To be so frustrated that mobile manufacturers seem to ignore women

[SavannahHannah]

I want a phone I can hold and operate in one hand. Finding one these days is just impossible! I'm not in the market for a iPhone, I just want a not-too-fancy android phone. I'm happy to buy second hand if the battery is decent, but it feels like I'm looking for a unicorn!

All the ones I have tried are just too big. Too big to hold, to fit in a pocket, to operate the camera with one hand. It is so frustrating!

I know cameras have got big because video is such an important medium, but how many more women break or drop their phones because they just aren't made to fit their needs?

It seems such an obviously, overlooked area of the market.

If anyone has any non iPhone suggestions, I'd be really grateful!

It’s not just my opinion. Lots of people have complained about this. Designing something that works for men and expecting women to just suck it up is sexist in my view https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/apple-iphone-xs-max-new-too-big-size-women-sexist-feminist-a8537171.html

I felt exactly the same when my old Samsung was on its last legs and after a bit of research, bought a second hand Flip 4 and I love it. It fits in my pocket easily and when unfolded is not too big for my hand. There are newer versions of it but I don't know much about them.

@Cornflakes44 we can’t make them, its as easy as that. a small phone would be a crap experience with short battery life and a crap screen. Or prohibitively expensive . Nobody is buying them. Every time we put them in consumer tests they come back with a firm no.
Men want smaller phones as well, but its just not feasible right now
We can’t design a 7 seater car with a big boot that fits in a 1950s garage, tbe laws of physics say “no”. Similar with phones. I would love a Mary Poppins bag, its not going to happen!
Hopefully in the future, but not in the moment

I feel like I’ve got giant man hands as I’ve not noticed this issue. Iphone 11 which is fine, iPhone 16 pro for work requires two hands!

I think you’ll find it may be a skill issue more than anything OP..!

I find that the younger generation (who have grown up on phones and similar tech) have ninja fingers and can practically do anything one handed. It’s older people who tend to use two hands and hold their phone like a book. The only phones that sometimes don’t fit in pockets are the top of the range Apple ‘pro’ models.

I'm not sure I buy that they can't make them smaller.

10 years ago my smartphone was significantly smaller than my current one but I could still take photos, browse the web, watch netflix, run apps etc. I don't believe that 10 years on they're not able to make something the same size that does the same thing.

I think older people (and I'm only 44) use 2 hands because of RSI in the saddle of their thumb combined with age making one handed phones use, regardless of phone/ hand size no longer an option.

Unihertz Jelly Mini or Max are smaller and the Max is still well featured.

You can get some great smaller phones now with the same level of tech of 10 years ago, but you can also get bigger ones with features that will currently only fit in bigger phones powered by bigger batteries, like telephoto zooms. The choice is out there.

Which Google pixel, though? I've had pixels for years and every one has been bigger than my last. I have a pixel 9, now, which is one of the smallest phones currently on the market and find it quite heavy.

Let’s think about life 10 years ago.
Netflix started mobile streaming in 2015, on wifi. mobile streaming was a novelty.
internet was generally 2G, with a lot less available on the go.
My data plan in 2015 was 500MB, and that was fine. Now i have 5GB, and it is a lot cheaper.
In 2015 i didn’t use my phone for tickets, parking, etc. I used facebook, but hardly any videos Tiktok only started in 2016,
My small battery lasted, as the phone wasn’t used as much.
in 2025 life is quite different.

Dimension wise the pixels have stayed roughly the same size, if not a little smaller. Flagship ones at least, not sure about the a series. My 4xl was slightly bigger than my 7 pro, which is about the same size as the 10 pro xl.

Here's my old 4a and 6a side by side. The 6a is significantly heavier.

When I succumbed to yet another duff battery, I decided move away from the a series. The 9 and 9a are similar in size, both a little thicker and about half an ounce heavier than the 6a.

I'm glad they moved away from those corners, mind.

The 9 is a vast improvement on DH's 7, mind. I can't hold that one handed as it's too big and topples backwards.

I'm 5'4" with what I think are normal sized hands for a woman my height, I also have arthritis in my hands. I don't understand the issue, I can hold my phone comfortably one handed and I don't drop it. I feel really puzzled.

Yes this is why I said I was talking about the flagship phones. The 6a and 7a are roughly the same size (and as likely to catch fire 😂). The 9a and 8a are roughly the same and the renders of the 10a show it's the same again.

In fairness the small ones might have changed size but the last "small" phone I had was the nexus 5 and it's was too small 😂

Yep, the 6a has been sat gathering dust until I can be arsed to take it to EE for a new battery. Not even sure I'll get it for free as per the offer because the charging port is a bit iffy. I use the 4a for calls, still, and the 9 for everything else.

Might not help but I got pop socket for back of my phone and make holding it 100% easier

That's a whole board replacement 😬. They might do it. It should be safe(r) with the software update for now anyway.