I feel that this topic should be a poll of all macrumors users. Do you want to see a 4.5" screen on the next iPhone?
Apple could continue to sell/manufacture the 2010 iPhone HD/4G for $99 for people who want that, and manufacture a 4.5" inch screen alongside it priced at $199 or $299 for everyone else.
Going with this size would also give Apple the room to incorporate a slightly bigger battery and thus actually would improve the battery life.
-----Below Was Added Dec 22, 2010, a year after the poll closed--------
Now that the poll is closed, the numbers are there for any one to judge. 56% of the people here want a 4.5 inch screen, 38% do not. In otherwords, for every 4 people that don't want it, 6 people do. That's is a significant majority. And I'm certain the poll would be even more lopsided if it asked how many people wanted a 4" screen on the next iPhone.
A bigger screen makes routine tasks much more plesant, browsing the web, reading ebooks, watching videos, playing games, everything looks much nicer on a bigger screen.
I get not wanting the phone to be larger. But it actually wouldn't have to be...
If Apple cuts down on the amount of room the bezel takes, the screen could be made 4 inches without making the phone any bigger.
It would be like having to choose between two otherwise identical tvs, both with the exact same size and shape, with the only difference being that one is 13" with a really thick bezel, and the other is 17" with a slimmer bezel, and opting to go with the 13" inch version with the thick bezel. There is no rational reason why someone wouldn't atleast want a 4" screen if the phone remains roughly the same size and shape.
The advantages of a 4 inch screen are numerous. Typing, websites, ebooks, emails, videos, games would all look and be much easier to use with a 4 inch screen. The iPhone, once cutting edge, currently has the smallest screen of any popular smartphone. I suggest playing around with smartphones with 4 inch screens to see just how much more pleasant a bigger screen can make browsing, book reading, gaming and video playback. The current iPhone has a large bezel that could be done away with to accommodate a 4 inch screen without increasing the overall size of the phone much at all. The EVO 4g has a much smaller bezel on the top and bottom than the iPhone and is perfectly comfortable to hold inspite of this.
First, take a look at this picture, comparing the iPhone to the HD2 which offers a 4.3" screen, and yet manages to be approximately the same size and weight as the iPhone, while offering superior battery life!
Ignore the OS on the HTC HD2 and just compare the screen size between it (4.3") and the iPhone (3.5").
![4140276139_72c2ebe213_o.jpg]()
The pic also depicts the subtle difference in size. Not much at all.
"From my experience, it's far easier to use the on screen keyboard, browse online, read pdfs, emails and e-books, and watch movies with an extra inch of diagonal real estate. Everything just looks nicer, especially games, websites read easier when the text isn't quite so tiny, and movies feel more immersive. It's shocking how big a difference that extra inch makes." -iPhonedHome
Here is a picture of a mock iPhone that maintains the same identical height as the iPhone 4 (it is wider though) while managing to pack a whopping 4.5" screen...
![new-iphone-concept.jpg]()
It's not the thinness of these phone designs that is impressive, it's the manner in which the designs maximized the amount of screen space on the front of the phones.
A bigger screen makes routine tasks much more plesant, browsing the web, reading ebooks, watching videos, playing games, everything looks much nicer on a bigger screen.
It's not only tech geeks that enjoy watching videos on the iPhone, browsing the web on the iPhone, reading ebooks on the iPhone, reading maps on the iPhone, looking at and showing off pics on the iPhone, all tasks that are made substantially easier with a bigger screen. I am willing to bet that a general sample of all iPhone owners would show similar stats, with most wanting a bigger screen that makes these tasks easier and more pleasent.
Apple could continue to sell/manufacture the 2010 iPhone HD/4G for $99 for people who want that, and manufacture a 4.5" inch screen alongside it priced at $199 or $299 for everyone else.
Going with this size would also give Apple the room to incorporate a slightly bigger battery and thus actually would improve the battery life.
-----Below Was Added Dec 22, 2010, a year after the poll closed--------
Now that the poll is closed, the numbers are there for any one to judge. 56% of the people here want a 4.5 inch screen, 38% do not. In otherwords, for every 4 people that don't want it, 6 people do. That's is a significant majority. And I'm certain the poll would be even more lopsided if it asked how many people wanted a 4" screen on the next iPhone.
A bigger screen makes routine tasks much more plesant, browsing the web, reading ebooks, watching videos, playing games, everything looks much nicer on a bigger screen.
I get not wanting the phone to be larger. But it actually wouldn't have to be...
I worked some mock-ups in my cad program and a 4" screen will fit (in the iPhone, without making it bigger):
![attachment.php]()
If Apple cuts down on the amount of room the bezel takes, the screen could be made 4 inches without making the phone any bigger.
It would be like having to choose between two otherwise identical tvs, both with the exact same size and shape, with the only difference being that one is 13" with a really thick bezel, and the other is 17" with a slimmer bezel, and opting to go with the 13" inch version with the thick bezel. There is no rational reason why someone wouldn't atleast want a 4" screen if the phone remains roughly the same size and shape.
The advantages of a 4 inch screen are numerous. Typing, websites, ebooks, emails, videos, games would all look and be much easier to use with a 4 inch screen. The iPhone, once cutting edge, currently has the smallest screen of any popular smartphone. I suggest playing around with smartphones with 4 inch screens to see just how much more pleasant a bigger screen can make browsing, book reading, gaming and video playback. The current iPhone has a large bezel that could be done away with to accommodate a 4 inch screen without increasing the overall size of the phone much at all. The EVO 4g has a much smaller bezel on the top and bottom than the iPhone and is perfectly comfortable to hold inspite of this.
First, take a look at this picture, comparing the iPhone to the HD2 which offers a 4.3" screen, and yet manages to be approximately the same size and weight as the iPhone, while offering superior battery life!
Ignore the OS on the HTC HD2 and just compare the screen size between it (4.3") and the iPhone (3.5").
The pic also depicts the subtle difference in size. Not much at all.
"From my experience, it's far easier to use the on screen keyboard, browse online, read pdfs, emails and e-books, and watch movies with an extra inch of diagonal real estate. Everything just looks nicer, especially games, websites read easier when the text isn't quite so tiny, and movies feel more immersive. It's shocking how big a difference that extra inch makes." -iPhonedHome
Here is a picture of a mock iPhone that maintains the same identical height as the iPhone 4 (it is wider though) while managing to pack a whopping 4.5" screen...
It's not the thinness of these phone designs that is impressive, it's the manner in which the designs maximized the amount of screen space on the front of the phones.
A bigger screen makes routine tasks much more plesant, browsing the web, reading ebooks, watching videos, playing games, everything looks much nicer on a bigger screen.
It's not only tech geeks that enjoy watching videos on the iPhone, browsing the web on the iPhone, reading ebooks on the iPhone, reading maps on the iPhone, looking at and showing off pics on the iPhone, all tasks that are made substantially easier with a bigger screen. I am willing to bet that a general sample of all iPhone owners would show similar stats, with most wanting a bigger screen that makes these tasks easier and more pleasent.
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