Touch-screen mobile technology is growing rapidly. First came the smartphone; compact, powerful, and suddenly able to perform a increasingly huge array of tasks with every new release. Tablets soon followed suit, with some manufacturers even covering the middle ground with mini versions of their tablet. It’s a fierce and fast growing market, where innovation is key to survival, and one of the latest trends in such innovation seems to be the inclusion of as large a screen as possible.

The Samsung Galaxy Note / Note 2 are some examples of this trend, with a screen size of 5.3 and 5.5 inches respectively; to put this into contrast, Apple’s biggest iPhone screen to date, as modeled by the iPhone 5, is just 4 inches. The LG Optimus VU follows closely behind the Note with a 5 inch display. These are some of the newest models available from each respective manufacturer, which shows a clear indication that maximising display size is a key area of interest in the development and marketing of new smartphones, though some are pushing the boundaries as far as possible for a smartphone handset.

Despite this, consideration must be given to where the line is drawn between what constitutes a smartphone and what constitutes a tablet. That is not to say that there must be a distinction between the two. Each type of machine is almost identical in function, with the exception of tablets being unable to make network-based telephone calls. However, services such as Skype over an ISP allow this, and in some cases these calls can be free.

Some may argue that it all comes down to customer preference. The provision of smartphones and tablets is now so large and varied that customers can essentially choose whether to have a smaller or larger screen, though the majority of newer models do seem to be leaning towards the latter.

So are we being driven into accepting these larger handsets if we want to use a smartphone? One of the pitfalls of such a large handset is that you lose some degree of handling. Using the Samsung Galaxy Note with one hand and thumb may be possible for those with exceptionally large hands, though it generally requires two hands or the provided stylus for the optimum experience. This might not necessarily bother all consumers, but it does take away some degree of functionality when trying to juggle a handset and a carry bag or other item that may occupy the other hand.

But with its enormous display, the Note is certainly one of the market leaders where screen size is concerned. Get more for the Samsung Galaxy Note only at Tesco.