Definition: phablet

(PHone tABLET) A smartphone with at least a 5" screen. Today, most smartphones are actually phablet size, and the term is rarely used. Foldable phones are also blurring the lines between phone and tablet (see foldable phone).

The first phablet was the Android-based Dell Streak in 2010. A year later, Samsung introduced its first Galaxy Note with a 5.3" screen. Apple's first phablet, the iPhone 6 Plus with a 5.5" screen, came out in 2014. According to Trademarkia.com, LG applied to trademark the phablet name in 2011. See Android market share, smartphone, tablet, Galaxy Note and iPhone.

Bigger With Each Model

In 2012, the Galaxy S III screen (right) was almost 5", but subsequent S models were all 5" and larger.

Galaxy Note II

Samsung's Galaxy Note was the first phablet with a stylus for handwriting and drawing. See Galaxy Note.

Any Bigger, It's a Tablet

With its 6.1" screen in 2013, Huawei's Android-based Ascend Mate dwarfed the 3.5" iPhone 4S.

The iPhone 6.5" XS Max and 5.8" XS

Apple was slow to get into the phablet arena, but it made up for it with the huge 6.5" screen on the XS Max. See iPhone versions. (Image courtesy of Apple, Inc.)