If that was true, Samsung would've made an equivalent of the S4 with a smaller screen.
The battery is smaller so they have to make it work to that size limit. According to Samsung:
""We want to give people more choices with the Galaxy S4 mini - a similar look and feel to the Galaxy S4 but for more compact and practical usage," Samsung IT and mobile communication division head JK Shin said."
So basically, the S4 is bulky and impractical. The usage is almost identical, same data on screen, one just scaled up:
[VIDEO]
The S4 has a lower spec but that's not important because the discussion has always been about the benefit of the larger screen. It's useful if you use the larger screen for something other than just scaling everything up.
Samsung is simply doing what they've done every year since early 2011... sell a phone with lower specs and price that they call the "Mini".
Not since 2011. They didn't have an S2 Mini. They had an S2 Plus (likely why that rubbish came out about the iPhone Plus), which was the same size as the S2 and an S2 HD that was slightly larger than the main model. They only started doing the Mini series after the iPhone 5. The first Mini model was launched in October/November 2012.
""There's a lot of demand for a 4in screen device in Europe. Some call it an entry-level device, but we call it 'mini.'," said JK Shin"
They have to call it Mini to differentiate it from their flagship model just like they had to use HD or Plus with the S2. It's partly true what you're saying that they'd try to pack as much into the S4 Mini if they intended to be moving towards smaller devices but it's also partly true that they're doing this as a response to Apple's choices in the market. They can call them whatever they like, calling it 'Mini' is not an insult until they sell more of them than Apple. Samsung has shown that they can't even outsell Apple's flagship models despite being cheaper, in more markets, with more options, with more marketing, using devious marketing tactics, running a more open OS.
""We want to give people more choices with the Galaxy S4 mini - a similar look and feel to the Galaxy S4 but for more compact and practical usage," Samsung IT and mobile communication division head JK Shin said."
So basically, the S4 is bulky and impractical. The usage is almost identical, same data on screen, one just scaled up:
*grin* Good eye. Yes, that is funny that they said "more compact and practical". Gotta love marketing.
Just like Apple claiming that no one would buy larger phones, or smaller tablets. And that the 3.5" screen was ideal.
Quote:
The S4 has a lower spec but that's not important because the discussion has always been about the benefit of the larger screen.
On the contrary, the whole point is that posters often claim that the only reason some people get the larger screen, is because there's no equivalent device in a smaller format. Heck, they could be right.
Quote:
Not since 2011. They didn't have an S2 Mini. ... They only started doing the Mini series after the iPhone 5. The first Mini model was launched in October/November 2012.
That sounds like you've taken it out of context, especially considering the S3 still gets the death grip ( ) so clearly not big enough that you can't get your hand round it. So that sort of leaves phablets which we know that very few people are buying.
Apple also hasn't gone back to 3.5" phones nor have they made a horrible form factor 7" 16:9 tablet so it's not as if they couldn't decide for themselves what was best. The 3.5" size still is ideal, especially in terms of width. All Apple did with the iPhone 5 was maximize the height, which for some people does make it less than ideal but it was the right compromise to make to fit more content on screen. A further compromise in size couldn't fit more on screen because developers would have to code differently for each model.
On the contrary, the whole point is that posters often claim that the only reason some people get the larger screen, is because there's no equivalent device in a smaller format. Heck, they could be right.
It's also to do with the marketing around the flagship model. A lot of people won't even be aware that an S4 Mini exists now.
Comments
It's completely conceivable that 3.5" display iPhones outsell the 4" ones. Without numbers we don't know, but does it matter to the guy buying one?
The battery is smaller so they have to make it work to that size limit. According to Samsung:
""We want to give people more choices with the Galaxy S4 mini - a similar look and feel to the Galaxy S4 but for more compact and practical usage," Samsung IT and mobile communication division head JK Shin said."
http://news.sky.com/story/1097368/samsung-keeps-pressure-on-apple-with-mini-s4
So basically, the S4 is bulky and impractical. The usage is almost identical, same data on screen, one just scaled up:
[VIDEO]
The S4 has a lower spec but that's not important because the discussion has always been about the benefit of the larger screen. It's useful if you use the larger screen for something other than just scaling everything up.
Not since 2011. They didn't have an S2 Mini. They had an S2 Plus (likely why that rubbish came out about the iPhone Plus), which was the same size as the S2 and an S2 HD that was slightly larger than the main model. They only started doing the Mini series after the iPhone 5. The first Mini model was launched in October/November 2012.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/oct/10/samsung-launch-galaxy-s3-smartphone
""There's a lot of demand for a 4in screen device in Europe. Some call it an entry-level device, but we call it 'mini.'," said JK Shin"
They have to call it Mini to differentiate it from their flagship model just like they had to use HD or Plus with the S2. It's partly true what you're saying that they'd try to pack as much into the S4 Mini if they intended to be moving towards smaller devices but it's also partly true that they're doing this as a response to Apple's choices in the market. They can call them whatever they like, calling it 'Mini' is not an insult until they sell more of them than Apple. Samsung has shown that they can't even outsell Apple's flagship models despite being cheaper, in more markets, with more options, with more marketing, using devious marketing tactics, running a more open OS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin
""We want to give people more choices with the Galaxy S4 mini - a similar look and feel to the Galaxy S4 but for more compact and practical usage," Samsung IT and mobile communication division head JK Shin said."
So basically, the S4 is bulky and impractical. The usage is almost identical, same data on screen, one just scaled up:
*grin* Good eye. Yes, that is funny that they said "more compact and practical". Gotta love marketing.
Just like Apple claiming that no one would buy larger phones, or smaller tablets. And that the 3.5" screen was ideal.
Quote:
The S4 has a lower spec but that's not important because the discussion has always been about the benefit of the larger screen.
On the contrary, the whole point is that posters often claim that the only reason some people get the larger screen, is because there's no equivalent device in a smaller format. Heck, they could be right.
Quote:
Not since 2011. They didn't have an S2 Mini. ... They only started doing the Mini series after the iPhone 5. The first Mini model was launched in October/November 2012.
The first Galaxy Mini was announced January 2011.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_mini_s5570-3725.php
I don't remember Apple saying no one would buy larger phones. Steve said at the antenna event:
"making a phone so big "you can't get your hand around it" helps, but "no one's going to buy that""
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/jobs-no-ones-going-to-buy-a-big-phone/
That sounds like you've taken it out of context, especially considering the S3 still gets the death grip (
Apple also hasn't gone back to 3.5" phones nor have they made a horrible form factor 7" 16:9 tablet so it's not as if they couldn't decide for themselves what was best. The 3.5" size still is ideal, especially in terms of width. All Apple did with the iPhone 5 was maximize the height, which for some people does make it less than ideal but it was the right compromise to make to fit more content on screen. A further compromise in size couldn't fit more on screen because developers would have to code differently for each model.
It's also to do with the marketing around the flagship model. A lot of people won't even be aware that an S4 Mini exists now.
Oh, I thought you meant the S series. The Galaxy Mini wasn't the Galaxy S Mini but the next revision of the Galaxy 5. It's all on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy
They make a hell of a lot of models under the same brand.