Why is the iPhone soo fat? [Archive]

superspiffy

Oct 13, 2009, 04:16 AM

pauliphone

Oct 13, 2009, 04:21 AM

doubt they would have added extra bulk for no reason!

MythicFrost

Oct 13, 2009, 04:28 AM

doubt they would have added extra bulk for no reason!
The only thing I thought it might be was that being to skinny it was too hard to hold and it might get dropped, but I doubt it. I'd rather have a skinny scratched phone than a fat fluffy one.

Kind Regards

maflynn

Oct 13, 2009, 06:29 AM

I found the 3G no thicker then other phones. Take the Palm Pre, its thicker. The various blackberry's are about the same thickness.

Given that it has more functionality then 99.99% of the phones out there, its no wonder that its a bit larger.

lemonademaker

Oct 13, 2009, 06:41 AM

Hehe, I'm wondering if the iPhone is thicker by choice, or does it simply have components that need the space.

I really want an iPod Touch frame for the iPhone, is that possible or is there some big component like a 3G Chip or something that the iPhone needs that takes up space?

Kind Regards

I'm coming from a 32gb 2nd gen touch before the iPhone and I have to say there was a little bit of "disappointment" when the iPhone hit my door and being twice as thick, but hey there is a lot more tech they have to squeeze into the phone over the touch. I soon realized after being able to leave my wifi and having the same technology/apps out and about with cell service the thickness of the iphone faded the first day.....

As with all technology it will get thinner the next generation so until then I love the iphone. (to add to the bulk I keep it in Otterbox Defender on a daily basis....LOL)

reoreilly

Oct 13, 2009, 06:42 AM

I actually think it's quite slight.
I wouldn't want it any thinner, I'd feel like it would break in my hand. I think it's about average thickness tbqh, and it seems proportionate to how large the screen is. :o

rdowns

Oct 13, 2009, 06:57 AM

So fat? The only thing thinner at Apple is Steve Jobs. :D

acfusion29

Oct 13, 2009, 07:47 AM

The iPhone is a perfect size.

MythicFrost

Oct 13, 2009, 07:49 AM

bstpierre

Oct 13, 2009, 08:32 AM

As with all technology it will get thinner the next generation so until then I love the iphone. (to add to the bulk I keep it in Otterbox Defender on a daily basis....LOL)

Don't count on it getting thinner. I think they will keep cramming more stuff inside as the components get smaller.

ucfgrad93

Oct 13, 2009, 08:35 AM

The iPhone is a perfect size.

Agreed, I find it to be nicely sized.

daneoni

Oct 13, 2009, 08:36 AM

I do not want an iPod touch size, that thing is not ergonomic to hold at all nor do i want a scratch prone back. I also think it will be a while before the iPhone gets to that status even though it eventually will

The iPhone is thicker because it has about 10 radios; GPS, Wi-Fi, GSM, EDGE, UMTS, BT etc, earpiece, mic, cam and so on and so forth and a larger battery IIRC

Unspoken Demise

Oct 13, 2009, 08:37 AM

Because its boyfriend broke up with it and it hit a pint of Ben & Jerry's like there were diamonds at the bottom. Its very sensitive, ok?

-aggie-

Oct 13, 2009, 08:41 AM

Just when I think I've seen everything. "Soo fat?" You've got to be kidding.

azentropy

Oct 13, 2009, 08:48 AM

I wish they had a size for all!

I'd love a phone the size of the iTouch, it'd be soo smooth, with a nice silver back (not the plastic), I love the silver, although it appears a lot of people prefer the plastic.

Kind Regards

So what features are you willing to give up to make it thinner? Apple made it as thin as they could with the feature set it has and the available technology. Over time some things will get smaller and future revisions will probably get thinner.

I think pretty much everyone would prefer metal, but t is plastic because of the 3G antenna.

question fear

Oct 13, 2009, 08:54 AM

My understanding (and it's totally possible this is wrong), is that there is so much more going on inside an iPhone that the heat from the battery powering all those components needs someplace to go. You could squish a lot of it into an iPod Touch size device, but I would assume the battery would be smaller and the heat would be worse.

But I am not an engineer, just a geek who likes to surf tech sites, so please correct me if I am wrong.

MasterDev

Oct 13, 2009, 09:15 AM

Wow, the iPhone isn't big at all. Sure the screen is big, but that's a good kind of big.

arkitect

Oct 13, 2009, 09:18 AM

Because its boyfriend broke up with it and it hit a pint of Ben & Jerry's like there were diamonds at the bottom. Its very sensitive, ok?

:D:D:D
Excellent answer to a rather silly question. :)

uberamd

Oct 13, 2009, 09:20 AM

Because there is stuff inside. Plain and simple. Look at the teardown images, there is no room to spare. Go grab a cell phone from 15 years ago then call the iPhone fat.

Hawkeye411

Oct 13, 2009, 09:27 AM

More stuff inside = fatter.

Could be worse :eek:

http://www.tinyvices.com/fat_phone_low.jpg

Motionblurrr

Oct 13, 2009, 09:55 AM

This is probably one of the worst threads I've seen on these forums in a while

VenomousSVT

Oct 13, 2009, 10:03 AM

not sound be harsh but it seems kind of like an obvious answer to a unneeded question.

why is the iphone fatter than a ipod touch? seriously?

AreYouIn?

Oct 13, 2009, 10:09 AM

The iPhone is a perfect size.

+1

I don't think I would like it any thinner.

army91c

Oct 13, 2009, 10:17 AM

not sound be harsh but it seems kind of like an obvious answer to a unneeded question.

why is the iphone fatter than a ipod touch? seriously?

+1

bytethese

Oct 13, 2009, 10:23 AM

not sound be harsh but it seems kind of like an obvious answer to a unneeded question.

why is the iphone fatter than a ipod touch? seriously?

Agreed.

I do have a corollary question here though, Why is the iPhone forum posting dumb threads and getting fatter? :)

Battlefield Fan

Oct 13, 2009, 10:28 AM

This is probably one of the worst threads I've seen on these forums in a while

Agreed

ajohnson253

Oct 13, 2009, 11:38 AM

One size fits all.

palmerc2

Oct 13, 2009, 12:01 PM

compared to other phones, the iPhone is skinny

my gf has a blackberry, not sure on model...but it is at least 2.5x as thick

I think its skinny enough.

Bacong

Oct 13, 2009, 12:17 PM

iPhone is thinner than the RAZR. What kind of question is this? iPhone is a slick, gorgeous device, and not once did I think it bulky. I was amazed that they were able to fit such stunning tech into such a small package.

matttye

Oct 13, 2009, 12:22 PM

Is this a joke?

It's slightly over 1cm thick... that's not big!

Unspoken Demise

Oct 13, 2009, 12:22 PM

It's slightly over 1cm thick... that's not big!
Thats what she said. lulz

efp1

Oct 13, 2009, 12:50 PM

I, personally, think the iPhone's thickness is perfect. Not too thick, not too skinny.

I'd rather Apple focus on getting a bigger, more lasting battery in there than making it skinnier!

lostprophet894

Oct 13, 2009, 02:18 PM

I'm gonna have to agree with the masses. The iPhone's thickness + weight make it feel like a solid device. I, too, would be worried about breaking it if it were any more thin.

musio

Oct 13, 2009, 02:58 PM

it's thick because apple can release a thinner one and say 'look, it's so thin!' and then based on a few mm's shaved off the size, they'll sell bucket loads from people saying how it's changed their lives.

scaredpoet

Oct 13, 2009, 03:17 PM

Hehe, I'm wondering if the iPhone is thicker by choice, or does it simply have components that need the space.

It's because the space is needed.

The iPhone 3GS has not one, but four additional radios than the iPod Touch: one for GSM 850/900, one for GSM 1800/1900, and one each for 3G 850, and 3G 1900/2100Mhz.

There are also two vocoder chipsets to control these radios: one for 3G and one for GSM.

All of these need space that isn't available in the iPod touch form factor. In fact, even with the extra space, things are still tight. This is why there s no 64GB iPhone 3GS: that requires space for a second 32GB NAND flash chip, and there just isn't room.

EDIT: Here's a map:
http://www.mp4converter.net/blog/sites/default/files/image/167304-iphone-3gs-cost-2_original.jpg

If you look at the components, the whole left third of the main circuit board consists of iPhone-only components that don't exist on the iPod touch. That's a lot of extra stuff to cram in.

IMO, the iPhone form factor is just right: not too fat, not too skinny. For me, the iPod touch is disappointingly thin. In any case, both are thinner than the RAZR, and only 0.39 ounces heavier. And I remember how everyone was amazed at how thin and light that phone was, even though compared to even smartphones of the time, it was pretty "dumb" as far as phones go.

RandomGuy26

Oct 13, 2009, 07:30 PM

gloss

Oct 13, 2009, 08:09 PM

It's about as small as the form factor gets, if you look at the competition. Quit nitpicking.

macintosh.apple

Oct 13, 2009, 09:07 PM

I dislike fat people

why? sometimes its not their fault:(

the.sheepdog

Oct 13, 2009, 09:18 PM

why? sometimes its not their fault:(

Thank you. It is my fault tho. I should not have joined the military, gone to war, got wounded, or struggled in pain the last decades. I could have been a thin hippie or draft dodger in Canada!

:p

1rottenapple

Oct 13, 2009, 11:25 PM

God I am sooooooo tempted to make a comment that will may get me banned but I will resist at all cost. :D
see mods i have learned after my timeout a few months ago

lollicup

Oct 14, 2009, 12:32 AM

not sound be harsh but it seems kind of like an obvious answer to a unneeded question.

why is the iphone fatter than a ipod touch? seriously?

+1

can we please lock this thread

MythicFrost

Oct 14, 2009, 01:03 AM

Wow now I'm pissed, I'd reply to all the people here who can't stop saying how dumb this thread is, or what a stupid question it is, but THAT's 95% OF THE POSTS.

Mind your own business, if you think its DUMB, don't read it, don't reply.
OVER THE ENTIRE two pages of this thread, only two or three questions didn't insult me in some form, and actually answered the question.
Imagine how small this thread would be if I didn't get 20 replies saying how dumb it is, or whatever else.

It's because the space is needed.

The iPhone 3GS has not one, but four additional radios than the iPod Touch: one for GSM 850/900, one for GSM 1800/1900, and one each for 3G 850, and 3G 1900/2100Mhz.

There are also two vocoder chipsets to control these radios: one for 3G and one for GSM.

All of these need space that isn't available in the iPod touch form factor. In fact, even with the extra space, things are still tight. This is why there s no 64GB iPhone 3GS: that requires space for a second 32GB NAND flash chip, and there just isn't room.

^ The only reply that was needed, and in fact it could have been shortened to "It needs the space".
I don't know what the hell is inside an iPhone, apart from a flash drive, a 3G radio/thing and a CPU/gfx chip etc..
I don't care if it's smaller then most phones or a cell phone 10 years ago or whatever. I said very clearly and simply, "Why is it not as small as an iTouch".

can we please lock this thread

Yeah I actually want this locked now, but it wouldn't need to be if people didn't reply useless, insulting & rude answers? as the other 95% of the posts are. I don't know about other people, but I actually get UPSET when people do that.
EDIT: I stand corrected, apart from a few things on the first page it's fine, it's the last page where most of the dumb replies are.

Ivan P

Oct 14, 2009, 01:17 AM

^ The only reply that was needed, and in fact it could have been shortened to "It needs the space".
I don't know what the hell is inside an iPhone, apart from a flash drive, a 3G radio/thing and a CPU/gfx chip etc..
I don't care if it's smaller then most phones or a cell phone 10 years ago or whatever. I said very clearly and simply, "Why is it not as small as an iTouch".

Yeah... or how about people just stop replying useless, insulting & rude answers? as the other 95% of the posts are.

There's also the camera as well - Steve Jobs himself explained last month with the new iPods that the diodes used for a still camera like in the iPhone take up a lot of space, whilst those used for video take up a lot less (the reason why the camera in the nano can only take video). In addition to this, the auto-focus hardware in the 3GS takes up even more room on top of the existing camera, so whilst Apple was definitely capable of reducing the size of the 3GS in comparison to the 3G, they are also adding new features that will end up using the available space (there's 'little' stuff like the compass/magnetometer in the 3GS). Making the device thinner will, ultimately, lead to Apple having to sacrifice certain hardware components.

...do I get a compliment too? :p

firewood

Oct 14, 2009, 01:17 AM

The additional chips aren't really that much thicker.

It's mostly the additional battery volume needed to provide power to all those additional chips plus a high powered cellular radio and still provide a semi-decent battery life.

The lens for the camera also requires some depth for the focus mechanism and/or decent focal length and optical resolution above the diffraction limit.

MythicFrost

Oct 14, 2009, 01:20 AM

@scaredpoet - thank you, very helpful post.
@Ivan P, yes thx for being helpful :)
@firewood, thx

matttye

Oct 14, 2009, 01:46 AM

Wow now I'm pissed, I'd reply to all the people here who can't stop saying how dumb this thread is, or what a stupid question it is, but THAT's 95% OF THE POSTS.

Mind your own business, if you think its DUMB, don't read it, don't reply.
OVER THE ENTIRE two pages of this thread, only two or three questions didn't insult me in some form, and actually answered the question.
Imagine how small this thread would be if I didn't get 20 replies saying how dumb it is, or whatever else.

^ The only reply that was needed, and in fact it could have been shortened to "It needs the space".
I don't know what the hell is inside an iPhone, apart from a flash drive, a 3G radio/thing and a CPU/gfx chip etc..
I don't care if it's smaller then most phones or a cell phone 10 years ago or whatever. I said very clearly and simply, "Why is it not as small as an iTouch".

Yeah I actually want this locked now, but it wouldn't need to be if people didn't reply useless, insulting & rude answers? as the other 95% of the posts are. I don't know about other people, but I actually get UPSET when people do that.
EDIT: I stand corrected, apart from a few things on the first page it's fine, it's the last page where most of the dumb replies are.

It just bewilders me that you would consider a phone that shares a lot of functionality with a laptop computer, and is just over 1cm thick, as "fat."

arkitect

Oct 14, 2009, 01:52 AM

It just bewilders me that you would consider a phone that shares a lot of functionality with a laptop computer, and is just over 1cm thick, as "fat."

I also think what irritated most posters was the whiny tone of the thread title:

Why is the iPhone soo fat?

If the OP had asked why is the iPhone thicker than the iPod Touch few would have commented.

MythicFrost

Oct 14, 2009, 02:07 AM

It just bewilders me that you would consider a phone that shares a lot of functionality with a laptop computer, and is just over 1cm thick, as "fat."

If someone had of actually said that, I could have clarified and said that the entire context of the iPhone being fat was a TOTAL joke lol.

I also think what irritated most posters was the whiny tone of the thread title:

Why is the iPhone soo fat?

If the OP had asked why is the iPhone thicker than the iPod Touch few would have commented.

Perhaps, but it was not intended to be serious, nor whiny... in fact I was laughing at the title, I thought it was quite funny.
I wasn't complaining about a thing, my question was entirely just, why is it larger - is it because there are extra space requirements, or is it for functionality, as I have thought that perhaps such a skinny phone would be easily droppable / harder to use.

The whole "fat" thing was just a joke I thought was funny, I didn't actually think for a second anyone would take it seriously.
That doesn't excuse a rude response though, I see titles that you could call whiny and probably silly, but I don't reply and if I do I answer the question politely, or suggest the OP clarifies what he means, so he does actually get a response that resolves his question.

Hehe, I'm wondering if the iPhone is thicker by choice, or does it simply have components that need the space.

I really want an iPod Touch frame for the iPhone, is that possible or is there some big component like a 3G Chip or something that the iPhone needs that takes up space?

Kind Regards

My original post actually said nothing about it being fat, and only thicker, since the fat thing was a joke, and there was a few funny replies, then some got mean.

EDIT:

The only thing I thought it might be was that being to skinny it was too hard to hold and it might get dropped, but I doubt it. I'd rather have a skinny scratched phone than a fat fluffy one.

Kind Regards

Who would seriously call an iPhone fat and fluffy? lolz

Kind Regards

arkitect

Oct 14, 2009, 02:48 AM

Perhaps, but it was not intended to be serious, nor whiny... in fact I was laughing at the title, I thought it was quite funny.

The whole "fat" thing was just a joke I thought was funny, I didn't actually think for a second anyone would take it seriously.

Well you know… Interwebz forum usage 101:
"Humour does not translate well and at best is a hit and miss affair."

;) :)

MythicFrost

Oct 14, 2009, 05:45 AM

Well you know… Interwebz forum usage 101:
"Humour does not translate well and at best is a hit and miss affair."

Too true, but I can't give up my humour, I'll just have to make it very clear I'm joking about certain things :)

firewood

Oct 14, 2009, 01:24 PM

I also think what irritated most posters was the whiny tone of the thread title:

Why is the iPhone soo fat?

Anyone remember those brick sized cell phones from a dozen years back?

In another decade or so, todays babys will be teenagers who will look at an iPhone in a museum display, and say "how could anyone use something that's soo big and fat!", and laugh at us old geezers. (as they talk into their comm button with a holographic telepresence projector, or somesuch...)

y

Doju

Oct 14, 2009, 01:40 PM

Yes but if you couldn't look inside a Big Mac and see what makes it bigger, you'd ask the question.
I was just wondering, was it choice or an actual requirement.

Anyway, thanks.No, I'd look at the obvious list of nutritional information.

This thread is rather ridiculous. How did you expect them to shove a camera, gps, sim card holder, antenna, etc. in the same case as an iPod touch? Dear lord.

macfanboy

Oct 14, 2009, 03:06 PM

the iphone is not fat

your just imagining the 'perfect phone' when there is no such thing. the iphone is one of the slimmest smartphones (if not the thinnest) out on the market. i wouldn't be complaining about its width.

caligurl

Oct 14, 2009, 03:33 PM

poor iphone.... :( i can't believe people would call her fat..... i guess she has supermodel syndrome?

richard371

Oct 14, 2009, 04:01 PM

I think Apple could make it just a little thicker and then douple the battery life. People are so spoiled with such rinky dink thin phones at a cost of battery life. Unless you are wearing super tight jeans and don't like the bulge then its not a problem.

nateo200

Oct 14, 2009, 05:47 PM

Guys lets not make the iPhone go "anorexic" believe me we don't want some paper thin smart phone that you can barely hold onto.....

Primejimbo

Oct 14, 2009, 06:04 PM

The iPhone is a perfect size.

Agreed! I hope they don't make it any thinner

SnowLeopard2008

Oct 14, 2009, 06:06 PM

It's thinner than all the other smartphones. Let's not drive it further down the path of anorexia.

neonbright

Oct 14, 2009, 06:08 PM

I, personally, think the iPhone's thickness is perfect. Not too thick, not too skinny.

I'd rather Apple focus on getting a bigger, more lasting battery in there than making it skinnier!

I agree with you, it is thinner than my Blackjack, and Samsung Eternity.

RandomGuy26

Oct 15, 2009, 04:54 PM

Kind Regards

lollicup

Oct 15, 2009, 06:21 PM

Wow now I'm pissed,

what did you expect

ask a stupid question, get a stupid response

Ipod + more components = need more room = larger dimensions

I already asked the moderators to lock the thread ( per your request)

MythicFrost

Oct 15, 2009, 06:37 PM

Kind Regards
Are you mocking me?
what did you expect

ask a stupid question, get a stupid response

Ipod + more components = need more room = larger dimensions

I already asked the moderators to lock the thread ( per your request)
My goodness, it doesn't end... It's not a stupid question, if I'm asking it it's because I don't know, I can guess, but I like clarification so I actually know, if you think it's a stupid question DON'T RESPOND.
Good, and it wouldn't need to be locked if people would stop making rude replies like you, and possibly the other guy too.