The case for compact phones

They're making a quiet comeback, with smaller flagships that offer ease of use but don't compromise on performance

- Abhishek Baxi

Rachna Bhola, a marketing leader at a Gurgaon-based digital agency, is finally buying a flagship smartphone—the Google Pixel 10 Pro. All this while, she wasn't limited by budget but options in the market.

Most flagship smartphones have a large form factor, and while there is usually a smaller variant in the portfolio of phones brands drop every year, they are mostly underpowered or miss marquee features. "Lugging around a large phone is a chore. I have my notebook and pen to carry when I'm juggling between meetings or must hold on to my seven-year-old when I'm out with family. My phone anyway suffers a few accidental drops, and I can't risk more with a phone that I can't grip properly when I'm out and about," she explains.

Last year, Google added a variant to its Pixel lineup: along with the usual Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, the company added another, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, for those who want a bigger display. The Pixel 9 Pro now was the same size as the younger sibling Pixel 9 (6.3-inch) with the internals of the 9 Pro XL (6.8-inch). So, you had the option to get a flagship phone in a smaller size. Google has followed the same this year with the Pixel 10 lineup, and that's what got Bhola interested. A compact smartphone that's easier to grip and pocketable and not underpowered...what's not to like?

For over a decade, flagship smartphones have steadily grown in size, leaving users who prefer smaller, handier devices with underpowered "value" models. Now, brands like Google, vivo, and OnePlus are experimenting with compact flagships that combine portability with top-end features. Devices such as the Pixel 10 Pro, vivo X200FE, and One-Plus 13s show how a 6.3-inch screen can balance ergonomics, performance, and battery life. Yet the market remains limited, as most consumers still prioritise large displays for media, productivity, and multitasking.