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Why does everyone keep saying that Apple needs to make a bigger iPhone?

M

minimo3

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 18, 2010
807
974
The tech bloggers, pundits, analysts, and many MR forum posters keep insisting that phablets are all the rage and Apple has missed the boat. We keep hearing that Apple is doomed because everyone has moved to large screens. Well let's see what Google's own data says about the breakdown of Android devices by screen size:

Screen size - market share
--------------------------------
Small (2"-3.5") - 9.5%
Normal (3.5"-4.3") - 79.9%
Large (4.3"-7") - 5.7%
XLarge (greater than 7") - 4.9%

Source: http://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/index.html (as of April 24,2013)

That means that phablets (Samsung GS3, GS4, Note, Note2, LG Optimus Pro, HTC Butterfly, HTC One S, One X, One, Xperia Z, etc) PLUS all the 7" tablets (Galaxy Tab 7, 7 Plus, 7.7, Nexus 7, Archos, Asus, HP, Acer, Sony etc) combined make up just 5.7% of the entire Android installed base. Its probably reasonable to assume that phablets alone constitute somewhere less than 5% of all Android devices. This sure sounds like a niche category to me. As can be seen from Google's data, the vast majority of consumers purchase devices in the (gasp) Normal size.

Some of you like big phablets. That's great, and there are many great devices out there for you. But as a company that releases just one phone, I think its clear why Apple picked a screen size of 4".
 
bruleke

bruleke

macrumors 6502
Jun 26, 2009
444
6
127.0.0.1
I like the tall screen of iPhone.

Actually, I had a S3 and a S3 mini and though I was impressed with the screen size, its not comfortable to use because sometimes you have to use both hands, since nobody has a enormous thumb.:p
 
C

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,452
1,243
Charlotte, NC
Because people see the Android market share number and assume the high end big screen devices are dominating when they really aren't. Like your evidence suggests, it's the cheaper smaller devices that make up most of the market share. The big screen market isn't as big as some people fool themselves into believing.
 
C

carlgo

macrumors 68000
Dec 29, 2006
1,806
17
Monterey CA
Because millions upon millions of people all over the world want one. It does not matter if people should want these. They just do.
 
M

Mrbobb

macrumors 603
Aug 27, 2012
5,009
209
Actually am glad the competition is making these big screens. So there are choices for everybody.

Channelling Teutul Sr.: "You buy what we make."
 
E

EstaVidaLoca

macrumors regular
Sep 4, 2012
149
0
The 4 inch screen is fine length wise but width not so much. Maybe they'll do something about that for the iPhone 6. I think they should drop the number for the iPad and iPhone. It'll be ridiculous by the time the 10th edition rolls out. "The new iPad or iPhone" should suffice for all intents and purposes.
 
Jimmy James

Jimmy James

macrumors 603
Oct 26, 2008
5,488
4,067
Magicland
EstaVidaLoca said:
The 4 inch screen is fine length wise but width not so much. Maybe they'll do something about that for the iPhone 6. I think they should drop the number for the iPad and iPhone. It'll be ridiculous by the time the 10th edition rolls out. "The new iPad or iPhone" should suffice for all intents and purposes.
Click to expand...

So what would I call my iPhone 4? The old, old, new iPhone?
 
M

mjpearce023

macrumors 6502a
Jul 10, 2012
726
473
I think we will see an iPhone with at least a 4.7 inch screen in the year. I doubt Apple will want to lose any business to Samsung or HTC just because the screen size. In no way do I think Apple is doomed if they don't but I personally would be willing to switch to the HTC One if next iPhone doesn't have a bigger screen. If it does have a 4.5 or 4.7 inch screen I will no doubt stay with Apple as that's my only complaint about the 5.

----------
Jimmy James said:
So what would I call my iPhone 4? The old, old, new iPhone?
Click to expand...

I guess the 2010 iPhone. I don't like the idea of calling it that. Even if they take the number off people will still call it the iPhone 6 or 7 or whatever. I see no reason to ditch the numbering system.
 
lordofthereef

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,720
Boston, MA
3rd Rock said:
Mr. Cook just commented today...

"My view continues to be that the iPhone 5 has the absolute best display in the industry, and we always strive to create the very best display for our customers. We wouldn't ship a larger iPhone while these tradeoffs exist."

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Tim-...f-Shipping-While-Tradeoffs-Exist-347905.shtml
Click to expand...

Is that comment really that shocking? Did you really expect something like "my view is that The iPhone 5 display is a definite contender for top five best screens in the industry. We have a ways to go to become the best."

He's the CEO. It's his job to talk up the product. Only when something is a miserable failure will a CEO EVER admit fault.

----------
Jimmy James said:
So what would I call my iPhone 4? The old, old, new iPhone?
Click to expand...

Call it by generation, much like we do with other products (even apple
Does this; iPods, iMacs, etc)
 
M

Mrbobb

macrumors 603
Aug 27, 2012
5,009
209
Jimmy James said:
So what would I call my iPhone 4? The old, old, new iPhone?
Click to expand...

The "Classic" of course, and quoting S Jobs, like a Leica Camera.


(u will be forgiven if u ask what the $&^@# is a Leica? the fine craftsmanship of german engineering)
 
R

rareohs

macrumors newbie
Apr 24, 2013
7
0
minimo3 said:
Why does everyone keep saying that Apple needs to make a bigger iPhone?
Click to expand...

Because tons of us want a bigger iPhone.

I had every iPhone through 4. I decided to try branching out and instead of the 5 went with the Nokia 920. I'm back to an iPhone now, but let me tell you - I didn't jump ship from the 920/Windows Phone because of the hardware.

IMHO, the screen on the 920 absolutely crushes the iPhone 5. Wipes the floor, ceiling and walls with it. It was an absolute joy to use. I LOVED that screen.

There are millions of us who love Apple and who love iPhones who also happen to think Tim Cook and Apple are just flat-out wrong in their assessment. The screen size on the 5 is awkward to me, and eventually, Apple will either offer more choices in this area or they will continue to lose customers.
 
T

thehustleman

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2013
1,123
1
3rd Rock said:
Mr. Cook just commented today...

"My view continues to be that the iPhone 5 has the absolute best display in the industry, and we always strive to create the very best display for our customers. We wouldn't ship a larger iPhone while these tradeoffs exist."

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Tim-...f-Shipping-While-Tradeoffs-Exist-347905.shtml
Click to expand...

Only because he didn't check out a Droid and 2 android phones.
. Droid dna, galaxy s 4,and the one.

All have better screens, especially the one.

He doesn't have to do any tradeoffs, just make a bigger screen phone with the same PPI.

And I doubt the legitimacy of those figures considering the best selling android phones are over 4.3"

Galaxy s III for example, 4.8" screen, best selling phone
 
AnorexicPig

AnorexicPig

macrumors 6502
Dec 12, 2012
378
31
Winnipeg,Canada
rareohs said:
Because tons of us want a bigger iPhone.

I had every iPhone through 4. I decided to try branching out and instead of the 5 went with the Nokia 920. I'm back to an iPhone now, but let me tell you - I didn't jump ship from the 920/Windows Phone because of the hardware.

IMHO, the screen on the 920 absolutely crushes the iPhone 5. Wipes the floor, ceiling and walls with it. It was an absolute joy to use. I LOVED that screen.

There are millions of us who love Apple and who love iPhones who also happen to think Tim Cook and Apple are just flat-out wrong in their assessment. The screen size on the 5 is awkward to me, and eventually, Apple will either offer more choices in this area or they will continue to lose customers.
Click to expand...

Lol in no way it 'crushes'--according to Anandtech iPhone 5 still has the best display when it comes to color accuracy,brightness levels etc,with HTC One following it closely and even being better in a few aspects,but Lumia 920 is never considered better-it's between iPhone 5 and HTC One.
 
A

abz1981

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2011
1,013
4
Tinmania said:
Seriously??

There were 5 million Galaxy Note 2s sold in its first two months. And that is the biggest of the big. The Galaxy S3 sales numbers have been much larger.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57553995-94/samsung-5m-galaxy-note-2-units-sold-in-2-months/

It is denial to think there are not millions of people who want bigger screens.



Michael
Click to expand...

2 million Galaxy Note 2s in 2 months may be the case. However millions who want bigger screens than the IP5 is a bit of an exaggeration as far as I am concerned, when 5 million IP5's are sold in 3 days

No one is in denial either. I am just stating facts.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/sep/24/iphone5-apple-sales-first-weekend
 
Tinmania

Tinmania

macrumors 68040
Aug 8, 2011
3,528
1,016
Aridzona
abz1981 said:
2 million Galaxy Note 2s in 2 months may be the case. However millions who want bigger screens than the IP5 is a bit of an exaggeration as far as I am concerned, when 5 million IP5's are sold in 3 days

No one is in denial either. I am just stating facts.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/sep/24/iphone5-apple-sales-first-weekend
Click to expand...
Stating facts that have nothing to do with what you contested. But if you don't want to accept that millions of people want bigger screens go right ahead. It won't, of course, change reality one iota.



Michael
 
Prime85

Prime85

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2012
652
0
EstaVidaLoca said:
The 4 inch screen is fine length wise but width not so much. Maybe they'll do something about that for the iPhone 6. I think they should drop the number for the iPad and iPhone. It'll be ridiculous by the time the 10th edition rolls out. "The new iPad or iPhone" should suffice for all intents and purposes.
Click to expand...

If you want it wider than turn the phone sideways. This is getting ridiculous with people saying the hight is fine but the width is not. All new high end phones are 16:9 aspect ratio so you will not be able to find an aspect ratio 3:2 in any new high end phone being released.
 
R

rareohs

macrumors newbie
Apr 24, 2013
7
0
AnorexicPig said:
Lol in no way it 'crushes'--according to Anandtech iPhone 5 still has the best display when it comes to color accuracy,brightness levels etc,with HTC One following it closely and even being better in a few aspects,but Lumia 920 is never considered better-it's between iPhone 5 and HTC One.
Click to expand...

So what part exactly of "IMHO" didn't you get? :rolleyes:


I don't really care about "according to" such and such a blog or website, or even about software evaluating color rendition, accuracy, etc. What I care about it what the screen looks like to me, in my own day to day use. And to me, in my own day to day use, the Nokia 920's screen is better than the iPhone 5. I've never seen the HTC One so I can't comment on it.

Bottom line is that there are a lot of people who like more screen real estate. For Apple to claim that the reason they don't provide that is because it can't be done while meeting their celestial expectations is just comical. Hey Tim, News Flash: There are bigger screens out there than your weirdly-shaped iPhone 5, and they kick ass.

Look, I love Apple. I love my Mac Pro, I love my Macbook Pro, and I've loved every one of the iPhones I've owned. But that doesn't cancel out the fact that I'd frigging LOVE an iPhone with a 4.5-5" screen. :)
 
lordofthereef

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,720
Boston, MA
rareohs said:
So what part exactly of "IMHO" didn't you get? :rolleyes:


I don't really care about "according to" such and such a blog or website, or even about software evaluating color rendition, accuracy, etc. What I care about it what the screen looks like to me, in my own day to day use. And to me, in my own day to day use, the Nokia 920's screen is better than the iPhone 5. I've never seen the HTC One so I can't comment
Click to expand...

Too many people are caught up on specs. Funny that, since whenever a person shoots off some android specs people tell then it doesn't matter, it's the experience that matters! Right?!

I can say this. The 920 smokes any phones I've used in bright daylight. Also, with certain gloves (nothing super chunky) it is also very usable. Most competitors cannot say that, Apple certainly cannot. If color rendition specs are all that matters, well ok, pick the iPhone 5. I've had then side by side with the same content and couldn't say one was drastically better than the other color wise. Granted, I am also not the guy who sits there and tweaks my monitor or tv for hours to get the perfect color for the room. I would wager most commenters here aren't that person either. They just regurgitate links they found quickly on google that happen to back up how the product of their choice is better.
 
Tinmania

Tinmania

macrumors 68040
Aug 8, 2011
3,528
1,016
Aridzona
Prime85 said:
If you want it wider than turn the phone sideways. This is getting ridiculous with people saying the hight is fine but the width is not. All new high end phones are 16:9 aspect ratio so you will not be able to find an aspect ratio 3:2 in any new high end phone being released.
Click to expand...
Yes and the "other" high-end phones don't have ridiculously large bezels like the iPhone 5. Could have squeezed that measly half inch increase into a casing no bigger than the iPhone 4/4S. Maybe then the thing wouldn't bend so easily.



Michael
 
upnorth85

upnorth85

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2011
629
202
MN, USA
I would have preferred a little shorter but more wider for usage purposes. I generally use an ipad mini for e-mails etc not the phone. Phone is for texting and making calls!
 
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