Are compact smartphones making a comeback?
Compact smartphones may never be mainstream, but their appeal lies in ease of use, pocketability, and even digital well-being. In 2025, they're making a quiet comeback, with smaller flagships that offer ease of use but don’t compromise on performance
Rachna Bhola, a marketing leader at a Gurgaon-based digital agency, is finally buying a flagship smartphone—the Google Pixel 10 Pro. All this while, she wasn’t limited by budget but options in the market. Most flagship smartphones have a large form factor, and while there is usually a smaller variant in the portfolio of phones brands drop every year, they are mostly underpowered or miss marquee features. “Lugging around a large phone is a chore. I have my notebook and pen to carry when I’m juggling between meetings or must hold on to my seven-year-old when I’m out with family. My phone anyway suffers a few accidental drops, and I can’t risk more with a phone that I can’t grip properly when I’m out and about," she explains.
Last year, Google added a variant to its Pixel line-up: along with the usual Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, the company added another, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, for those who want a bigger display. The Pixel 9 Pro now was the same size as the younger sibling Pixel 9 (6.3-inch) with the internals of the 9 Pro XL (6.8-inch). So, you had the option to get a flagship phone in a smaller size. Google has followed the same this year with the Pixel 10 lineup, and that’s what got Bhola interested. A compact smartphone that’s easier to grip and pocketable and not underpowered…what’s not to like?
For over a decade, flagship smartphones have steadily grown in size, leaving users who prefer smaller, handier devices with underpowered “value" models. Now, brands like Google, vivo, and OnePlus are experimenting with compact flagships that combine portability with top-end features. Devices such as the Pixel 10 Pro, vivo X200FE, and OnePlus 13s show how a 6.3-inch screen can balance ergonomics, performance, and battery life. Yet the market remains limited, as most consumers still prioritise large displays for media, productivity, and multitasking.
The vivo X200FE serves as a case study of the 2025 compact philosophy. With a 6.31-inch display, it fits squarely within the new compact definition. Its physical dimensions (150.8 x 71.8 x 8.0mm) and weight (186g) are engineered for one-handed use without feeling insubstantial.
It’s a powerful phone with a stellar camera and 6,500mAh battery. Of course, vivo had to make calculated sacrifices in other areas, like the choices of camera lenses, but for most users it’s a compact smartphone that checks all the boxes. Similarly, there’s OnePlus 13s, a smaller sibling of OnePlus 13, with a 6.32-inch display.
The growing interest in compact flagships might also convince the likes of Samsung and Apple to up the ante on their smaller phones, which have traditionally been underpowered in the garb of being “value" offerings. Apple, with its 2025 line-up, has bumped up the cameras on their 6.3-inch iPhone 17 Pro, reducing the delta between the Pro and the 6.9-inch iPhone Pro Max models.
The evolution of smartphone size
Till the early 2010s, the smartphone market was populated by a range of devices with sub-5-inch screens, a size now considered diminutive. Over the past decade, however, the average screen size has ballooned to a modern standard that often exceeds 6.5 inches. This evolution is not merely a design trend but a fundamental shift in the smartphone’s role—the transformation from a communication-first device into a primary computing and media consumption portal.
Even though he has a laptop in the hostel room, a lot of his reading and note-taking happens on the phone, says Maulik Tyagi, a third-year law student, explaining his preference for large-screen smartphones. “In fact, I used someone’s foldable phone for a week, and would really love something like that, if it wasn’t that expensive," says Maulik.
“The availability of compact yet powerful options in the market still remains limited. About 90% of smartphones launched in 2024 featured screens larger than 6.5 inches," says Counterpoint Research director Tarun Pathak. The industry’s aversion to producing true compact flagships has been firmly rooted in market data—a product category with a documented history of poor sales, like the iPhone mini series.
According to Faisal Kawoosa, founder and chief analyst at technology research and consulting firm Techarc, most users prefer larger screens due to media consumption, multitasking, and digital productivity needs. In fact, despite the current hype, he believes that there’s a decline in interest for smaller form factors, with exceptions only for niche demographics. “Manufacturers introduce them mostly to cater to style-conscious users—not necessarily productivity-first," says Kawoosa. And, therefore, large screen smartphones have become the norm despite the many challenges, including poor one-handed useability, lack of a secure grip and an increased risk of accidental drops, and significant discomfort during extended use.
Ergonomics are important
Modern consumer demands are non-negotiable: a multi-day battery, an advanced multi-camera system, and a powerful processor that requires adequate thermal management are table stakes for a premium device. The modern “compact" phone is not small by historical standards, but it is noticeably smaller than the 6.7-inch and larger flagships that dominate the premium market. This new definition represents the smallest possible size that can still deliver a feature set that consumers deem acceptable for a flagship device in 2025.
An ideal ergonomic design allows a user to comfortably reach the entire screen with the thumb of the holding hand without needing to shift their grip, which is difficult on devices exceeding 6.3 inches for the average user. The proliferation of large smartphones has been accompanied by a rise in musculoskeletal and repetitive strain injuries and general hand fatigue resulting from the sustained grip required to hold a large, heavy device.
Then there’s pocketability—a primary driver for the compact enthusiast is the simple, practical desire for a phone that fits comfortably and securely in a pocket without being obtrusive or restrictive.
A more subtle but important theme is intentionality. The very design of a large-screen smartphone, with its expansive and immersive display, is optimized for and encourages passive, long-form content consumption, such as video streaming and endless social media scrolling. A smaller screen doesn’t hold you for long, adds friction for such digital habits, and reduces screen time, which many users are actively trying to combat.
The primary pitch of modern foldable flip phones—small, pocketable chassis and one-hand uesability along with a large screen canvas when opened—could make them the true successors of compact phones. The Motorola Razr 60 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 aren’t just fashion forward devices, but have also more weight thrown behind them by smartphone brands.
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