In the past and even today, we have seen Android OEMs release “mini” versions of their flagship smartphones, like the recently released Samsung Galaxy S5 mini and the HTC One mini from 2013 as some examples. However it seems that the demand for such devices is starting to wane, according to a report from DigiTimes who cites sources in Taiwan’s handset supply chain.
Their sources revealed that devices from LG and Sony in the form of the LG G3 Beat and the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact have sold less than expected. This is apparently due to an uncompetitive performance-price ratio. We have to admit that it is somewhat true. The specs of the “mini” versions of handsets are subpar at best and don’t really seem particularly appealing.
For example some of the mini versions of handsets are priced at $400, which makes it more expensive than Chinese counterparts who are actually able to sell higher-end smartphones for the same price or less. Their sources claim that even renaming “mini” has not really helped much in terms of sales.
It is unclear what OEMs like LG or Sony will do going forward, but we wonder if this could be a sign that perhaps it is time to put an end to all these “mini” variants. What do you guys think? Should OEMs start thinking of different strategies instead of just churning out “mini” variants of their flagship phones?