It's true that you use a 5" phone differently than a 3.5" phone. But a 5" phone comes with a lot of advantages of its own, which you might find hard to recognize if that's not what you're using.
> All I need is phone calls, texting, GPS/maps, snapcat, music, and (usually reading only) email and OneNote.
Well that's probably just because you use your current phone for these things. Who's to say that the bigger screen won't make you do more or other things with it?
I'm not trying to pick on your taste, or say that your taste is wrong. This is just a reply to the general sentiment that you express which I see expressed many times in these discussions. I'm saying that many people complaining about these large sizes are just complaining that they can't use their new phone in exactly the same way as their old one. As if that is some self-evident bad thing. But it comes down purely to taste and - as with anything that depends on taste - it doesn't hurt to try something new sometimes.
> many people complaining about these large sizes are just complaining that they can't use their new phone in exactly the same way as their old one.
I don't care what i can and can't use the phone for (to reasonable extents), i care about the constraints it adds to the rest of my life. If it can't fit in my pocket everything else i do that does not involve the phone just suffers (yes, some things in life actually still happen outside the phone).
> Well that's probably just because you use your current phone for these things. Who's to say that the bigger screen won't make you do more or other things with it?
You may be right. But even so, I spend enough time on my phone even with the limited uses. If I had a bigger screen, maybe I'd use it for reading and writing emails. But I don't know that I want to.
If I could get a 6" phone that was as comfortable to read on as my Nook, I'd be all over it. The e-ink versions, not the Nook HD. Reading books is a great use case for a screen bigger than 3.5".
Addendum - Fundamentally, I see my phone as a minor utility/convenience item. I use it for occasional tasks like making dinner reservations, finding cheap gas, ordering takeout, finding ATMs, tracking runs, checking weather forecasts. None of those things need a 6" screen.
I'm sure Safari would be better on one, but I don't want to make it easier to sit around and browse the internet. As it stands, viewing photos is the best justification that I can come up with. I think these phones are just designed for a different sort of user. But people like me can't be that uncommon, can we?
> Addendum - Fundamentally, I see my phone as a minor utility/convenience item. I use it for occasional tasks like making dinner reservations, finding cheap gas, ordering takeout, finding ATMs, tracking runs, checking weather forecasts.
Again, that is probably only because you view your current phone as such. Who's to say that you won't see a larger phone an even more useful tool? I'm not saying that you will, I'm saying you haven't tried and therefore don't know.
> None of those things need a 6" screen.
It's not really a question of necessity. I agree. My contention is that you should not be dismissive of 6" (or 4.5" , or 5") devices a priori because "you don't need it" - because there is a chance you'll enjoy it more. If user experience matters to you, then it wouldn't hurt to give it a try. If it doesn't, there are some small sub $150 Windows Phones that fit those needs marvelously. And that's fine too.
I do intend to do T-Mobile's 7-day network "Test Drive" once they switch it from the 5S to the 6, so I'll find out for sure then.
Maybe an extra 1.2" of screen is just the thing for comfortably finding gas stations. But does it make up for having to carry it around all the time?
For reference, http://i.imgur.com/ZbodDFx.png and my 4S are the entire contents of my pockets on a typical day. No car clicker, no trifold wallet, small phone.
"If I could get a 6" phone that was as comfortable to read on as my Nook, I'd be all over it. The e-ink versions, not the Nook HD. Reading books is a great use case for a screen bigger than 3.5"."
My next phone is very likely to be a YotaPhone, which includes an e-ink screen. The first model was terrible but the second model is shaping up very nicely. Perhaps you might be interested too...
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/mobile-phone/3504276/yota...
Glad I could help you find something you like, I think it's awesome too. :-) I seriously doubt it'll be $960 at launch, even if that's what the data we have now suggests. I have no idea about cases, perhaps you could drop Yota Devices a line... http://yotaphone.com/ru-en/feedback/
> All I need is phone calls, texting, GPS/maps, snapcat, music, and (usually reading only) email and OneNote.
Well that's probably just because you use your current phone for these things. Who's to say that the bigger screen won't make you do more or other things with it?
I'm not trying to pick on your taste, or say that your taste is wrong. This is just a reply to the general sentiment that you express which I see expressed many times in these discussions. I'm saying that many people complaining about these large sizes are just complaining that they can't use their new phone in exactly the same way as their old one. As if that is some self-evident bad thing. But it comes down purely to taste and - as with anything that depends on taste - it doesn't hurt to try something new sometimes.