I have been using an iPhone since I replaced a Nokia with the first iPhone 3G sold in the province of Tarragona, Spain. Those were other times, of course, but being one of the first has allowed me check the evolution of the Apple smartphone in the palm of my hand since its inception.
The iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4 and 5 have passed through my hand. Until then, the issue of size was not a problem: with the thumb I could reach everywhere. And then all of a sudden the iPhone 6 came along with the option to have the then huge iPhone 6 Plus with its 5.5-inch screen.
From prioritizing comfort to the broader use of the iPhone
I remember compulsively buying the iPhone 6 Plus in Madrid, in the middle of a leisure trip, taking advantage of the fact that they had already opened the Apple Store in Puerta del Sol. Like everyone else, the idea of having a much larger screen was very attractive and the initial feeling it was fantastic.
But as the days went by I found that using that iPhone was more uncomfortable. I had to wreak havoc to fit in my pants pocket, and using it with one hand had become mission impossible. I am a person with very small hands, so I noticed it more than the average person.
The iPhone 6 Plus made me go back to the small size with the iPhone 7, and to defend small mobiles
So while many adopted that big screen as the new standard, after a while I ended up going back to the smallest size with the purchase of an iPhone 7. Being able to use an iPhone with just one hand pleased me again, and I became an advocate for small mobiles.
But of course, it was time to replace the iPhone 7 with a new model, and then I went to the new standard which was the iPhone XS. It is the phone that I still have today and performance level I am very satisfied with it, but I have had to get used to using the mobile phone almost always with both hands. We were already at a time when large mobiles were the order of the day, so you had to resign yourself if you wanted the latest technology and the best performance.
At this point in history, you will understand that the arrival of the iPhone 12 mini it was a great joy for me. Finally, Apple contemplated in its flagship range those who wanted the newest but at the same time in a small and manageable size. I decided to keep my XS to pay for it more, but at that point I thought to myself that my next iPhone was going to be one of these minis. I confirmed it as soon as I could hold one in my hands for a while. “The perfect iPhone“, said.
But time goes by, and there is a factor that I had not taken into account and that has made my opinion take a 180 degree turn. The use that I gave to my iPhone when it was the time of the iPhone 6 Plus was just a paltry part of how I use my iPhone XS in 2021.
My use of the iPhone in 2021 is conclusive: the big screen gives more benefits than the portability of a small one
Work and my mobility have meant that, even having a tremendously portable 11-inch iPad Pro in my backpack, for convenience and speed I do a lot of business on the phone. Check and reply to emails, manage my calendar that I use as a task and productivity manager, and even edit personal finance spreadsheets and issue invoices. All this, from the screen of an iPhone and using both hands to be more agile.
Doing all that on an iPhone 12 mini would mean going slower due to the size of the screen, because you would see less data on it. It would also be sacrificing autonomy and writing messages in a more uncomfortable way because the keyboard would be narrower. More portability and convenience, yes, but a clumsier user experience.
So after testing all the models in person, I must assume what I already see irremediable: I adore the iPhone 12 mini and I will adore the probabe iPhone 13 mini, but surely my next iPhone is going to be a Pro Max by the size of your screen. The use that I give to the iPhone XS right now asks me, and it lets me see that every time I will do more things from the phone than with the tablets when I am not sitting at my desk.
Yes, it will be more uncomfortable in some moments, but for all these uses I will appreciate it. Even my eyesight, already haunted by a lifetime of screen-watching, will also benefit. Depending on what happens I will do it this fall or in 2022 … and we will see if there will be folding models with even bigger screens then.