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At what point does big become to big?

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Chris092881

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 26, 2012
409
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As a former Galaxy S3 owner I can tell you that I am thrilled to have a "smallerish" phone now in the iPhone 5. That thing was so big just throwing it in your pocket was a chore. I've just seen photos of the new S4. Looks identical to the S3. Still huge though, of course. Would Samsung have been better off cutting back the size of the display to slightly larger than the iPhone 5 and then really beefing up the other specs? Maybe even use a new material that felt a bit more "premium" in the hand?
 
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SomeDudeAsking

macrumors 65816
Nov 23, 2010
1,250
2
7 inches is too big, anything below that is up to the user. The original iPhone was one of the biggest phones sold when it was released. Feature phones and flip phones are smaller than the iPhone 5. Give you some food for thought.

And you have to be wilfully evasive to say the Galaxy S4 "Looks identical to the S3". It isn't like an iPhone 4 and an iPhone 4S, which ARE identical.
 
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Chris092881

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 26, 2012
409
3
SomeDudeAsking said:
7 inches is too big, anything below that is up to the user. The original iPhone was one of the biggest phones sold when it was released. Feature phones and flip phones are smaller than the iPhone 5. Give you some food for thought.

And you have to be wilfully evasive to say the Galaxy S4 "Looks identical to the S3". It isn't like an iPhone 4 and an iPhone 4S, which ARE identical.
Click to expand...

I don't have any definitive measurements, but the design is identical. Pebble shaped with the one physical home button. It looks just like the S3 in that regard. I thought they would go back to the square design of the Galaxy and S2.
 
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SomeDudeAsking

macrumors 65816
Nov 23, 2010
1,250
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Chris092881 said:
I don't have any definitive measurements, but the design is identical. Pebble shaped with the one physical home button. It looks just like the S3 in that regard. I thought they would go back to the square design of the Galaxy and S2.
Click to expand...

I think you should compare actual photos of a Galaxy S3 to a Galaxy S4. They are noticeably different. The Galaxy S4 has a larger screen, smaller bezel, different surface textures, larger home button, metal band around the perimeter, and the curvature all around the phone is different too, even on the backside.
 
vastoholic

vastoholic

macrumors 68000
Jan 28, 2009
1,957
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Tulsa, OK
SomeDudeAsking said:
I think you should compare actual photos of a Galaxy S3 to a Galaxy S4. They are noticeably different. The Galaxy S4 has a larger screen, smaller bezel, different surface textures, larger home button, metal band around the perimeter, and the curvature all around the phone is different too, even on the backside.
Click to expand...

You really seem to be on a kick making sure people know that the s4 looks different than the s3. In my mind, I don't care if it looks different unless the new design adds to functionality (like the smaller bezel). They don't need to reinvent the wheel with a new design each iteration as long as they keep pushing software advances like they have been. I do hope they improve the screen color/tone as that was a big reason for me not to try one out. If the S3 had the screen quality of the note 2 I probably would have been more willing.
 
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Chris092881

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 26, 2012
409
3
SomeDudeAsking said:
I think you should compare actual photos of a Galaxy S3 to a Galaxy S4. They are noticeably different. The Galaxy S4 has a larger screen, smaller bezel, different surface textures, larger home button, metal band around the perimeter, and the curvature all around the phone is different too, even on the backside.
Click to expand...

Looks the same to me. At least in the photos I saw. Nothing screamed "different" out to me at first glance.
 
Giuly

Giuly

macrumors 68040
Oct 16, 2009
3,348
4
That depends whether you ask for timezone, state o
When the Galaxy SIII Mini outsells the Galaxy SIII, then starts getting too big.

Yes, that is already the case. And yes, the Galaxy SIII Mini has a 4" screen, so does the iPhone 5.

Conclusion: 8" phones are oh so nice, but the majority prefers 4" phones. But if Apple was to make the screen wider again (hence bigger), and keeps 3.5" as the low-cost option, nobody would really complain and fragmentation is kept to a minimum.

And as far as marketing goes, the same rules that apply to 7" vs 7.85" on the iPad Mini would apply to a 4.36" iPhone.
 
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SomeDudeAsking

macrumors 65816
Nov 23, 2010
1,250
2
Giuly said:
When the Galaxy SIII Mini outsells the Galaxy SIII, then starts getting too big.

Yes, that is already the case. And yes, the Galaxy SIII Mini has a 4" screen, so does the iPhone 5.

Conclusion: 8" phones are oh so nice, but the majority prefers 4" phones.
Click to expand...

Cite sources for your claims per forum rules.
 
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Chris092881

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 26, 2012
409
3
I should also mention that, before someone else does, I don't even consider a monstrosity like the Note or Note 2 a cell phone. But that's totally my opinion. More like a tablet in my mind. How is having to carry around a mobile device that big convenient? Maybe if you're a chick and you can just throw it in your pocketbook or something. I get that.

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SomeDudeAsking said:
Cite sources for your claims per forum rules.
Click to expand...

It seems weird he would just make that up on the spot.
 
Giuly

Giuly

macrumors 68040
Oct 16, 2009
3,348
4
That depends whether you ask for timezone, state o
8jH5iCv.png


It may look different for phones on contract, though.
 
vastoholic

vastoholic

macrumors 68000
Jan 28, 2009
1,957
1
Tulsa, OK
Giuly said:
Image

It may look different for phones on contract, though.
Click to expand...

Nice follow up. Are the numbers available for all sales? I'm sure he'll ask about that.

By the way, I wasn't calling you out in anyway. I know he had a thread shut down because he didn't provide sources so I'm sure he'll use that every chance he gets.
 
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Chris092881

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 26, 2012
409
3
takeshi74 said:
When it negatively impacts sales. There's no universal "too big" and products can certainly exist to fill different niches/needs/wants/preferences.
Click to expand...

Also, I agree with that. I just can't see myself using something like the Note 2. It kills the idea of a mobile phone for me personally. But I know a lot of people enjoy such devices.
 
mattopotamus

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,666
5,879
irDigital0l said:
5'' would be max

4.5'' would be good.

I was disappointed when Apple made the iPhone 5 only 4''.
Click to expand...

That is pretty much how I feel. 5" at the max and 4.5" would be the perfect size. The nexus 4 is closer to 4.5" since it has the capacitive buttons
 
ZombiePete

ZombiePete

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2008
2,319
1,064
San Antonio, TX
Just speaking for myself, I don't want the iPhone any bigger. It's great for one-handed use as designed; these giant Android phones are nice-looking but for everyday use the size makes them impractical. I got rid of my Nexus 4 and went back to an iPhone 4 primarily because the Nexus was just too damn big for me to use one-handed comfortably.

I like it as it is. What can I say?
 
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