passionate but small audience which does not translate into wide market success.
The shift towards larger phones is also observed in budget models, with examples like the Pixel 7A and Nothing Phone 2a.