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Will the next iphone have a 1920x1280 screen?

P

PerfectDB

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 29, 2012
200
9
Boston, Lincolnshire
I ask this since it is widely rumored that the 6G iphone will have a larger screen, the most popular theory being 4".

However, if the current resolution (960x640) is kept on a 4" screen, then the ppi would drop to 288 (against 326 on the current 4/4S and below the 300 threshold for retina set by Apple).

While I think this would be perfectly acceptable, I can't see Apple taking such a step backwards, especially after how much they stressed that 300 ppi was the minimum necessary to qualify as a retina screen.

The only way I can see Apple maintaining a Retina display on a 4"+ screen is to increase the resolution, and the only way to do that without introducing a new resolution and/or aspect ratio (and all the scaling/compatibility problems that would involve) is to double the resolution again, as with 3GS>4.

This would give a resolution of 1920x1280, with an insane 576 ppi:eek:

My question to everyone is, is this feasible?

Would a 1920x1280 4" screen even be possible to manufacture?

It would be well above the 300 ppi mark, so its likely the difference would be impossible to distinguish from the 4/4S.

However, it would allow Apple to lay claim to the first phone in the world with a 1080p screen (or there abouts), at a time when most other phones are moving to 720p screens.

So what does everyone think? Will Apple introduce a larger screened iphone with the existing resolution (damn the ppi), or will they be bold and make a quantum leap as they did with the iPhone 4?

(All this is assuming they increase the screen size - if they don't then it's moot)

Your thoughts please;)
 
Having a 4in screen with that type of a resolution is a waste. The only way that would happen is for the display to get inti the 4.3 to 4.5 range.
 
I say no.

Could it be done? yes. It is practical or does it make any sense to have a resolution of over 500 ppi? No. There are other issue that need to be tackled first.
 
My thoughts?

My thoughts are that a resolution that high on a smartphone is pretty ludicrous! ;)
 
Like the iPad if it has a larger screen you can hold it further from your face thus making it so you can't see pixels.

I'd be more curious if apple is going to stick with an LCD display.
 
in terms of resolutiont he retina display is good as it gets.

whats the point of adding more pixels if u the eye cant even see em at the current resolution
 
Most people don't think the iphone's screen will get bigger is soley because the resolution would go up and that would make app developers update their apps for the new res. Is this that crazy of an idea? No.

It's not like it's android and fragmented and developers have to deal with all kinds of different sizes and resolutions. Its more than 2 years after the last resolution update, saying "update the res for this ONE new phone". Would it really be that hard? Not really.

Will apple do this? Ouch. Even thinking about apple do this makes me cringe. Because apple changing the screen size at all would be doing something that isn't characteristic of them. Ever. They don't bend to market pressure like other manufacturers who desperately add features and change their products to keep customers. Apple doesn't give a damn. Apple's stance seems to be "This is what it is and how we like it. If you don't like it, you aren't interested in the iPhone. Go get an android."

Someone made a comment in another thread about how apple needs to remain competitive by adding a larger screen and "if they don't they be doomed! Doomed i tell ya!". Well, that's a thinking for people that live inside a bubble and don't pay attention to market fluctuations and where it's leading. Apple had it's been quarter EVER with a smartphone that has a 3.5inch screen. How can that be if everyone had to have a larger screen?

I think the people wanting a larger screen are a much smaller percent than we think. They are the vocal minority. They are people that wouldn't have bought the iphone in the first place and this race to make the newest "bigger screen" on android phones is just android's failed attempt at an angle to compete. Didn't apple do a features survey awhile back with customers and only something like 12% wanted a bigger screen? I wish i could find the link to that.

Sorry for the long post. I got a new wireless keyboard hooked up to my tv and i'm testing it out baby! Basically, i think apple could add a larger screen without much problem, but i don't think they will since what they're doing now works for them. Only way i can see a larger screen happening is if pocketability was the same. If it was an edge to edge screen with the home button being part of the screen like on android maybe (ala galaxy nexus) it could work
 
@ipoopsplinters: things change. If the iPhone was perfect we'd still be using the original as it never would have changed.

Every time there has been a rumor about a future update there have been people (similar to your post) that said it wouldn't happen, we didn't need it, apple doesn't appreciate their consumers needs. Then we get it.

Like increase in ppi with the retina display. Now we can't live without it. ie this thread.

Or dual core processors. Meanwhile iPad 1 and 3GS struggle to run iOS 5. The 4 is still hanging in there no problem but it will become obsolete and so will the 4s.

Whether the iPhone gets a bigger screen or not I don't know but I wouldn't be so close minded to change.

It's like the tv in my living room. According to the charts and stuff in 2009 my room needed no more then a 42" tv. I got a 46 back then and it was good. Now the same charts say the actual new best size for that viewing distance is 48". I moved the 46" into the spare room and got a 55" and it's good.

It's not that the room is getting bigger it's tv's have gotten cheaper. 55" LCD (pre led) was outrageously expensive back then.
 
Going that high would make no sense. It'd be costly to build for minimal benefit, and it'd need a much more powerful GPU to drive it - again minimal benefit, but a massive hit to battery life or performance.

The other rumours said that they'd go with a 3.7" screen. Just slightly bigger - and probably still above 300ppi if they keep the current screen res. This makes sense to me.

Also, as a developer: I really doubt they'll do anything other than keep the same resolution or double it, and doubling it doesn't make sense. The only other way I can see them going is if they made the screen longer, so instead of 960x640 it was say 1280x640. Existing apps would run with black borders (or extra software buttons maybe?), new apps could use the full screen.
 
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