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4" iPhone 6S ?
- Thread starter sparkie7
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I guess anyhing is possible. I would think that Apple would keep a 5S device going for years to make some people happy.
Making a new iPhone 4 sized phone with all the current features . . . .well the chances are slim.
Making a new iPhone 4 sized phone with all the current features . . . .well the chances are slim.
I don't think Apple will continue selling iPhone models that do not support Apple Pay (without requiring an Apple Watch) so I expect the iPhone 5S to be discontinued before the end of 2015.
Going into 2016, I expect the lineup to be:
- iPhone 6S Plus
- iPhone 6S
- iPhone 6
- a new low-end 4" iPhone supporting Apple Pay, with the camera from the 5S
It all depends on if Apple thinks they can get their money out of a redesigned iPhone 4. It is money they love.
Larger screen sizes cost more and require a larger battery which also costs more. Apple need to offer an iPhone that supports Apple Pay (without requiring an Apple Watch) at the $450 unsubsidized ($0 subsidized) price point. The higher price points will be covered by the iPhone 6S Plus ($749), iPhone 6S ($649), and iPhone 6 ($549). Apple need to offer a 4" iPhone for people with small hands who cannot use a 4.7" iPhone. The need to offer Apple Pay (without requiring an Apple Watch) throughout the iPhone line, the need to cover all the price points, and the need to offer at least one 4" iPhone model would all be satisfied by producing an up-to-date 4" iPhone with A7 or A8 chip, NFC, and the same camera as the iPhone 5S. Such a phone could be called the iPhone 6C.
A new 4" iPhone that supports Apple Pay (without requiring an Apple Watch) would have specs that meet or exceed those of the iPhone 5S. It would not need to have high-end features like haptic feedback that are widely expected for the iPhone 6S.
A hypothetical 4" iPhone 6S with all the high-end features would fit into the $549/$99 price point which should naturally be filled by the iPhone 6 after the iPhone 6S introduction. Given the outstanding popularity of the iPhone 6, it would not make any sense for Apple to discontinue it this year.
Who said anything about a redesigned iPhone 4 (a 3.5" phone that doesn't even support Touch ID or Siri)???
I do not think that the demand is there for a new designed 4" phone.
You never know but I am betting not.
Depending on the season, Apple sell between half a million and one million iPhones per day. Only 20% of existing iPhone users have upgraded to the iPhone 6. Many of the 80%, including me, used to buy a new iPhone every year but skipped the iPhone 6 because it is too freaking big. I can use my iPhone 5S with one hand. I cannot use an iPhone 6 with one hand.
There are millions of customers who like the 4.7" size and millions of customers who either don't like it or cannot use it.
You need to convice Apple and not me. Like I said it is all about money and if they think the money is there they might just do a redesigned phone with a 4" screen. We are in uncharted waters here so time will tell.
Has anyone stopped to consider Apple's new model in the Watch?
It's the exact same technology offered in two different sizes at 3 different price points. Think if Apple follows that model with the iPhone 7 -- they could well introduce 3 new models, each in a different size and a different price point, all with essentially the exact same technology.
I would love a more powerful 4" screen device, however I always find i'm craving for just a little more screen real-estate. What I would prefer is for a phone to have a small bezel, and larger screen. I imagine well get this once they manage to work Touch ID into the screen.
There is a big difference. All of the many Apple watches use the exact same circuit board no matter if aluminum or solid gold. The only difference would be battery size.
A whole new circuit board would have to be designed to give a 4" iphone all the features of the 6S. That would be the major cost that Apple would have to condsider.
Different strokes etc. While many (seems to be the majority) prefer the larger screen, I'm in the other camp and having recently passed on my 5S and picked up a 128GB 6, I really just can't get to like this handset.. i don't have tiny hands but I just don;t find it anywhere near as nice to use one-handed, i've yet to find a screen protector that doesn't make it look even worse and it just doesn't feel good in my pocket.. (perhaps the psychological impact of the 'bendgate' reports). Honestly, if it wasn;t for the extra storage (which I needed as my 64GB 5S was bursting at the seams), I'd go back to the 4" non-rounded shape in a heartbeat - in my own opinion, the 5S is the best iPhone yet.
I've got a 6 here that I do enjoy, but I must admit that I echo a *lot* of these sentiments. I don't even need the storage that my 6 has, but it does sound like I enjoy the larger screen than you might.
I've been tempted more than a few times to go back to the 5S after playing with my GFs.
EDIT: If they released a 4" iPhone 6s that otherwise had the *exact* same form factor otherwise (rounded edges, screen, protruding camera, ant. lines etc.) would you go for it? Would that do enough to assauge your bending concerns given there'd still be screen-protector issues likely?
Whatever it might be called (maybe iPhone 6C), I expect the low-end iPhone ($450 unsubsidized / $0 subsidized) to have specs similar to these:
Display: same as the iPhone 5/5C/5S
Memory: 16GB (or 64GB/128GB for $100/$200 more) - same as iPhone 6
Processor: A7 or A8 - same as iPhone 5S or 6
Memory: 1GB LPDDR3 - same as iPhone 5S and 6
Wifi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac - same as iPhone 6
Cellular: LTE Advanced and all prior - same as iPhone 6
Apple Pay: Touch ID and NFC - same as iPhone 6
Cameras: same as iPhone 5S
2 Models: North America and Global - same as iPhone 6
The case, motherboard, and battery will have to be new/revised designs using existing technology. Making use of the display and cameras from the iPhone 5S keeps the cost down.
This will be an easy upgrade for everyone with an iPhone 5/5C/5S or older who wants an up-to-date 4" iPhone. It should also sell well in developing countries.
Display: same as the iPhone 5/5C/5S
Memory: 16GB (or 64GB/128GB for $100/$200 more) - same as iPhone 6
Processor: A7 or A8 - same as iPhone 5S or 6
Memory: 1GB LPDDR3 - same as iPhone 5S and 6
Wifi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac - same as iPhone 6
Cellular: LTE Advanced and all prior - same as iPhone 6
Apple Pay: Touch ID and NFC - same as iPhone 6
Cameras: same as iPhone 5S
2 Models: North America and Global - same as iPhone 6
The case, motherboard, and battery will have to be new/revised designs using existing technology. Making use of the display and cameras from the iPhone 5S keeps the cost down.
This will be an easy upgrade for everyone with an iPhone 5/5C/5S or older who wants an up-to-date 4" iPhone. It should also sell well in developing countries.
It probably would be enough to address most of my concerns although I still prefer the iPhone5/s form-factor over the rounded edges - but I guess they had to freshen up the design at some point).
I hope Apple will stop selling its expensive high-end iPhone models with 16GB only (and drop 8GB for the low-end), that even started playing against them this year.
I don't think Apple will still sell the 6 and 6+ models next fall. They will tweak the design of their 4.7" and 5.5" models, update parts (camera, proc), add maybe some new tech (haptic feedback rumors, which could reveal only as a new home button + Touch ID using less vertical space), enough to call it the 7 line.
This 7 line will be the high margin and large volume cash cow, but they need to amortize costs of production of their 6 line. Apple will need a phone where to 'recycle' its old hardware; a lower-end 4" iPhone 6 could allow to eliminate the tail of the current generation internals production while focusing on the new high-end line.
On the very low-end, as usual, the two years old model, as crippled as possible to not be too attractive.
On top of that, lots of people in the market for high-end models aren't upgrading during the summer before the fall release, and sales plummet in that period. Releasing new low-end models in june (for example at the WWDC) would boost sales in that period before the high-end customers run in fall '15 for the upgrade of the 4.7" and 5.5" models.
And repeat every year, in june the 4" model gets the guts of previous fall's more lucrative models.
To sum this up:
In June:
In September:
I don't think Apple will still sell the 6 and 6+ models next fall. They will tweak the design of their 4.7" and 5.5" models, update parts (camera, proc), add maybe some new tech (haptic feedback rumors, which could reveal only as a new home button + Touch ID using less vertical space), enough to call it the 7 line.
This 7 line will be the high margin and large volume cash cow, but they need to amortize costs of production of their 6 line. Apple will need a phone where to 'recycle' its old hardware; a lower-end 4" iPhone 6 could allow to eliminate the tail of the current generation internals production while focusing on the new high-end line.
On the very low-end, as usual, the two years old model, as crippled as possible to not be too attractive.
On top of that, lots of people in the market for high-end models aren't upgrading during the summer before the fall release, and sales plummet in that period. Releasing new low-end models in june (for example at the WWDC) would boost sales in that period before the high-end customers run in fall '15 for the upgrade of the 4.7" and 5.5" models.
And repeat every year, in june the 4" model gets the guts of previous fall's more lucrative models.
To sum this up:
In June:
Code:
5c is retired
(5s in 5c body, but could lose Touch ID)
5cs 16GB: $449
5cs 32GB: $499
(new thinner plastic body or alu iPod Touch-like, 4" version of the 6)
6c 64GB: $599
6c 128GB: $699In September:
Code:
6 and 6+ are retired
(4.7" A9 model gains OIS and higher pixel density screen)
7 64GB: $699
7 128GB: $799
(5.5" A9, only model with 2GB of RAM, flames all over the internet)
7+ 64GB: $799
7+ 128GB: $899
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If your primary use of the phone is texting, phone calls, and emails, and you don't like browsing on a 4.7" or a 5.5" screen and rather use your iPad or computer for such activities, then a 4" phone in the same thinness and shape of the 6 is great.
It's like if all you need is the space of a two seater, then you probably prefer it to a station wagon.
Or if all you need is carrying a lunch and water for a hike, you probably don't want to bring your multi day backpacking backpack.
Or if all you want is light browsing, then you probably don't want to bring your iPad, but your 6+ instead. You see, sizes are relative.