2025: The Year Compact Phones Make a Comeback

It looks like 2025 is shaping up to be the year of compact smartphones. Demand is rising, and brands are finally paying attention. Whether it’s OnePlus gearing up to launch the OnePlus 13T, Vivo preparing its X200 Pro Mini, or Xiaomi bringing compact models in its number series, the trend is unmistakable. Even Motorola is joining in with the Edge 50 Neo. Everyone’s jumping back on the compact phone train.

But this isn’t the first time compact phones tried to break through. The journey began with the original iPhone 12 mini in late 2020. A truly pocketable device, it featured a 5.4-inch OLED screen, weighed only 133 grams, and came with a capable dual-camera setup. Despite its appeal, one major issue held it back—battery life. Poor endurance turned potential buyers away, and the phone didn’t perform well in the market.

Still, Apple didn’t give up. They followed up with the iPhone 13 mini, an improved version with a slightly heavier build due to a larger battery. Thanks to the efficient A15 Bionic chip, the battery life saw a noticeable improvement. It also featured increased base storage and better cameras. Best of all, it launched at the same price as its predecessor.

Given all these improvements, you’d expect it to sell like crazy. But once again, it didn’t catch on. Despite glowing reviews, the iPhone 13 mini only accounted for about 5% of all iPhone sales that year. Apple eventually discontinued the mini line after just two models.

So, what went wrong? There are two major reasons.

1. Poor Price Differentiation

The price gap between the iPhone 13 and 13 mini was too narrow. For a little extra, users could get a larger screen and better battery with the standard iPhone 13. This is a textbook case of the decoy effect failing. Think of a coffee shop offering a small cup for ₹170, medium for ₹180, and large for ₹220. Most people choose the medium because it feels like a better deal. Similarly, the iPhone 13 made the mini look like poor value.

2. Misunderstood Screen Size Preferences

Phone screen sizes have evolved. iPhones grew from 3.5 inches to 6.9 inches, Androids from 4 inches to 6.9 inches. A 5.4-inch screen feels too small in today’s world where people binge-watch content and type frequently. While compact phones are easier to use and fit in pockets, the small size becomes inconvenient for users with larger hands or for entertainment-heavy usage.

Apple aimed the mini series at a niche group who wanted smaller phones at lower prices. Unfortunately, the wider market wants bigger screens—and that’s what sells.

So What’s Different in 2025?

Today, brands seem to have learned from past mistakes. The definition of “compact” has shifted. It’s no longer 5.4 inches. Phones with 6 to 6.2-inch displays are now considered compact by modern standards. This new “compact” size is the sweet spot—big enough for media consumption but still comfortable to hold and use one-handed.

Battery life, historically a weak point for smaller phones, is also no longer a concern. Thanks to advancements like silicon-carbon batteries, even slim phones can pack enough juice to last all day. Some larger phones now feature 6000mAh to 8000mAh batteries, so putting a 4500–5000mAh battery in a compact phone is totally realistic.

Not only has battery tech improved, but so have processors and camera systems. Efficient chips, new camera modules like Samsung’s ALOP, and bezel-less displays mean manufacturers can now build powerful, compact phones without compromising.

The Ideal Compact Phone in 2025

If brands want their compact phones to succeed in 2025, here’s what they must get right:

• Screen size between 5.8 and 6.2 inches—not too small, not too big.
• Full-day battery—at least 4500mAh, thanks to newer battery technologies.
• No performance compromises—flagship-grade processors and top-tier cameras.
• Reasonable pricing—clearly distinguish it from larger models in both specs and price.

Interestingly, phones with 6.2-inch displays are now being labeled as “compact,” although they’re closer to the ideal phone size many of us have been waiting for. Because brands had to inflate battery capacity, phones became too large to handle comfortably. Now, as technology allows high performance in smaller form factors, it makes sense to bring back manageable-sized phones under the new label—compact.

Funny how the world works, right?

So yes, 2025 could truly be the year compact phones finally succeed—but only if brands get the formula right this time.