Let’s talk rumors. Let’s sit down, together, (you are sitting, right?) and look into the future, where everything is truly a mystery, and we’re having fun going over pure conjecture and estimations. I want to do this, because I want to gauge where you are in the smartphone industry. How you feel about size, thinness, and the general hardware of the device(s) you use every single day. We’re going this because it seems, to me, that smartphones are getting too big, and there doesn’t look to be anyway to stop the madness.
We live in a crazy time. Right now, out there in the wild, there is a phone that measures in at 5-inches. And, hold your horses, there’s another phablet that comes in at a whopping 5.5-inches! I know, I know! It’s insanity. But it’s true! And, what’s even a little more crazy, is the fact that there are people out there who really like them!
Yes, I’m one of those crazy people. I like the Galaxy Note II from Samsung and I’m not afraid to admit it. It’s a huge phone, but it’s something that, as a user, you’ll get used to. Or you won’t, and you’ll go back to a smaller display. (Either way, I hope you’ve found a phone you like using every single day. There’s nothing worse than using a phone you hate.) And, I think we can all safely say we know how our very own Taylor Martin feels about the Galaxy Note II. In his two recent “Top 5” videos, the Galaxy Note II made it to the top of the list. So, he likes it. Kind of.
At 5.5-inches, the Galaxy Note II is indeed an impressive device. But, the size can be daunting when you’re just looking at it. If you’ve got small hands, it’s probably not going to be a device you’ll readily want to use, simply because using the large touchscreen won’t be comfortable. However, that S Pen may make it worth it. Especially if you’re tired of typing on your smartphone.
But a new rumor is pointing to an even bigger Galaxy Note. According to a recent report, Samsung is currently planning on releasing the Galaxy Note III sometime next year, which is expected. But, what wasn’t as expected, is the huge rumored increase in screen real estate. The same report points to a Galaxy Note III with a 6.3-inch display. Yeah, six point three inches! We’re nearing tablet size, here, ladies and gentlemen.
And that’s the issue, I think. When I see a report telling me that Samsung is gearing up to launch a device that’s meant to be used as a phone and a tablet, and it measures in at 6.3-inches, I’m just shaking my head and saying, repeatedly, “That’s too big.” Because it is. It is! I know Samsung is looking to bridge the gap between the smartphone and tablet, but here’s the thing: they’ve already done it, with a 5.5-inch phablet. If you put that device next to, say, the Nexus 7, and then next to a 13-inch laptop, you’re dealing with an almost perfect ecosystem of hardware sizes.
But I don’t need the device I’m going to be using as a phone, meaning to text (who makes phone calls anymore?) message, to be almost the same size as a 7-inch tablet. Because, at that point, there’s the hard argument of trying to decide whether or not one or the other device is really worth it. If I’ve got a device like the Galaxy Note III that combines the world of a tablet and smartphone so well, why would I need a tablet? Especially an Android tablet? Is there even an argument for having a Nexus 7 at that point?
Maybe that’s the idea. To make it so that owning a tablet isn’t necessary, but still an option for anyone who wants to go that route. It just doesn’t make sense to me, in my usage scenario. I don’t want a phone (essentially) that’s super, super close in size to my tablet. I just don’t.
But what do you think, Dear Reader? Is the 5.5-inch Galaxy Note II too big? Or just right? Or, perhaps, is the 6.3-inch rumored Galaxy Note III exactly what you’ve been waiting for? Let me know what you think!
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