Sony is reportedly working on a smaller version of its upcoming Honami flagship, aiming to compete with Apple's iPhone and other Android smartphones in the 4-inch range.

The current trend is for increasingly larger smartphone displays and handsets with high-end specs. A larger display, however, means a larger form factor altogether, and many consumers want smaller smartphones. The iPhone is currently among the few devices offering top performance in a more compact form factor.

Samsung and HTC, for instance, have their Galaxy S4 and HTC One flagships, as well as Mini versions of the handsets. The problem is that those smaller models come with mid-range hardware specs. Except for the iPhone, the wide majority smartphones with displays below 4.5 inches don't come with high-end specs.

Sony aims to change all that with its purported Honami Mini, according to an exclusive report from VR-Zone.

"Our closest sources tell us that Sony is indeed working on more than just Honami, which is to be released in the next couple of months," claims the publication. "The latest word is that the Japanese company is also working on a 'compact' version of Honami, to go head-on with the Apple iPhone."

The smaller version of the upcoming Sony Honami flagship will reportedly pack high-end specifications similar to those of its larger sibling. According to VR-Zone, the Sony Honami Mini will fall under the 4- to 4.3-inch segment, but without compromising performance.

The Sony Honami Mini will reportedly boast the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, which would make it one of the fastest smartphones in its segment. While the smaller device will borrow various features from its larger sibling, it will also sport a high-performance camera that may not be the same as the Honami's.

The report doesn't provide any additional details on the purported Sony Honami Mini. Considering that the purported Sony Honami Mini will allegedly feature a screen size of maximum 4.3 inches, the handset may sport a 720p panel rather than a Full HD (1080p) display.

Keep in mind, however, that Sony has yet to confirm a smaller version of its upcoming Honami device, which means that it's all in the rumor state for now. This report may or may not prove to be accurate, so take things with a grain of salt for the time being. If the Sony Honami Mini is indeed in the works, more details should surface over the coming months. The VR-Zone report claims that Sony plans to launch its upcoming flagship on Sept. 4.