About the only place around the Internet that I see some people that don't want any larger screen then 4" is on here. If an all new 4" iPhone 6 were released alongside a new 4.7" or 5.5" model would it even be worth all the engineering resources? Except for a value driven model (less profit margin) a 4" would be a poor seller if released alongside a 4.7" or 5.5" model. I think the only people who are outright rejecting a larger screen on an iPhone are people who have never used a larger screen. After owning a 5.5" G3 there is no way I'd go back to a tiny screen again. You just don't realize how much more enjoyable content is on a larger screen until you own one.
First off the internet (especially tech forums) is hardly a diverse sample to base your opinions. Most of these forums are full of people who are at least above average in how tech savvy they are. They hold very different preferences than the average consumer. Second, you may be right about sales when it comes to screen size but I definitely think its debatable. As it stands, around 30% of phone sales are between 4 and 4.4in and around 15% are 5+in.
There are obviously a lot of things to consider here like the fact that the iPhone is such a huge seller in the 4in range. Moving the iPhone to any range would undoubtedly increase the sales there. There's also the fact though that practically no other high end phone is in that 4-4.4in range. The 5+ has a lot more high end models to push sales.
Third, I have used a 4.7in screen and I found it extremely clumsy. I use my phone while moving. I use it for navigation while driving. I use it for music while driving. I frequently text on it with another phone in my ear at work. I take one handed pictures all the time. I make phone calls and hold the phone to my ear. I run and workout with my phone at the gym. I don't need a lecture on what I should and shouldn't be doing with my phone, but literally all of these things is easier with a slightly smaller device. And before you ask if I have tiny hands, I'm a 6'6 male with fairly large hands. I understand the point about content but when I find myself reading a book, watching a movie, playing an in depth game, etc, I am typically at my house and on my iPad. I also understand that scrolling down my social network feeds, reading an article, etc is consuming content. I do this frequently on the go as well and it's obviously better with a larger device but, to me, this is like the difference in watching a movie on a 40in TV and a 45in TV. Sure it's slightly better on the 45in but it's not really make or break. This "slightly better" isn't worth the clumsiness of the larger phone.
Ever wonder why the 17" iMac doesn't exist anymore?
This is a different world altogether. You don't literally carry an iMac around all day.
With that said, I do think those of you who really want a 4" screen will still be able to get one, but I don't see it being the flagship phone going forward. Apple is following this time, but they to understand where the market is headed. Personally I think only a new 4.7" is coming and the following year the 5.5" will appear. Apple is smart when it comes to selling people a new phone every year.
I'm not even making a guess as to what Apple will release because I really don't know. I do know that I don't personally believe Apple to following here. I believe that sales of these larger screen sizes is due to a combination of factors but mostly because competitors have used screen size as differentiation from Apple and as often as consumers will buy a product because it's Apple just as many will buy it because it's not Apple. I believe a lot of Apples struggle is with the "mainstream." It's like a good band that everyone thinks is really cool until they're the biggest band in the world. It's odd how people work sometimes. This is a hard concept to explain but I hope you understand what I'm getting at.
What measures or defines a marketing model's success? Ultimately, it's revenue & profit. I think some of us think that it's "tradition" or some kind of past "pattern" that absolutely cannot be broken.
As I've said before:
-deliver a 4.7" and soak up the market that wants a phone bigger than about 4" and smaller than about 5"
-deliver a 5.5" and soak up the market that wants a phone bigger than about 5" and smaller than about 6"
Let "the Apple way" (some concept of unchangeable tradition) drive a decision NOT to roll out the latter and Apple is leaving those revenues & profits for Android competitors for up to another year. Why? Do that and they are not maximizing their marketing model but Samsung and others will be happy to take those sales.
So what about delivering a 4in screen and soaking up the market that wants a new phone that of that size? If what you say is true then logic follows...
To leave the >5" screen phones to Android competitors makes no marketing sense to me
even for another year. Clearly people want premium smart phones with screens bigger-to-much-bigger than 4.7" too. Get the money or leave it for competitors? What should a smart marketing company like Apple do?
I don't necessarily disagree that Apple should play in the bigger screen size market, but leaving doing what you are talking about is leaving a large portion of the market unattended as well. Something else to consider here is woman who have traditionally preferred the iPhone. I certainly think the smaller size plays at least some role in that. Does going larger put Android on equal footing for those customers?
