In a world where manufacturers are coming out with 468ppi devices, a regression from retina displays would be incredibly stupid.
That's a bragging-rights-only spec. Not real world different from something with 300+.
Also, don't believe this rumor. They won't lower the pixel density that far.
At this point, the size is only half the equation. iOS is getting more and more dated by the day.
Without a major iOS overhaul, I don't think they are going to capture any new marketshare.
OK, I downloaded and made one but I can't get it to turn off. WTF?
We conducted similar usability tests a couple of years ago and found that usability suffered dramatically for most users and the majority said they preferred a smaller screen. However, these users were asked to operate the phone with one hand so they became aware of the benefits and liabilities of a larger display.
I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that the average consumer would be wowed by the larger screen, cos it does look impressive in a lineup and consumers rarely take one handed operation into consideration at the point of sale. It's only when they need to operate it with a cup of coffee in one hand that they realize that the larger screen can actually be a major liability.
That's a bragging-rights-only spec. Not real world different from something with 300+.
Also, don't believe this rumor. They won't lower the pixel density that far.
OK, I downloaded and made one but I can't get it to turn off. WTF?
Finally a cool interesting story on here!
People that think Apple will make a bigger screen just to compete with Android don't understand Apple or marketing in general. First of all, that would be WAY to easy just to get a useless spec (as one commenter said, hold it closer to your face, duh). Also, it would be like admitting defeat or that you were wrong. Apple wouldn't do that even if it was wrong (I personally think they are very right when it comes to phone size and I find the iPhone 5 a bit hard to use).
What I think Apple will do is come out with a 1280x720 phone. Now you may say NO WAY FRAGMENTATION! But you don't understand this from a developer standpoint or from the standpoint that Apple will do something different. They WILL have the best screen and WILL NOT fragment. How is this possible?
Apple had patented a technology to white or black out parts of a screen using e-ink. Now imagine if the entire iPhone was screen. There are a number of issues of course like where do you put the home button, or what about the microphones and cameras, etc? Hmm... difficult technological issues but ones that Apple would be willing to solve to do it. So imagine this...
1) The home button is invisible. You just hold your thumb in the area and press. Apple's fingerprint and haptic patents cover that you pressed the home button and also add security too.
2) The camera can be set beneath the LED screen or just on the edge of it. Crazy tolerances will be needed but imagine if you could look right at the screen and make true eye contact in FaceTime.
3) Microphones could be moved towards the edge of the screen on in a very thin bezel.
4) The iPhone has a new mode called "Full Screen" that game developers or video players can utilize for true 720p HD gaming or movies.
5) Normal apps run in a letterbox and e-ink whites or blacks out the screen so that it looks and works like a normal iPhone at regular resolution allowing all other apps to run normally (unless they use full screen mode)
So there you have it folks. That's a definitely Apple-like thing to do. No one else has done it or will do it because they don't have the technology or will to make it happen. True edge-to-edge screen.
Print dozens of these, put something about as heavy as an iPhone 5 inside so that it feels solid and leave them in various places such as restaurants, etc.
Then just sit at another table and see how long it takes for people to either steal it or give it to management as a lost item. Also, keep count on the thieves vs honest people and report back to us with your findings. Average times, percentages, etc.
At this point, the size is only half the equation. iOS is getting more and more dated by the day.
Without a major iOS overhaul, I don't think they are going to capture any new marketshare.
Before:
"Retina! Retina! Retina! Your eyes can't even perceive the pixels at this density! Even higher pixel density than all the competitors! So amazing! Retina!"
After:
"You know guys, ppi isn't everything. There are so many factors to consider that make up the whole overall user experience. And even though our competitors might accuse our new phone of not meeting some arbitrary threshold that they want to call 'retina', we think that...."
Noooo. We cant go around looking like the Samsung Galaxy Note crowd.
Noooo. We cant go around looking like the Samsung Galaxy Note crowd.
I want a SMALLER iphone
That can tether to a WiFi ipad - when a larger screen is needed.