Smartphone manufacturers like vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi are all about to launch their 2024 flagship lineups. These include the vivo X200 series, Oppo Find X8 series, and the Xiaomi 15 series. Surprisingly, the base models of all these lineups adopt a significantly more compact form factor compared to their predecessors.
A recent leak from Weibo suggests that the base model flagships from the mentioned lineups will feature display sizes ranging from 6.3″ to 6.6″. For comparison, both the Oppo Find X7 and vivo X100 features much larger 6.78″ displays.
Why the shift to smaller sizes? One of the major reasons manufacturers leaned toward larger form factors in the past was battery capacity. Performance, particularly thermal management, was another key factor, but sustaining heavy workloads still largely depends on battery capacity.
The biggest issue with compact devices has finally been addressed.
If you’ve been following rumors, you already know that all the models mentioned above will pack significantly larger batteries than their predecessors. This resolves the major problem compact phones have historically faced—battery life.
The new trend for flagship smartphones involves the use of silicon-anode batteries, which significantly improve energy density compared to traditional graphite-anode batteries. While the technology isn’t new, its application in smartphones effectively solves battery life issues for compact devices.
Other than battery capacity, performance and camera quality aren’t significant challenges. Smartphone makers are now integrating capable cooling solutions, which, when paired with the latest process node-based flagship chips, can deliver excellent performance.
Regarding cameras, vivo is set to demonstrate that compact form factors don’t necessarily have to compromise camera quality. The upcoming vivo X200 Pro Mini is officially confirmed to include the same 1/1.28″ image sensor used in the Pro model. As the company executive stated, they aimed to combine the performance of a ‘Pro’ device with the form factor of a ‘Mini.’
None of this would be possible without the increased battery capacity. Many users still want top-tier performance but are frustrated by the size and heft of Ultra phones. With these improvements, compact phones might no longer remain a thing of the past.
