Apple Testing Taller iPhone Prototype with 3.95-Inch 1136x640 Display?

[Reason077]

WRONG. Most would have to be black boxed and would still be the same size as they are now. So your new screen isn't any larger anyway. So whats the point.

It is true that some apps, like full screen OpenGL games, may need black-boxing if the developer has hard-coded the screen height or aspect ratio during development.

But most Cocoa Touch apps should work without modification if they have been developed correctly.

The only instance where you'd get issues in a Cocoa Touch app is where controls that are supposed to be on the bottom of the screen have been laid out using fixed vertical coordinates. But generally, this shouldn't happen if the developer has tested the app correctly, e.g. by testing with the Simulator's "Toggle In-call Status Bar" option.

I'm sure there will of course be apps that have glitches and need to be bug-fixed to handle variable screen height, but the majority should be fine without modification.

This taller but not wider screen idea is just plain STUPID. And will not happen.

I disagree. As a developer, I think its actually a clever solution.

 

[Wicked1]

I am happy with my 3.5" screen on my iPhone 4S

However a 3.95" would not be bad, just hate to see this thing get as big as the SAMSUNG NOTE

Would prefer a little width, verse a taller phone.

 

[JHankwitz]

If you want a larger screen, get an iPad.

Personally, I want an iPhone the size of an iPod nano that wirelessly connects to my glasses that provide a 3-D image with the resolution of the new iPad. A larger screen is heading in the wrong direction.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I thing it is a bad move to change resolution . It will complicate developer's life

In just over a week Apple will make it so Mac App Store developers have to sandbox their apps. This will complicate the lives of developer's, but make life better for consumers (they can rest assure that the apps they get from the app store can't be used as attack vectors.)

Similarly, Apple introduced the retina display. And they made the iPad have a 4:3 screen instead of a 3:2 screen. Apple's focus is on the consumer experience, not the developer experience. They will only improve development conditions so that more apps will be produced and more consumers will find what they're looking for and more consumers will be happy.

Not to mention it has always been good programming practice to make it so your app will work on a screen with any aspect ratio. (The drawing logic used by my games is identical whether they're being played on an iPhone, iPad, in a window on a Mac, or in full screen on Mac.)

And if developers just use standard UI elements that apple provided with the iOS SDK, then those will automatically handle changes in aspect ratios.

The only developers who have to do extra work are the ones who hard coded their UI designs so that they only work at 3:2.

Here is actual size comparison of Apple iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 3.95
Live comparison

Hmmm... I like... I like.. Maybe just a bit more of a border at the top and bottom of the screen... The mockup ratio of border on sides:border on top/bottom looks a little odd.

 

[macMD]

$30 adapter.

Currently the Apple 30 Pin to micro USB for EU standards is 7 Pounds (UK) so its not going to be $30. However they could offer a 30 Pin to new Mico Apple and Micro Apple to 30 Pin to meet customer needs.

Apple cannot stay stuck on a connector standard if moving forward means improving the device connection, speed, more room for internal hardware, etc.

 

[garysturn]

I agree with you. Who cares if there are widescreen iPhone apps? The little "plus" sign in the iTunes store could now refer to iPad, iPhone (Widescreen), and iPhone (Standard). Is that super fragmented?

Who cares? Developers. They are still selling old iPhones and will continue to sell them for several years and they will still be around for several years after they quite selling them.

It is a STUPID idea to change the aspect ratio. It does not make anything bigger. Taller is not bigger, all the text sizes and icons remain the same size, what does that accomplish. You don't fragment for no gain.

 

[Jaro65]

Available Apple computer screen size: 11.6", 13.3", 15", 17"
Available Apple smartphone screen size: 3.5"

Apple now sells way more smartphones than computers. Apple understands that its computer customers have varying needs and addresses this through multiple models targeting different customer segments. Why then not recognize that its smartphone customers may also have varying needs? Why not offer 2 or even 3 models to address this massive, and for Apple most profitable, market? This is exactly what other smartphone vendors are doing. I love my iPhone, but that won't stop me looking longingly at other smartphones with larger screens. My use of iPhone has evolved alongside with its improved capabilities. As I use it more and more for tasks that I would normally do on my laptop, I hope that one day in the near future Apple will offer me a freedom of choice with regards to this productivity tool that is comparable to what it offers across its other product line.

 

[BaldiMac]

And the trade off is in Landscape mode you will have less content on screen and more screen area displaying the keyboard. So your plus's are now gone.

No, you would have more content area in landscape as well, even with the keyboard.

You still have tiny text in portrait mode and have to keep zooming in and panning around. So there is no advantage except to create more work for developers to redesign their Apps to work on two screen resolutions with no new revenue. This is how Government works, they claim that even though it is a stupid idea they are creating jobs.

Wow. You are really ignoring the obvious to fit your POV.

 

[ECUpirate44]

I don't see how they could increase the size vertically, but not horizontally.

 

[Reason077]

Would prefer a little width, verse a taller phone.

I don't think the phone will get much taller. There is enough space to increase the screen height within the existing form factor.

Although, I do wonder what happens to the home button... maybe they'll redesign it somehow and make it smaller.

 

[AppleGuesser]

I am just really not a fan of a "stretched" iOS display, that feels incredibly forced and out of character for Apple. Plus, i think the design looks slightly ugly to me. I hope it isn't true. Either way, i'll stick with my iPhone 4S until the new new iPhone

 

[ixodes]

Recent rumors suggest that Apple's days of "innovation" may be severly limited based on their propensity to grow more and more conservative.

After all, they've accomplished the greatest achievement of all. They have their customers convinced that if it's made by Apple... you just buy it. No questions asked. Specs be damned, just cough up your money.

I quote:

"Whatever Apple ends up going with, the source behind this info claims it won’t be a huge change. One more aspect of the phone’s design that has reportedly been finalized is the continued presence of a physical home button"

It's so dull, very, very dull.


http://is.gd/xS1ZEl

 

[lorkkrue]

Smaller Doc connector

Would this makes room for better speakers??

 

[tgsmith98]

I think that just bumping up to 3.25" x 2.25" to make a 4" Diagnal would be better than keeping the 2" width and making it taller to obtain the 4" Screen. Not sure how the pixel density would work with those dimensions, but Im sure that they would still be able to make it a Retina Display.

 

[firewood]

Developers need to do MORE work with the SAME pay.

Nope. New devices tend to increase device sales, which tends to increase app sales. Sales may even go up a small amount for developers who do no additional work, but go up even more for developers who do the UI customization required (such a Retina quality support for the latest iPad).

 

[gatortpk]

Why not 1138x640? It would be true 16:9 aspect ratio?! Ridiculous rumor...

Yes, 1138x640 pixels would be much closer to 16:9 ratio but still not a true 16:9, it would be a little wider/taller than 16:9 ratio. 1136x640 pixels (even 1137x640) is less wide/tall than 16:9 ratio.
The reasoning behind 1136x640 pixels is that they are both divisible by 16.

1138 ÷ 16 = 71.125

1136 ÷ 16 = 71
0640 ÷ 16 = 40

1138/640 = 1.778 ratio
000 16/9 = 1.777 ratio
1136/640 = 1.775 ratio

Video compression usually has a modulus of 16 (but that really doesn't matter).
It's the video hardware and software simplification by using multiples of 16 in video resolution. Notice most video resolutions have vertical and horizontal resolutions that are divisible by 16. i.e. 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1280x720, 960x640, 2048x1536, etc.
(I know not all resolutions are evenly divisible by 16 though. But all horizontal resolutions seem to be, except that weird 1366x768 panels for 720p HDTVs)

What is crazy is the 3.95" size. This would give it a resolution of 330.1 ppi.
Where as 4" diagonal screen size would give it a nice consistent 326 ppi, same as specified in the past.

 

[garysturn]

OK, I see. You are advocating increasing the physical screen size without changing the number of pixels.

Indeed, this would not affect apps - but the benefits of doing this are limited.
You're not conveying any more information, just making whats already there bigger. I don't think that would be easy for Apple to sell.

A taller screen, on the other hand, gives you more "real estate" for Apps so they can actually display more information at the same time. More text on a web page, for example.

Plus, the taller screen means that the screen's aspect ratio more closely matches that of movies - so you get less letter boxing.

The whole purpose of enlarging the screen IS to make everything larger so you can read it and touch it without having to pinch to zoom and panning around everything. Not all users have young eyes that can see tiny text on the screen. Just adding more content to the screen but keeping everything just as small as it is does nothing for me. There is already to much on the screen for the screen size, that is why we want a larger screen so we can see what is already there.

With your logic just double the resolution keep the screen at 3.5" and put double the content on the screen at once. Makes no sense at all.

And the screen is to small to watch movies on anyway, enlarge it so we can see the movie.

Even if you are going to change the aspect ratio you still need to widen the screen, it is to small.

 

[AppleGuesser]

Recent rumors suggest that Apple's days of "innovation" may be severly limited based on their propensity to grow more and more conservative.

After all, they've accomplished the greatest achievement of all. They have their customers convinced that if it's made by Apple... you just buy it. No questions asked. Specs be damned, just cough up your money.

I quote:

"Whatever Apple ends up going with, the source behind this info claims it won’t be a huge change. One more aspect of the phone’s design that has reportedly been finalized is the continued presence of a physical home button"

It's so dull, very, very dull.


http://is.gd/xS1ZEl

I know that Apple is known for their innovation and look what it brought them? The best selling phone on the planet. So what could they possibly do to make YOU sir happy? Apparently millions of people, like myself love the design of current iPhone and find it far from boring. Yes, some change would be good, but a radical design doesnt mean the phone is a great one. What makes it great is what it can do that makes life even better.

 

[ixodes]

The beginning of the end for Apple. A taller screen? What would be the point of something so stupid?

Your point is ever so appropriate.

Apple being the massive juggernaut it is, with it's obscenely large cash reserves, can operate purely on it's name and "image" for quite a lengthy period. However if they begin doing things like this, sooner or later, they are going to irritate enough of their loyal, forward thinking customers to the point they throw up their hands and go elsewhere.

Having experienced the slap of reality, it's at that point when Apple will truly take notice. It's then that we will see what they are truly made of, and just how they respond. Right now they are so full of themselves, they can't see straight.

While it's true that at this point "it's all rumor", these types of rumors don't just drop out of the sky. True or false the one thing we do know, is that we are witnessing Apple operating with a new CEO.

While groomed by Jobs, and very "Jobsian" in some ways, he is his own man. Hopefully he will not forget that... as he practices the "Apple Way".

For the first time in many years Apple, as guided by it's new CEO, has a world class opportunity in front of them. What they do with it remains to be seen.

 

[nw9]

I would prefer the new iPhone to be wider and have the same aspect ratio than a taller iPhone.

I agree. Not making the next iPhone wider won't solve the problem of website text being too small nor will it solve the problem of videos being too small. Seeing more of the top and bottom or sides of the screen isn't the problem I have. The overall current screen is too small for me. I would rather Apple keep the same aspect ratio and make the phone overall bigger proportionally.

 

[Piggie]

And the trade off is in Landscape mode you will have less content on screen and more screen area displaying the keyboard. So your plus's are now gone.

You still have tiny text in portrait mode and have to keep zooming in and panning around. So there is no advantage except to create more work for developers to redesign their Apps to work on two screen resolutions with no new revenue. This is how Government works, they claim that even though it is a stupid idea they are creating jobs.

No, you are ADDING, not taking away.

If I give you a 5" by 10" piece of wood, then change it for a 5" by 12" piece. I've not taken anything away from you. I've just added more space for you in one direction.

If you have a 4:3 old style TV/Monitor, and you change to a widescreen of the same height, then you are gaining more space on either side which is good.

 

[AppleGuesser]

Your point is ever so appropriate.

Apple being the massive juggernaut it is, with it's obscenely large cash reserves, can operate purely on it's name and "image" for quite a lengthy period. However if they begin doing things like this, sooner or later, they are going to irritate enough of their loyal, forward thinking customers to the point they throw up their hands and go elsewhere.

Having experienced the slap of reality, it's at that point when Apple will truly take notice. It's then that we will see what they are truly made of, and just how they respond. Right now they are so full of themselves, they can't see straight.

While it's true that at this point "it's all rumor", these types of rumors don't just drop out of the sky. True or false the one thing we do know, is that we are witnessing Apple operating with a new CEO.

While groomed by Jobs, and very "Jobsian" in some ways, he is his own man. Hopefully he will not forget that... as he practices the "Apple Way".

For the first time in many years Apple, as guided by it's new CEO, has a world class opportunity in front of them. What they do with it remains to be seen.

I really hope that Apple doesnt completely lose sight of what made them great.

 

[ixodes]

So what could they possibly do to make YOU sir happy?

Just a friendly reminder, this is a forum of public opinion and open for discussion.

Just because I share a few thoughts, viewpoints, or counterpoints about a rumored design, is in no way an indication I am unhappy. Do I like this new design? Heck no. But that's just my opinion which I will express as I have.

So before assuming you know my preferences, remember the fact that we all have opinions. I respect yours, if you choose not to respect mine, that's your business.

I've been an extremely loyal, satisfied, Apple customer and user of their excellent computers since 1991. That speaks volumes about my position on the product.

 

[AustinIllini]

Who cares? Developers. They are still selling old iPhones and will continue to sell them for several years and they will still be around for several years after they quite selling them.

It is a STUPID idea to change the aspect ratio. It does not make anything bigger. Taller is not bigger, all the text sizes and icons remain the same size, what does that accomplish. You don't fragment for no gain.

So I guess I would prefer more content per screen as oppose to just blowing everything up. What improvement is made by just making things bigger?

 

[QCassidy352]

Image

That would be acceptable

Yes, yes it would. I'd buy that. Your mock up? Looks great.