According to a recent tip, Samsung could be working on a full-screen compact smartphone, SamMobile reports. But there’s no confirmation on whether the device will actually appear in stores.
The tipster, Ice Universe, took to the Chinese microblogging site Weibo to announce information about the rumored smartphone. The post described it to have a small, full screen that’s less than 5 inches. Unfortunately, Ice Universe wasn’t able to confirm any other details about the unit in terms of its identity.
With the Samsung Galaxy S9 confirmed, some are already speculating that it could be the Galaxy S9 Mini. Last year, rumors of a Galaxy S8 Mini surfaced as well — complete with a 5.3-inch screen that would feel more like a 4.7-inch phone in your hand. The company never actually went through with releasing a smaller version of the device.
But it’s also not unreasonable to assume there could be a mini version of the Galaxy S9. In the past, Samsung has offered compact versions of its flagship Galaxy S — but with less power, performance, and features than the larger version.
The last “mini” variant was part of the Galaxy S5 lineup back in 2014. The device featured a 4.5-inch, super AMOLED touchscreen, and was only about half an inch smaller than the Galaxy S5. It also included a fingerprint scanner, heart rate monitor, and packed a 1.4GHz processor, along with a 2,100mAh battery.
SamMobile notes that this device can’t be the Galaxy A5 (2018) which is rumored to have a 5.5-inch Infinity Display, or the Galaxy A7 (2018) with an expected 5.7-inch Infinity Display. But if the measurements are correct, it could very well be the A3 (2018) model, seeing as how this year’s model had a 4.7-inch display.
With only one tip, it’s still too early to tell whether or not Samsung is planning on releasing a smaller device. But in what seems like a sea of plus-sized phones, a compact device might not be a terrible idea.
After all, it was Apple’s smallest smartphone on the market — the iPhone SE — that had the highest ranking customer satisfaction in the U.S. this past May. With a 4-inch display, it received first place in the Annual Customer Satisfaction Index specifically for its small size and less expensive price tag.
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