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I'm so pissed with apple's reluctance to change (which is pure pride and arrogance) that I will give them an ultimatum of September 2014 to release an iPhone with a 4.7 or 5 inch screen or I will have no other option than to switch to android.

I'm not sure why you are waiting. If you like a bigger screen, get a phone with a bigger screen now. You can always get an iPhone at a later date if they start making bigger screens.
 
To continue from my previous post Apple needs to increase the screen to bezel ratio.

When the S3 was released the iPhone 4S was the best iPhone. At the time the S3 had second best screen to bezel ratio just under the Note for obvious reason. The iPhone 4S was second to worse just above the Droid 4. That was compared to any other smart phone currently available.

While the iPhone 5 got better just from added a bigger screen it is longer so more bezel was added on the sides. And the competition got better too. So its still pretty bad in comparison.

By putting a larger display on the device (which can obviously be done since every single other manufacturer is doing it) everyone wins. People want a bigger screen get it, people that don't want a bigger phone get it!

My thoughts on this subject anyway.
 
It seems that until Apple sales slide downward, they are not about to offer what might be considered as a popular screen size outside of the walled garden of Apple. As long as they've got the support of small phone loving Apple enthusiast, Apple has no incentive to do anything they don't feel like doing.
 
There are definitely a lot of cases of people who have left iPhone for an Android be it a Galaxy SIII or an HTC mainly due to the bigger screen in these phones. A friend of mine, for instance, had an iPhone 4S and an iPad, he used to take the iPad with him just in case he wanted to read something of significant length as it was just not comfortable in the iPhone. He recently switched to a Galaxy SIII, leaving the iPhone and now he tells me that the size of the Galaxy is ideal and negates the need of bringing his iPad for whenever he wants to read something, he now does it comfortably in his Galaxy.

Many in this forum say that if the iPhone 5 doesn't comes with a bigger screen, or if it comes with just a taller (and not wider) screen they would switch to one of the two Android phones mentioned or some other alternative with a bigger screen.

As it is now possible to do so much with a smartphone, it is easy to see why many feel the need for a larger screen than the one the iPhone currently provides and they are finding the ideal solution in these Android phones.

Apple is definitely losing these users and as far as pure perception goes, in the eyes of a lot of people the size of the Galaxy SIII, to take a popular example, makes the iPhone 4S look tiny and even outdated.

So, do you think that Apple needs to make an iPhone with a bigger screen to stay competitive and change the perception mentioned above? Would it perhaps need to expand things up a bit with, say, two different iPhone models? One with the current size and another with a bigger screen?

The other way to ask this question is... Does Samsung need a smaller phone, with no bloatware, no useless gimmicky features, no fragmented OS to stay competitive?

I have several friends who have owned android devices who have been frustrated with poor user experience on android devices, particulary Samsungs. Not to mention that they look utterly keeping those huge phones in their pockets.

Should Samsung spend more time getting the basics right instead of scattering their resources trying to come up with a GS4 variant for every nut bag in the internet?
 
It seems that until Apple sales slide downward, they are not about to offer what might be considered as a popular screen size outside of the walled garden of Apple. As long as they've got the support of small phone loving Apple enthusiast, Apple has no incentive to do anything they don't feel like doing.

An Italian food restaurant makes just that, Italian food. You can yell and scream all the live long day that you want Kung Pao Chicken or Sushi, the Italian food restaurant will still only serve Italian food. It is the niche that they sell to. They specialize in Italian food.

If you want all kinds of choices, be it Japanese or Chinese or continental cuisine and don't particularly care how good the food tastes, what you want is an Asian food buffet. Similarly, if you want all kinds of choices in a smart phone, be it a big bulky phone or an even bigger bulkier phone, and bloated with all kinds of useless features and crapware, you want a Samsung.
 
An Italian food restaurant makes just that, Italian food. You can yell and scream all the live long day that you want Kung Pao Chicken or Sushi, the Italian food restaurant will still only serve Italian food. It is the niche that they sell to. They specialize in Italian food.

If you want all kinds of choices, be it Japanese or Chinese or continental cuisine and don't particularly care how good the food tastes, what you want is an Asian food buffet. Similarly, if you want all kinds of choices in a smart phone, be it a big bulky phone or an even bigger bulkier phone, and bloated with all kinds of useless features and crapware, you want a Samsung.

I love Italian food :D
 
Does Apple need an iPhone with a bigger screen to stay competitive?

An Italian food restaurant makes just that, Italian food. You can yell and scream all the live long day that you want Kung Pao Chicken or Sushi, the Italian food restaurant will still only serve Italian food. It is the niche that they sell to. They specialize in Italian food.

If you want all kinds of choices, be it Japanese or Chinese or continental cuisine and don't particularly care how good the food tastes, what you want is an Asian food buffet. Similarly, if you want all kinds of choices in a smart phone, be it a big bulky phone or an even bigger bulkier phone, and bloated with all kinds of useless features and crapware, you want a Samsung.

Lol, that's got to be one of the worst analogies ever... :)
 
It would be nice to see a 4.3"-4.5" iPhone, but they don't need one that is larger than that. YMMV.

Totally agree with you, the 4.5'' iphone will be nice :), and I don't think that apple need a bigger screen to stay competitive :rolleyes:
 
Totally agree with you, the 4.5'' iphone will be nice :), and I don't think that apple need a bigger screen to stay competitive :rolleyes:

There was something CNET said about the iPhone sort of becoming the "Honda Civic" or just typical riceburner car of the smartphone market. While I don't necessarily agree with that, they also agreed that's not a bad thing. Apple isn't going to need anything besides what they already do to stay competitive.
 
I don't think they need a bigger phone to stay competitive, but I would love to see them offer a bigger phone.

I am also thinking about jumping ship next year for a bigger phone. I don't need one hand functionality because I usually have two hands available and can use Siri/voice when I don't.

Personally, I have a 4s and the size of the 5 doesn't change anything about the way I use it. It needs a bigger/wider screen size to add to the way I use my phone. The main reason I am waiting is because I am tied into the Apple ecosystem and would rather wait than change at the moment. I may wait for the 6 and make my decision then. However, once I am out of contract, I will start researching and I may make the change earlier.
 
I think we may go through a period of time where the interest shifts to Android because of people wanting a change and the word of mouth passing along to the casual user. However I think that this will be a temporary dip, as I found myself with the Galaxy S4, it was great and I DID like the screen but at the end of the day I wanted that Apple experience again.

Apple can't stay on top forever, Android will have its time too and then that will take a downturn. This is just the nature of technology. It all depends on what tech the majority will favour and who happens to be the company who is selling it at the right time at the right price with the right marketing.
 
The main reason I am waiting is because I am tied into the Apple ecosystem and would rather wait than change at the moment. I may wait for the 6 and make my decision then. However, once I am out of contract, I will start researching and I may make the change earlier.

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm also tied to the ecosystem, that's what keeping me from changing right now. I don't want to change, and I'm hoping Apple will come up with the 4.7-5.0 inch iPhone 6, but if they do not, that's it, my patience will not go further than that.
 
Yes. But they are taking their own sweet time getting around to it. But they will.

iPhone 6 in 2014.
 
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No they don't need a bigger phone to stay competitive. Like others have said, they can carry on producing new models that aren't as good as their competitors and people will stay buy them. They could keep the 5, paint a strip eon the back and market it as the 5s and people would still buy it. Apple are very fortunate, they don't need to market their products and they don't need to be innovative. This will change though. Currently Apple and the Iphone are fashionable, the Iphone is a fashion accessory, but for how much longer? The Iphone is in danger of becoming a white elephant, do people really want a product that is more expensive than it's competitors, yet it's significantly inferior? Sort of like my neighbour who spent $90k (Australian) on an Alfa Romeo sports car, only to be left pretty disappointed when he finds out my wife's $25k VW Polo is quicker than it....
 
2 years to change size?

Samsung comes out with changes to both features and size every year. Like Blackberry before, there is no need for it to stick to 2 year cycles to change shape and size. Without this, it will become a utility company for replacements dry two years not a growth company
 
No they don't need a bigger phone to stay competitive. Like others have said, they can carry on producing new models that aren't as good as their competitors and people will stay buy them. They could keep the 5, paint a strip eon the back and market it as the 5s and people would still buy it.
I agree with you they don't need to produce a bigger phone to stay competitive, but I can't agree with your personal opinion (that is what it is) that the iPhone is not as 'good' as its competitors. I feel that is a broad statement and excludes any analysis whatsoever. What you may look for in a smartphone, others may not. The iPhone was the best for my needs, but appreciate its not always going to be the same for everybody. I wouldn't suggest the iPhone is better than what others choose, but it is best for me. I couldn't find a phone as nice to use as the iPhone 5 when I last upgraded, although I found phones that did much of the same thing. They all provide the same service for the modern needs, but different consumers prefer different deliveries of these services.
 
Samsung comes out with changes to both features and size every year. Like Blackberry before, there is no need for it to stick to 2 year cycles to change shape and size. Without this, it will become a utility company for replacements dry two years not a growth company
Totally agree. Apple's two year cycle for meaningful upgrades starting to be way too predictable and dare I say boring. One of the reasons I always go for gen 1 iPhones not the S updates, at least on a second year running I still have a phone that is physically identical ;)
 
all they need to do is reduce the bezel sizes. but creating a physically bigger phone is stupid. you will end up with rubbish like a note... if you want something that size just buy an ipad and be done with it.
 
all they need to do is reduce the bezel sizes. but creating a physically bigger phone is stupid. you will end up with rubbish like a note... if you want something that size just buy an ipad and be done with it.

And what if the strange need arises as it does with a phone sometimes that you need to make a....phone call?

Even if you wanted to use an iPad as a phone using VoIP it lacks the phone feature to get you by like using a Bluetooth headset and vibration. So even then you'd be better with a competitor tablet. Better integration of Google Voice too but admittedly I've never played with VoIP with an iPad.

I completely agree with less bezel. Like I stated above the iPhone is nearly worst in class when it comes to screen : bezel ratio. Apple has no excuse for that IMO.

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Totally agree. Apple's two year cycle for meaningful upgrades starting to be way too predictable and dare I say boring. One of the reasons I always go for gen 1 iPhones not the S updates, at least on a second year running I still have a phone that is physically identical ;)

Apple makes a lot of money recycling last years parts into a new device. I think the disappearance of the "S" model will signify Apple is serious about staying competitive and putting out a good product for their loyal customers.
 
I can see Apple going with a 4.3 or a 4.5 display using the same case as the iphone 5. But that's it. Apple will not go banana's and making it wider just for the sake of competition. There really isn't any competition with Apple's thinking. They want there phones to be mature, easy to use, and for the masses, and an iOS that is easy/simple (Some Android users come back for that reason alone), but some on this forum think if Apple does not go way bigger, Apple will fail/lose/go over a cliff, etc.

But each year will get the same posts from you guys that want a huge 4.7/ 5.0/ or 5.5 inch display. Apple will not do this next year. Again, it may have 4.3 or 4.5 display and the same case, and that's it. We shall all see in 12 months :p :D
 
Apple makes a lot of money recycling last years parts into a new device. I think the disappearance of the "S" model will signify Apple is serious about staying competitive and putting out a good product for their loyal customers.

Exactly, and it was a great tactic that they could pull off before when there no real competitors/alternatives to the iPhone, but make no mistake, were almost in 2014, this is not the same market as in 2009 when they began the "S" revisions.

I believe releasing the 4S 15 months after the 4 was a huge mistake. What is now the iPhone 5 should have (and could have) been released then. So in my mind, since they released the iPhone 4S, they have been 1 year off on innovation hardware-wise. Once they release the iPhone with the 4.7-5.0 inch screen, they will be current with the market. Once they address the screen size issue, which they should do ASAP, they could do new iPhone (refreshments or new designs, depending on the current market conditions) every 15-18 months.

I have never had any major complaints with the iOS, and the small ones I had are being addressed in iOS 7, so my issues with the iPhone are purely hardware-wise. The reason I still use the iPhone is that I love the iOS and the other apple products (see signature) and love the ecosystem.

Before thinking on new gimmick features such as the fingerprint sensor, which sounds like a gimmick feature that Samsung would come up with along with the other many gimmicks they put on the S4, Apple needs to improve on the basics, and that is the screen size. There is a market and use for a bigger screen, just like there was a market and use for the iPad mini. In time we will know, but I assume that there are a lot of executives who know that this needs to be done (just like when the brought up the iPad mini), but it seems that too many decision makers are scared of making any adjustments to Mr. Jobs gameplan for the iPhone. And that's what worries me about the future, not having the guts to do what they need to do. Playing it safe and not being the trend setters. I pray that Android quickly makes big improvements on their weaknesses of the OS so that they force Apple to step out of their comfort zone.

Fanboys will always defend apple's ways. They did not want a screen bigger that the 3.5. Now we have a 4 inch and now they're ok with it. Just wait, once we have the 4.7 inch they will love it too. That's why I have learned to just ignore their clueless comments and views.

Again, this is not 2009, pretty soon it'll be 2014.
 
the 4.7 inch screen size is the sweet spot for a lot of people, i think apple should increase the iphone's screen size to 4.7 inches. 4 inches is just too small
 
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