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Mockups of a 4.94-Inch 'iPhone Plus' Show Why a Larger iPhone Might Make Sense

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Amid rumors of a significantly larger "iPhone Math", Instapaper developer Marco Arment has spent time developing some speculation and a few mockups showing how Apple could achieve an iPhone with a nearly 5-inch without disrupting the existing app ecosystem.
The recently rumored, larger-screened "iPhone Math", or more likely "iPhone Plus", is plausible as an additional model (not a replacement) alongside the 4" iPhone. And there's a good chance that it would have a 4.94", 16:9 screen.

The theory is easy to understand: perform John Gruber's Mini-predicting math backwards. The iPad Mini uses iPhone 3GS-density screens at iPad resolution. What if an iPhone Plus used Retina iPad screens with iPhone 5 resolution, keeping the rest of the design sized like an iPhone 5?
Click to expand...
In the scenario put forth by Arment, an 1136x640 screen matching the iPhone 5's resolution but blown up to the Retina iPad's 264 pixels-per-inch resolution would measure 4.94 inches diagonally.

arment_iphone_plus_galaxy.jpg
Left to right: iPhone 5, Galaxy S III, "iPhone Plus", Galaxy Note II​
Arment notes that such an iPhone Plus maintaining the same relative proportions as the iPhone 5 but with the larger screen would measure somewhere between the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II, but that Apple would likely be able to trim down the chin and forehead of the device somewhat to bring the device closer to the Galaxy S III's overall size.

At an iPad-like pixel density of 264 ppi, Apple could have a hard time positioning the iPhone Plus as a Retina device given that a phone is assumed to be held closer to the eye than a tablet, but some consumers may still prefer the option of having a larger screen to offer more flexibility such as being able to zoom out further on text or view small text with the device held further from the eye.

Arment offers several other mockups showing what Apple's iOS device lineup would look like with a larger iPhone in it, as well as how users could take advantage of smaller font sizes on the larger screen to show more text.

Article Link: Mockups of a 4.94-Inch 'iPhone Plus' Show Why a Larger iPhone Might Make Sense
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/01/31/mockups-of-a-4-94-inch-iphone-plus-show-why-a-larger-iphone-might-make-sense/
mcfrazieriv

mcfrazieriv

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,105
2,842
Why did anyone actually waste their time in making these composites? :confused:

Added:
Originally Posted by burnside: "Why did you waste your time with that comment?"

Because it isn't a waste of time to stop and wonder why people would take time to do what has historically not worked in the past? Apple nearly died when they decided that innovation wasn't as important as providing choice. Remember the early 90's when there were so many Apple models that had only one or two differences and how each of these models clouded/confused the customer?
 
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impulse462

impulse462

macrumors 68020
Jun 3, 2009
2,085
2,872
4.2" seems like the sweet spot to me. Anything above 4.5" is just too large for a phone imo.
 
M

MTL18

macrumors regular
Jan 25, 2013
205
72
Ugh, this is the end for Apple. Exploring new markets for potential increased revenue.

How dare they not innovate more!

Sorry for the sarcasm, just wanted to get that in before the drama queen's rain down!
 
A

Anti-Lucifer

macrumors 6502a
Mar 9, 2012
776
2
For the love of jesus christ, why don't you just stick with 1280x768 or use an actual HD resolution, apple!?

You're just making it hard on yourself for any sort of proper design upgrades because your iPhones have really stupid resolution dimensions.
 
mcfrazieriv

mcfrazieriv

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,105
2,842
burnside said:
Why did you waste your time with that comment?
Click to expand...

Because it isn't a waste of time to stop and wonder why people would take time to do what has historically not worked in the past? Apple nearly died when they decided that innovation wasn't as important as providing choice. Remember the early 90's when there were so many Apple models that had only one or two differences and how each of these models clouded/confused the customer?
 
T

Thares

Cancelled
Feb 25, 2011
253
81
Actually, I start to like the idea of a bigger iphone. At first, I wasn't really a fan because I thought it would be too big. But in that comparison, it looks very good.

Maybe, maybe... But I'd rather wait for the redesigned - it has to be lighter - iPad.


byebye
 
Nunyabinez

Nunyabinez

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2010
1,758
2,230
Provo, UT
I glad there are people out there to show Apple how they should run their business. I'll bet they had no clue what the iPhone would look like in different sizes and compared next to other phones /s
 
D

dkersten

macrumors 6502a
Nov 5, 2010
589
2
Would only be interested if the resolution was higher than the iPhone 5. Otherwise there are no advantages to a larger screen
 
H

HishamAkhtar

macrumors 6502a
Oct 22, 2011
510
1
Why don't they make the new iPhone with the retina iPad's resolution on a 5 inch screen?

2048 x 1536 resolution with a 512 PPI would be sick.
 
Keane16

Keane16

macrumors 6502a
Dec 8, 2007
810
671
Some people would get this for the battery life. If the extra space was utilised for battery it would probably get close to 2 days (keeping all other internals on par with the iPhone 5).

Not for me. But some people would LOVE this.
 
G

ghettochris

macrumors 6502a
Feb 19, 2008
773
0
well, it would be easy to translate iphone plus as iphone math. Maybe it's real and that's what happened.
 
B

burnside

macrumors 6502
Jun 8, 2010
474
14
mcfrazieriv said:
Because it isn't a waste of time to stop and wonder why people would take time to do what has historically not worked in the past? Apple nearly died when they decided that innovation wasn't as important as providing choice. Remember the early 90's when there were so many Apple models that had only one or two differences and how each of these models clouded/confused the customer?
Click to expand...

Android phones have a gazillion different models to choose from and they seem to be holding their own. If you want to talk confusing, how about we start with the naming convention of the different iPads.
 
M

mkoesel

macrumors 6502
Mar 31, 2005
416
271
There is positively no chance in hell Apple will shoot their Retina initiative in head by introducing a 264 PPI phone. None. Sub 5" 1080p phones are coming soon and from a number of manufacturers. I don't know what pixel density that works out to, but it is higher than the current iPhone by a good margin. You don't answer that with a new phone with giant pixels by comparison. That's backward progress, and will get the device panned.

If we get a larger screen option, PPI is going up or at the very least staying the same.
 
S

shurcooL

macrumors 6502a
Jan 24, 2011
938
117
While the "iPhone Plus" would not be able to display more pixels than the iPhone 5, Android devices have demonstrated that larger screens are popular with consumers.
Click to expand...
Larger screens are popular PRECISELY because you can fit more information and content there. Not because of larger pixels.

This would be so useless.

Also, 16:9 sucks for phones. It's too narrow in portrait and short in landscape. See how narrow it feels?

40993d1349989148t-lg-nexus-4-vs-iphone5-photos-uploadfromtaptalk1349989148230.jpg
 
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