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am i the only one that wish iphone 5 screen was 3.5

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canwe3

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 3, 2012
67
0
the 4inches is awkward to hold, annoying as hell. 3.5 was the PERFECT size to hold and type. Phones are not tablets, I want it small and portable. I have no need for that extra .5inches.

What apple should have done is create two model
iphone 5 witih 3.5inches and iphone 5 with 4.5 or bigger screen. I'll bet you that if iphone 5 had two choices 3.5inch screen would be the best seller. Only on the internet ppl want bigger screen. Most people are/were happy with previous iPhone.

Screen size is the only reason I went away from androids, you can't get a superfast smart phone on android unless it's 4.5+. SO ANNOYING!!!

Battery life on iphone 4 was amazing. I'm not even using 4g and iphone5 battery life sucks ass
 
0098386

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
The screen/device size is what's putting me off the iPhone 5. It's going to be one of those forced upgrades I think, when my 4s dies.
 
Spink10

Spink10

Suspended
Nov 3, 2011
4,261
1,020
Oklahoma
You do realize some want 3.1 some want 3.2 others 3.3 some 3.4 others 3.5 even 3.6 while others want 3.7 and 3.8 is desired by others 3.9 is a must for some while apple wants 4 and some 4.1 while others want 4.2 and many want 4.3 and some 4.4 and others 4.5 and others 4.6 and others 4.7 and others 4. and others 4.9 - ETC

This thread is worthless - thought I would help degrade it.
 
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spykthomas

macrumors member
Nov 19, 2012
52
1
canwe3 said:
What apple should have done is create two model
iphone 5 witih 3.5inches and iphone 5 with 4.5 or bigger screen. I'll bet you that if iphone 5 had two choices 3.5inch screen would be the best seller.
Click to expand...

That's why you can still buy the 4S...

With the introduction of full keyboards on smart phones I was automatically texting with two thumbs and finding smaller/normal screens too small. My One X is a great size for me now.
 
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torana355

macrumors 68040
Dec 8, 2009
3,609
2,676
Sydney, Australia
Yes you are the only one, in case you haven't noticed the trend is going towards 5"+ phablets now. Personally on a smart phone i want the screen as big as possible while being able to fit in my pocket. If you don't need a big screen get a normal Nokia phone.
 
D

dinggus

macrumors 65816
Jan 17, 2012
1,309
63
canwe3 said:
the 4inches is awkward to hold, annoying as hell. 3.5 was the PERFECT size to hold and type. Phones are not tablets, I want it small and portable. I have no need for that extra .5inches.

What apple should have done is create two model
iphone 5 witih 3.5inches and iphone 5 with 4.5 or bigger screen. I'll bet you that if iphone 5 had two choices 3.5inch screen would be the best seller. Only on the internet ppl want bigger screen. Most people are/were happy with previous iPhone.

Screen size is the only reason I went away from androids, you can't get a superfast smart phone on android unless it's 4.5+. SO ANNOYING!!!

Battery life on iphone 4 was amazing. I'm not even using 4g and iphone5 battery life sucks ass
Click to expand...

If you have a white iPhone on AT&T, I'll trade you my white 4S :D
 
Menel

Menel

Suspended
Aug 4, 2011
6,351
1,356
canwe3 said:
the 4inches is awkward to hold, annoying as hell. 3.5 was the PERFECT size to hold and type. Phones are not tablets, I want it small and portable. I have no need for that extra .5inches.

What apple should have done is create two model
iphone 5 witih 3.5inches and iphone 5 with 4.5 or bigger screen. I'll bet you that if iphone 5 had two choices 3.5inch screen would be the best seller. Only on the internet ppl want bigger screen. Most people are/were happy with previous iPhone.

Screen size is the only reason I went away from androids, you can't get a superfast smart phone on android unless it's 4.5+. SO ANNOYING!!!

Battery life on iphone 4 was amazing. I'm not even using 4g and iphone5 battery life sucks ass
Click to expand...
You're not the only one.

Coming from an iPhone 4, the tall 4" iPhone 5 is a PITA for usability.

Anandtech's evaluation showed better battery life on LTE than on 3G/4G. You would have been better off with 4S.
 
I

inselstudent

macrumors 6502a
Jul 27, 2012
617
4
Hell, I definitely second the OP. If the iPhone 5 didn't have a 4" screen, I'd have upgraded from my 4. So far, the reportedly worse battery life on the 4S deterred me from buying that phone. And now, there's an awkwardly tall successor and again I'm not willing to get a new one. All this are pretty much 1st world problems and the 4 is still a very capable so actually there's no real need to upgrade anyway. But I still hope Apple will bring out another 3.5" iPhone...
 
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hiramham

macrumors newbie
Oct 30, 2008
7
2
Does anyone feel like i-phone is too narrow?

In Ives' i-phone 5 intro video he says that the dimensions were designed to be the maximum but still allow one hand use. I think he is solving for the wrong problem. you want to biggest screen while still being able to unobtrusively fit one pocket. the galaxy S III is a better form factor.
 
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The Phazer

macrumors 68030
Oct 31, 2007
2,997
930
London, UK
I definitely agree with the OP.

The 16:9 ratio Apple admit is rubbish. It's been clumsily implemented, and it's uncomfortable to use.

There sadly isn't any good, up to date 3.5 inch smartphone on the market :-(
 
D

Damolee

macrumors 6502a
Nov 20, 2012
512
79
I don't agree.

I had the iPhone 4 ages back and didn't get on with such a tiny screen. Games were practically useless for a start.

4" is the sweet spot for me. Would be 4.3" if it were edge to edge and remained the same/similar size but this is more than adequate.
 
Y

yinz

macrumors 6502a
Apr 12, 2012
641
5
Interesting, I like the longer taller look. It's sleeker and more phone like. I think the 3.5" is kind of stubby
 
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canwe3

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 3, 2012
67
0
The Phazer said:
I definitely agree with the OP.

The 16:9 ratio Apple admit is rubbish. It's been clumsily implemented, and it's uncomfortable to use.

There sadly isn't any good, up to date 3.5 inch smartphone on the market :-(
Click to expand...
If Steve job was still alive the phone would have stayed 3.5inches. Apple has been making lots of mistake since Steve passed away. examples are cheap looking ipod touches, horrible new ads(couple months ago) and ofcourse maps. The man knew what was aesthetic and wasn't, let's face it most people have no taste.

I don't understand why they went with 4inches. 4inches is not enough to satisfy those folks who wants bigger screen anyway so might as well give them a nice big screen for those who wants it. Steve said 3.5 was the perfect screen size for touch screen mobile device. It has been researched and I agree 100%.
Every time I want to press the top of my iphone5 I have to readjust my hand position. Let's face it 5 row icons makes the iphone look awkward as hell.
F123D said:
If you're not using 4G and don't like the 4" screen, get a 4S then.
Click to expand...

if the screen size was all that matter I would have went with free small android phone. Read my first post, the fastest phones on the market are all big. Iphone5 being the smallest. I didn't go with iphone4s cause 2x processor speed, future proof 4g connection, improve camera, etc.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
SR45

SR45

macrumors 65832
Aug 17, 2011
1,501
0
Florida
Both the 3.5 and 4 incher are fine. What I don't really like about the 4 incher is the lighter weight. I prefer the more solid feel, and weight of the 4S phone myself. ;) I don't game on any smartphone. That's for kids, and I have a computer/Xbox for any games that I might play (Flight Sims).
 
pnoyblazed

pnoyblazed

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2008
986
403
they made it taller not wider for a reason.. you can use or keep using the 4/4S if you don't like the 4-inch screen and want to miss out on LTE
 
Beeplance

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
canwe3 said:
Steve said 3.5 was the perfect screen size for touch screen mobile device. It has been researched and I agree 100%.
Click to expand...

Doesn't explain why the S III and Note 2 is selling so well. Let's face it, different people have different preferences. There's no such thing as perfect screen size that can satisfy everyone.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
KittyKatta

KittyKatta

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2011
1,058
1,212
SoCal
canwe3 said:
the 4inches is awkward to hold, annoying as hell. 3.5 was the PERFECT size to hold and type. Phones are not tablets, I want it small and portable. I have no need for that extra .5inches.
Click to expand...
You are right, phones are not tablets. That's why nobody would consider 4" to be a "tablet" size.

IMO, all your complaints are leftovers from the outdated (and debunked) idea that 3.5" is "perfect". The iPhone 5 is still small and portable. the iPhone 5 has the same width so it types EXACTLY the same as previous models. The iPhone 5 and its enormous "extra .5in" screen offers more benefits than drawbacks. And even with small female hands then I find absolutely no difficulties in "holding" a product that is both thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

The iPhone 5 is a solid improvement over the 4 because it managed to pack in a bigger screen at almost the same style and form factor as the 4. So IMO, anyone having a fit about it would've been unhappy regardless of what Apple changed.
 
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cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,154
I think a lot of people are getting screen size confused with overall dimensions. A larger screen could have been squeezed into the 4S form factor with some innovation. Look at the Razr M for example, it has a 4.3" screen in a similar form factor as the iPhone 5.

Also the user interface is designed around a small screen. Most apps, like tapatalk for example because I'm currently using it have the back button at the upper left. With my lifeproof case it's a stretch on a 4S. With other mobile OS. There is rarely a need to reach the upper left. The screen can be 10" if you only use the bottom 3.5" 90% of the time.
 
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