iPhone 4S almost dead last in Screen-to-body size ratio.

[Timzer]

This is something Apple seriously needs to update. If they indeed stick to the 3.5 inch screen, the body better be a helluva lot smaller with a lot less wasted space. If the overall phone size stays the same, then the screen better make more use of all that ugly empty space. As for now, the phone just looks so dated with all that wasted space. It's weight and thickness only add to the dated look and feel.

 

[sulpfiction]

Im all for a larger screen on the next iPhone, but I have no idea what this graph is supposed to tell me. It's really a meaningless piece of data.

 

[briantaylor619]

I have no idea what this graph is supposed to tell me. It's really a meaningless piece of data.

Agreed.

IMO the iPhone is fine where it's at right now but I can trust Apple to make the right decisions going forward.

 

[Timzer]

Im all for a larger screen on the next iPhone, but I have no idea what this graph is supposed to tell me. It's really a meaningless piece of data.

Agreed.

IMO the iPhone is fine where it's at right now but I can trust Apple to make the right decisions going forward.

Wow, when they say iPhones are for people that aren't able to think for themselves, they really mean it. Let me help you guys "think" this one out. Look at the title of the graph. Can it get more clear than this? Yikes!

 

[cyks]

That would make sense...since the graph would obviously favor larger screen sizes.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

This info is equivalent to ......

 

[svenn]

Wow, when they say iPhones are for people that aren't able to think for themselves, they really mean it. Let me help you guys "think" this one out. Look at the title of the graph. Can it get more clear than this? Yikes!

Don't bother even trying. iLovers refuse to hear that their beloveds are not the best. No point trying to convince them.

 

[Che Castro]

Don't bother even trying. iLovers refuse to hear that their beloveds are not the best. No point trying to convince them.

Didn't the outdated iphone 4s sold more than those other phones ?

 

[lordofthereef]

Im all for a larger screen on the next iPhone, but I have no idea what this graph is supposed to tell me. It's really a meaningless piece of data.

What it tells you is that compared to other phones the front of the phone is better utilized by almost every competing phone than it is in the 4S. Does that matter? I don;t know. It doesn't matter a whole lot more than weight or thickness I would say, but people get all excited over that too.

 

[F123D]

Didn't the outdated iphone 4s sold more than those other phones ?

Probably due to people like the second and third posters.

 

[lordofthereef]

Didn't the outdated iphone 4s sold more than those other phones ?

Yes, and windows sells better than OSX. Which is better?

I am not claiming either is better, but simple sales figures are not a great indication of a whole lot. Let's start with the fact that if I like iOS, I really only have one option (for screen size).

 

[sviato]

So between the iPhone 4S and the top Galaxy phones there's a 10-11% difference... Not that big of a deal

 

[cyks]

What it tells you is that compared to other phones the front of the phone is better utilized by almost every competing phone than it is in the 4S. Does that matter? I don;t know. It doesn't matter a whole lot more than weight or thickness I would say, but people get all excited over that too.

Probably due to people like the second and third posters.

No, it doesn't tell you that at all. It's basic math.

If every phone had an exact same 1mm bezel, the phone with the largest screen would score highest, the smallest screen the lowest.


Heck, the smaller screen could have less of a bezel, but still be scored lower if the larger phone's screen size is large enough to compensate.

 

[PNutts]

Don't bother even trying. iLovers refuse to hear that their beloveds are not the best. No point trying to convince them.

Are you saying this chart represents the best or are you an iHater? It doesn't represent anything useful but that's just my opinion. I like the phone I bought but that's as far as it goes. I don't keep up with the resolution on the other phones, but I like the iPhone's high resolution. When I want to see something bigger I mirror it to a 53" flat panel TV.

 

[lordofthereef]

No, it doesn't tell you that at all. It's basic math.

If every phone had an exact same 1mm bezel, the phone with the largest screen would score highest, the smallest screen the lowest.


Heck, the smaller screen could have less of a bezel, but still be scored lower if the larger phone's screen size is large enough to compensate.

I think you need to reread what I said... The simple math you speak of is essentially a calculation of how well the front of the phone is utilized. In the chart, that is effectively based on how much space is wasted by bezel. This isn't comparing screen sizes, just showing how much potential there is to use up the waste space.

I suppose "body area" could be read as total surface area... but I don't think that is the case here as that would pretty much be a useless calculation. Or maybe I am wrong about that. I am not sure.

 

[PNutts]

Since this is a purely hardware discussion, here's some links I found:

List of best-selling mobile phones: 2009 and 2009 are iPhones but guess what? A year when something shiny and new comes out that phone is often the top seller.

iPhone 4S Tops Sales Among Smartphone Carriers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint) in the US: From this article: "T. Michael Walkley, an Analyst with Canaccord Genuity, says, “We believe iPhones are outselling all other smartphones combined at the Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon channels since the iPhone 4S launch.”

Statistics are cool, aren't they?

 

[avpallino]

This is something Apple seriously needs to update. If they indeed stick to the 3.5 inch screen, the body better be a helluva lot smaller with a lot less wasted space. If the overall phone size stays the same, then the screen better make more use of all that ugly empty space. As for now, the phone just looks so dated with all that wasted space. It's weight and thickness only add to the dated look and feel.

Image[/

A couple of observations:

1. The differemce between the first and last phone seems pretty small - within 10% or so.

2. There is a minimum bezel size to make the phone comfortable to hold and use. This applies for both phones and tablets. A smaller screen therefore will also likely have a lower ratio.

IF your benchmark or goal for a design is to maximize this ratio and minimize the weight then you're better off with a non iphone because I don't think that's what Apple's ever gomg to do. Not for the iphone, not the ipad either.

 

[cyks]

I suppose "body area" could be read as total surface area... but I don't think that is the case here as that would pretty much be a useless calculation. Or maybe I am wrong about that. I am not sure.

It is, which is why the chart is useless.

Rounded out, the entire iPhone front is roughly (115mm x 59mm) 6800mm^2. The screen is about (50mm x 70mm) 3500mm^2. That matches up with the useless numbers on the chart.

 

[Sedrick]

Didn't the outdated iphone 4s sold more than those other phones ?

McDonald's sells more hamburgers too.

 

[svenn]

Are you saying this chart represents the best or are you an iHater? It doesn't represent anything useful but that's just my opinion. I like the phone I bought but that's as far as it goes. I don't keep up with the resolution on the other phones, but I like the iPhone's high resolution. When I want to see something bigger I mirror it to a 53" flat panel TV.

I'm not saying anything except that the chart is meaningless to most people here since they have unconditional love for their dear iphone.

\Ya I have an iphone, but I'm not afraid to admit that it might not be the best phone out there.

 

[tbayrgs]

So this graph basically says the iPhone has more bezel, correct? And what's exactly significant of that fact?

If recent sales numbers of iPhones showed a downward trend and this 'analysis' showed that better selling smartphones, or at least phones without diminishing sales, had a higher 'Screen Area as a % of Body Area', I'd say you may be onto something. But the simple fact is that Apple is still selling a ton of iPhones, small screen and all so this graph really proves nothing other than there are a lot of phones with more screen real estate. If anything, maybe it shows that the buying public doesn't really care how big the screen size is?

 

[lordofthereef]

It is, which is why the chart is useless.

Rounded out, the entire iPhone front is roughly (115mm x 59mm) 6800mm^2. The screen is about (50mm x 70mm) 3500mm^2. That matches up with the useless numbers on the chart.

I assumed it had to do with how much of the actual front is actually utlized by the screen. That would make sense. I am not sure why they are comparing total surface area then (or why they aren't using surface area as a term at all).

Regardless, I haven't sat down and crunched numbers, but just looking at the front of the iPhone there SEEMS to be a whole lot more excess there than most other competing phones. This is especially glaring in the white version. Would certainly love to see some more of that real estate be utilized.

 

[iamthedudeman]

Wow. This isn't rocket science.

The OP is just stating that Apple needs to update the iphone design so that the unused screen real estate is used more efficiently.

Yes the design needs updated. It is dated. Why are people attacking him?

What the heck does phone sales have to do with anything? Wow. That in itself is embarrassing.

Quit being isheep. You make us all look bad on these forums. Everything Apple does isn't the best. That 3.5 screen is a travesty. Quit telling yourself it isn't.

But it is the only phone that runs iOS. So we are stuck with it. For now.

They probably will make the screen bigger in the same form factor and use up the empty space if the leaked front screens of the IP touch are any indication.

The OP made a good point. Is Steve's distortion field still active beyond the grave? Judging from allot of comments in this thread, it seems to be.

 

[DroidConvert]

It's a matter of personal preference. Personally, anything over 4" is just too big for me. My Incredible (same size as the 4/4s) was nice, my Razr too big. I am looking forward to the 4" iPhone.

Just like Galaxy Note owners can't figure out how people deal with small screens, I can't figure out how Phablet owners deal with things tha barely fit in their pocket.

 

[tbayrgs]

Wow. This isn't rocket science.

The OP is just stating that Apple needs to update the iphone design so that the unused screen real estate is used more efficiently.

Yes the design needs updated. It is dated. Why are people attacking him?

What the heck does phone sales have to do with anything? Wow. That in itself is embarrassing.

Quit being isheep. You make us all look bad on these forums. Everything Apple does isn't the best. That 3.5 screen is a travesty. Quit telling yourself it isn't.

But it is the only phone that runs iOS. So we are stuck with it. For now.

They probably will make the screen bigger in the same form factor and use up the empty space if the leaked front screens of the IP touch are any indication.

The OP made a good point. Is Steve's distortion field still active beyond the grave? Judging from allot of comments in this thread, it seems to be.

Wow, who pissed in your cornflakes?

This graph proves nothing about Apple 'needing' to change their design. Do most of us here hope for such a change? Yes, but this graph proves absolutely nothing other than the fact that there are a lot of phones with bigger screens and smaller bezels AND that screen size means is not relevant to how good a phone is---I see a lot of garbage handsets on that list with 'more efficient use of unused screen real estate', as you put it.

And yes, sales DOES matter because unlike this graph, it actually provides some useful information about the quality of a handset.

Love the iSheep comments--go to rebuttal when someone disagrees with any pro Apple comments on these forums and they have nothing relevant to use in their reply.