I'm on your side here, i.e., team small-phone.
But don't quite understand the consternation.
If you want a phone the size of a 2022 SE, then can't you just buy a 2022 SE? It's not a bad option. Doesn't Apple have a policy of supporting their hardware and software for at least 5 years after a model has been officially on sale? So you can get an iPhone SE right now, have your small phone, and it will still be able to run the latest iOS and still be able to be repaired by the OEM for the next 5 years. Problem solved?