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I can't wait. it will be my next phone. I'm going to lol at everyone who complained about other phones being so large to start saying apple has found the magic size though :p.
 
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I think around 4.5 would be best.
I think between 4 inch and 4.5 inch would be the best, but I believe it's best to go in between there: 4.3". I mean, if Apple is going to change the screen size than it's for the best if they do it right at once.

Make it 4.3" and in future iPhones you can try to shrink the bezel as much as possible.

I think the biggest factor is that the screen length is not long enough. 'Standard' 4" screens (16:9), are just as wide as the iPhone's 3.5" screen.
 
Guys, eventually Apple WILL have to change the screen size.

What if battery life becomes so good that the whole front of the device is all display with no bezel at all?

Will Apple always stay with the 3.5 inches because they would have to change the resolution?

Even if the next iphone will have a 4 inch screen, it would still be a huge improvement over developing for android were you have all kinds of screen sizes and chipsets versus possibly two.
 
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I've been using iPhones since the original. I switched to a Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket when I learned that I could a larger screen and LTE right now.

I would switch back if the iPhone 5 had 4" and LTE.
 
So what you're saying is that you really only use your phone 10% of the time? Then you are not the target audience here. What about during the winter time when theres the option of a much larger coat pocket? .5" isn't make or break for most people. It's all about the user experience, and ecosystem. And until Google catches up, then Apple will continue to dominate in this space.

Apple's target audience are the masses, and most non-geeks use the phone even less time than I do.

On average I spend less than 2 hours a day looking at the phone's screen. The rest of the time I use it to talk or store it in my pocket.

And no I should not have to change my wardrobe to accommodate a phone as you suggest. A phone should accommodate to the user and the iPhone does this marvelously.
 
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Right now I'm drinking a coffee with my left hand and typing out this reply with my right thumb with my iPhone held between my index and ring fingers in landscape mode. I can reach all the keys one handed. If I can type one handed on a 4 inch screen I'm all for it. If I have to use two hands to navigate/type while having coffee/walking/balancing on a crowded train then the device isn't right for me.
 
I guess I'm spoiled by being able to have an iphone and an iPad, but having a bigger screen on the phone for me would just take up more space in my pocket and be a bother more than anything.

lol are you serious? did you not see the samsung under the iphone showing you what 4 inches would look like, and you really think thats going to effect how your phone will fit in your pants?
 
Since Apple no longer holds the title for the most ppi (that goes to the HTC Rezound) Apple is caught in a tight squeeze. Anything less than 4 inches is useless. And if you go 4 inches you have to increase the resolution or else your going backwards with the ppi rating. And when you increase the resolution you will now have 3 iphone display's to deal with. Apple should have killed off the old 3GS model when releasing the 4S so that when iphone 5 is released app developers would only have 2 screens to worry about instead of 3.
In my personal opinion the 3GS is holding Apple back from releasing a totally revised OS, it's doing more harm then good. They got to look toward the future because ice cream sandwich is the new kid on the block and makes Google's last OS gingerbread look like crap. Worst part is that the iphone 4S has to battle Google for another 9 to 11 months.
 
Right now I'm drinking a coffee with my left hand and typing out this reply with my right thumb with my iPhone held between my index and ring fingers in landscape mode. I can reach all the keys one handed. If I can type one handed on a 4 inch screen I'm all for it. If I have to use two hands to navigate/type while having coffee/walking/balancing on a crowded train then the device isn't right for me.

look at the picture on the front page, that .5 added to the 3.5 isnt much of a BIG difference, i dont know if people are blind on this site but 4inchs is the sweet spot and isnt all that BIG like i said before.:apple:

update: some clown gave me a -1 cause you know im putting out facts.
 
I wonder, does an iPhone really become a benefit with a 4" screen. And how many times can you revise a phone without increasing the screen size. Lets say the iPhone 5 gets a 4" screen. Then that would mean that the iPhone 5S will have the same see screen. Then what about the iPhone 6? Will it sport a 5" display? How much is too much when it comes to innovation? is there any such thing as over kill? :apple:
 
Other manufacturers show that it is not that hard to squeeze in a 4 inch display on (nearly) the same size

Image

Even the home button would still fit.

That's true.... but Android screens have a different aspect ratio.

Android phones have a larger screen by being taller than an iPhone screen but still keeping the same width.

In order for an iPhone to get a larger screen... it almost has to have a bigger body.

dk8dD.jpg
 
Maybe 3.5" is better for one handed use, but how often do we do that? Dialing a number? Scrolling through a list?

Considering that most studies find that 90% of a Smart Phones use is app-centric (including web and mail), I personally want a larger screen. Some apps feel very cramped, and that extra half inch would make watching video even better.

If any of those leaked specs that spawned the mock ups of the edge to edge screen are true, then I don't think the one handed thing was even worth mention. If Apple (and if anyone can it is them) can put a 4" sceen on an iPhone without giving it the Viagra treatment of some other devices (HTC Evo for instance) then it's a win/win.

The screen size doesn't hamper one handed use, the girth of your device can.

I also don't think it would be much of a stretch for developers to tweak the graphics in their apps to adjust either. Just as it was almost painless to relaunch apps to support the retina display as the source images already fit the bill anyway. The biggest pain would be calibrating the apps for touch points, and again, we're not talking about building apps from the ground up. Most apps with the exception of some games, are generally very simple.


The 4" display rumor isn't as interesting to me as this conflicting information about the next iPad display - which according to several other sources (as reported here), sounds like it's being developed/manufactured by Sharp.

Interesting too about the super merger/consortium of electronic companies display divisions!

Apple buys screens from multiple vendors all the time. All current IOS devices have screens from multiple vendors. Sharp isn't exclusive.

The interesting point is that Apple is working to ditch Samsung as a business partner across the board. It's not just displays they're expanding on, and I say good for them. Samsung will feel the hurt and wrath of investors when they inevitably have to explain such a huge loss on their earnings. Apple is one of their biggest customers.
 
look at the picture on the front page, that .5 added to the 3.5 isnt much of a BIG difference, i dont know if people are blind on this site but 4inchs is the sweet spot and isnt all that BIG like i said before.:apple:

update: some clown gave me a -1 cause you know im putting out facts.

I didn't say it'd make a difference and it might not, I've never used a 4 inch screen and you're right, there doesn't seem that much difference. I'm just saying what my needs are.
 
Apple's target audience are the masses, and most non-geeks use the phone even less time than I do.

On average I spend less than 2 hours a day looking at the phone's screen. The rest of the time I use it to talk or store it in my pocket.

And no I should not have to change my wardrobe to accommodate a phone. A phone should accommodate to the user and the iPhone does this marvelously.

Between texting, surfing the web, watching occasional videos, words with friends, and other various apps, I'm looking at my phones screen A LOT. I assume most of us are, otherwise we would have opted for a dumb phone.

And the coat pocket comment was taken into consideration that for most of us colder weather is upon us, and in many situations it is just easier to slide your phone into a coat pocket instead.
 
That's true.... but Android screens have a different aspect ratio.

Android phones have a larger screen by being taller than an iPhone screen but still keeping the same width.

In order for an iPhone to get a larger screen... it almost has to have a bigger body.

Image

I honestly wouldn't mind the iPhone being a little bit taller. It actually might make call quality a bit better if the mic weren't so far away from your mouth. I wouldn't want it anymore than an inch, more like a 1/2". This wouldn't intrude in your pocket, and it gives your thumbs a palce to rest if they increase the screen size.
 
Right now I'm drinking a coffee with my left hand and typing out this reply with my right thumb with my iPhone held between my index and ring fingers in landscape mode. I can reach all the keys one handed. If I can type one handed on a 4 inch screen I'm all for it. If I have to use two hands to navigate/type while having coffee/walking/balancing on a crowded train then the device isn't right for me.

I'm using my Samsung infuse 4g with a 4.5in screen typing with my thumb via a thumb keyboard. So even with a larger screen its still doable. I can switch back to normal keyboard via a flick of a button :)
 
I think once all these hipsters go back to normal size jeans and finally stop the skin tight crap. They wont complain about 4 inches being to big for a screen.
 
That's true.... but Android screens have a different aspect ratio.

Android phones have a larger screen by being taller than an iPhone screen but still keeping the same width.

In order for an iPhone to get a larger screen... it almost has to have a bigger body.

Image

The Galaxy S shows that a larger screen doesnt really need a bigger body in order to accommodate a 4 inch screen. So iphone 5 can technically be the same size as the 4 and still add in the 4 inch screen without problems.
 
Seriously though, I'd just rather not have a 4" screen if it meant compromising the retina display.

A 4" iPhone with a 960x640 screen would still look amazing... even if it dipped down to 288dpi.

Just think... there is a Galaxy SII phone out there with a 4.5" screen but only 800x480.

Now that's a crime!
 
Apple buys screens from multiple vendors all the time. All current IOS devices have screens from multiple vendors. Sharp isn't exclusive.

True, however, the technology from many of the iPad3 display articles sounded like a very proprietary solution developed by Sharp (vs. "an LCD" panel from X, Y and Z).


The interesting point is that Apple is working to ditch Samsung as a business partner across the board. It's not just displays they're expanding on, and I say good for them. Samsung will feel the hurt and wrath of investors when they inevitably have to explain such a huge loss on their earnings. Apple is one of their biggest customers.

That does appear to be how this is shaking out. No more displays, CPUs ... I realize it's sort the necessity of business to sometimes partner with your competitors, but with the growing bad business blood between Apple and Samsung, I don't see how they can maintain the consumer/supplier roles.
 
I'm another that's perfectly happy with the current size for both phone and screen. All I need to do to improve things is wear my glasses...
Though when I replace my iPhone 4 when my contract is up, and if apple make a choice of screen size, I'll pick the one with the fastest processor/most RAM/better camera.
 
Currently, the iPhone has a resolution of 960x640 at a diagonal of 3.5 inches - a resolution of 329.65 DPI. A retina display, as defined by Apple, is one with a resolution above 300 DPI. With the same aspect ratio and resolution (and I don't believe they would do a pixel doubling again), a 3.84" screen is the largest they could go while still touting it as a retina display (300.46 DPI). The next limitation is the body - Apple goes smaller, not bigger, or remains the same size on later iterations. Because of that, the screen can be no larger than 2.31 inches wide if it goes entirely end to end - assume 2.1 inches to be safe. A 3.84" screen would be 2.13" wide - if the engineers can get the screen in with that little room on both sides, I'd say that would be the largest screen size the iPhone will have.
 
That's true.... but Android screens have a different aspect ratio.

Android phones have a larger screen by being taller than an iPhone screen but still keeping the same width.

In order for an iPhone to get a larger screen... it almost has to have a bigger body.

Image

You could still make the phone with the same size overall by making it shorter but wideer.
 
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