So lately I’ve been noticing that companies are starting to follow a trend: make bigger phones, make smaller tablets. While this trend seems to work for a lot of companies as these forms grow in popularity, I have to wonder how long this trend will last. There was a point in time not so long ago where having the smallest phone was the latest fad, and now having phones that are one to two inches shy of being labeled a tablet is the new thing. While I can understand some people wanting to combine their phone and tablet into one, I have to wonder where the stopping point is between “phone” and “tablet”.

Personally, I like to keep my phone small and my tablets large. That’s part of the reason I have an iPhone still - because of the smallish screen. When I place my iPhone on top of my Kindle Fire HD, there is a pretty big difference in size; there is a purpose to me owning a tablet with better readability. What I don’t understand are people who carry around a gargantuan phone like the Note II and a tiny tablet like the iPad Mini. The Galaxy Note II in itself is big enough to be considered a small tablet, hence the name “phablet”, but what’s the point of buying such a device if you’re going to end up carrying around a second tablet anyway? Is it really still considered “too small” for comfortable readability?

I imagine 7 inches is probably the smallest any tablet will get before being labeled as a smartphone, but then you see rumors of phones getting even bigger than the 5.5” display that makes the Galaxy Note II so large and I have to wonder what the limit is for a smartphone to become a tablet. I’d like to say that 7” is the max, but for some reason I see that rule bending sometime in the future. Rumor has it that the Galaxy Note III will have a 6.3” display. That’s almost a whole inch bigger than it is in its current form. If that phone gets released with that big of a display, I don’t want to hear people calling it a “phablet”; don’t be fooled, citizens! That is not a phone with the intention of doubling as a tablet; that is a tablet disguising itself as a smartphone – a “tablone” if you will. I no longer snicker at the people I see come into a cell phone store and point to a 7” tablet and say, “What phone is that?” because they’re not that far off from getting, “Why, that’s the Galaxy Note IV!” as the answer.

I’m really just wondering how far is too far for these companies. I say pick one and stick with it. If you want big phones then make big phones, but for goodness’ sake try to keep it simple so people can tell the difference between a phone and a tablet. I feel that 5.5” is obviously very well-received when you look at the sales and reception of the Galaxy Note II, but don’t push a good thing too far! The Galaxy Note II is a fine phone, and probably the only phone I’m willing to overlook the size for in order to enjoy the features. I think that instead of focusing on making the next Note bigger, they should focus on enhancing the features and specs to make it better.

What do you think readers? Just how big is too big for a phone? And how small is too small for a tablet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!