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The iPhone 13 mini is the best flagship of its size, with no direct competition from Android vendors. There’s no compact Android phone right now because Android smartphone makers have traditionally focused on larger screens for flagships. Sony was a rare exception, but the company isn’t making small flagships that can take on devices like the iPhone 13 mini.
That’s a big problem for Pebble creator Eric Migicovsky, who wants to band together with other iPhone 13 mini fans to make an Android version of Apple’s smallest phone. The entrepreneur hopes to convince an Android company to come up with the miniature Android phone of his dreams. The alternative is manufacturing one himself.
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Migicovsky created a simple website for his mini Android phone pitch: SmallAndroidPhone.com. That’s where he explains his plan.
He happens to be an iPhone 13 mini user, as he appreciates the screen size and the build quality. But he misses the Android. So he set out to find like-minded folks that would make the iPhone 13 mini of Android happen.
The former Pebble executive explains that he prefers small phones as they’re lighter and fit better in pockets. Mini-sized handsets are also easier to use with one hand and won’t fall out of pockets while biking.
“It’s increasingly clear that a small premium phone is not on any OEM roadmap,” Migicovsky says. “So I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands. My goal here is to rally other fans of small phones together and put pressure on Google/Samsung/anyone to consider making a small phone.”
Migicovsky explains precisely what sort of compact Android smartphone he wants. It’s basically an iPhone 13 mini that runs stock Android and offers a Pixel-grade camera experience.
The smaller Android phone must practically copy the iPhone 13 mini. It must have uniform bezels around the screen and a hole-punch selfie camera. The Pebble creator also wants the phone to feature a fingerprint sensor on the side button rather than under the display. But that’s a “nice-to-have” feature rather than a must-have.
The screen of this iPhone 13 mini equivalent running Android should measure 5.4-inch. It should be an OLED panel with a refresh rate of 60Hz.
The cameras must be “as good as the Pixel 5,” especially the low-light performance. And the handset needs to have two rear cameras, including a regular and wide-angle lens.
When it comes to actual specs, the phone should offer 8GB of RAM, 128GB/256GB of storage, 5G support, NFC, and a battery that can last for four hours of screen-on time.
Software-wise, the iPhone 13 mini of Android should run stock Android and offer an unlockable bootloader.
Other nice-to-have features include some ruggedness in the design, so the phone doesn’t need a case, IP68 water, and dust resistance, a hardware mute switch, and eSIM support.
Aside from a few minor differences, Migicovsky describes the iPhone 13 mini here. And unsurprisingly, he expects the handset to cost between $700 and $800. Apple’s iPhone 13 mini costs $729 before any sort of deals.
That said, Migicovsky isn’t asking for your money so he can manufacture the smartphone. Instead, he wants more supporters to fill in a small survey. He’s aiming for at least 50,000 people to want such an iPhone 13 mini alternative on Android. So far, more than 6,000 have signed up.
The campaign’s point is to convince a phone maker to make this phone. But the entrepreneur says that if no one else makes one, he will be forced to make it himself. He adds that he “really really don’t want it to come to that,” however.
“I have a very specific set of skills and industry connections that I have acquired over a long career in the hardware business,” he says. Migicovsky sold Pebble to Fitbit, which now belongs to Google. “I will put them to use in our shared quest to get the perfect small Android phone. If no one else ends up building one, and enough people sign up…maybe I will be forced to make it myself.”
If you want to sign up for this iPhone 13 mini of Android dream, check out this link.
More Android coverage: For more Android news, visit our Pixel 6 guide.
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