this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2023
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That size os about the max for me too. I wonder what I'm gonna do if my current phone fails...
If it were shoes I'd say "just get ten sets of what's the right size", but the problem with tech is we're still going to want more ram, more storage etc.
Like who is going to keep all the buttons, ports, dimensions and connectivity, whilst upgrading the innards?
Like a Thinkpad of phones?
I... don't really see your point. Could you elaborate?
Computers, for example, reduced significantly with time. Better technology is allowing to put more transistors in smaller packages and fit more components in the same space. At the same time, the move to digital connectivity allows to save more space.
Anyway, even if we had the thinkpad of phones, why can't we also have the raspberry pi of phones?
Sorry, I was unclear. I've got a pair of workshoes that fit me perfectly - so I bought 5 pairs exactly the same. When my current pair wears out in a year, I'll replace it with an identical pair.
It would be tempting to buy 5 copies of my current phone - except by the time this one breaks in 3-4 years, the innards (processor/ram/storage) will be poor in comparison to newer versions, and it may not be able to run newer versions of software.
It is a shame that no company is saying "lets keep it basically the same on the outside, but improve the internal specs" - they tend to do things like making it bigger, removing headphone ports, removing other physical buttons, or making it thinner but giving it a rubbish battery that's nonreplaceable.
I used Thinkpad as a comparison, as you can still buy an older model of Thinkpad and pack it with newer innards - so buy the older model with the case you like, but refurbished with more ram, a better processor etc.
If you put my 2 year old Thinkpad laptop next to my old one, they look pretty much the same, except the new one is thinner and much lighter - they still both have physical touchpad buttons, the trackpoint, lots of ports down both sides. I can still use my older laptop bag, because they're nominally the same size and shape.
I wish some phone models followed a similar process - "here's the same thing you already have, but better".
I would absolutely love a barebones, tiny, configurable Raspberry Pi of phones.
Now I get it, thanks for taking your time to explain. I feel the same, not only about phones, but with hardware in general.