I’ve droned on about this before, but we’re getting more sales data which would indicate the mid-range handset is under-performing.
Often called a “mini”, like the Galaxy S4 Mini, HTC One Mini, or the Xperia Z1 Compact, these middle child devices face intense competition from premier handsets and a new batch of less-painful-to-use entry level fare.
These phones often make compromises to arrive at more competitive pricing, reducing the amount of RAM and storage, swapping to a lower powered processor. The pricing however only typically saves consumers around $100 to $150 off the cost of a brand new flagship phone. These mid-rangers are often bested in the specs department by year-old flagship phones. A Galaxy S3 can tangle with a Galaxy S4 Mini. The HTC One Mini 2 struggles against the HTC One M7, and so on. Consumers also get the benefit of sporting a “Flagship” instead of a “cheaper” phone. An extreme example of this tech “fashion” trend being the severely negative reaction Apple fans had towards the iPhone 5C when it was launched.
The savvy consumer on a budget also has options at the low end which work much better than in years past. Thanks to Moto G’s and Lumia 5XX and 6XX phones, it’s entirely possible to get the smartphone basics covered at less than $200.
Companies like HTC are also flirting with other ways to reduce handset costs. The HTC One Mini 2 faces even more internal competition from the newly announced HTC One E8. It’s very similar to the flagship M8, but made out of plastic instead of metal.
It would seem that a four device strategy these days would make the most sense. Smaller screen entry-level handset, last years flagship for the mid-range, this year’s flagship, and a phablet to utilize bleeding-edge tech. If you’re shopping a new phone, are you considering a “mini” or other mid-ranger? Drop us a comment below!
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Ahead of Samsung’s Note 4 release, LG is keeping the pressure on by announcing another large screened device.
