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

[Kolmogorov]

Originally Posted by Premium1

I honestly can't see them sticking with that resolution if they do go larger than 4". I mean you know apple is going to want to keep their phone retina and not sink down to under 300PPI. I think they would change the resolution as well.

Totally agree.

[rorschach]

I actually want a SMALLER iPhone. I'd like an option to have a 3.5" screen again. The only reason I upgraded to the iPhone 5 was the LTE. I've found the screen to be too big and almost unusable with one hand. The 3.5" was perfect.

[manu chao]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

You're right - not everyone has perfect eyesight.

But everyone with the necessary faculties to use a smartphone has the ability to move the phone closer or nearer there eye to make pixels whatever size they want them.

Not if they don't have their reading glasses at hand, which might happen if they are somewhere outside.

[AppleInTheMud]

I spend way to much money on this already. So hit me... Give me a 5 inch with a new improved iOS 7

Anyway - have 3 of them on the picture O:-) ...

[Roessnakhan]

4.94" would be pushing it, I think my max is 4.7" like the N4.

[Hurst]

Originally Posted by TheHateMachine

iPad Mini and the iPhone 5's bigger screen.

Product roadmap? They have been using the same size screen on the iPhone for how long now, and it only changed recently after the explosion of screen sizes from competitors.

That's true product roadmaps are only linear

[cage123au]

I am so SICK of hearing about phones. Let's get back to computer hardware and the operating systems for those. Enough of the phones and tablets shhhh.

[cube]

I looked today at my new 4S and thought: "This huge bezel is such a waste. This design is really old by now."

[BC2009]

I don't want a 5-inch iPhone, but I have always said that their is a market for it with older people who don't have great eyesight. I think it is funny that Samsung tries to paint the iPhone as the phone for the older generation in their commercials, but older folks want bigger text on the screen.

I think that iOS is the best and simplest and most reliable mobile operating system -- this are things that help older folks with technology. But Apple has always been obsessed with making it smaller because that is where the innovation is (anybody can build a bigger phone, but it takes innovation to fit it into a smaller and thinner space). However, making the phone smaller is not what is best for my mother or father. They don't have great eyesight, and it would be nice if they could read their phone's screen without glasses on.

[Stack Overflow]

Originally Posted by mcfrazieriv

Why did anyone actually waste their time in making these composites?

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?

No, because like you, they decided that the action was worth their time.

It's silly to criticize someone else for how they choose to spend their own personal time, especially when that choice harms no one, not even themselves.

You talk about how, somehow, it's obvious Apple won't do this. How exactly are you supposed to make an informed decision without speculating on the implications? One such form of speculation is to make mock-ups to see how such a phone might compare with existing handsets.

And you speak of history. Um, iPod shuffle, nano, mini, classic, and touch! When the market wants different form factors, Apple does, from time to time, oblige. Even the iPad mini is something which your logic would imply "has historically not worked in the past", and by all measures it's a smash hit.

Besides, how has these mock ups brought you any harm? Maybe you're on the wrong site if speculation about rumored Apple devices offends you so much?

[Aidan5806]

The alternative to this is they make an iPhone with a 720x1280 screen at the same pixel density as the current iPhone. That translates to a ~4.5" screen, and more importantly, they can still emphasize their preference for a small form factor because that screen would fit on the current iPhone design, with the side bezels being .05 inches each.

[WilliamLondon]

Originally Posted by Peace

Please shoot me then rename Apple,Inc to Apple Mobile,Inc.

But first before someone shoots you, he should wait till after Apple chases all these other "competitors" in this regard and after that Apple needs to chase one more of these feature changes innovations in a device that is mature in its market and maybe then just maybe it'll be time for another alteration to an attribute innovation of these devices (maybe thickness next time or perhaps something polygonally), and then we'll call it innovation and declare Apple stupid for not being "magical" anymore and predict the already thrice over predicted doom and gloom of the company, you know, now that Steve is dead.

[starbird]

Originally Posted by Hakone

The statement here is that Apple has come to follow the market and not create it.

Actually, since this is just wild speculation and rumor, it is nothing more than that.

Originally Posted by applesith

The 16:9 is great for video and holding in portrait mode. But doing anything other than video in landscape really stinks. Pictures have big bars on the side and websites require more scrolling. that little bit extra width would go a long way.

I was saying this during the "Apple is going to release a 4"+ phone rumors prior to the iPhone 5. At the time, I said if Apple was going to introduce a bigger screen, it should just bite the bullet and now it it is going to introduce a new resolution size. Would have saved this fragmentation, if, indeed these rumors are true.

Originally Posted by Nunyabinez

I would invite all the posters who think Apple should be listening to their opinions to read Clayton Christensen's "The Innovator's Dilemma." He points out how when companies are at their apex, they create their own demise by listening to their customers. When you listen to your customers you spend your time giving them what they say they want. But as Steve said "People don't know what they want until you give it to them."

I hope Apple is deaf to all the advice-giving of people. Because if that's what they turn into, a new company is going to come along with a disruptive technology and kick Apple to the curb. And they'll have their well meaning customers to thank for killing them.

I think I have hear Tim Cook (in the Rock Center interview) say essentially the same thing, so hopefully we are safe.

[iphoneguy2]

Apple needs two iphones to please the masses...Ever since Android enlarged the screen to really disguse the larger battery it needed to run the battery hungry
LTE technolgy (2 radio chips 3G and 4G) 4.8" screens have become very popular. So whats the issue with keeping two or even three models (4" and a 5") in the lineup? Apple will also need a cheaper iphone just to compete in markets where the carriers do not provide a subsidy. T-Mobile Mentioned this will be happening soon.

I have an iPhone 5 but viewing in landscape mode does not increase the font size from the previous versions of iPhones. kinda sucks if you happen to have over 40 eyes like mine!!! If Apple does not make a 5" screen lots of iPhone users are going to defect to Android, and thats just one of top 5 reasons to leave IOS.

1. Boring GUI make two modes "Classic" and "Advanced"
2. Lack of Customization to Home Screen
3. Lack of Widgets
4. Itunes needs an Overhall
5. Mutitasking two apps on the same screen for at least iPad

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by manu chao

Not if they don't have their reading glasses at hand, which might happen if they are somewhere outside.

Glasses will only magnify the image. Holding the phone slightly closer does the same.

You do realize you are debating a difference is pixel size of just over 10% in the example I cited, right? You are kidding yourself if you think the intention here was for better user experience by those with eyesite issues. The reason for the bigger screen is simple - it starts with an M and ends with arketing. It's a gimmick.

[reallynotnick]

Originally Posted by Keane16

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.

Personally I just want a fatter iPhone 5 with a bigger battery. I was perfectly fine with the size of the original iPhone.

[carlgo]

Originally Posted by Nunyabinez

I would invite all the posters who think Apple should be listening to their opinions to read Clayton Christensen's "The Innovator's Dilemma." He points out how when companies are at their apex, they create their own demise by listening to their customers. When you listen to your customers you spend your time giving them what they say they want. But as Steve said "People don't know what they want until you give it to them."

I hope Apple is deaf to all the advice-giving of people. Because if that's what they turn into, a new company is going to come along with a disruptive technology and kick Apple to the curb. And they'll have their well meaning customers to thank for killing them.

Clayton Whoever is obviously deciding which CEO job to take. Whatever the products that company makes, he would have to decide which one the stupid customers should be allowed to buy, which would mean he will have to know all about everything.

[Stack Overflow]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

There is positively no chance in hell Apple will shoot their Retina initiative in head by introducing a 264 PPI phone. None.

iPad mini?

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.

You don't understand, Apple is under two constraints. Screen technology, and a desire to keep developer fragmentation issues to a minimum. That's why the iPad mini is the resolution and diagonal size that it is. It was dictated by those factors.

The same goes for an iPhone Plus. And because there never was a retina iPhone Plus, Apple understands that they don't have to make it retina, as the non-retina iPhone Plus is still adding options that otherwise never existed, instead of taking away options, which is what would happen if the iPhone 5S were to drop retina, for example.

And iPhone Plus without retina is better than no iPhone Plus at all.

Also, why do people get all worked up over whether they'd want one? It's like they have to personally approve of each and every product that exists or something! There are only two relevant questions:

1. Is there an iPhone that you do want?
2. Is the product in question appealing to a sufficiently large number of people?

In this case, there are enough people who prefer the 3.5" iPhone 4S size (not me, but there are those here who do!), the 4" iPhone 5 size (I prefer this greatly over the 4S), and who even further, prefer the much larger sizes offered by Android phones. I'd have to see it to be sure, but I think I'd prefer an iPhone Plus over an iPhone 5.

Ok, so maybe you don't want a Plus. Good for you! They already make one you do like, so what's the harm? On the other hand, there are plenty of people, as proven by the success of the Galaxy SIII and even the almost comical (to me) Note II. If they want an iPhone Plus, how can anyone possibly argue that Apple shouldn't offer it if they can?

I mean, honestly, how does, "I don't like it, so no one else should be allowed to have it!" make a lick of sense?

[Vodka]

want want want

[mac*jedi*g]

I don't care how much you spin it --- the exodus quest for "Returning to the Brick" -- is so counter culture.

How did we go from holding a heavy brick size phone> to getting them down finger length> to advance with flat active displays> to holding tablets against our head? Is 'comfortable gaming' really the goal here when all you really want to do with a smartphone is make an occasional phone call; surf the web a bit, maybe play an minor game to pass the time when waiting. If this is a must, I think we should be moving towards integrate our phone's circuitry within our bodys --- like that 2012 version "Total Recall" tech.

[jimbo1mcm]

If I'm Samsung, I'm licking my chops. Apple is dealing in rumors of a meh phone next year, and in about 6 weeks, Samsung will unveil a Galaxy S4, World Class phone, available in April.

[AppleGuesser]

Originally Posted by KylePowers

Honestly, who the hell cares if the screen is 3.5 inches, 4 inches, or 4.5 inches? Is screen size the only direction this industry is heading toward? I want something crazy. Something next gen. Something analogous to Google Glasses, or smart watches, or 007-like. Stick a screen in my cornea, a mic in my tooth, and a speaker in my ear. Plug me in, make me a robot. Do something. Do anything.

Thats just a bit extreme don't cha think?

[mrpither]

Originally Posted by Pakaku

But Steve Jobs said it's WRONG

And Steve Jobs is never wrong. Never.

Steve denied a lot of things then turned around and did them.

[manu chao]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Glasses will only magnify the image. Holding the phone slightly closer does the same.

You do realize you are debating a difference is pixel size of just over 10% in

If your eyes cannot focus any closer, holding the phone closer won't help you. Try moving closer to something with a camera without adjusting the focus and you will see.

And 326 dpi vs. 264 dpi according to my calculator is still 23.5% and not 'just over 10%'.

[iEnvy]

You guys argue over a few inches of screen real estate like its life or death. Sad, never thought an item would spark such controversy.