Apple Not Planning to Launch a Smaller iPhone

[Full of Win]

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A smaller screen would require developers to rewrite Apps to accommodate the new form factor -- an issue Apple hopes to avoid. A

Keeping the 3G resolution would be sufficient i guess, i don't know why this would be a problem.

I think they mean that many apps are made (e.g. button placement) using the current surface area as an assumption. The smaller the surface area, the more spacing may have to be used to get correct button actuation.

 

[BillyBobBongo]

and how will you recognize who has the 4 and who has the 5?

Probably the same as the 3G and the 3GS, they'll write a different number on the back.

 

[LouieSamman]

With and without the home button
http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a465/ropeproductions/iPhone5withanwithouthomebutton.png

The mockup of the iphone without the home button is VERY slick looking.

The home button can always become a side button. Whether it's on the left or right side it will be ideal for left or right handed people. For people who are right handed. They use their thumb to access the home button from the right side of the phone with ease. For the leftys, they can use their thumbs to access the screen and their index finger to access the home button.

I just really like the look of no home button on the front. Apple should go all screen on the front with only a small border on top and bottom.

 

[freddiecable]

agree!

They could easily, for example, create a display that was a 2.5" screen, but had a pixel dimension of 480 x 320, and all standard iPhone apps would work on it just fine (except, perhaps, for the fat-finger issue).

I also wanted to say that I've never really been a fan of the size of any smart phone, including the iPhone. So, to me, the idea of a smaller iPhone, that might fit into my hand better and more comfortably, was quite attractive...

 

[mikechan1234]

Hope they change the design, iPhone 4 design is too fragile IMO.

 

[buckers]

3GS is hardly obsolete. Why not keep selling that at an even cheaper price?

 

[$$$AAPL$$$]

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I still think that the iPhone 5 or 6 will be smaller. The screen won't be smaller, but the rest of the phone will be.

No black border below or to the sides of the screen, and a reduced black border above the screen. No Home Button on the front. Same screen-size, smaller iPhone.

I hope this is NOT the case... The current model is phenimenal, and can hardly be manufactured fast enough to meet supply... Another phone of any dimension really is unrealistic unless they combine CDMA & GSM whuch we already know is very possible. A LARGER device like HTC EVO with Retina would be a stellar hit. Its easy enough and more profitable for AAPL to offer extremely trimmed down devices with as many refuebished parts as possible to meet the lower consumer brackets... All the while making sure to make iTunes and the App store easily accessible. They will NEVER offer a mobile device without them, and if anything make completely sure accessibilty and interest is enhanced any way possible. You will see iPhone 4's being sold the same way as the 3gs is... Made as cheaply as possible. The two huge manufacturing centers, Pegatron and Foxconn can handle that for sure if the cdma and gsm phones are untegrated. That's what makes the most sense right now. How they will spin it to no contract is something I am sure they have long figured out

 

[JoEw]

Or you could buy a android phone with all those things for half the price.

just saying

I'll gladly pay extra money for quality integrated hardware and software and the best mobile ecosystem on the planet.

Apple has the highest satisfaction ratings for a reason.

 

[JoEw]

iPhone 5 - CDMA & GSM - $200 Verizon and AT&T
iPhone 4 - CDMA - $50 Verizon
iPhone 4 - GSM - $50 AT&T

3gs will stop being manufactured rest of 3gs inventory sold "free with 2 year contract on AT&T while supplies last.

 

[Mr. Gates]

I like the bigger phones...
I actually drool when I see a Driod X

But IOS has its points too.

Can we force them to mate already !

Like a Laberdoodle

iphevo (EVO)

 

[iPhoneCollector]

http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a465/ropeproductions/ip5-1.png

Yeah right. The iphone5 is factory jailbroken

 

[$$$AAPL$$$]

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With and without the home button
http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a465/ropeproductions/iPhone5withanwithouthomebutton.png

The mockup of the iphone without the home button is VERY slick looking.

The home button can always become a side button. Whether it's on the left or right side it will be ideal for left or right handed people. For people who are right handed. They use their thumb to access the home button from the right side of the phone with ease. For the leftys, they can use their thumbs to access the screen and their index finger to access the home button.

I just really like the look of no home button on the front. Apple should go all screen on the front with only a small border on top and bottom.

Agreed on all aspects. Seems that it would actually be a little cheaper to produce as well which is always good. Only thing I wonder about is virtual keyboard functionality. Would be harder if the keyboard screen came up lower. This phone is ideal as well to satisfy as a "New" product IMO, which I pray AAPL *has* to maintain for awhile until Jobs is more or less forgotten about which is not too hard to have happen. He is actually more of a Burden IMO than anything else at this point unless he is able to make a few SUBSTANTIVE appearences like at least one at MacWorld to introduce a great new iPhone.

 

[deafphillymac]

Smaller iPhone

I oppose to a smaller iPhone. The text would be tiny to read. It would be harder to type tiny keyboard on touch-screen. I really prefer the present size of current iPhone...what's more, iPhone 5.

 

[CFreymarc]

The idea of that cloud only small iphone was horrible to begin with, glad they have said its not real.

I'm convinced that this was just part of an internal Apple mole hunting trip to find internal security leaks.

 

[OllyW]

and how will you recognize who has the 4 and who has the 5?

Why do you need to know?

 

[pepitko]

I'm not surprised to be honest, I've said the same exact thing a post in another thread that developers would have to rewrite the apps to accommodate a different screen size, which would be a herculean task given how many apps are there in the app store.

 

[AaronEdwards]

Why do you need to know?

For some, the iPhone is not only about the technology, it's also about being able to show everyone that you have the latest model. It's shallow, but also way too common.

 

[camelsnot]

I still refuse to believe that Apple will be changing the form factor of the phone at all in this next iteration. I'm expecting to see upgraded specs within the same body.

typically all they do. iPhone hardware has never been stellar. They barely keep up with other vendors out there. It's all about iOS.

mobilemeh? They're doing things already developed so it's no big new thing. The main thing will be for them to keep down the bloat, as their stuff is starting to hemmorage with old code and poor design. "Let's throw everything into one portal application" should not be the mantra anymore. They've gotten too big for that.

 

[Popeye206]

Personally... I think Apple should stay on the current track. New or major update once a year. Focus on quality and functionality. Keep updates to iOS coming to keep it fresh.

IMO the iPhone stands out because it's a well made device. Great design, quality and overall functionality is smooth and clean. It also stands out from the Android Phones because you know when you buy an iPhone you're not buying a dead end product.

Manufactures of Android models still need to show that if you buy one of their Android phones you're not going to be outdated and left behind by the Model of the month. What I mean by "left behind" I mean no OS updates and what you have is what you have.

So, I hope Apple does not change it's current cycles. If they don't, we'll see a major refresh of the current iPhone form factor in June and the current model will become the replacement for the 3Gs as the lower cost phone. For me a smaller phone seems silly... the current size is about perfect.

 

[aegisdesign]

The only thing Apple need to make smaller on the iPhone is their margins.

 

[ftaok]

for the math challenged

At 960x640

4.0" screen 288 ppi
3.8" screen 304
3.5" screen 329

 

[designgeek]

I wonder if they're just making the iPhone 4 cheaper so they'll have beefier margins when it's only a hundred bucks or less. A smaller camera would be cheaper as well as other features.

 

[Thunderhawks]

and how will you recognize who has the 4 and who has the 5?

The 5 will come with a hypnotic spinning button you can wear:

"Proud owner of a 5"

But, since people feel compelled to follow Apple's hypnotic commands,
you can cancel the button's Vortex by holding a 4 in front of it!

Geez!

 

[mingoglia]

FINALLY... what idiot would believe that Apple would release a smaller iPhone? That has to be the dumbest thing ever. The iPhone is already pretty small... but it is a perfect size. Any smaller and it loses all credibility and functionality in my opinion...

I love this site but the rumor of a small iPhone just defies common sense.

I'm not sure if I'd say it's the dumbest thing every. Apple has been known to do this. How many times have they changed the size of the Nano? I've had one of each (before my Touch) and never said, "gee, I wish this was smaller or shorter and wider". I think keeping the same size screen but some how shrinking the rest of the case, and even removing the exiting home button could be a logical next step if the technology exists to shrink it more.

Personally I'd really like a much smaller iphone. In fact my ultimate iphone would be smaller and have a sturdy slide out hard keyboard that mimics a fullsize Blackberry keyboard exactly. I know this will unlikely happen, but one can only dream.

 

[kd5jos]

If apple didnt take so many baby steps they would have broadened out a bit by making various models of products, not an ipad in different capacities, but competive physical sizes with android, same with the phone. If they want to get into the market and dominate first they should broaden the phone range and tablet range. They don't just have an iPod and thats it, theres various models to suit various needs of customers. When they figured that out they completely abliterated the portable music player market. They should attempt the same with the phone and tablet, at least tablet. The iPad is too awkard for me to use outside of my home and the iPhone is too small to replace the gap between the iPad. They need to man up and start being apple they used to be and take some chances, they cant keep this californian attitude of " but if we change the screen size then the poor developers will have to put their moneys worth into adapting".

When the iPod (your comparison) first came out, did Apple release multiple form factors all at once? No, it was 3 years before the Mini showed up (when the 4th generation iPod came out), and four years before the first shuffle. So if you are comparing to the iPod, a new form factor iPhone coming along is just about due (iPhone Mini?).

As for the new screen size, I agree with you. Do like they did with the change to the iPad. Give the developers a chance to catch up, and move on. In order to make an omelet, you have to crack a few apples... er eggs...