Small phone for tech dummy - please advise

[Anonymous]

I like small phones, they fit my hands and pockets better. I need something easy to use so cutting edge bells and whistles will probably be wasted on me, although I will probably be keeping it for longer than usual so I would like something that won't become obsolete for a while. I've had an Android phone, but would be open to an Apple if I can move my stuff over (emails, pictures, texts, calendar, contacts, etc.) fairly easily. I'd prefer not to spend a lot, but am willing to invest if necessary to get what I want.

For reference, my current phone is a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (124.60 x 61.30 x 8.94 mm). It was great when I got it, but is barely usable now. Currently, if not recharging, I get about 5-20 minutes of battery life, most aps are no longer supported, some lock up/crash, and I can't do Zoom at all. I would like something that's reasonably fast, takes pretty good (amateur, point and click) pictures, has a reasonable battery life, and can run common aps.

Please help!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like small phones, they fit my hands and pockets better. I need something easy to use so cutting edge bells and whistles will probably be wasted on me, although I will probably be keeping it for longer than usual so I would like something that won't become obsolete for a while. I've had an Android phone, but would be open to an Apple if I can move my stuff over (emails, pictures, texts, calendar, contacts, etc.) fairly easily. I'd prefer not to spend a lot, but am willing to invest if necessary to get what I want.

For reference, my current phone is a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (124.60 x 61.30 x 8.94 mm). It was great when I got it, but is barely usable now. Currently, if not recharging, I get about 5-20 minutes of battery life, most aps are no longer supported, some lock up/crash, and I can't do Zoom at all. I would like something that's reasonably fast, takes pretty good (amateur, point and click) pictures, has a reasonable battery life, and can run common aps.

Please help!

Have you taken a look at the iPhone 12 Mini? It's only slightly larger than your current phone. It is current gen and fairly expensive though and I know you said you don't want to spend much. That being said, your current phone is from 2013 so you're definitely due for an upgrade at this point and not many companies are putting out small phones any longer. Also, rumor has it that the iPhone 12 mini is selling poorly and it's in doubt if they'll continue producing mini's in the future so I suggest you get one while you can. While the size is only a little bigger than your current phone, the screen size is much larger since it doesn't have the bezel at the top and bottom that your current phone has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like small phones, they fit my hands and pockets better. I need something easy to use so cutting edge bells and whistles will probably be wasted on me, although I will probably be keeping it for longer than usual so I would like something that won't become obsolete for a while. I've had an Android phone, but would be open to an Apple if I can move my stuff over (emails, pictures, texts, calendar, contacts, etc.) fairly easily. I'd prefer not to spend a lot, but am willing to invest if necessary to get what I want.

For reference, my current phone is a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (124.60 x 61.30 x 8.94 mm). It was great when I got it, but is barely usable now. Currently, if not recharging, I get about 5-20 minutes of battery life, most aps are no longer supported, some lock up/crash, and I can't do Zoom at all. I would like something that's reasonably fast, takes pretty good (amateur, point and click) pictures, has a reasonable battery life, and can run common aps.

Please help!

Have you taken a look at the iPhone 12 Mini? It's only slightly larger than your current phone. It is current gen and fairly expensive though and I know you said you don't want to spend much. That being said, your current phone is from 2013 so you're definitely due for an upgrade at this point and not many companies are putting out small phones any longer. Also, rumor has it that the iPhone 12 mini is selling poorly and it's in doubt if they'll continue producing mini's in the future so I suggest you get one while you can. While the size is only a little bigger than your current phone, the screen size is much larger since it doesn't have the bezel at the top and bottom that your current phone has.

Just saw this question. I just swapped from an S4 Mini to an iPhone 12 Mini for the same reasons. Dying battery life, no security updates. Wanted a small phone with decent battery life. Have many other devices for when I need a larger screen.

General impressions -

Switching the few apps I use wasn't any big deal.

Camera/screen/etc. are much nicer than the S4 Mini's.

I never had a cover for the S4 Mini, so YMMV. Without the cover, the S4's rounded edges made it really comfortable in my hand, good size, easy to find buttons - so up/down orientation - without looking. The 12 Mini feels like it's designed to be used with a cover and is really awkward without one. The 12 Mini is boxy and, because boxy, it doesn't have the same natural feel and the buttons buried in the sides of the box. I have to look at the iPhone to find out which way is up/where the buttons are. I'll probably end up adding an OtterBox cover to round the edges out and let me find the buttons/orientation by feel. Result will be my new phone will be much larger than the screen size delta implies - probably half an inch wider and much thicker than the S4 Mini. I won't like it nearly as much as the S4 Mini, but, it won't be nearly as bad as the iPhone 11 I have for work.

[Anonymous]

The iphone SE is small too, and not too expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The iphone SE is small too, and not too expensive.

Yes, I upgraded both my phone and my daughter’s phone to the new SE last year. It has the power of recent model iPhones (like the 11) but the small size of a 7, which we were replacing. They are perfect for us.

[Anonymous]

OP here - Thanks everyone for all your help. I ended up getting an iPhone 12 mini through the Verizon promotion. They had trouble transferring the data, but suggested I try another store. I'm still figuring it out, but am so excited to be back in sync with everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Thanks everyone for all your help. I ended up getting an iPhone 12 mini through the Verizon promotion. They had trouble transferring the data, but suggested I try another store. I'm still figuring it out, but am so excited to be back in sync with everyone else.

Did you ever get your Android data moved over? At least it will be easy to keep it from phone to phone if you stay with iPhone in the future. How's it worked out over the last month size-wise?