Apple Testing Screens for a Larger iPhone and a 13-Inch iPad

[dvoros]

testing larger screens

Its about time that Apple get into the iphone business in a serious way. The current screen size is so tiny and very hard to work with compared to other smartphone makers. Its amazing that its taking them so long to correct their errors.

 

[ERIC273]

I honestly want to doubt highly that apple has plans on releasing a project called "iPad Maxi", sounds way too much like Maxi Pad.

 

[Nahaz]

I gave my iPhone to my daughter because I wanted a slightly larger screen. Been waiting on Apple to do this for a few generations now.

I made the switch to Windows Phone but after several months I started to miss some of the features that iOS offered. I kept my hopes up for the cheaper iPhone model to be my saviour, but by all accounts it too will be the same as the iPhone 5.

I have now switched again to a Samsung Galaxy S4 because I still wanted the larger screen that the Windows Phone offered (Nokia 920), but I wanted those small things that I missed like a notification centre, independent music/phone volume etc.

The S4 is not too bad in the hand but I would be over the moon to have a larger screen than 4 inches on an iPhone. I would be screaming at Apple to take my money.

 

[jm001]

A bigger screen iPhone next year seems obvious. With all the built-in navigation gestures in iOS 7, it all just adds up.

With that in mind, it may be feasible to include the 5 finger or even 4 finger pinch to close an app. That would be sweet.

 

[jonnysods]

Couldn't imagine a 5.5 inch iPhone!!!

 

[w00t951]

Maybe it's just me, but I prefer to have my devices that fit my needs and my needs are:

- For quick and ultra portable: I have my iPhone 5 (don't like it any bigger, I even like the 3.5 screen better)

- For bigger screen and still ultra portable: I have my iPad mini

- For even bigger screen: I have my iPad

- For serious work AND still portable: I have my Macbook Air

- For taking over the world: I have my Mac Pro

I don't want a phone with 6.5, or 5.5, or 5.0, or related hybrid screen sizes that can't do the job as good as the 5 mentioned above. But that's just me.

Not all of us have every Apple product currently manufactured. A hybrid screen size, especially one with virtually no downsides (smartphone) would be excellent for people who can't afford $10,000 of just Apple products, preposterous though that may sound.

 

[Rogifan]

Its about time that Apple get into the iphone business in a serious way. The current screen size is so tiny and very hard to work with compared to other smartphone makers. Its amazing that its taking them so long to correct their errors.

Wow Apple sure does sell a lot of phones for not being in the business in a serious way.

 

[Pilgrim1099]

I can see a market for both of these ideas, although I personally wouldn't want a tablet that large. It might be good for artists and musicians though.

The 13 inch iPad was something Apple should've done a long time ago. It was blatantly obvious to me that a 'super' tablet would happen eventually. However, it is ideal for artists due to that size in order to draw more naturally. Unfortunately, it has to be 'pressure sensitive' in order to render the lines art, paint strokes or shading more naturally.

Wacom is still KING in this category for this reason and why every professional in the creative industry goes to them. I know for a fact that Wacom is coming out with a mobile tablet for *PROFESSIONAL* creative work for artists, designers, illustrators, etc. I'm not talking about plugging it to the computer but with an OS built in. And with pressure sensitivity in it, Apple will have a VERY hard time competing with that.

So, in that sense, I think Apple is only increasing the size of the iPad just for more 'consumption' purposes than functional productivity reasons. I would like to believe it's for the latter but they need to get this right. Lay off the Retina BS and just increase the size and keep the resolution as is.

I think this is one reason why they're exploring the 13 inch iPad size because of what Wacom's doing. And when Wacom does get that thing out, I'm seriously upgrading to that over the next iPad. I'm aware of the new Pogo pen with pressure sensitivity but the requirements of having an iPad2 or higher is just BS and not cool. The new Pogo pen is very impressive, though, I'll give them that.

But they don't come close to the Wacom. Or the Cintiq which is still one of the nicest 24 inch on screen tablet on the market I've seen.

 

[chrisbru]

Without proper filesytem?.... not yet.

Everyone says this over and over, but plenty of us have found alternatives that are so good, we don't need a filesystem. For example, Dropbox. Other option - Google Drive. I'm sure there are plenty more, but they've all but rendered a filesystem unnecessary.

 

[scbn]

It's funny to see people continuing to argue on what size is perfect, because there won't be a perfect size for everybody.

There is a need for every screen size; Apple needs at least 3 sizes for all their major products, and they are coming to iPads and iPhones. I just wish they had done those sooner with different sizes.

 

[krravi]

Finally, I might be able to get back into iPhone with a larger screen!

 

[SgtPepper12]

I seriously doubt they would make a 13 inch iPad. What I am really hoping is that they are testing a 13 inch touchscreen for a MacBook Air. I won't buy one until it gets touch. As it is now, I'm so used to using my iPad with a logitech keyboard, every time I go back to using my 17 inch MacBookPro, I constantly find myself reaching for the screen to move something around only to quickly be reminded it isn't a touchscreen.

Honestly, I'm surprised there are actually people who think so. Lifting my hand to touch the screen of my macbook is seriously the last thing I'd think of. Even the thought of it feels so incredibly slow, unergonomic and useless. I can't think of a single task where a touch screen on a notebook would come in handy.

 

[iSee]

I would definitely be interested in a larger iPad screen (and I want it to be smaller and lighter without sacrificing battery life too, so that should be easy).

The use cases driving this desire are:
- note taking
- reading computer books -- especially sample code
- my eyes are old and getting older

 

[lovemyapple]

How About This?

They should just make a MacBook in tablet form. The 12.9' screen, running OSX. The MacBook Touch.

 

[iKbomac]

Don't Want a bigger iPhone

i don't like that idea of a bigger iPhone i like the i5 screen but don't make it bigger

 

[CaneCollegeboy]

>>>>>>>>>

I don't think it would canabilize sales. Using tablets have changed our phone and tablet behaviors. A larger screen size will address those changes.

It would think of it this way, why get a mini and an iphone if you can get a bigger iphone. Your killing two products for one resulting in lower sales.

 

[Digital Dude]

Too close to the Maxi Pad.

I'm sure thousands of people have already applied that nomenclature together, as I know I did before I ever read your post.

 

[Derekeys]

Larger iPad Yes!

As a professional musician this would be fantastic. I currently run ForScore using a bluetooth air turn pedal and it's wonderful, my only complaint is I have to re-crop just about every choral piece of music since they are kind of small print to begin with for the iPad's current screen size.

Someone else already said this but I give a hearty agreement that there is most certainly a market for the larger iPad.

Also, I think Apple would only benefit from offering at least 2 screen sizes for the iPhone. I know there are plenty of people that still love the current screen size and that's fine, but I would love the option of something bigger. Love my 5 but I will admit I get screen envy when I see my friends with that 4.5" or up. Alas...

_______________
Brag about equipment here

 

[GroundLoop]

They should just make a MacBook in tablet form. The 12.9' screen, running OSX. The MacBook Touch.

And that is a terrible idea with Mavericks in its current form. It would be a usability nightmare.

GL

 

[TrollToddington]

Is it too small even if you crop it? I use Forscore. It has a crop feature that helps a lot.

The thing is that it's far more convenient if I see the whole music sheet page, as it is in a book. These crops are workarounds and will work only to demonstrate the capabilities of the iPad, i. e., it can show music pages. In order to be functionally useful I should be able to see, say, an entire page of the orchestral score of 'The Planets' by Gustav Holst. I want my iPad to be a full replacement of paper books, otherwise a bigger iPad won't be very useful for my needs.

 

[jm001]

Honestly, I'm surprised there are actually people who think so. Lifting my hand to touch the screen of my macbook is seriously the last thing I'd think of. Even the thought of it feels so incredibly slow, unergonomic and useless. I can't think of a single task where a touch screen on a notebook would come in handy.

Surfing the web, reading pdfs, reading books, drawing, manipulating objects/pictures when creating a document. Are you always typing on your notebook? No, only when you need to such as composing e-mail, texting, going to a site, the writing component in Word or Excel, coding. The rest of the time you're probably using a mouse or trackpad and, like most, you're not constantly switching from trackpad/mouse to keyboard. On the contrary, you're probably either typing OR using the trackpad/mouse. Now when typing you're probably using the trackpad/mouse when editing what you wrote or moving the cursor to the address/search bar. Otherwise you're typing and also using the TAB key to navigate between fields. So using a touch screen does make sense on a laptop for some tasks.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

4" is perfect

If only I could have a quarter for every post prior to the 4" iPhone rollout that claimed 3.5" was perfect.

4" is perfect right up until Apple rolls out some other size and calls is perfect, ideal or magical.

It's so funny how whatever Apple appears to endorse in the present is "perfect" and similar. Then, Apple gives us something else that differs from the old perfect and it quickly becomes the new perfect.

 

[iSee]

The 13 inch iPad was something Apple should've done a long time ago. It was blatantly obvious to me that a 'super' tablet would happen eventually. However, it is ideal for artists due to that size in order to draw more naturally. Unfortunately, it has to be 'pressure sensitive' in order to render the lines art, paint strokes or shading more naturally.

Wacom is still KING in this category for this reason and why every professional in the creative industry goes to them. I know for a fact that Wacom is coming out with a mobile tablet for *PROFESSIONAL* creative work for artists, designers, illustrators, etc. I'm not talking about plugging it to the computer but with an OS built in. And with pressure sensitivity in it, Apple will have a VERY hard time competing with that.

So, in that sense, I think Apple is only increasing the size of the iPad just for more 'consumption' purposes than functional productivity reasons. I would like to believe it's for the latter but they need to get this right. Lay off the Retina BS and just increase the size and keep the resolution as is.

I think this is one reason why they're exploring the 13 inch iPad size because of what Wacom's doing. And when Wacom does get that thing out, I'm seriously upgrading to that over the next iPad. I'm aware of the new Pogo pen with pressure sensitivity but the requirements of having an iPad2 or higher is just BS and not cool. The new Pogo pen is very impressive, though, I'll give them that.

But they don't come close to the Wacom. Or the Cintiq which is still one of the nicest 24 inch on screen tablet on the market I've seen.

I think Apple is happy to leave that market to Wacom. Realistically, there are significant design trade-offs to turn the iPad into a tool for digital artists and I can't see Apple taking those trade-offs. The iPad has never been intended as a professional digital drawing tablet and probably never will be.

 

[Renzatic]

Do you use it a lot that way, and what is your actual experience? I mean active use, not use as a movie player. My iPad has the smart cover, and I almost never use to have the iPad sitting on a desk.

I set it up like that whenever I'm doing a lot of heavy typing on my iPad.

See, gorilla arm is only an issue if you're holding your arm out unsupported for extended periods of time, interacting with a vertical screen positioned a little ways away fro you. With a laptop (or using the iPad like I do sometimes), you're either gonna have it in your lap, or just a short distance away from you on your desk. 99% of the time, you're gonna be sitting in a chair, and have something to lay your elbows against.

Try this. Set up straight in your chair like you're about to start typing, but your elbow on your desk, and move your finger around all four corners of your laptop screen. With your arm resting like that, you'll barely experience any more strain than using your mouse for a good long while. And you don't even have to use your desk if you don't want to. I plant my elbows down on the nice soft padded arm rest on my fancy suede desk chair, lean back a little bit, and start jabbing away. It's all about whatever you find most comfortable.

The point is, as long as you have something to support your arm, you won't have any problems with it getting tired after awhile.

 

[chrisbru]

Exactly! As a musician, I would definitely be very tempted by such a device. However, I'm not holding my breath; I think it's very unlikely it ever happens: a screen that size would probably need to be "Retina" like the new MacBook Pro w/RD so the device would be too super-expensive to make a hit.

I dunno, the RD is pretty much already there, they just need the screen (which they can already do per the retina MBP.)

I can imagine using this to replace sheet music/song books very well. I used to use my iPad, but it just wasn't quite big enough to replace a song book like I wanted it to. It worked for short sets with songs that I already knew pretty well, but if I'm going to do a full night I had to bring the old three-ring binder.

It would also be awesome for artists that use electronic instruments/sounds in their live shows (thinking techno/house producers, and bands such as Nine Inch Nails.)