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chraos

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 13, 2012
85
0
Southeast
Did some calculations and found something kind of interesting. The current iPhone 5/5S screen size is noted as 4 inches...more precise measurements are 100mm for 5/5S, the 6 is 120mm, and the 6 Plus is 140mm. When you actually convert it to inches you get this:


25.4mm = 1 inch

iPhone 5/5S: 100mm/25.4mm = 3.937 inches

iPhone 6: 120mm/25.4mm = 4.724 inches

iPhone 6 Plus: 140mm/25.4mm = 5.511 inches


Looking at these numbers, the difference between a 5/5S and 6 is closer to 0.8 inches than 0.7. (4.724 - 3.937 = 0.787 inches) and then the difference between a 6 and 6 Plus is (5.511 - 4.724 = 0.787 inches). Yea this all seems insignificant, etc, etc. But it is interesting to note that the 5/5S was still barely shy of 4 inches where as the 6 and 6 Plus are a solid 4.7 and 5.5. Cue the "who cares" comments....just thought some people might find this interesting.


EDIT**


iPhone 5/5S: 326ppi with 1136x640 resolution with that we get the following:

P. Theorem a^2 + b^2 = c^2

((1136/326)^2) + ((640/326)^2) = 15.996

sqrt(15.996) = 3.9994 inches


iPhone 6: 326ppi with 1334x750 resolution:

((1334/326)**2) + ((750/326)**2) = 22.037

sqrt(22.037) = 4.694 inches


iPhone 6 Plus: 401ppi with 1920x1080 res.:

((1920/401)**2) + ((1080/401)**2) = 30.178

sqrt(30.178) = 5.493 inches


These are your actual display sizes.
 
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Glad to see some people find this interesting. I sure did. I may be one of the rare exceptions that is having second thoughts about the 6 Plus and it being too big. I have been walking around with a cardboard mock-up and while I have gotten somewhat used to the larger size, I just know the second I put any kind of case on it, its going to start crossing the "too big" line for me....Also want to point out that I mocked up an iPhone 5 on cardboard just to get an idea of how a mock up feels in comparison with the real thing..for me the mock-up feels smaller (could be the weight) so I'm considering the possibility that in the hand the 6 Plus will feel even bigger.
 
Not sure

Not to contradict you, but in looking at the Apple Case Design Guidelines, it looks like the actual difference in size is closer to 0.6 inches. See attached image for calculations based on Apple's case guidelines.
 

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Not to contradict you, but in looking at the Apple Case Design Guidelines, it looks like the actual difference in size is closer to 0.6 inches. See attached image for calculations based on Apple's case guidelines.

You know, he is talking about display size and not the actual size of the phone.

Edit: Never mind, you are right. You took the right dimensions. So the difference is indeed 0.6''.
 
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Not to contradict you, but in looking at the Apple Case Design Guidelines, it looks like the actual difference in size is closer to 0.6 inches. See attached image for calculations based on Apple's case guidelines.

Okay well looks like Apple themselves are wrong. The surefire way to arrive is by using pixel density.

iPhone 5/5S: 326ppi with 1136x640 resolution with that we get the following:

P. Theorem a^2 + b^2 = c^2

((1136/326)^2) + ((640/326)^2) = 15.996

sqrt(15.996) = 3.9994 inches


iPhone 6: 326ppi with 1334x750 resolution:

((1334/326)**2) + ((750/326)**2) = 22.037

sqrt(22.037) = 4.694 inches


iPhone 6 Plus: 401ppi with 1920x1080 res.:

((1920/401)**2) + ((1080/401)**2) = 30.178

sqrt(30.178) = 5.493 inches


These are your actual display sizes.
 
Okay well looks like Apple themselves are wrong. The surefire way to arrive is by using pixel density.

Just like a 4" screen isn't necessarily 4.00", how do you know that both screens are exactly 326.00 dpi?
 
Okay well looks like Apple themselves are wrong. The surefire way to arrive is by using pixel density.

iPhone 5/5S: 326ppi with 1136x640 resolution with that we get the following:

P. Theorem a^2 + b^2 = c^2

((1136/326)^2) + ((640/326)^2) = 15.996

sqrt(15.996) = 3.9994 inches


iPhone 6: 326ppi with 1334x750 resolution:

((1334/326)**2) + ((750/326)**2) = 22.037

sqrt(22.037) = 4.694 inches


iPhone 6 Plus: 401ppi with 1920x1080 res.:

((1920/401)**2) + ((1080/401)**2) = 30.178

sqrt(30.178) = 5.493 inches


These are your actual display sizes.

You're assuming more significant figures than you actually have. Those ppi numbers are almost certainly rounded from some other figure. For example, the 4.7 inch phone... you can get a range of 4.688 to 4.702 inches depending if you use 326.4 or 325.5 ppi.
 
You're assuming more significant figures than you actually have. Those ppi numbers are almost certainly rounded from some other figure. For example, the 4.7 inch phone... you can get a range of 4.688 to 4.702 inches depending if you use 326.4 or 325.5 ppi.

fair point...but do pixel fractions even exist? for instance, the i5/5S has exactly 640 pixels across so therefore the width of the screen is 1.96 inches based on the number of pixels. I always assumed the measurements were taken based on pixel count.

**nevermind I see what you are trying to say. If they measured one inch and didn't reach a round number of pixels they would round up or down. Got it
 
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