Today's high end smartphones all seem to be getting BIG...the Galaxy S4 is a cracker, but look at the size of the thing...
Personally, the iPhone is hard to beat...so easy and intuitive, maybe not quite all the bells and whistles of the S4, but a great interface, lots of apps, and ideal for the basics the OP is after.
Wouldn't go for W8...Android looks to be mature and secure now. But iOS is pretty much all you need...