Skip to main content

HTC: No-one cares about small-screen phones anymore, so we won’t make a One Mini 3

For the last few years, HTC has sold a smaller, mini version of its flagship phone, but that trend is apparently ending this year, according to HTC’s president of the North Asia region Jack Tong. Why? Tong says the market just isn’t interested in mid-size phones anymore, and prefers to purchase big-screen devices instead.

Speaking to Focus Taiwan at the launch of the new One M9+ in Taiwan, Tong said the HTC One Mini 2 from last year was the last of the line. “Overall, the industry is moving towards new phones over 5-inches in size,” he told the publication, adding that the HTC line-up was being tailored to fit in with that trend.

Recommended Videos

Since the end of last year, almost all HTC’s new devices have had screens at least 5-inches in size, including several Desire models with displays measuring 5.5-inches. The One Mini 2 was launched in May 2014, and still managed to pack a 4.5-inch screen, just half-an-inch smaller than the One M8 on which it was based.

Earlier in May, HTC reported a sizable 39-percent reduction in revenue over this time last year. Analysts blamed a poor response to the new HTC One M9, and while HTC apparently has no plans for a small version to bolster the range, it hasn’t been shy about remixing the flagship phone, producing the One M9+ and the similarly styled J Butterfly since then.

Interestingly, there haven’t been any rumors regarding an HTC One M9 Mini (or One Mini 3, as it may have been named), nor a Galaxy S6 Mini. Talk has also cooled regarding a new small screen iPhone recently. The decision to abandon the One Mini may be sound, based on recent research showing 21-percent of smartphones sold in the first three months of this year were classed as phablets, up from 6-percent during the same period in 2014. Also, at the beginning of 2015, Juniper Research stated big-screen phone shipments would increase by five times this year, and become the standard within three years.

However, LG may end up standing apart from its competitors. It’s linked with a smaller, mini version of the LG G4, rumored to arrive in the next few months. At this rate, it may be the only small screen flagship spin-off coming out this summer.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Miss the Galaxy S25 Edge unveil? Watch the full reveal here
Samsung's new S25 Edge.

Samsung has finally unveiled its thinnest-ever Galaxy S series smartphone, the Galaxy S25 Edge. The Korean tech giant introduced the new handset via an online video presentation that started at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, May 12.

If you missed the 14-minute presentation, you can watch it via the video player embedded at the top of this page. 

Read more
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Slim or XL?
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on a display rack.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is the first new Edge-branded Samsung phone since the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, and Samsung hasn't brought that premium branding back lightly. The S25 Edge is one of the slimmest big phones we'ver ever seen, with an S25 Plus-rivaling 6.7-inch display, but a thickness of just 5.9mm — a whole 2mm slimmer than most other flagships. And that slimline approach doesn't mean Samsung has sacrificed power, as the S25 Edge also comes with a top-tier Snapdragon processor, 200-megapixel camera, and a stunning design.

But can a phone this slim really compete? Chief amongst concerns for this new phone is its battery capacity. Can a slim phone really have the lifespan to match other large flagship phones in its price bracket? We've compared it to the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, one of the most powerful and large phones that's capable of going toe-to-toe with Samsung's latest. Which one came out on top? You'll have to read on to find out.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: specs

Read more
Sony’s Xperia VII will capture smooth video without you even looking
Sony Xperia 1 VII

Sony has announced its latest flagship phone, which as the numerous rumors over the last couple of weeks have predicted, is called the Xperia 1 VII. It succeeds the Xperia 1 VI that launched in May 2024 and it incorporates technologies from Sony's Alpha cameras, Walkman audio players, and the company's BRAVIA televisions, integrating these features through 'Xperia Intelligence' for enhanced camera, audio, and viewing experiences.

As has been the case for several years with Sony phones, the focus of the Xperia 1 VII continues to be its camera capabilities and while there have only been some slight adjustments to the camera lenses themselves, new software tricks have been introduced for 2025. 

Read more