Are the days of a 4" one-hand usable smartphone over?

[iPhone7ate9]

Not everybody wants a bigger phone and not everybody wants to always use two hands. Ever ride the subways?

Not to mention that tweeted photo of the supposed iphone 6 looks out of proportion.

No, never ridden the subway.
You don't need to use two hands all the time.

 

[rambo47]

Unless you're this guy, the 4.7" model iPhone 5 should be easy enough to use one-handed.

The Moto X has a 4.7" screen and is just as easy to use one-handed as the iPhone.

 

[Shuri]

First off: I don't want Apple to not release bigger iPhones. I think they should have done this earlier. But I also don't want to be taken away choice by making the 4" phones last year models. If Apple releases a new Feature (something like touch ID on the 5S) I don't want it to be exclusive to bigger screen phones. If they don't do this I'm happy. And I think everybody on this Thread would be happy?

I don't understand a point made by people who want a bigger screen that 4" are a lot worse when you do other things than calling and texting.

I agree: For gaming and watching movies there is a big advantage for sure, when having a bigger display.

But things like: Browsing (Webpages are mostly webApps anyway, so where's the difference? Less scrolling? Wow..), Setting up reminders (using Siri for this anyway), reading the news (Flipboard), navigating (most important are the voice commands), managing my music comfortably... and so on, I guess you know where I'm heading at.

So it's not like I'm using my phone totally dumbed down, but it's just that my using patterns allow me for the smaller screen, thus having the pleasure of a smaller form factor.

So again; I don't want to say large phones are stupid and that someone is if he wants one, I'm just saying that neither are those who don't want a larger screen.

Edit: If the mockups are wrong and the 4.7"'s body is not as much bigger than a current 4" one then yeah: I'm all in for it. But it seems to be a centimeter wider which I believe is to much for my taste.

 

[sunking101]

First off: I don't want Apple to not release bigger iPhones. I think they should have done this earlier. But I also don't want to be taken away choice by making the 4" phones last year models. If Apple releases a new Feature (something like touch ID on the 5S) I don't want it to be exclusive to bigger screen phones. If they don't do this I'm happy. And I think everybody on this Thread would be happy?

I don't understand a point made by people who want a bigger screen that 4" are a lot worse when you do other things than calling and texting.

I agree: For gaming and watching movies there is a big advantage for sure, when having a bigger display.

But things like: Browsing (Webpages are mostly webApps anyway, so where's the difference? Less scrolling? Wow..), Setting up reminders (using Siri for this anyway), reading the news (Flipboard), navigating (most important are the voice commands), managing my music comfortably... and so on, I guess you know where I'm heading at.

So it's not like I'm using my phone totally dumbed down, but it's just that my using patterns allow me for the smaller screen, thus having the pleasure of a smaller form factor.

So again; I don't want to say large phones are stupid and that someone is if he wants one, I'm just saying that neither are those who don't want a larger screen.

Edit: If the mockups are wrong and the 4.7"'s body is not as much bigger than a current 4" one then yeah: I'm all in for it. But it seems to be a centimeter wider which I believe is to much for my taste.

I previously thought like you. I used my old iPhone 4 for *everything* and never had any problems. Strangely, when I got my i5 I started having eye problems. I'm 42 years old so age may be playing a part, but I don't experience these problems when using my 8" tablet. My eyes get very fatigued and blurry if I use my iPhone 5 for long periods. This never happened during the two years that I used my old i4. Perhaps it's iOS7, the bright screens might not be helping, but I do recall this issue with my eyes starting not long after getting my i5...and it was running iOS6 initially.
So yeah, I guess I'm looking forward to a bigger phone screen for health reasons :-(

 

[Shuri]

I previously thought like you. I used my old iPhone 4 for *everything* and never had any problems. Strangely, when I got my i5 I started having eye problems. I'm 42 years old so age may be playing a part, but I don't experience these problems when using my 8" tablet. My eyes get very fatigued and blurry if I use my iPhone 5 for long periods. This never happened during the two years that I used my old i4. Perhaps it's iOS7, the bright screens might not be helping, but I do recall this issue with my eyes starting not long after getting my i5...and it was running iOS6 initially.
So yeah, I guess I'm looking forward to a bigger phone screen for health reasons :-(

Well as I'm a little over half your age I hope such problems are a few years away from now, but I see my father running into the same issues with his 4S. It's a real problem for those who suffer it and I understand that a bigger screen will help. (Especially the 5.5").

I'm neither against Apple releasing bigger screen phones nor am I against stressing out the current form factor to fit in a bigger screen (4.5" would be theoretically possible): I also don't want to say: If you want bigger screens go Android. But I don't want to go android either just because Apple could stop producing 4" phones at some point. And I think it would be frustrating to miss out on amazing new features just because I don't want a bigger phone.

tl;dr Apples fault is the lack of choice, like in their other product lines. I hope they learnt something.

 

[matttye]

Galaxy S3 with its' 4.8" screen was one handable.

Only had to slightly shift grip to reach the top left corner of the screen (I'm right handed).

 

[sunking101]

Well as I'm a little over half your age I hope such problems are a few years away from now, but I see my father running into the same issues with his 4S. It's a real problem for those who suffer it and I understand that a bigger screen will help. (Especially the 5.5").

I'm neither against Apple releasing bigger screen phones nor am I against stressing out the current form factor to fit in a bigger screen (4.5" would be theoretically possible): I also don't want to say: If you want bigger screens go Android. But I don't want to go android either just because Apple could stop producing 4" phones at some point. And I think it would be frustrating to miss out on amazing new features just because I don't want a bigger phone.

tl;dr Apples fault is the lack of choice, like in their other product lines. I hope they learnt something.

I was initially wanting the 4.7" when it was leaked, but am now sure that I need bigger than that. Hopefully the 5.5" will definitely be released, and also at the same time.

 

[I7guy]

Well as I'm a little over half your age I hope such problems are a few years away from now, but I see my father running into the same issues with his 4S. It's a real problem for those who suffer it and I understand that a bigger screen will help. (Especially the 5.5").

I'm neither against Apple releasing bigger screen phones nor am I against stressing out the current form factor to fit in a bigger screen (4.5" would be theoretically possible): I also don't want to say: If you want bigger screens go Android. But I don't want to go android either just because Apple could stop producing 4" phones at some point. And I think it would be frustrating to miss out on amazing new features just because I don't want a bigger phone.

tl;dr Apples fault is the lack of choice, like in their other product lines. I hope they learnt something.

Apples fault what? Their stock split and cash reserves don't really indicate they are suffering. I could care less about a bigger form phone factor than my 5S. If apple could somehow get more screen real estate out of the 5S form factor would love it. Phones such as the m8 are simply too big for me; espeically with a case.

 

[Shuri]

Apples fault what? Their stock split and cash reserves don't really indicate they are suffering. I could care less about a bigger form phone factor than my 5S. If apple could somehow get more screen real estate out of the 5S form factor would love it. Phones such as the m8 are simply too big for me; espeically with a case.

How would a bigger iPhone (that could probably be sold at a bigger margin) additionally to the offered smaller ones be worse to the sales of Apple? So: Yes a (little) fault which caused them to lose customers. I'm not saying it went bad for them, just that it could have been better. Now could happen the same: those who don't want a bigger one are going to look for options and eventually find them.

I'm really excited to get to try out the new models and then decide, but I don't think I'm going to want a bigger phone than my ip5 now. Especially when I need a mid to high end Android device as a second phone which will be at least 4.5".

 

[I7guy]

How would a bigger iPhone (that could probably be sold at a bigger margin) additionally to the offered smaller ones be worse to the sales of Apple? So: Yes a (little) fault which caused them to lose customers. I'm not saying it went bad for them, just that it could have been better. Now could happen the same: those who don't want a bigger one are going to look for options and eventually find them.

I'm really excited to get to try out the new models and then decide, but I don't think I'm going to want a bigger phone than my ip5 now. Especially when I need a mid to high end Android device as a second phone which will be at least 4.5".

Every business loses customers. Apple could lose me as a customer, even though I am perfectly(well mostly) satisifed. My cars, I used to never buy the same manufacturer twice in a row, even if I was perfectly satisified with the car.

People switch all of the time for their own reasons. All apple can do is get the market research correct and follow up appropriately.

 

[Shuri]

Every business loses customers. Apple could lose me as a customer, even though I am perfectly(well mostly) satisifed. My cars, I used to never buy the same manufacturer twice in a row, even if I was perfectly satisified with the car.

People switch all of the time for their own reasons. All apple can do is get the market research correct and follow up appropriately.

I guess that's what happened and now we have to live with 4.7 and 5.5 "

 

[I7guy]

I guess that's what happened and now we have to live with 4.7 and 5.5 "

Read some of the "i'm bored with my device" threads. And then the sequel to these threads; "I can't believe I was dumb enough to switch and now I'm back".