Smartphone users in US, UK prefer 5.3-inch screens: study

Smartphone users in US and the UK prefer a device with 5.3-inch screen display, thicker size and a longer battery life, a new survey has found.
In the first half of 2015, smartphone users in both the countries were most likely to be interested in a device with a display size of 5.3-inch overall, according to the report.
The findings also showed that respondents surveyed in the US have a greater interest in the larger sized prototypes than those surveyed in the UK, while Android owners have a greater interest in phablet sized prototypes compared to Apple owners.
Current smartphone owners are also more likely to prefer a thicker prototype with a longer battery life over a thinner phone, researchers said.

Similar to the second half of 2014, the prototype with a 5.3-inch display was most preferred by consumers overall in the first half of 2015; this was followed by the 5.0-inch and 5.5-inch prototypes.
Even though the majority of smartphone owners surveyed preferred a prototype with a display larger than their current device, more than half of respondents expressed interest in a device that was only slightly larger than their current display size.
"While interest in larger displays is considerable for current consumers it is still imperative to keep in mind that a device with good 'fit in hand' is important," said Monica Wong, analyst and author of the report from the Mobile Device UX (MDX) group at Strategy Analytics.

"While the thinner 6 mm prototype was most preferred by consumers initially, when told they could expect a third more battery life with a thicker phone (ie 8mm), consumers were willing to give up thinness for a longer lasting battery. As consumers continue to use their smartphones daily, they expect their phone to keep up with their busy lifestyles," said Wong.