Apple Acknowledges Consumers Want Larger and Cheaper Phones

[SVTmaniac]

I comfortably use my LG G2 with a 5.2" screen in one hand. What kid of girly hands do you all have that you can't operate a 5" device with one hand? The only time I ever use two hand on my phone is in landscape mode while watching videos.

 

[penplotter]

One of the big things Apple need to realise, if they haven't already, is that they're devices are not only premium in quality but also premium in price. The way I see it, if they release their next iPhone with a starting price of £450 for a 16GB model, more people will buy them and they won't have lost profits because more units will be sold. A 5", £450 iPhone would sell incredibly well - I believe. Apple have got to stop being greedy with prices. The fact of the matter is, there are a number of Apple products which are simply over priced.

With so much spare cash sitting around, can they not afford to make products cheaper? Give something BACK to the customers.

I wish to refrain from giving cliched comments regarding people being held to ransom, so I won't, but it is true. Why shouldn't someone spend their money on their choice of brand or device? Yes, they are expensive... so what? I'll tell you so what - walk away and buy something else, or get a loan for that phone that you can't afford and try hard not to feel envious of (envy IS BAD - I am not being sarcastic) and don't even need... OR... maybe just don't complain about issues which are meaningless.

Here's a better option... live and let live.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Apple makes premium products and that's why I buy apple products. They don't ship junk and I don't want junk. Apple needs to stay premium and let samsung have the crappy phone market. I would not mind paying a 1k for a phone from Apple if they make it worth it. Am I the only one that would pay more for an awesome phone?

1K for an unsubsidized phone would be a miniscule market. And the 64GB phones don't fly off the shelves at the $399 subsidized price either.

 

[69Mustang]

You realize that Apple never sold as many Macs, or Music, or Software. Right? The only product going down is the iPod.

You're partially right. iPod is down. So are movies and music through iTunes. Reported on MR earlier this month or last.

 

[ghost of jobs]

..., but I really don't want to make the phone any more difficult to put in my pocket, for example.
?

anything other than the skinnyest of skinny jeans and u will be more than ok with a 5in screen...

 

[tdale]

I think we're beginning to see the era where Apple is no longer an innovator, but a mere competitor...

Sadly, that is correct. A bigger screen iPhone will merely be a long overdue catchup. As others say, there needs to be innovation, but that isnt easy. Smartphones are mature. Hardware wise its about done.

 

[Serelus]

I have a measly 4s and don't use it one handed. Why? Cause the damn thing is too expensive and fragile to risk dropping and breaking the screen a third time!

So a 6' screen is fine cause I'm using my iphone 2 handed anyway.

So what you're saying is that you drop your phone alot? See I never drop my phone seems like a trivial reason to increase screen size.

 

[MUrhino]

The $100 upgrades to double the storage has to stop!

How about not charging a flat $100 to double the storage of an iDevice. It's ridiculous! $100 for an extra 16, 32, or 64, is crazy. It's time to get rid of the 16 and shift to a 32, 64, 128 lineup, not charging an arm and a leg for the 128. As we use more and more HD content, the storage must improve and come down.

Apple isn't really leading right now...more like playing catch up...although I do like the fingerprint sensor since they fixed 'ghosting/fading/whatever they called it'.

 

[69Mustang]

I'm probably in the minority, but I hope they still make 4" versions in the future. There's still a large group of people who would prefer easy one handed operation.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a 4" iPhone so whether you're in the minority is not important. I don't think the people who want a larger iPhone are asking for the 4" to be discontinued. I really don't think they care if Apple continues to make the 4". They just want Apple to make a larger phone for them. One doesn't negate the other just as one handed operation doesn't stop at 4".

 

[_Refurbished_]

I have a measly 4s and don't use it one handed. Why? Cause the damn thing is too expensive and fragile to risk dropping and breaking the screen a third time!

So a 6' screen is fine cause I'm using my iphone 2 handed anyway.

Good thing you're not in prison.

 

[mr.bee]

I comfortably use my LG G2 with a 5.2" screen in one hand. What kid of girly hands do you all have that you can't operate a 5" device with one hand? The only time I ever use two hand on my phone is in landscape mode while watching videos.

not everyone has hotdog fingers and hamburger palms.

Apple loved doing it's thing, being innovative and add value to people's life....and now it's all about competitors, customers and market share...yuck

 

[iLilana]

there is this picture

there is this picture of how cell phones went from obscenely large to teeny tiny and now we are "trending" back to obscenely large. I like the size of the iPhone. Its appropriate for some. Some others may need bigger because of larger hands, bad eyes or whatever. I'm not a fan of android, windows, samsung or HTC. its a personal preference. I find them convoluted and uncomfortable. If idiots want to label me as fangirl then so what. I'm not afraid to move to other products. Just haven't found anything worth changing to. the iOS (i don't actually use cell phones because i use my iPad mini for data due to cell phone carrier fees that are unreasonable in canada) does what I need it to do and thousands of things more. When Wind mobile puts towers in my area so I can get true unlimited LTE data voice, text I will actually buy an iPhone outright for month to month no contract service.

 

[tdale]

Please Apple, come up with a proper solution to prevent fragmentation between the 4-5 different screensizes, it's annoying enough as it is.

Fragmentation is nothing to do with screen sizes. What single screen size do you wish to put forward for the iPhone, and iPad, and MBA/P?

MBA has 2, MBP has 2 iPad has 2, iPhone should also have 2 (4 plus 4.x). A very simple solution, with no issues as far as I can see

 

[danielsutton]

So does this mean that the cost of the iPhone 6 will rise?

When a new model is released, it fills the premium category and previous year models are discounted. So the 6 will likely have the same price as last year's 5s, and the 5 and earlier will be discounted...

 

[ghost of jobs]

I have a measly 4s and don't use it one handed. Why? Cause the damn thing is too expensive and fragile to risk dropping and breaking the screen a third time!

So a 6' screen is fine cause I'm using my iphone 2 handed anyway.

Expensive?.. a 4s?....what we talking about... 120. Notes on a good day.......mm..I suppose we all have different yard sticks..

 

[RedOrchestra]

Good thing you're not in prison.

Beauty.

 

[mojolicious]

Expensive?.. a 4s?....what we talking about... 120. Notes on a good day.......mm..I suppose we all have different yard sticks..

$450, no?

 

[tdale]

Fragmentation.



Fragmentation.

I get you don't see the problem with larger screens, but as a developer if I develop a game for a larger screen iPhone, with better hardware than the smaller iPhones, you're going to miss out on apps. Welcome to the world of android.

Fragmentation in the Android world is a real issue. But its nothing to do with screen sizes, res is scaleable in Android. Its that many phones are made with many different components such as CPU, GPU, the various chips, etc. So you cannot just make Android to work for everybody as everybody uses different parts. Apple uses a minimal set of components. When the iPad split to two different sizes, that never seemed to cause an issue

 

[69Mustang]

The masses want MacDonald's burgers, because they're too impatient to wait for a steak to be grilled, or just because they know no different. Ignorance is a human weakness, we all suffer from it.

Your comment is proof. The analogy fails on many levels.

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You mean like a redistribution of wealth ... like a socialist thing?

No, he means instead of taking a 35% profit, take a 30 % profit. Let your customers use that savings on the phone in your marketplace.

 

[penplotter]

Your comment is proof. The analogy fails on many levels.

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No, he means instead of taking a 35% profit, take a 30 % profit. Let your customers use that savings on the phone in your marketplace.

I know - that was a rushed response and a very poor analogy... lol

 

[RMo]

anything other than the skinnyest of skinny jeans and u will be more than ok with a 5in screen...

That's not my only concern, though I'd still rather deal with a smaller screen than a larger one. Fitting in is one thing; fitting in without making you look weird is another. I just don't see a compelling reason to make the screen larger--and think about what this would do to the iPod touch, too. Who wants to wear a brick on their arm at the gym?

 

[RedOrchestra]

No, he means instead of taking a 35% profit, take a 30 % profit. Let your customers use that savings on the phone in your marketplace.

See, the problem with that is, there's no guarantee the money (savings) will be spent within the Apple ecosystem.

 

[CombatCaptured]

So who is innovating? Why is Apple somehow "forced" to innovate when they are making 13 billion $ (net profit) each quarter, and Microsoft loses relevance, Google makes nothing new, and almost every OEM is closing the front door?

This is a business. Apple is thriving, OEMs are dying. Clearly someone is right

I want to create a 2nd account just to give you another UP vote!
(But I didn't, cause I'm lazy)

 

[samcraig]

I think we're beginning to see the era where Apple is no longer an innovator, but a mere competitor...

I don't think that's an accurate statement. Larger screens aren't necc. "innovation." It's evolution. Apple has always been a competitor. Apple and every other company still has plenty of room to be innovative. The problem for some is that they expect revolution vs evolution.

 

[iCore24]

Apple has been investing a lot of effort on iOS into layout technologies (autolayout anybody?) I imagine that one reason for this shift is that they see a lot of new screen sizes in the future.

You guys should read my thread.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1699542/