Galaxy S24 Ultra mini: Samsung can never challenge iPhone until this problem is fixed،
Samsung's flagship Ultra is one of the most uncomfortable phones to use one-handed, and I'm ready to fight anyone who disagrees.
If we get into a real fight, however, I insist that I use my Galaxy S23 Ultra as a weapon. The sharp edges and sheer weight of Samsung's high-end flagship will do more damage than any other phone on the market. That being said, I am not a “hater”. In fact, I have to admit that there is something quite satisfying about the square display and design of the Galaxy S23 Ultraso I can't say I'm totally disappointed that the Note design is making a return with the new Galaxy S24 Ultra.
So, you know what? Maybe Samsung should keep this design. Few phones look like that these days. But wait… That doesn't mean I agree with using a phone that's uncomfortable to hold. So… How can we create a flagship product like the Galaxy S24 Ultra usable for people who don't like carrying bricks in their pockets?
Galaxy S24 Ultra: People want and need a smaller version of Samsung's premium flagship – the iPhone 15 Pro is proof
6 of the 10 best-selling smartphones in 2022 had 6.1-inch (or smaller) screens. Five of them were flagship phones. None of them were made by Samsung.
Small, premium flagship phones are still more popular than big ones
I can't think I have a better understanding of the smartphone market than Samsung, but the numbers highlighted prove that a smaller version of the high-end flagship Galaxy Ultra may not be a bad idea .
Samsung already makes two sizes of its vanilla flagship, and I firmly believe the company could be leaving money on the table by ignoring offering more choice in the Ultra (premium) Galaxy line.
More Galaxy flagships to choose from is always a good idea
But again, numbers aren't everything, and with companies of Samsung's size and reputation, selling phones should be about making sure that those buying/considering buying your phones will find exactly the one that interests them.
And (back to the numbers), at first glance, many would prefer a more reasonably sized premium flagship phone. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, and the most obvious would be the iPhone mini (which happens to be my primary phone).
After poor sales (especially by Apple standards), the tiny 5.4-inch iPhone 12 and 13 mini gave Apple a very clear indication that Cupertino's (big) idea of making small phones flagships again cool was a few years too late.
Of course, the difference between a 5.4-inch screen and a 6.2-inch screen is huge, so I wouldn't worry about my imaginary 6.2-inch screen. Galaxy S24 Ultra sells poorly (by Samsung standards).
A cheaper Galaxy S24 Ultra model would be more accessible for some people
Another good reason to go smaller Galaxy S24 Ultra is that the smaller version will definitely be more affordable than the larger one. Use Apple's iPhone 15 Pro for example, a 6.2 inch Galaxy S24 Ultra would likely start at $1,000, compared to $1,200 (the assumed price of Galaxy S24 Ultra).
Depending on how you buy your phones (carrier/full upfront price), a $200 price difference can be pretty negligible, or even a major selling point. For example, I'm a sucker for a good deal (whether I'm buying a new phone or a toaster), so getting a smaller, cheaper phone would be a double win in my opinion.
Either way, just like in the case of Apple's iPhone Pro, a $1,000 entry point into the premium Galaxy universe looks much better than a $1,200 entry point .
The 6.2-inch Galaxy S24 isn't premium enough to compete with the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Last but not least, I'm sure some of you think the Galaxy S24 is the 6.2-inch one I should buy if I want a compact Samsung flagship, but I disagree.
On the one hand, vanilla Galaxy S24 should have a significantly different design than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which I find rather bland. Also Galaxy S24 Ultra will have a titanium frame – a first for a Samsung flagship, and the Galaxy S24… no.
In a less subjective comparison, the Galaxy S24 will almost certainly have a significantly different and weaker camera system than the Ultra; only 128 GB of storage; less RAM and a much smaller battery.
Sure, the Vanilla S24 will be a nice deal for those who want a compact flagship, but let's be honest: it's far from the most premium flagship phones on the market.
What would a smaller Galaxy S24 Ultra look like and what's stopping Samsung from making one?
This is what the smaller version of the Galaxy S24 Ultra could look like.
Another relevant point of hesitation on Samsung's part could be the fact that the battery size of a smaller Galaxy S24 Ultra will need to be significantly scaled down to accommodate all the components needed to create an Ultra premium flagship. Ultimately, making the phone smaller doesn't mean it should be half as good as its bigger brother. However, given Qualcomm's super-efficient flagship chips and the very good battery life found in phones like the iPhone 15 and Samsung's Galaxy S23, the battery excuse is also weak.
The last technical reason I can think of is the camera system of a flagship like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is expected to be among the best and most flexible flagships on the market. No modern smartphone has both a quad-camera system (with large sensors) and a compact screen. Nothing comes close.
But who says a smaller Galaxy S24 Ultra has to have four cameras? If the phone is cheaper than the larger S24 Ultra, it may remove the 3x zoom camera, while retaining the new 5x snapper. So, I'd say this speculative excuse also fails to convince me that making a smaller Galaxy Ultra is a bad idea. In the end, the iPhone 15 Pro also only has “only three” cameras.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra will never be able to compete with the compact iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro
It's easy to forget that the 6.8-inch Galaxy S24 Ultra can only compete with Apple's 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max – not the (very popular) iPhone 15 Pro 6, 1 inch.
For what? Well, the 6.1-inch, curvy one iPhone 15 Pro and 6.8 inches, rectangular Galaxy S24 Ultra are in two totally different categories purely because of the huge disparity in their size, weight, and design. And you simply can't ignore the fact that many (if not all) people choose their new phone based on how comfortable it feels in their hand before thinking about anything else. In fact, I can give you an example with my iPhone 15 Pro Max…
Sure, I have an iPhone 15 Pro Max and I use it… But that's only because I should be testing the best, most premium iPhone available, and it just so happens that this year that phone is the largest and heaviest iPhone.
For the record (and fortunately), if rumors are to be believed, Apple is expected to give the smaller iPhone 16 Pro exactly the same general hardware as the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Either way, one thing is certain: we are not going to reduce our Galaxy S24 Ultra. But I hope my argument will not be in vain. Galaxy S25 Ultra (mini), please?
