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Hoping 5.5" iPhone Does Not Have Too Many Advantages

73b

73b

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 22, 2014
179
374
East Coast
I am really hoping that Apple makes the two iPhone 6's equivalents besides screen size. It really would not be a smart move to force people who don't want a phablet to have the lower-quality device.

For example, there have been rumors that the 5.5" phone may be the only model to receive a pure sapphire front panel. I don't want a huge phone. A lot of people have iPhones and are happy with a 4-inch screen. Forcing people who don't want a giant phone to have a lower-quality screen is not a smart move. OIS had better be in both as well. Battery size of course is not applicable here as the 5.5" phone calls for (and has room for) a much larger battery.

Think like the 21.5" and 27" iMacs - you just pick a screen size, they aren't different computers. The 27" does have advantages, and the 5.5" will (battery, 128GB option?), but you can still get a really good iMac in 21.5" size.

I just don't want to feel like I am getting the cheaper, "6c"-like version of the phone. I want to buy a top-of-the-line phone that I can use comfortably, and if Apple can't do that, then that will be a shame.
 
IMO the 'small' model will be a remade 5S w cheaper materials like the 5C, maybe one or two upgrades. The 'big' one will be the new one.
 
Dont think of it as a lower quality device, think of the 5.5" as a more premium device. Its just a case of "I dont have the latest and greatest" but its something that you can live with. Analysts are hyped up about this sapphire screen. Honestly, I couldnt care less about what the screen is. I love the current 5S screen, so as long as the baseline for the 6 is equivalent or greater than the 5S, there should really be no issue.

You use the iMacs as an example, well let me use the rMBPs as example. No matter how high end you go, the 13" will only ever have iGPU and dual core. If you need more performance, then the larger screen size is necessary. Yes, we all want everything our way. Id love a 13" rMBP with quad core and a dGPU, but its not going to happen anytime soon, and if it does, the 15" will always have something better to offer.

You just have to choose, you can have the "latest" and just get used to using the phone with more than one hand. Or you can get the phone you want that will still meet all of your needs, but just be uncomfortable because you know your phone isnt the best.
 
sonicrobby said:
You just have to choose, you can have the "latest" and just get used to using the phone with more than one hand.
Click to expand...

It's a phone, that's ridiculous! I really don't like this huge screen phone trend. I get bigger screens are nice, but when you can't comfortably hit all four corners with one thumb it's too big.
 
I've decided I'm getting the 5.5" if:

1) The battery is much bigger (which I expect it would be in a larger form factor)

and

2) It is released at the same time. (I'm not delaying my new iPhone 4 months just to get the 5.5")

As long as those 2 conditions are met, I'm taking the plunge with the phablet. Can always go back to 4.7" for the 6S if I hate the size.
 
simon48 said:
I bet they'll be pretty similar. What is OIS?
Click to expand...

It stands for Optical Image Stabilisation. In super basic terms it basically helps stabalise your photos so that they can cancel out the little bit of hand shaking everyone has and lead to sharper photos. It can be implemented a few different ways. For example, Nokia uses a physical spring system to suspend the camera (which causes their cameras/phones to be bigger). Though I have seen some mentions online of combining a smaller psychical system with an advanced camera algorithm to accomplish the same thing with less physical space.
 
Agent-P said:
It stands for Optical Image Stabilisation. In super basic terms it basically helps stabalise your photos so that they can cancel out the little bit of hand shaking everyone has and lead to sharper photos. It can be implemented a few different ways. For example, Nokia uses a physical spring system to suspend the camera (which causes their cameras/phones to be bigger). Though I have seen some mentions online of combining a smaller psychical system with an advanced camera algorithm to accomplish the same thing with less physical space.
Click to expand...

Ah, right. I bet if one size has it they both will. I bet they'll be be the same thickness and I bet that's the limiting factor.
 
simon48 said:
It's a phone, that's ridiculous! I really don't like this huge screen phone trend. I get bigger screens are nice, but when you can't comfortably hit all four corners with one thumb it's too big.
Click to expand...

Its preference, I already use my 5s with 2 hands most of the time.

----------
jlake02 said:
I've decided I'm getting the 5.5" if:

1) The battery is much bigger (which I expect it would be in a larger form factor)

and

2) It is released at the same time. (I'm not delaying my new iPhone 4 months just to get the 5.5")

As long as those 2 conditions are met, I'm taking the plunge with the phablet. Can always go back to 4.7" for the 6S if I hate the size.
Click to expand...

Battery will definitely be bigger, my question is how much longer will the battery last, since it is powering a larger screen.
 
Apple is BANKING (to a certain extent) on people wanting the 5.5", but getting the 4.7" anyway because they "have to have the latest thing", only to buy the 5.5" when it launches anyway.

I have a hunch that the 5.5" is going to be positioned as something different than just an "iPhone" anyway. It wouldn't shock me at all if it even had a different name. I do believe, based on everything I have heard from reliable sources, the 5.5" will be the only one getting the sapphire screen, and likely only on the TOP model (although that is still up in the air I hear).

I'll be buying the 4.7" (as will everyone else... face it) and then if I like the 5.5" better, my wife will be getting the 4.7" as an upgrade to her 5S. If not, I'll get another 4.7". I actually have 3 lines eligible, so I might get 2/1, but likely for now just one or the other.

Most folks don't have that option, Apple knows this, and they are taking advantage of it.

Many many folks will end up buying both (and remember, Apple doesn't care if you sell it to buy something else later, they just care if you BUY it in the first place =)).

All because they can't wait around while everyone else has the "latest and greatest".... gotta have it NOW =P
 
sonicrobby said:
Its preference, I already use my 5s with 2 hands most of the time.
Click to expand...

But it can get to the point where you might not be able to make a call while carrying something in one hand. If you're right handed the upper left corner is the hardest place to touch one handed and that's where the back button it for almost all apps.
 
sonicrobby said:
Battery will definitely be bigger, my question is how much longer will the battery last, since it is powering a larger screen.
Click to expand...

Oh, definitely. But my gut tells me the ~2900mAh (rumored) battery in the 5.5" will provide for the large screen and quite a bit more over the ~1800mAh in the 4.7".

If it's a wash and the Apple claims the same use times for both phones then I will consider that a strike against buying the 5.5". Perhaps not a fatal strike, but my apprehension over using a 5.5" screen will probably lead me to the smaller version.

:apple:
 
simon48 said:
But it can get to the point where you might not be able to make a call while carrying something in one hand. If you're right handed the upper left corner is the hardest place to touch one handed and that's where the back button it for almost all apps.
Click to expand...

Isnt that why the added the wretched swipe right to go back feature? Im not a fan of it since its the way I swipe to delete stuff
 
itjw said:
Many many folks will end up buying both (and remember, Apple doesn't care if you sell it to buy something else later, they just care if you BUY it in the first place =)).
Click to expand...

I highly, highly doubt this. The iPhone isn't just something you buy on impulse: it's a big purchase for the vast majority of people, and you're usually then tied down to monthly payments.

Even the most hardcore Apple fanboys will have a hard time justifying two devices: the cost is one thing, but you also can't really use two phones easily.

I purchase, or at least consider purchasing, a lot of products Apple release. However it's never crossed my mind to buy both the 4.7" and 5.5" iPhones when they're released.


Personally, if the 5.5" phone has more features and is available in a relatively short amount of time (max. one month after the 4.7" release), then I'll dip my toe into the realm of phablets. If not, I'll still be really excited about the 4.7" phone.
 
simon48 said:
But it can get to the point where you might not be able to make a call while carrying something in one hand. If you're right handed the upper left corner is the hardest place to touch one handed and that's where the back button it for almost all apps.
Click to expand...

That's exactly why they introduced the swipe gesture to get to the previous view. It works by default on every app that uses navigation controllers, unless you disable it.
Some app disable this behaviour as they implements the gesture to do something else, like the CNN app (you can swipe left/right to go to previous/next story).
 
Bigger screen and better battery. Only advantages I should think but then again this is Apple so wouldn't surprise me if it did have Saphare, duo speakers or something else like OIS
 
Zod, what whining. If the smaller iPhone is better than the one you have now, you're better off with it even if someone else has an iPhone with something yours doesn't.

How would it make your 4.7 less suitable for you if the one you don't buy has additional features?

It sounds like you really need to think about why you want the phone in the first place. You sound a lot like someone who views the phone as a status symbol rather than a piece of electronics.
 
Carlanga said:
IMO the 'small' model will be a remade 5S w cheaper materials like the 5C, maybe one or two upgrades. The 'big' one will be the new one.
Click to expand...

That would be a HUGE mistake. The 5C would have been considered a flop if it were the only iPhone offering of its size. The 4.7 inch model best be a flagship, as most manufacturers are finding that 4.5 to 5.0 is a phone sweet spot.
 
itjw said:
Many many folks will end up buying both (and remember, Apple doesn't care if you sell it to buy something else later, they just care if you BUY it in the first place =)).
Click to expand...

I would love to see the statistics indicating how many users have two active iPhones. It's not "Many, many", especially when compared to how many iPhone users there are.
 
I understand the 5.5" (if it exists ;) ) will be "better" hardware-wise, but I am just hoping that the 4.7" phone is not marketed as a cheaper alternative, like the 5C. I want it to be the full iPhone with a larger counterpart.
 
itjw said:
Apple is BANKING (to a certain extent) on people wanting the 5.5", but getting the 4.7" anyway because they "have to have the latest thing", only to buy the 5.5" when it launches anyway.
Click to expand...

Is it bad to confess that that would almost certainly be me? :eek:

I warmed to a 5.5" a while back (clearly need to see/feel one on the flesh), so if Apple do offer a staggered launch, then I'm definitely all over an unlocked 4.7 from Apple.

If the 5.5" then launches later (say November), I'll take a long hard look at it and if I like it, I'll get one and sell my 4.7"... :eek:
 
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