iLounge.com might be wrong about the 4" iPhone

[ThatsMeRight]

iLounge was spot on with the third generation iPad, but I have serious doubts about their sixth generation ("iPhone 5") predictions.

They claim the next-generation iPhone will 'roughly' have a 4 inch display. They also claim that Apple will not reduce the current display in width, but only in length. This means the resolution will be YYYY x 640, with a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch.

This means the aspect ratio must be anything above 3:2 but definitely below 2:1 (which basically is a much wider widescreen display). And this is what I have come up with:

Basically, there are only two real options for Apple and that's the 1024 x 640 resolution and the 1184 x 640 resolution.

The other resolutions are NOT whole numbers (e.g. 1066.67). While it is not impossible, it is unlikely for Apple to just screw up the standard aspect ratios. They won't leave 0.67 pixels away, but they can't add it either. That's why there are only two real possibilities.

1024 x 640 is an unlikely option: an upgrade from 3.5" to 3.7" won't be worth all the extra mess for Apple.

That leaves us with 1184 x 640. That would mean it would be a 4.12" display: iLounge is talking about 'roughly' 4 inch, so 4.12" would be possible depending on how you interpertate 'roughly'.

Now here is my problem with this resolution: this means the display will be wider than a 16:9 widescreen TV, and Apple has never really been 'open' to widescreen resolutions.

I just find it hard to believe Apple will settle with such an uncommon resolution with an aspect ratio wider than 16:9.

My conclusion: iLounge is wrong (when it comes to the display).

I earlier created a thread in which I suggested why I think it is very well possible that Apple might even settle with 4.3" display.

Edit: I just see I posted this in the iPad section. If there's a moderator reading this, please move this thread to the iPhone section. Thanks!

 

[MacAgnostic]

Apple has never really been 'open' to widescreen resolutions.

I don't know what you mean about that, many of their Mac products are 16:9.

Anyhow, I think 1136 x 640 (or 1138 x 640) would be the choice if it were to happen:
It is within a pixel of 16:9;
It would be a 4" display at the same width as the current display and about 10mm taller;
It would provide enough room for an additional row of icons (960 + 176 = 1136).

 

[ThatsMeRight]

I don't know what you mean about that, many of their Mac products are 16:9.

Anyhow, I think 1136 x 640 (or 1138 x 640) would be the choice if it were to happen:
It is within a pixel of 16:9;
It would be a 4" display at the same width as the current display and about 10mm taller;
It would provide enough room for an additional row of icons (960 + 176 = 1136).

All resolutions above are displays with the same width - they only different in length (and thus diagonal).

I just don't see them using 1138 x 640 (how do you come to 1136?). That would mean they would use an uncommon aspect ratio; Samsung, LG, Sharp and Sony aren't currently producing displays with uncommon aspect ratios except for those 1366 x 768 resolution displays.

 

[MacAttacka]

iLounge was spot on with the third generation iPad, but I have serious doubts about their sixth generation ("iPhone 5") predictions.

They claim the next-generation iPhone will 'roughly' have a 4 inch display. They also claim that Apple will not reduce the current display in width, but only in length. This means the resolution will be YYYY x 640, with a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch.

This means the aspect ratio must be anything above 3:2 but definitely below 2:1 (which basically is a much wider widescreen display). And this is what I have come up with:

Image

Basically, there are only two real options for Apple and that's the 1024 x 640 resolution and the 1184 x 640 resolution.

The other resolutions are NOT whole numbers (e.g. 1066.67). While it is not impossible, it is unlikely for Apple to just screw up the standard aspect ratios. They won't leave 0.67 pixels away, but they can't add it either. That's why there are only two real possibilities.

1024 x 640 is an unlikely option: an upgrade from 3.5" to 3.7" won't be worth all the extra mess for Apple.

That leaves us with 1184 x 640. That would mean it would be a 4.12" display: iLounge is talking about 'roughly' 4 inch, so 4.12" would be possible depending on how you interpertate 'roughly'.

Now here is my problem with this resolution: this means the display will be wider than a 16:9 widescreen TV, and Apple has never really been 'open' to widescreen resolutions.

I just find it hard to believe Apple will settle with such an uncommon resolution with an aspect ratio wider than 16:9.

My conclusion: iLounge is wrong (when it comes to the display).

I earlier created a thread in which I suggested why I think it is very well possible that Apple might even settle with 4.3" display.

Edit: I just see I posted this in the iPad section. If there's a moderator reading this, please move this thread to the iPhone section. Thanks!

The display will not change. The retina screen is designed around the human eye. If the human eye or the human pocket size ever change then the iPhone will change too.

Seriously what is this obsession with the iPhone screen and resolution? It's perfect as it is. There is no need to increase the size or resolution. The form Factor or what's beneath the hood might change but the screen and the res will stay the same.

 

[ThatsMeRight]

The display will not change. The retina screen is designed around the human eye. If the human eye or the human pocket size ever change then the iPhone will change too.

Seriously what is this obsession with the iPhone screen and resolution? It's perfect as it is. There is no need to increase the size or resolution. The form Factor or what's beneath the hood might change but the screen and the res will stay the same.

So you are saying that Apple will never ever change the current 3.5" 960 x 640 display?

 

[0m3ga]

........

I guess you posting in the iphone section wasn't enough? Multiple postings of the exact same thread in different sections and then replying to them seperately??? I'm failing to see how your iphone 5 predicted screen resolution has anything to do with the ipad?

Might want to check the forum rules too
2. One thread. Do not post a thread more than once. Post a new thread in the proper forum. If the topic is relevant to more than one forum, pick the best fit or most specific forum and post it only once.

 

[DeathChill]

DaringFireball:
http://daringfireball.net/linked/2012/04/10/iphone-aspect-ratio

“Modilwar”, in a well-illustrated piece on The Verge forums:

But then last week, while watching the Vergecast episode 24, came the Eureka moment. A caller named Colin (apologies if I got your name wrong) mentioned how he thought apple could increase the iPhone screen size without effecting the external form factor or pixel density. […]

Colin’s idea was to keep the shorter side of the iPhones screen the same, i.e. 640 pixels at 1.94 inches. With that in mind how much would the longer side need to increase so the that diagonal measurement was 4 inches. The answer, derived using simple algebraic rearrangement of Pythagorus’s theorem, 1152 pixels and 3.49 inches. That leaves the the diagonal length measuring a little over 3.99 inches, I’m sure Apple PR could round this 4.

For those of you who are good with numbers I’m sure you’ve noted that 1152 × 640 has an aspect ratio of 9:5 and the 1152 pixels is and increase of 192 from 960 and that’s 20% more than on the iPhone 4 and 4S.

Methinks “Colin” wasn’t merely guessing or idly speculating.

 

[MacAttacka]

So you are saying that Apple will never ever change the current 3.5" 960 x 640 display?

Yes pretty much as far as LCD goes. That might change in the future when we use something other than lcd and pixel resolution to defin the screen.

Ok, so tell me, what exactly is wrong with the current iPhone ISP retina display? What exactly is it that grinds your gears?

 

[MacAgnostic]

how do you come to 1136?

Just doing math:
1136 = 960 (current height) + 176 (one icon row height), 1138 is closer to 16:9 though.
It's not exactly 16:9 but neither are existing 1366 x 768 displays.

That would mean they would use an uncommon aspect ratio...

Yup, just like 480 x 320 or 960 x 640 that they currently use was.

 

[MacAttacka]

Just doing math:
1136 = 960 (current height) + 176 (one icon row height)
It's not exactly 16:9 but neither are existing 1366 x 768 displays.

Yup, just like 480 x 320 or 960 x 640 that they currently use.

How many devices now use the 960x 640 resolution? How uncommon is it then?

 

[ThatsMeRight]

I guess you posting in the iphone section wasn't enough? Multiple postings of the exact same thread in different sections and then replying to them seperately??? I'm failing to see how your iphone 5 predicted screen resolution has anything to do with the ipad?

Might want to check the forum rules too
2. One thread. Do not post a thread more than once. Post a new thread in the proper forum. If the topic is relevant to more than one forum, pick the best fit or most specific forum and post it only once.

And this post of yours is not on-topic either. I posted it by accident in the iPad section, so than I reposted it here in the iPhone section and I already requested if the the thread in the iPad section could be moved here (and thus merged with all the reactions).

 

[MacAgnostic]

How many devices now use the 960x 640 resolution? How uncommon is it then?

Thank you for your observation, I corrected my post.

 

[erawsd]

I don't think a 4" screen is worth all the problems and lost of ux. I'm looking at my dad's 4" Galaxy and I just don't see a significant enough difference. 4" won't sate the demand for a bigger screen.

If they are going to increase screen size then it should be 4.3"-4.5". That puts it in the same range as the Android heavyweights and gives us a lot more screen real estate.

 

[Rennir]

The display will not change. The retina screen is designed around the human eye. If the human eye or the human pocket size ever change then the iPhone will change too.

Seriously what is this obsession with the iPhone screen and resolution? It's perfect as it is. There is no need to increase the size or resolution. The form Factor or what's beneath the hood might change but the screen and the res will stay the same.

Serious question, but do you or anyone you know find the iPhone too small in the pocket at times? I wear 30 x 30 American eagle jeans and often my iPhone rotates from upright to horizontal, which is very annoying.

And the obsession, as you call it, is that not everyone agrees with you.

 

[0m3ga]

And this post of yours is not on-topic either. I posted it by accident in the iPad section, so than I reposted it here in the iPhone section and I already requested if the the thread in the iPad section could be moved here (and thus merged with all the reactions).

i'm sure it was a mistake, which is why you edited your title and original post in the ipad section to inform people of the right thread and your mistake, right? Oops.
Not like you are a noob to this forum either, and can say you didn't know how to edit your thread!

As for your original post... any speculation on your, or anyone elses part outside of John Ivy's inner circle, is just guesstimations. I can say the iPhone 5 will have a 5" screen, and be as correct as anyone saying it will have a 4" screen. Apple has a way of completely surprising us with the nexpected from time to time. This may be one of those times.

 

[MythicFrost]

The only resolution increase we'll see on the iPhone is 1440x960, as that will prevent any kind of fragmentation. It's the same process as 480x320>960x640.

 

[alex2792]

It will be double iPhone 4 resolution, roughly 500ppi.

 

[GoCubsGo]

The only resolution increase we'll see on the iPhone is 1440x960, as that will prevent any kind of fragmentation. It's the same process as 480x320>960x640.

Except that you can't know that. Everything is a rumor until the announcement and discussing rumors is fine but stating rumors as facts gets a little old.

 

[MythicFrost]

Except that you can't know that. Everything is a rumor until the announcement and discussing rumors is fine but stating rumors as facts gets a little old.

I never said I knew that, I just said that's the only possibility... which I base on several factors, but simply put, the cons far, far, far outway the benefits, or benefit I should say.

 

[ThatsMeRight]

I never said I knew that, I just said that's the only possibility... which I base on several factors, but simply put, the cons far, far, far outway the benefits, or benefit I should say.

I think the best thing for developers is to either keep a 960 x 640 resolution or go to a 1920 x 1280 resolution.

Your 1440 x 960 resolution might scale properly since it is easily scalable thanks to the previous 480 x 320 resolution. However, it would be harder for developers to adjust their artwork compared to the iPhone 4's display.

A 1920 x 1280 resolution is, however, unrealistic because of an extremely high pixel density.

I'm not suggesting you're wrong, all I'm doing with this thread is suggesting that iLounge might be wrong.

 

[fertilized-egg]

I just don't see them using 1138 x 640 (how do you come to 1136?). That would mean they would use an uncommon aspect ratio; Samsung, LG, Sharp and Sony aren't currently producing displays with uncommon aspect ratios except for those 1366 x 768 resolution displays.

I think that's very possible. LG Display will pretty much do anything to satisfy the iPhone demand as it's a huge part of their business. With something massive like Apple's demand for iPhone display, you can dedicate a whole process just for that model. Samsung doesn't make phone LCD so they are out but Sharp is a possibility.

 

[cynics]

Yes pretty much as far as LCD goes. That might change in the future when we use something other than lcd and pixel resolution to defin the screen.

Ok, so tell me, what exactly is wrong with the current iPhone ISP retina display? What exactly is it that grinds your gears?

Not that you asked me but text size bothers my eye. I have 20/20 uncorrected but I'm on my phone 6+ hours a day for work.

I'd like to have something bigger to relieve some eye strain.

Work pays for my phone and service but I've resorted to using my personal tablet more to move the device further from my face. Something like the note is too big so I'm waiting to see what apple delivers.

 

[cardinalryan]

The display will not change. The retina screen is designed around the human eye. If the human eye or the human pocket size ever change then the iPhone will change too.

Seriously what is this obsession with the iPhone screen and resolution? It's perfect as it is. There is no need to increase the size or resolution. The form Factor or what's beneath the hood might change but the screen and the res will stay the same.

Well, if this is true, then Apple is going to lose a lot of customers to Android. Sorry, but a 3.5" display is not good enough in today's game.

 

[Menel]

Well, if this is true, then Apple is going to lose a lot of customers to Android. Sorry, but a 3.5" display is not good enough in today's game.

Why? Was there some massive mutation and general enlargement of hand sizes in the last 5 years?

 

[Minhimalism]

Man only iPhones can cause people to rally up in terms of screen size, home button leaks, etc.. Lmao. It'll be bigger, it'll look good, and just leave it at that.