> why is the last group ignored when it comes to phones?
Presumably because there isn't actually that much demand for that category. Apple tried it out with the original SE and they have the sales data. If there were tons of people clamoring for a sequel, they would have made one instead of a refreshed iPhone 8.
I think one part is that they're afraid to be grilled by reviews leading to bad sales.
A $1000 4" phone won't have the same capabilities as a $1000 6.5" phone, and reviewers somehow do not seem to understand it might be ok and will trash the smaller phone.
Cheap phone with big screen and not much else - the "lowest common denominator"
Expensive phone with big screen - the "power user"
Expensive phone with small screen - the mobile user
Laptops tend to come in such groupings, why is the last group ignored when it comes to phones?