Much of the talk coming out of Mobile World Congress has revolved around bigger screens. With the exception of the HTC Flyer, all of the tablets announced at MWC (and previously at CES) were rocking the 10-inch or 9-inch screen. Similarly, all of the high-end smartphones had 4-inch or larger screen sizes, with the ‘smaller’ 3.7-inch relegated to the entry-level and mid-range handsets.
HTC bucked the trend by introducing a new 7-inch tablet called the Flyer
It’s purely a matter of preference, but I’ve surprised myself in the past few months by preferring the smaller screen sizes. Whenever I leave the house, I always reach for the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the iPad stays at home. I’ve been using the HTC Desire since the start of this month after upgrading it to Gingerbread, and I haven’t missed using my Samsung Galaxy S at all – largely because I like the compact form factor of the Desire. Even though the Galaxy S is the superior phone in pretty much every regard (internal storage, speed, screen, etc), the Desire has continued to be my primary phone for the last three weeks. Of course, the Desire’s superior build quality plays a part as well – I like the rubberised back and the way the edges are curved and hug my hand nicely; the Galaxy S’s plasticky build was never a big attraction for me, even with a case on.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab: much easier to use one-handed compared to the iPad
But it’s interesting how I’ve come to prefer the smaller screen sizes overall, despite having access to devices with larger displays. It’s not like I can’t carry the latter – one of the perks of being female is that I’m used to carrying a handbag with me and I usually load it up to the brim with all manner of gadgets! But it’s the experience of holding the devices that makes all the difference. A 10-inch tablet requires two hands to hold, while a 7-inch tablet can be held with one hand reasonably comfortably. Likewise, a 4-inch smartphone sits rather wide in the palm of my hand, whereas a 3.7-inch smartphone feels just right.
This preference is probably going to affect my upgrade choices this year. I’m naturally drawn to the high-end power user devices like the Motorola XOOM, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Motorola Atrix and Samsung Galaxy S II, but all of these have the larger displays! Knowing myself as I do, I will most likely succumb to the urge of owning the latest and greatest rather than going with any ‘ergonomic’ concerns (what can I say, it’s the ‘Gadget Monkey’ inside me that’s making me do it! 
), but wouldn’t it be nice if the mobile manufacturers offered flagship devices with a smaller screen size option for a slightly cheaper price?
Of course, this means I’ll have to reinstall of my apps all over again, which is a drag and a half, but it’ll be worth it for making an old phone feel new again. That’s one of the perks of having so many smartphones – I can juggle between them and feel as if I’m using a new smartphone each time without actually having to buy a new one! Perhaps I’ll get a new case for it as well? 