Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

We now know what a tiny iPhone would look like, and it’s adorable

By Andy Boxall Published August 16, 2017

Just like when puppies do something unspeakable on your new carpet, it’s very easy for forgive the Soyes 7S for looking almost exactly like an Apple iPhone, because it’s just so damn cute. It’s cute because it’s tiny — no more than half the size of an iPhone 7 Plus, but perhaps twice as adorable. It’s not an iPhone challenger though, and the specification is slightly lacking in this unusual Chinese phone. Also, it doesn’t run iOS, obviously, but Google Android with a user interface to make it look something like an iPhone. Only smaller.

Soyes has a history of making small smartphones, which are sold through eBay and Chinese device importers, and a quick browse of its (outdated) website reveals in the past it has made phones the same size as a credit card. However, none are as visually interesting as the Soyes 7S, its miniature iPhone clone.

Soyes 7S — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The screen is 2.54 inches and has a resolution of just 432 x 240 pixels, so it’s not going to challenge Apple’s phone for video or photo reproduction. It’s the same with the processor, which is a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek chip with 1GB of RAM. Turn the phone over and there are some chunky antenna lines at the top and bottom of the body, which appears to be metal. Cheekily, although it looks like there are two camera lenses, only a single 5-megapixel camera hides inside that raised bump in the top corner.

Soyes 7S — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Just how much smaller is the overall package than the iPhone 7 Plus? The Soyes 7S is 95mm tall and 46mm wide, while the Apple phone stretches your grip at 158mm tall and 78mm wide. Squeezing all the technology and a 600mAh battery inside the Soyes 7S means the body is quite thick at 10mm, considerably more than the 7.3mm thick iPhone. It does seem to have a 3.5mm headphone jack, though, which many would consider an ‘iPhone-killing” feature. It also has 4G LTE, GPS, a selfie camera, and comes in various bright colors. Arguably, it has everything you’d want from a phone.

Recommended Videos

If Apple’s reluctance to release an actual iPhone Mini always frustrated you, and the Soyes 7S has caught your eye, you’re going to have to work hard in order to get one. It is apparently available on an unknown Chinese crowdfunding website, where it costs about $53, and has easily passed its modest funding target with two weeks left to run.

Former Senior Mobile Writer

Andy has written about mobile technology for almost a decade. From 2G to 5G and smartphone to smartwatch, Andy knows tech.

Topics

Phones

The HONOR Robot Phone feels like the first phone I’d actually buy for its weirdest feature

I wanted a better workflow. HONOR built a robot.

HONOR Robot Phone Hands On First Impressions Review

When I was at Computex earlier this year, I shot a lot of Reels using my DJI Osmo. And don't get me wrong: that little camera is excellent. The stabilization is great, the video quality is good, and it is exactly the kind of thing you want when you're running around a trade show trying to make content. But then came the annoying part: transferring all that footage to my phone or laptop, moving it to the cloud, and finally getting it onto the platform I actually wanted to use. At some point, I remember thinking, "Why are there so many steps?"

Apparently, HONOR had the same thought. The difference is that while I just complained about it, HONOR went ahead and built a phone around the idea. The HONOR Robot Phone is, admittedly, doing a lot. It's a flagship Android phone, a miniature motorized camera gimbal, a robotic arm, and an AI playground all rolled into one. But after actually using it at IFA Berlin this year, I found myself caring far less about the novelty and far more about the camera. Because, honestly, this thing is really good.

Phones

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is an unabashedly bougie reader, but gosh, I can’t put it down

I am NOT telling you to spend $1,900 on it for reading books. And yet, here I am, surpassing my reading goals at an addictively quick pace.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

On an ordinary day, if you ask me what's the best e-reader device out there, my answer would most probably be one of Amazon's Kindle readers. I will most likely ask about your budget and your preferences before doling out a few recommendations.

If you tell me that the Kindle is too restrictive, I would point you in the direction of a Boox slate, which comes in multiple sizes across a wide price bracket. In case you are inclined towards a phone-like reader device, the Boox Palma 2 or the DuRoBo Krono would be my suggested picks. And if you're chasing something light, tiny, and open, the XTEINK X4 would be my go-to choice.

Phones

Three reasons I’m still hesitant to order the iPhone Duo

Apple’s first foldable had me reaching for my credit card, but a few days of thinking changed my mind.

iPhone Duo on table unfolded

Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo at its “Surprise and Shine” event, and my jaw dropped. To be fair, I had a pretty good idea about the phone’s hardware, but the software polish and little nice touches Apple added everywhere made me instantly pull out my credit card.

From the opening animation to the almost creaseless nano-texture display to the under-display camera to the IP68 water and dust resistance, Apple has certainly delivered with its first try at a foldable phone.