Another nail gets hammered into the small phone’s coffin. Asus is teasing a new “Ultra” version of its beloved Zenfone – seemingly abandoning the tiny display that defined the line.
For years, the Zenfone resisted phablet fever with a petite 5.9-inch screen. But as Asus hints about “expanding vision” in a March 14th event, Zenfone is clearly getting supersized.
If you cherish one-handed texting and pocket-friendly devices like me, pour one out for the compact Zenfone. Let’s reminisce about its qualities before big phones dominate completely.
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A Rare Breed
In the age of 6 to 7-inch beast phones, Zenfone stood as an anomaly. Flagship Androids keep pushing outrageous dimensions that stretch hands and jeans to the limit.
But like Apple’s ill-fated iPhone Mini, Zenfone delivered nearly all the same power in a smaller package. The most recent Zenfone 9 and 10 rocked top-tier specs at only 151 x 68 mm.
While competitors continually ballooned, Asus kept Zenfone’s screen capped at 5.9 inches since the early days. That one-handed gripability became its superpower.
I admired its stubborn resolve as other brands caved to market pressure for max-sized screens. RIP my sweet compact prince!
The “Small” Illusion
Admittedly, the Zenfone was never tinier than vintage iPhones. Side-by-side with today’s Galaxy S23, it shrank only a few millimeters in height and width.
But when holding my iPhone 13 Mini, for example, those extra millimeters make a difference! It gets me tapping hard-to-reach corners without hand strain.
So why do modern phone buyers chase bigger displays above all else? Is a 6.8-inch screen noticeably better than 5.9 inches day-to-day? I doubt it.
Yet the masses have spoken: phablet dominion is at hand! And Asus now bows down before the giant phone takeover.
The Death of Small Phones
With Zenfone switching sides, Apple remains one of the last defenders of compact phones. But we know how that tale ends…
Despite rave reviews, the iPhone Mini was discontinued after pathetic sales. Turns out aside from tech bloggers, barely anyone wanted a tiny premium phone.
Samsung similarly gave up on pint-sized devices like the Galaxy S10e. Big screens print money; small screens gather dust on store shelves.
And as profits talk, Asus’ strategy shift makes total financial sense. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em at sweet phablet profit margins!
RIP tiny Zenfone – your reasonable dimensions will still be missed. We premium power users promise to cling onto our aging little phones until they no longer turn on!
What say you, friends? Are jumbo screens worth trading phone grip and pocket comfort? Or are you holding out for the next tiny flagship rebel like me? Sound off in the comments!
