All these 1080 5 inch phones coming out

[NovemberWhiskey]

The competition from Android is great. It finally pushed Apple to move to the 4'' screen (despite the number of years it took).

The competition from 5'' 1080p phones means only good things for iphone users. I can definitely see a division from here on out between a standard iphone (4'') and an "HD iphone" (4.5-5'').

[Explicitic]

Originally Posted by tdhurst

What's the point of 1080p with a small screen?

I use my iPhone daily and am annoyed by videos even a minute long.

What do you expect with technology these days? Do you expect it to just stop advancing? 1080p will probably be the standard for years to come.

[bgro]

Originally Posted by ahfu25

"Screen:
The screens on the iPhone5 and SIII both have their tradeoffs. I love the huge screen on the SIII it allows me to browse without constantly zooming and panning like one needs to do on the iPhone5. This is even more true because most iOS apps haven't been updated and show black bars on top and bottom so like 1/4 of the screen is black in popular apps like whatsapp and engadget.

One the other hand the iPhone is definitely more manageable with one hand and has more accurate color reproduction. If you hold a white page up side by side the GSIII looks yellow in comparison.

Overall I prefer the GSIII screen size, but it's really a matter of personal preference.

Productivity and Capability:
There's simply so much more you can do with Android than you can do with iOS, especially with a rooted and unlocked phone with custom roms. The notifications pulldown, Google Now, widgets, quick settings/toggle, popup browser, etc. all let you do more things faster with Android than you could do with iOS.

While iOS is solid it feels dated with little recent innovation in the actual UI. Almost all of the power of iOS comes from it's app store and third-party support for things like passbook. In the end Apple's homescreen is like a prettier rendition of a Palm Treo launcher from 2003. Siri is cool but imho Google Now is better.

App Selection:
As hinted above, Apple's real strength is in the app store. Overall they have more and better quality apps. There are almost always comparable apps in the Google play store, but they don't always have the same level of polish as the iOS version.

Sometimes though the Google play store has much more powerful apps that would never be allowed in the App store. Things like emulators, apps requiring root, different keyboards, etc. Now that I've used it, I'm not sure how I lived without the Swype keyboard. When I have to type something on my wife's phone I feel like I'm going back in history. I love this. Just today I installed an app that gives you full control of what happens when your proximity sensor triggers.

The restrictions Apple puts on app developers generally result in smoother more reliable apps that don't often crash and can't hijack your battery. On the other hand Google allows much more powerful applications, but rogue applications can hijack your phone and incompatibilities between Android versions cause all sorts of problems. I had to uninstall the Engadget app on JB because it was using 30% of my battery even though it was only in the foreground for 5 minutes.

Performance:
The iPhone will generally give you a smoother, more predictable experience. I think the lack of widgets, app freedom, etc. has a huge impact on this.

While Jelly Bean is butter-smooth for the most part, there are occasional stutters here and there that you don't really see on iOS. A lot of times I will find myself swiping a number or something and the action will take place a second later. Apps themselves seem to perform better on iOS. For example TempleRun stutters and misses swipes after running for a while. This was never an issue on my old iPhone4 and the SIII should be between 2-4 times as powerful.

Battery Life:
In my experience the iPhone5 has more consistent and generally "better" battery life when compared to the SIII. I put better in quotes because in certain use cases I'm sure the SIII would achieve as good or better battery time. Whenever someone has a battery issue they're told to turn off location services, latitudes, gnow, weather widgets, monitor your wakelocks, etc. However with the iPhone5 you generally don't have to worry about that stuff, if you aren't actively using an app it won't use much of your battery. My wife and I have similar usage patterns and she always seem to have more battery left than me at the end of the day.

Overall the iPhone is a solid but boring device with reliable performance and battery life where the SIII can be a bit inconsistent but delivers a level of customization, productivity and power that iOS can't touch. I think power users will prefer the SIII/Note2 and the iPhone is more for people who expect a consistent experience from their phone."

I copied and pasted this from a user on xda. I find this to be the most accurate and non bias description. I agree 100% with this opinion.

Agree with this 100%. I love my iPhone but the OS is getting stale. But the app quality and selection (especially for games) can't be touched by Android yet. I am definitely yearning for a Nexus 4 but can't bring myself to get it, just don't feel like Android will be a good substitute for me given the above. IMO a jail broken iPhone is the perfect combo between the Apple ecosystem and the Android customization.

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by bgro

IMO a jail broken iPhone is the perfect combo between the Apple ecosystem and the Android customization.

Same here.
I feel a JB iphone is perfect for customization and for the more advanced/power user.
Its not for everyone out there but for me it makes the whole package complete.
If I could I would rather have my i5 JB on 5.1.1 than be on the current stock 6.0.1

[thadoggfather]

Me too, by far. JB is the best

Apple juiced - do you have a 4S JB in rotation with the i5?

[donrsd]

Originally Posted by aliensporebomb

Then buy one - if you want an Android phone they're about the best you'll be able to find at this current time.

If you want an ios device you have two options: iPhone5 or an iPad Mini but
neither fit that description.

I dont want an Android at all, just that lovely sized 4.8" 16:9 screen

PLEASE - BIGGER SCREEN FOR iPHONE'S!!

[VinnyV]

As awesome as 1080 displays sound... 5 inch is just too big for me right now, went from desire HD to note to IP5. Def prefer IP5, it was annoying sometimes esp when i need to type with 1 hand all awesome phones though.

One problem I'm seeing is...apps... when i was on note i was looking forward to taking advantage of the big screen, i really wonder how current android apps will look on the 1080 screen though, the app selection esp games was horrible, sure TONS of apps but only a handful of quality apps. In the end i couldn't justify myself from getting another android phone. Ill be back for android in maybe a year or 2, windows phone looking very appealing to me (design wise)

Cant argue there JB is just pure awesome. But im staying away from android for now... flashaholic under rehab.....

[zildMacjian]

Originally Posted by jvmxtra

Seriously.. if iphone 5s comes out next year.. I am gonna have to say see you....

i have to say (even tho its prob been pointed out) they release an iphone each year, of course the 5s will be out next year.

id be surprised if apple held off the next iphone till 2014.

[BFizzzle]

Originally Posted by thadoggfather

Me too, by far. JB is the best

Apple juiced - do you have a 4S JB in rotation with the i5?

lol?

whats the point of rotating phones?

im all for a JB..and will do so when my 5 is out.. but to me that would be a hassle.. and pointless

[chakraj]

Before = Apple says " The more pixels the better, our product is the best on the market because we have the highest pixel count and text looks so sharp and crisp its like reading a high quality printed page."

Now = Apple says " Pixel density doesn't matter, that is not important in a phone"


LOL, the apple corporate marketing machine at work. Lie to the customers and push your hardware at all costs.

[FlatlinerG]

Originally Posted by ahfu25

"Screen:
The screens on the iPhone5 and SIII both have their tradeoffs.
....
Overall the iPhone is a solid but boring device with reliable performance and battery life where the SIII can be a bit inconsistent but delivers a level of customization, productivity and power that iOS can't touch. I think power users will prefer the SIII/Note2 and the iPhone is more for people who expect a consistent experience from their phone."

I copied and pasted this from a user on xda. I find this to be the most accurate and non bias description. I agree 100% with this opinion.

*Shortened for quote



I really like that right up as well. Very non biased and easy to read. All in all, it comes down to this, simplicity vs. customizability.

Anyone in the world can create their own operating systems by building their own kernels and using open source software, but not everyone wants to. I, for one, prefer to just be handed a polished/finished product that I can begin enjoying and not be required to customize it. Apple is my choice.



Back on topic,

Seriously OP, you would ditch Apple if they didn't come out with a 1080P screen? What if another phone goes up to 6 or even 7 inches in size? Might as well bump that resolution up to 2560x1600. Would you think that Apple MUST match that?

[tdhurst]

Originally Posted by Explicitic

What do you expect with technology these days? Do you expect it to just stop advancing? 1080p will probably be the standard for years to come.

Explain to me how a bigger screen is an advancement.

Increasing specs doesn't necessarily make anything better, especially if it sacrifices battery life or ease of use to do so.

In the same way lower prices doesn't usually increase value, better resolution doesn't necessarily make anything better. I'm still a human, I still have two eyes, and my hands are still exactly the same size.

Hummers are more powerful than most every car on the road, are they an advanced or somehow better car?

[thadoggfather]

Originally Posted by BFizzzle

lol?

whats the point of rotating phones?

im all for a JB..and will do so when my 5 is out.. but to me that would be a hassle.. and pointless

I agree, was just wondering

No way I'd SIM swap even between 4S and 5 for JB. Big hassle.

My ipad 3 takes care of testing things out too for the most part.

[JayLenochiniMac]

They can always shrink the wasted space above and below the screen and make it a bit wider like the 3G/3GS, but they'll do that in two years for the iPhone 6.

[tdhurst]

Originally Posted by JayLenochiniMac

They can always shrink the wasted space above and below the screen and make it a bit wider like the 3G/3GS, but they'll do that in two years for the iPhone 6.

So a thinner bezel?

How does that help me use my phone?

[JayLenochiniMac]

Originally Posted by tdhurst

So a thinner bezel?

How does that help me use my phone?

That's like saying how does the wasted space above and below the screen on the current iPhone help you use your phone.

[mattroman246]

the average consumer can't see the difference between 1080p and 720p on anything below a 37" so seriously, on a 5" screen?

[tdhurst]

Originally Posted by JayLenochiniMac

That's like saying how does the wasted space above and below the screen on the current iPhone help you use your phone.

"Wasted"

You really think the Apple engineers said "you know what? **** it. Let's add some extra space at the top and bottom of the screen just to **** with people."

Lop off that extra space instead of using it just because you can.

----------

Originally Posted by mattroman246

the average consumer can't see the difference between 1080p and 720p on anything below a 37" so seriously, on a 5" screen?

Most of us can't tell the difference between 256 mp3s and FLAC or whatever is nicer on the headphones we almost always use, but audiophiles still tell us about how horrible it is that they can on their $10k stereo systems.

[chakraj]

Originally Posted by tdhurst

Explain to me how a bigger screen is an advancement.

Increasing specs doesn't necessarily make anything better, especially if it sacrifices battery life or ease of use to do so.

So you are saying the ipad 3 was not hyped as an advance over the ipad 2, with its new "retina" screen?

Oh apple fan people, how your selective memory makes me smile

[BFizzzle]

Originally Posted by thadoggfather

I agree, was just wondering

No way I'd SIM swap even between 4S and 5 for JB. Big hassle.

My ipad 3 takes care of testing things out too for the most part.

ah okay! yeah i could understand more so swapping phones between different OS.

im ready for my 5 to be free though.

[tdhurst]

Originally Posted by chakraj

So you are saying the ipad 3 was not hyped as an advance over the ipad 2, with its new "retina" screen?

Oh apple fan people, how your selective memory makes me smile

I don't own an iPad.

And I said bigger screen, not higher resolution screen. If, say, a screen was already large enough (possibly an iPad, definitely a 40"+ TV) then increasing resolution WOULD be an advancement, but only to a point.

I use my iPhone within a foot of my face. There's a limit as to what the human eye can detect, so after a while, increased resolution becomes pointless.

Answer the question, don't ridicule, please. And did you really come on MACRUMORS surprised to find Apple fans?

[JayLenochiniMac]

Originally Posted by tdhurst

"Wasted"

You really think the Apple engineers said "you know what? **** it. Let's add some extra space at the top and bottom of the screen just to **** with people."

Lop off that extra space instead of using it just because you can.

I see it as a limitation of the current component size. Once components get smaller, they'll be sure to shrink the wasted space (as we saw with the MacBooks and iMac). Yes, the space around the home button is needed, but even that can be shrunk further. The top space is easy. Just move the front camera back to where it used to be on the 4/4S and shrink that significantly to make room for a larger screen while keeping the same form size but wider like the 3G/3GS.

[Explicitic]

Originally Posted by tdhurst

Explain to me how a bigger screen is an advancement.

Increasing specs doesn't necessarily make anything better, especially if it sacrifices battery life or ease of use to do so.

In the same way lower prices doesn't usually increase value, better resolution doesn't necessarily make anything better. I'm still a human, I still have two eyes, and my hands are still exactly the same size.

Hummers are more powerful than most every car on the road, are they an advanced or somehow better car?

So do you expect phones to stay at 720p forever? What will you say when mobile phone screens are 4K?
I do not understand how the hammers and cars comparison is relevant to this. What I am trying to say is that phones will continue to get more powerful. We may even see hexa-core mobile CPUs within the next few years. The point is that, technology will keep advancing so you can't just say "this is not necessary" or "that is not necessary." It may not be necessary to you, but for the future of technology it is.
A higher resolution makes the screen better, that's what it makes better.
I am not trying to start any kind of war, just merely stating my opinion.

[tdhurst]

Originally Posted by Explicitic

So do you expect phones to stay at 720p forever? What will you say when mobile phone screens are 4K?
I do not understand how the hammers and cars comparison is relevant to this. What I am trying to say is that phones will continue to get more powerful. We may even see hexa-core mobile CPUs within the next few years. The point is that, technology will keep advancing so you can't just say "this is not necessary" or "that is not necessary." It may not be necessary to you, but for the future of technology it is.
A higher resolution makes the screen better, that's what it makes better.
I am not trying to start any kind of war, just merely stating my opinion.

I think we agree here far more than we don't. I'm all for increased speed, better chips, improved battery life, etc. All I'm saying is that bigger (size) screens don't necessarily improve anyone's phone usage experience.

If you had to choose two of the next three, would you rather have a) faster processing/usage, b) improved battery life or c) a larger (size) screen?

I'd take a and b before c, wouldn't you?

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by thadoggfather

Me too, by far. JB is the best

Apple juiced - do you have a 4S JB in rotation with the i5?

Yes, I have a JB 4s and an ipad 3 on 5.1.1 to fill in my JB needs