GoKawiilJoe Maring / Android Authority
Samsung launched the Galaxy S26 series back in February, and the base Galaxy S26 is one of the best smaller Android phones on the market. I say “smaller,” because you and I both know that this isn’t actually a small phone.
In fact, it’s virtually impossible to find a legitimately small phone from a major manufacturer in 2026. Here’s why I miss them and really want them to make a comeback in the near future.
Do you miss truly small phones in 2026? 80 votes Yes, I do 66 % No, I don't 34 %
When small phones were actually small
When I’m talking about a small phone, I generally mean a device with a sub-6-inch screen, though I’m also fine with a 6.1-inch display. By contrast, the base Galaxy S26 is actually larger than previous entries and now has a 6.3-inch display. That’s still small, right?
Unfortunately, my time with 6.3-inch phones in 2026 has convinced me that while they’re smaller than today’s average phones, they’re still not truly small. I extensively used the vivo X300 and Xiaomi 17, and briefly used the Galaxy S26. Unfortunately, these phones all have aspect ratios that make it a little tough to reach the top of the display. Furthermore, these devices don’t quite disappear into your pocket like legitimately small phones.
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When I think of small phones, I immediately think of devices like the ASUS Zenfone 9 (5.99-inch display), the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact series (5-inch screen), and Samsung Galaxy S10e (5.8-inch). When you ignore the actual screen sizes, which can be clouded by varying aspect ratios, you’ve got phones that vary in height from 135mm to ~146mm. Even the Galaxy S25 counts in my book, although it’s just a hair under 147mm.
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