Apple Considering 4.7" and 5.7" Screens for 2014 iPhone Models, iPhone 5S and Low-Cost iPhone Due in September

[puelocesar]

There's a common say I heard once: after you get to the top, the only way ahead is down.

That's exactly what's happening with Apple. Which is sad, since I bought my apartment with app store money, and really really don't want them to fail :/

Well, this won't be bad to me in a business sense, since it will probably increase their marketshare. But it saddens me, as Apple is not that company interested primarily in high quality products, something that put them much ahead to companies like Samsung and HP for example..

 

[qrayg]

But the Steve said that the original iPhone screen was perfect

It was... the newer elongated screen is a UX nightmare. Anything larger than 3.5 is useless. I prefer my phone to fit in my pocket and the UI to be pixel perfect.

It's like buying a truck but you'll never haul anything.

 

[juanmanas]

Next year is leaving it way too late for a bigger iPhone.

Yep, because next year the world will end, and apple will be doomed, and all the ridiculous apocalyptic beings like you will be right.

 

[thehustleman]

4.7" is excellent, 4.8 is perfect.

A great screen size, still one hand friendly, fits in pockets easily,.


If Apple releases a 4.7" or 4.8" iPhone with ios7,and it's jailbroken, it's no question I'll be going back to iphone.

I find no reason to own an iphone that isn't jailbroken. Can't even do anything with it unless apple approves it

 

[skinnylegs]

Baffled too. Maybe some people are nervous that if the iPhone offers a larger screen they will no longer be able to mock Android's large screens but instead have to embrace them.

Sadly, there is probably some truth to your statement.

 

[azentropy]

I was more excited about the new iPhone (and iPad) before getting a good look at iOS 7 on my iPhone 4s. I know it is the first beta, but I really do not like the direction it is heading visually in so many areas. So far it seems like a really bad Android skin.

 

[excommie]

I can't wait to see the 'cheap' iPhone. I would love if there was an option of buying an iPhone with a plastic back. I don't see how the current unibody design is any superior. Most people put plastic covers on them anyway...

I just hope they don't cannibalize features on that phone and internal specs will be comparable to 5/5s (I just realizaed how unrealistic that would be).

 

[iGrip]

ill take a 5.7 right now. you girls must have small hands

The conventional wisdom is that a phone cannot have a screen over 3.5 inches because then your thumb cannot reach all parts of the screen.

Anything over 3.5 inches requires that the user have hands the size of dinner plates and pants with clown pockets.

Wait - I meant 4 inches. Never mind.

 

[maxosx]

Apple wakes up... to find that consumers have been enjoying spacious displays on Android phones for years

Flummoxed they scramble to catch up.

Just one more reason _not_ to buy an iPhone 5S.

 

[kas23]

I was more excited about the new iPhone (and iPad) before getting a good look at iOS 7 on my iPhone 4s. I know it is the first beta, but I really do not like the direction it is heading visually in so many areas. So far it seems like a really bad Android skin.

Not only that, but iOS 7 may be giving us a clue for what we're going to see hardware-wise. If iOS 7 can blatantly adopt features from Android, perhaps it's not so far-fetched that Apple could adopt Android phone hardware as well, in the form of an ultra-cheap phone and larger screen sizes.

----------

The conventional wisdom is that a phone cannot have a screen over 3.5 inches because then your thumb cannot reach all parts of the screen.

Anything over 3.5 inches requires that the user have hands the size of dinner plates and pants with clown pockets.

Wait - I meant 4 inches. Never mind.

That may be true theoretically, but it's time Apple got their heads out of their butts and realized oversized screens are still selling extremely well.

 

[Boomchukalaka]

IF a 4.7 inch screen size is coming, I hope that it is presented as a new model, rather than becoming the standard screen of the iPhone. I like being able to use my iPhone 5 with one hand, I like that my it fits comfortably in my pocket, and more importantly, how it feels in my hand. Coming from the 3GS as I did it took me a while to get used to the new screen size of the 5, and I see this current size as being about the maximum dimensionally that I want my phone to be. My niece has a Nokia 920, and I found that phone, with it's bulk and the larger screen size to be awkward to use. I get that everyone has different needs, but my iPhone is primarily a communication device whether that mode be calling someone, texting someone or FaceTiming I want to use one hand to use it, not two that I find the larger screen size phones require. I think it's great that my phone can do other things, that it can be used to watch a video or play a game while I am waiting somewhere, but if I'm sitting on a plane, I'm probably using my iPad to watch a movie, not my phone. This is just my opinion, in the end I believe that you buy and use the technology that best suits your needs.

 

[reyalP]

They should have stopped at 3.5 inch. I have gotten used to 4.0 inch but anything bigger is just too big. I hope they cap the size at 4 inches. Why mess with perfection? Who wants to tote a backpack or suitcase just to haul their phone around anyway. Soon people will be holding tablets up to their heads.

Just say no to larger screens!

 

[SwiftLives]

I know that the iPhone competitors like to tout their larger screens, but do they actually sell well?

And is it worth it to Apple and developers to further fragment their screen sizes? As of now, we've got 480 × 320, 960 × 640, 1024 × 768, and 2048×1536.

Would a larger iPhone be able to support one of those resolutions and still be a retina display? Or is it more likely Apple would add another resolution to the mix?

Frankly, I could see a smaller iPhone before a larger one.

-------

Edit: I found this report from May. Large screens and "phablets" make up about 10% of Android's active users. If this is accurate, is it worth it for Apple to enter that market?

 

[alexgowers]

apple always picks crap colour ways for phones etc.

Please let these colour rumours be false.

All you need is black, white, silver, red, blue, pink and maybe yellow/gold

Orange, green, purple, brown can f off.

 

[nia820]

4.7 is believable. 5.0 is even believable. But 5.7 is just ridiculous.

 

[Blue Velvet]

I just hope that doesn't mean the only (Apple) alternative would be a cheap low end device.

I doubt it. Not that there's anything wrong with cheap, although 'affordable' or 'inexpensive' might be more along the lines of Apple's thinking. The argument that Apple only concentrates on the segments of markets where the most profit can be made isn't entirely true...

These devices, like a potentially cheaper iPhone, also act as lock-ins in many cases, building brand loyalty through the halo effect. Get 'em when they're young.

Personally, I'd like a little more choice, a few more options from Apple when it comes to thinking about my next phone. Doesn't necessarily mean they have to make 30 models, but maybe 2-3 sizes, perhaps one range with a handful of colours. They've done it before and I'm sure they'll do it again.

Besides, people are making fewer calls these days. For many people, it's not the main feature of a phone, but is just one feature amongst others... like those using their phones for watching media or playing game. Some of these people don't care what they look like when they're making a call, because they do it so rarely.

For those who think their iPhones provide some form of cachet, some form of social status, and that you think the brand will be sullied by a cheaper Apple phone that the masses can get their hands on... then I'm afraid that you're probably not seeing the bigger picture from Apple's point of view.

 

[jakebot]

I think it's funny when even fact is right in front of an analysts face and they still make wrong predictions. iOS7 is coming out this fall, so the 5s will not be coming out in August before that.

Now pay me for my analysis.

 

[saturn88]

5,7" is ridiculous for a phone.

It's not a phone. It's a phablet. Samsung sold millions of those.

 

[panzer06]

I only charge once a day, what the hell are you doing?

I still don't understand it when people complain about battery life on the iPhone 5. Mine lasted all day with LTE activated and searching, doing con calls and receiving mail from 4 accounts, listening to iTunes but no streaming, twitter or facebook. I only charged overnight and usually had 35-40% when I went to bed.

Cheers,

 

[nia820]

Steve is rolling over in some plane of existence.

I may not have always agreed with the decisions Apple makes, even confounded at times, but usually when Steve Jobs forcefully made a decision that everybody doesn't understand or even hates at first, eventually the market realizes how brilliant the decision was and everybody starts adopting the idea or design.

Holding big tablet sized phones to your ear to make calls is silly. Not being able to dial a call without using two hands is ridiculous. Tim Cook caving to customer whims to create 1-1 rival products with Samsung is just plain retarded.

I ask again how people believe Tim Cook is the best leader for this company? If Apple comes out with an iNote "phone" product I would scream its time for him to step down as CEO.

That is your opinion. A lot of people want a bigger phone. Which is why note 2 sold so well. And the galaxy s4 sold 10 million.

One of the biggest reasons dumped my iPhone 5 was tge size. It was just too damn small. If it was bigger I would have kept it

 

[bertishere]

Don't buy it then.

this.. what's wrong with having options? "oh but the developers".. screw them. if they don't know how to make their app compatible with a larger device, then they shouldn't be developing. PERIOD.

Then why not buy a mini iPad?? It's even bigger... (and cheaper)

how is this even an option? please.. just re-read what you wrote.

- no voice calls
- no texting (iMessage is NOT texting)

people are so "omg if apple has NOT made a 5" screen yet then I DON'T WANT ONE AND IF YOU SUGGEST ONE THEN YOU'RE SO STUPID. I ALSO REFUSE TO BUY ONE AND YOU DON'T NEED ONE BECAUSE YOU USE YOUR PHONE WITH ONE HAND." blah blah blah blah blah.

but when a bigger phone is release. "oh. my. god. i'm lining up 3 months early for it" (just like the iPhone 5 )

people gotta realize, apple isn't always right. they need to make a bigger phone whether some people like it or not. options are good for people. it will give people choice, rather than people leaving for other smartphones (i'm considering it) just to have a bigger device that makes phone calls.

remember one thing people.. apple needs to make WHAT CONSUMERS WANT, not what they THINK IS RIGHT. and consumers want bigger phones.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Gold?

Image

Yes.

 

[nia820]

It baffles why apple fans are so against bigger screened phones. There are so many benefits to it.

 

[sdilley14]

The cheaper/colored iPhones are starting to look believeable. The mock ups actually don't look too bad. I would be very curious to know what material they would use. I can't imagine they would just use some cheap plastic. I'm not sure what a happy medium would be between the metal casing they use now and a cheap Samsung'esque type plastic?

I'll say what pretty much everyone else has said...4.7" screen would be ok...5.7" is bordering ridiculous.

And a "gold" iPhone? No.fuggin.way.

 

[ThinkPin]

Don't they already have a low cost iphone that is the year old model? Guess making a 'low cost' iphone would be better for the pocket book.