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Last month we shared with you guys IDC’s prediction for last quarter that smartphones’ increasing popularity in the market will result to a groundbreaking overturn of it out-shipping feature phones for the first time in history. Well, the research firm was spot on their hunch as seen on their recent research result.

There’s a 4% year-over-year growth in the global mobile phone market, with manufacturer shipping a total of 418.6 million units last quarter. But what’s astonishing in IDC’s recent findings is that more than half (51.6% to be exact) of the phones sold last quarter are smartphones which equates to 216.2 million units.

smartphones

According to Kevin Restivo, IDC Senior Research Analyst, the reason for the increase in smartphone sales is primarily due to the added feature that smartphones have to offer compared to feature phones. Another factor for this occurrence, in our opinion, is the continuous decrease in prices of entry-level and some mid-range smartphones in the market. This price drop makes it difficult for feature phones to go head to head with budget smartphones in the market.

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Do tell us you noticed it too. Phones are getting bigger and tablets are getting smaller. In 2013, the industry was somewhat on the verge of perfecting the “phablet” (phone-tablet) form factor. MWC’s here and they’re announcing 5 to 7-inch phones in every corner. So, we’re throwing the question: when is a smartphone too big?

Of course, phones weren’t this compact either before. We had huge telephones predating back to 10 years ago. Times have changed and holding those up to your ear can be very awkward.

big

Asus just announced the FonePad, a 7-inch tablet that can make phone calls. Apart from that, we have the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 that can make phone calls as well. If MWC still doesn’t cut it for you, I’d like to burst it by saying Samsung has been investing a lot in the “phablet” space already ever since the first Galaxy Note, even the first Galaxy Tab.

Aside from phone calls, people are also more comfortable using their phone’s camera rather than a dedicated point-and-shoot.

phablets

We understand that bigger screens give way to more content and a better multimedia experience, but we also believe things should have limits. Local companies such as Torque & Cherry Mobile are following suit. If this is the case with the future, are you okay with it? Do you think the idea of having a 7-inch all-around phone is practical? Or do you think this is all just a fad of “bigger is better”?

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The post When is a smartphone too big? appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.