If you would look at the trends on mobile technology, you’d observe massive changes in screen size. Back in 2007, 3.5 inches was already enough; it was big. The likes of the HTC HD2 was even considered to be very exotic and enormous at 4.3 inches.
Then, Android came along with Windows Mobile, and sooner, Windows Phone. The Nexus one brought a 3.7” AMOLED display into the table, and what came next was a series of screen upgrades. The first Samsung Galaxy S had a 4 inch display, which was a key selling point against the iPhone 4. Again, Google indirectly made that a standard through the Nexus S.
Little more time passed, the next wave of phones came – the Samsung Galaxy S II, the HTC Sensation and the others. Bigger and clearer displays seemed to appeal to the consumer, so maybe the companies thought: Let’s make our products bigger!
Here they went again. The Galaxy Nexus sets a 4.65 inch screen size standard and from that, the likes of the Optimus 4X HD, the One X and the S III emerged. Admit it or not, the iPhone was pressured to change its screen size because of the competition.
On the other side of the coin, everyone seemed to like the 9.7 inch iPad. In fact, the majority would pick an iPad over an Android tablet. Google aimed quite lower with the 7 inch Nexus 7 and it was a success. Because of Google’s control on the 7 inch tablet market, Apple came out with its own representative, the iPad Mini.
It’s also true that some people would still stick to their large tablets, which is probably why Google launched a Nexus 10, but the average consumer would definitely pick something lighter and cheaper without much compromise.
Just recently, 5 inch phones are popping out in every corner (that may be a hint of what to expect next year). Let’s also not forget the highly successful Galaxy Note 2 with the gargantuan 5.5 inch display. Suddenly, the idea of 13 inch tablets evaporated and the thought of having a ‘phablet’ seems less weird now.
The idea leaves us wondering, would we see the day where screen sizes will stop changing? And at what display size? Maybe next year, we’ll see an iPad Nano to compete with the ‘phablets’; who knows? Tablets are getting smaller and phones are getting bigger. If they do meet half way, there is a possibility that ‘phablets’ are the future.
Who’s to say what is what and which is which really? it’s a matter of preference… :D screen below 5″ is too small for me… :D