Manufacturers don’t make displays under 6 inches available for purchase, with special cases (such as the iPhone Mini) being made under exclusive contracts. The best lead they have so far is to try to use displays designed for the front part of a foldable phone, but they’re yet to strike an agreement.
TIL that display manufacturers are also part of the reason why we aren’t getting small phones and why it’s probably even harder for manufacturers like Fairphone to make them.
My favourite phone ever was my first android phone in 2010, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini (e10i). Every time I’ve had to buy a phone since, I’ve looked around trying to find something similar, but it feels like no such thing will ever exist.
Loved that phone. Check out the Jelly Star (I have the Jelly 2) if you want a small, full featured Android. Compromises for the size and price of course, but it has a headphone jack, sd card, IR blaster, and usb-c - everything I need.
Unihertz phones are really cool. My main phone is an S20 but I use an Atom with downloaded podcasts for hikes and runs.
Sony used to sell smaller phones in general. Plus, they all come with headphone hacks.
Nothing quite as small as the Mini, but the Sony Xperia 5 V is relatively compact in a “thin but tall” way. Sadly, I don’t think they’re still producing their Compact lineup.
If you want to go tiny, there’s the Unihertz Jelly Star:
Unihertz sells a phone with a 4.2" screen, but it’s still tall because there’s a physical QWERTY keyboard underneath the screen.
You just brought back fond memories of mine
I loved sliding that keyboard
I still have one in a drawer! It’s functional, but too old to use…
It was the perfect phone.