First Click: Would you ever go back to a 4-inch phone?
March 25th, 2016
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“Nice baby phone,” I think to myself whenever I pick up my old iPhone 5, now entrusted to the tiny Trump-sized hands of my youngest son. Having driven a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus for the last year and a half, it’s hard to believe I happily used a 4-inch display. Don’t get me wrong, I love the way 4-inch phones feel in the hand. And I miss one-handed typing and the way the iPhone 5 used to slip into my pocket and reside there without any discomfort. But I don’t think I could ever go back.
Apple’s 4-inch iPhone SE went up for preorder yesterday ahead of its March 31st release. My colleague Lauren Goode has already been using a review unit for the past couple of days, and shares my doubts of ever going small again. But she also acknowledges an unexpected benefit for people who are increasingly trying to minimize digital distractions. "A small screen really makes you feel like you’re not quite as committed to it," writes Goode, "and for some people, maybe that will be the point."
Of course, Lauren and I aren’t the primary targets for iPhone SE sales. As Cook and Co said at the event on Monday, it’s really for first time iPhone buyers and for those with an older device who don’t want to upgrade to a giant iPhone 6S or 6S Plus.
What about you, Android and iOS users? Would you ever "downgrade" to a smaller phone?
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