Apple Suppliers Starting to Ship 4" Screens for Next iPhone?

[saturn88]

Windowed operating systems are in no way comparable to a modal operating system. Is it really that hard to understand?

It is obviously "hard to understand" for you sitting in that apple box, that they are comparable in many ways. But Motorola, Samsung and HTC think outside of your apple box and deliver various screen sizes in response to the consumer demand.

What about iPod? There are multiple screen sized ipods. Does the ipod use "Windowed" operating system?

Apple does not care what consumer wants instead trying to tell what consumer needs. Producing one phone model is simply cheaper and it keeps profit margins high - that is only a reason there is one iPhone. Eventually it will change but it will cost Apple lost sales.

 

[Dmunjal]

As a consumer, wouldn't I want my vendor to have lower profit margins which means there is good competition and no price gouging?

Why is it good for me for Apple to make more profit than from another vendor?

Isn't that why Microsoft was so hated?

 

[sinsin07]

Apple does not care what consumer wants instead trying to tell what consumer needs. Producing one phone model is simply cheaper and it keeps profit margins high - that is only a reason there is one iPhone. Eventually it will change but it will cost Apple lost sales.

I guess it worked on you, why else would you be posting here.

 

[Bytor65]

The market changes.

Guess what - phones used to be HUGE. Then they got TINY. Now they are growing again. People adapt.

So you would prefer Apple to follow the Fad of the moment, rather than actual design a product that properly fulfills it's mission?

This current fetish for Giant Smartphones is again only part of the market for these vendors.

You are ignoring the vital issue. No one sells only big phones. Anyone making 4"+ phones also makes smaller phones.

Apple is trying to do a one size fits all, and for that, you need a smaller phone.

Apple may someday introduce a larger model, but they will only do so, when the split models so they can have two sizes.

They aren't going to turn their back on people uncomfortable with larger phones, just because giant screens are getting more press this year.

 

[thenerdal]

Apple is trying to do a one size fits all, and for that, you need a smaller phone.

There is never one phone that fits all. It's either too big, or in my case, too small.

 

[vitzr]

I guess for me <snip> screen size is not that important.

You do have a very good point. After all, the screen isn't that important anyway

 

[saturn88]

As a consumer, wouldn't I want my vendor to have lower profit margins which means there is good competition and no price gouging?

Why is it good for me for Apple to make more profit than from another vendor?

Isn't that why Microsoft was so hated?

Yes, you got it, very high margins, meaning Apple is milking consumer big time.

Apple business model is simple:

1. Single model product (or very few)
2. Shiny sleek design
3. Lots of marketing hype.

The model works well. It does not matter for consumer that screen is small, antenna does not work for 16 month, battery run out instantly, only 512 of RAM, etc. What matters is sleek packaging, hype, brand and status.

 

[vitzr]

Yes, you got it, very high margins, meaning Apple is milking consumer big time.

Apple business model is simple:

1. Single model product (or very few)
2. Shiny sleek design
3. Lots of marketing hype.

The model works well. It does not matter for consumer that screen is small, antenna does not work for 16 month, battery run out instantly, only 512 of RAM, etc. What matters is sleek packaging, hype, brand and status.

Finally!

The voice of intelligence, reason, experience, and honesty.

Nice post

 

[samcraig]

So you would prefer Apple to follow the Fad of the moment, rather than actual design a product that properly fulfills it's mission?

This current fetish for Giant Smartphones is again only part of the market for these vendors.

You are ignoring the vital issue. No one sells only big phones. Anyone making 4"+ phones also makes smaller phones.

Apple is trying to do a one size fits all, and for that, you need a smaller phone.

Apple may someday introduce a larger model, but they will only do so, when the split models so they can have two sizes.

They aren't going to turn their back on people uncomfortable with larger phones, just because giant screens are getting more press this year.

I'm not ignoring anything - and you're bringing up strawman arguments. Where did I say anything about wanting Apple to follow a fad of bigger phones?

Who says that the time of larger phones for Apple isn't "now" - if, as you suggest, it's "someday."

And who says Apple would be introducing a larger iPhone BECAUSE of competition and not because that's not the natural evolution of the iPhone. And even perhaps was part of the plan from the first iPhone.

The difference between you and I in this conversation - is that you're making this personal/emotional. I'm strictly talking business.

 

[vitzr]

There is never one phone that fits all. It's either too big, or in my case, too small.

Well put.

Sadly Apples burning desire to brainwash, influence, or eliminate choices for those of us who like their products is very frustrating.

Much like the argument that a 7" iPad, in addition to the current model would be all wrong, Apple can be a very conflicted company.

On one hand they bring out the new MacBook Air in TWO sizes.

For years they've offered MacBook Pros in THREE sizes, and yet we can't have just TWO sizes of iPads and iPhones ?

Then to top if off when this hypocrisy is identified and Apple is called on it by some of us, the fanbois go ballistic.

Sadly it's Apples dominance over their worshipers that takes them down as well.

 

[AllanC]

I think the screen size, and the phone size, is perfect. I love the size of the iPhone 4. I wouldn't make it any bigger, although more resolution, speed oand memory would be nice.

 

[Dmunjal]

Wonder what folks on this board will say when the iPad 3 is 7" and the iPhone 5 is 4" next year?

I know I'll buy one of each!

 

[ZipZapRap]

4" is the bare minimum screen size I will now accept, after being spoilt by the 4.3" of the HD7. Anything smaller is a PITA to type on.

 

[haruhiko]

The two biggest pros for the iPhone when I was deciding on a something to replace my BB Storm 2 earlier this year was the screen size and iTunes integration. I ended up going w/ a Thunderbolt and was afraid I'd not like the screen size. After having it for a few months now my wife's iPhone feels way too small. I think after some of you get a 4" iPhone(if that's what they move to) you'll look back 6 months later and wonder why you ever wanted anything different.

Yeah, that's why I use the iPad.

 

[bigchief]

The reason I did not upgrade from a 4 to 4s is because it still has the puny 3.5" screen. I was looking at a samsung the other day. I believe it had a 4.7" screen. It made my iPhone 4 look sick.

 

[haruhiko]

As a consumer, wouldn't I want my vendor to have lower profit margins which means there is good competition and no price gouging?

Why is it good for me for Apple to make more profit than from another vendor?

Isn't that why Microsoft was so hated?

Because this proves that Apple's business model actually works. And the company is so healthy that we don't have to worry about it being another RIM or HP in the near future. Also, it means that their supply chain management is so brilliant that their costs are low, which will eventually have a positive impact on products' prices - see MacBook Air.

There used to be a time when Windows absolutely dominated (thus the Antitrust cases), and nobody believed in integration hardware and software solutions for personal computers and gadgets. There used to be a time when we needed to use the terrible Windows Mobile on PDAs / smartphones, and the whole smartphone experience was fragmented, there was no single portal to get content and sync data.

So that's why quite a lot of people are happy to see Apple in the current healthy status.

 

[Naimfan]

Apple business model is simple:

1. Single model product (or very few)
2. Shiny sleek design
3. Lots of marketing hype.

It's a BIT more complicated then that . . .

 

[Dmunjal]

I don't worry about the viability of Google, Microsoft, or Samsung either. Not a very good point, imo.

I would like the best possible price. I think Apple could use a little more pricing pressure from the competition. They make great products but some of the pricing tactics are anti-consumer (flash memory).

 

[AppleScruff1]

I don't worry about the viability of Google, Microsoft, or Samsung either. Not a very good point, imo.

I would like the best possible price. I think Apple could use a little more pricing pressure from the competition. They make great products but some of the pricing tactics are anti-consumer (flash memory).

To a true Apple fan, Apple's profits are all that matter.

 

[haruhiko]

I don't worry about the viability of Google, Microsoft, or Samsung either. Not a very good point, imo.

I would like the best possible price. I think Apple could use a little more pricing pressure from the competition. They make great products but some of the pricing tactics are anti-consumer (flash memory).

My post was to explain. It is not necessarily my own opinion.

For me, the newer Apple gadgets targeting general consumer is much cheaper than some products with the "Pro" word stamped on it and other competitions, i.e. MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro & other ultrabooks. iPad vs other similar tablets. iPhone (unlocked) vs Galaxy Note/Nexus (unlocked).

Apple overcharges crazily on any Apple-branded accessories like cables, docks, the Smart Cover. I hate that.

 

[bks691]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

My current iPhone 4s screen is perfect! No need to make it bigger, if I want bigger I grab my iPad, or my MacBook. I can't imagine how all the kids pocket these huge fugly android devices? I guess that's why they all wear baggy sagging pants.

 

[leroypants]

It's not the first idea apple has stolen and it certanly wont be the last (downrate if you're a fanboy).

 

[specialbuddy]

I'll be shocked if they don't update the screen size soon. I walked by the iPhone display at BB the other day and thought, damn that screen is small. They look like little kid phones at their current size.

 

[NickFalk]

Anyway, why are you comparing 1 model iPhone to 1 model with a big screen ? There's tons of 4"+ phones, you should be adding up all the 4" model sales and then comparing that number to the number of iPhones. It makes no matter that a single model trails the iPhone in sales when you want to claim a 4" screen is either desirable or not. You need to look at all models offering that particular feature.

That would make sense if we knew for a fact that the larger screen-size was the reason people bought these phones. As it is the iPhone is the most popular handset in the world and it has a smaller screen-size. The flip-side to the argument that larger screen phones are more popular would be that the iPhone is the biggest seller due to its smaller screen-size. At the moment it seems it is hard to find a smart phone from any of the major companies with a smaller screen. This could be because that's where the demand is, but it also means that casual buyers are likely to pick up a larger phone without offering it a lot of thought. They have to buy what is available after all.

The reality seems to be that there is a lot of people who would prefer a larger screen, but that in all likelihood also a lot of people that would not. Geeks tend to use their gizmos a lot more than "muggles". They might therefore feel that the benefit of a larger screen outweighs the negatives. For a huge proportion of the world's population this is probably not true. I consider myself a geek, but when I travel I normally have my MacBook Air and/or iPad with me. I do use my iPhone for a lot of its features though, but I have never considered the screen size to be one of its weaknesses. (Personally the one part of the iPhone that has never been good enough in my eyes is the battery-life.)

Personally I would be very interested in a smaller form-factor even if it meant giving up some functionality. Another, smaller iPhone with a decent mail-client, web-browser and a few key apps would make a lot more sense to me than one that's larger than the current model. I think at the very least it should be obvious that Apple does not need to make a larger screened-phone as there is no irrefutable evidence that this would bolster their sales...

 

[NickFalk]

I can't believe how many people "fought" me and others on the idea that the iPad should have a camera for Facetime and other things and how stupid I/we was/were because there's no reason to have a camera on an iPad and it would be unwieldy to even use. We all know how that turned out...

Is this really an accurate depiction of that debate? Arguing that a feature is not necessary or especially important is not the same as fighting the idea of ever including it...

As an example: I've used my iPad camera perhaps 5 times, each time to demonstrate the functionallity to people. I do send MMS's with my iPhone though up to 20 a year. In other words: These are nice features to have but in no way a huge necessity for me personally. I guess a lot of other people feel the same. Then again if you needed any of these functions at the time then you definitely shouldn't have bought a device that didn't include them. The same goes for the current iPhone I guess: If you need a larger screen then definitely don't buy an iPhone...