This is one of those articles written as if Apple's entire strategy was centered on the US market - e.g. ATT exclusivity, two year contracts and carrier subsidies are used as the primary rationales for Apple's past product alignment in the smartphone segment and Verizon availability is offered as the sole reason for Android's rise.
The worldwide commodification of smartphones is never mentioned nor are the economics of distribution in the BRIC markets and the global south.
I think a smaller version is a good idea. Its funny how new/more advanced cellphones used to mean smaller, thinner and sleeker, but now with smart-phones they are increasing in size again. The Droid X is freakin' huge! The iphone is still a reasonable size, but some of these new phones are just too big for my liking (ended up getting the incredible). Plus cheaper never hurt...
The worldwide commodification of smartphones is never mentioned nor are the economics of distribution in the BRIC markets and the global south.
This journalism at its laziest.