A new rumor is spreading regarding a 4-inch iPhone. What is interesting is that the article suggests that the smaller device is not considered at the same level than the premium models of the same brand. This is inline with a develpoment that I observe also with other vendors: Almost all small phones cripple the design of the modern smart phone while the premium devices are really phablets rather than smart phones: The small phones are designed with small memory, bad cameras and poor screen resolution. They often lack useful sensors and come with weak processors - and are shipped too often with completely outdated operating systems. Yet, these devices perform even worse when it comes to battery life.

If the rumor is true, Apple seems to follow that idea instead of buying into a different perspective: a small device may contain the same power and sensors for all the awesome features of the bigger brothers and sisters. Really, there is only one good reason for a bigger screen in a thinner phone: the battery life. With the given performance of the devices, I would be excited if a vendor would offer a super-power device that lasts a week with one charge even if it does not provide desktop-level computing power.

The interesting aspect of this present development to bigger screen devices is the difference to the perception of laptops and notebooks: the smaller device is not considered as the executive version of the bigger "assistant" version. Personally, I won't mind at all to carry a smaller "executive-style" phone that still gives me the premium functions plus a premium of battery duration.