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chleuasme

macrumors 6502
Apr 17, 2012
485
75
Probably wishful thinking but who knows?
Speaking about wishful thinking, I'd rather go with:

june '15:
6c (4", A8, Touch ID, NFC)
16:$449 32:$499 64:$599

september '15:
7 (4.7", A9+2GB, new camera+OIS, screen with higher pixel density)
64:$699 128:$799

7+ (5.5", A9+2GB, new camera)
64:$799 128:$899

:p
 

terminator-jq

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2012
681
1,358
Can you say: "F-R-A-G-M-E-N-T-A-T-I-O-N" ? Sure, I knew ya could.

It wouldn't be nearly as big a deal as you might think. As a developer myself, I can tell you that working with 3 resolutions is MUCH better than working with the countless resolutions in the Android market and don't even get me started on Google's slow update rollouts and having to worry about how my game will perform on the many GPU and CPU combinations. Trust me, if you ever have to make a game for Android, you will know the true meaning of fragmentation. Developing for iOS isnt perfect either but it's a much better and organized system.

Also, sense developers want their games to reach as wide an audience as possible, we usually target the iPhone 5 (even the 4S in some cases) as our base spec anyways. Therefore we are already developing with a 4" screen in mind. Adding a new 4" screen device actually wouldn't change anything in the development cycle.

So I say, bring it on. I love my iPhone 6 but I can certainly understand why some would want something smaller.
 

CaryMacGuy

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2006
582
159
Morrisville, NC
I can see this easily happening. I think the 4" will likely have the iPhone 6 internals with the newer versions (iPhone 6S presumably) having the best and newest specs. Like the 5C, being a cheaper version of the 5

And once again they will save "The most advanced iPhone ever made" Or something like that. Always gives me a chuckle when that happens...
 

BMcCoy

macrumors 68000
Jun 24, 2010
1,718
3,421
You're very close....

Speaking about wishful thinking, I'd rather go with:

june '15:
6c (4", A8, Touch ID, NFC)
16:$449 32:$499 64:$599

september '15:
7 (4.7", A9+2GB, new camera+OIS, screen with higher pixel density)
64:$699 128:$799

7+ (5.5", A9+2GB, new camera)
64:$799 128:$899

:p
 

willcapellaro

macrumors 6502
Oct 20, 2011
345
6
Yep

Could see this happening simply for Apple to make sure they are are noimpediments to Apple Pay.

Where I think it may come off as clumsy is that people should want smaller phones, and they should cost more due to engineering feats and manufacturing marvels, and assembly headaches that go with tight electronic packagings.

I see classy execs I work with pull out the 6 from a pocket and to me it undermines their style. The 5S seemed to fit these folks better.

So I'll be very happy if the 6C is considered the budget model - I'll save $100. But they could charge $100 MORE for it if they positioned it well, or were size-agnostic.

So I'm holding on to my pre iOS 8 4s. Simply wish I hadn't borked the proximity sensor during a battery replacement, and that I got the 64 gig model. I may pick up a 5S 64GB used, in the age of iPhone 6 and 6+ that model looks really good to me.
 

CaryMacGuy

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2006
582
159
Morrisville, NC
Speaking about wishful thinking, I'd rather go with:

june '15:
6c (4", A8, Touch ID, NFC)
16:$449 32:$499 64:$599

september '15:
7 (4.7", A9+2GB, new camera+OIS, screen with higher pixel density)
64:$699 128:$799

7+ (5.5", A9+2GB, new camera)
64:$799 128:$899

:p

Maybe...would this iPhone 6c still run a variation of iOS 8?
 

TMay

macrumors 68000
Dec 24, 2001
1,520
1
Carson City, NV
Touch ID: unlimited devices

I'm thinking that I would like to have multiple devices on contract but I only use one at a time. How about a carrier, I'm thinking of you T-Mobile, creating an unlimited Touch ID device contract based on me signing in to the carrier each time I switch devices. That should be no more difficult than Apple Pay, and in fact less so since I only have to sign in through the device.

Of course, I would expect to have to pay a premium for this; maybe an incremental fee per device, plus a hot spot, and my contract would be weighted towards various data caps, or better, unlimited data.

This would be an incentive for me buying more devices.
 

blairh

macrumors 603
Dec 11, 2007
5,825
4,081
I really think there is a market for a 4" iPhone moving forward. Both with keeping a small footprint and keeping costs down. iPhone Mini feels inevitable.

Keep a 4", 4.7", and 5.5" model in your lineup for years to come. Those 3 screen sizes satisfy just about every consumer.
 

chiefsilverback

macrumors 6502
Jul 25, 2011
458
438
I don't understand the mindset that small = budget. If they made a 4" phone with the latest internals and the OIS camera it would probably be a no-brainer for lots of people. The 4" phone doesn't need to be a paired down 'budget device'.

I found the same thing with cars. I wanted a Subaru Impreza because it gets good gas mileage and I don't need anything bigger, but because it is the cheapest car it doesn't come with electric seats etc... I'd happily have paid more for a car with those features, but they're not even offered because it's the entry level/budget vehicle. It makes no sense to me.
 

garbage-barge

macrumors member
Jul 28, 2014
64
4
I don't understand the mindset that small = budget. If they made a 4" phone with the latest internals and the OIS camera it would probably be a no-brainer for lots of people. The 4" phone doesn't need to be a paired down 'budget device'.

Samsung has been doing this for a while with the Galaxy S5 mini, Alpha mini etc. Unfortunately they've had to dial back components and performance each time. Not sure Apple will be able to cram everything that goes into a 6 Plus into a 6 Mini. I mean there's already stuff that the 6 doesn't have (Optical image stabilization)
 

ssl0408

macrumors 65816
Sep 22, 2013
1,233
555
New York
No, I don't see it happening. I was tired of the small, narrow screen on the 5S, and I would've switched to Android if they hadn't come out with a bigger screen. I like the 6 and the wider screen.
 

thekeyring

macrumors 68040
Jan 5, 2012
3,485
2,147
London
Can you say: "F-R-A-G-M-E-N-T-A-T-I-O-N" ? Sure, I knew ya could.

Ok, I'll bite...

iOS phones, from 2010 to present:

Screen sizes: 3.5 inch, 4 inch, 4.7 inch, 5.5 inch

Chips: A4, A5, A6, A7,

If all phones are upgraded to the latest version of iOS: iOS 7, iOS 8.

Samsung/Nexus Android phones, from 2010 to present:

Screen sizes: 4 inch, 4.3 inch, 4.65 inch, 4.7 inch, 4.8 inch, 4.95 inch, 5 inch, 5.3 inch, 5.55 inch, 5.7 inch, 5.96 inch

Chips: Exynos 3, Exynos 4, Exynos 5, Exynos 7, Exynos 4210, Exynos 4412, Texas Instruments OMAP, Krait 450, Snapdragon S4 Pro, Snapdragon 800

If all phones are upgraded to the latest version of Android: Android 2.3, Android 4.0, Android 4.1, Android 4.3, Android 4.4, Android 5.0

Either fragmentation matters and it's much worse on Android. Or it doesn't matter.
 

wizard

macrumors 68040
May 29, 2003
3,854
571
I would think that there is one of the following two scenarios at play:

1. Apple has yet to engineer all of the goodies we want in our devices that can fit in the smaller form-factor. Keep in mind that "smaller" (read also: Thinner) means it's harder to cram all the stuff in there. That's why we have protruding cameras and similar battery life in the 6 or 6 plus. or...
I don't see this as an issue, not every iPhone needs every feature of every other phone in the lineup. Give me 64 bit performance and Touch ID and a lot of my needs are covered. I don't need an advanced Camera or multiple cameras for that matter.
2. If Apple *can* make it happen (fit all the good stuff and keep same battery life in a smaller form factor) and they have the technology, they obviously don't see a market for it at this time.
They must see a market for it the rumored development is taking place. As far as technology goes, advances in tech do support making a smaller phone with many of the features of the 6 family. 14 nm will offer significant power improvements and frankly screen technology has come a very long way in the last few years.
In reading this thread, it sounds like a majority of people here would love the smaller form-factor.
While I'd love one I don't see a majority interest in the real world. I think the real interest is strong enough though that Apple would sell tens of millions without trying.
I was very reluctant to upgrade to a larger phone, myself. But with that said, I still have my iPhone 5 and while it still gets the job done, I've grown accustomed to the larger screen size and would not want to go back to something smaller.
Personally I'd like to see them go all the way back to an iPhone 4 form factor or slightly larger. Get rid of some of the wasted space on the front of the device would help a great deal. Basically deliver the 4" screen in the physically smallest device possible.
What I *would* like to see would be the same screen size but reduction of the top and bottom bezels on the iPhone 6 design.

Still too big. I'd rather see something iPhone 4 sized or the minimal enlargement between that and a 5. You are right in that the bezels need to be addressed just that the 6 is too big even if those are addressed. I'd go so far as to suggest putting the Touch ID switch on the back of the Phone. In the end the goal is to minimize XY dimensions as much as possible while supporting a 4" or so screen. The Z dimension on the old 4 series wasn't bad at all, I would imagine though that it could be improved on a new design.

In any event Apple shouldn't go hog wild here with performance that disrupts battery life. Rather the goal should be best in class battery performance.
 

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
I don't understand the mindset that small = budget. If they made a 4" phone with the latest internals and the OIS camera it would probably be a no-brainer for lots of people. The 4" phone doesn't need to be a paired down 'budget device'.

If you consider that you can get a 7" iOS device for much much less than a 4", 4.7", or 5.5" device...
 

bersurker

macrumors newbie
Aug 22, 2013
5
1
In my opinion, people don't necessarily want a 3.5" or 4" screen... they want the biggest screen possible in an iPhone 4 or 5 form factor... Apple needs to step up their game in the engineering department to give us a 5" or more screen in a much smaller foot print... others are doing it, come on Apple!
 

teslo

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2014
929
599
How would this cause fragmentation? Apple already uses a 4" form factor.

If Apple "settles" on three sizes it's a non issue.

This is fragmentation:
http://gizmodo.com/what-android-fragmentation-looks-like-its-growing-1624662310

there's a great comment in there by user 'sonicsight' that explains exactly how misleading that graphic is. number of devices does not equal fragmentation (as defined by the article) for designers/developers. is there more testing to do and is it slightly more work to make an android app? yes and no - it depends.
 

0970373

Suspended
Mar 15, 2008
2,727
1,412
If internals, camera, etc were updated to be similar to the larger phones, I would definitely get this.
 

brucerb

macrumors newbie
Aug 13, 2013
26
1
Please be true...

I hope this is true. I have large (not huge, but larger than average) hands and I cannot use the 6 one-handed (Reachability seems like a kludge - don't like it).

I think men are the bigger market for this than women. I want something I can slip in a jeans pocket. Women are more likely to use a bag or purse of some kind, and less likely to be able to use even a 4" one-handed, so size is less of an issue.
 
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