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iPhone 7: 4", 5", 6" Mockup

macduke

macduke

macrumors G5
Original poster
Jun 27, 2007
13,680
21,205
This isn't really a prediction—just what some random guy on the internet (me) thinks Apple should do for the iPhone 7. Before we get started, here is the mockup:

1gL8f+


Since we're talking about the iPhone 7 and not the iPhone 6S, we're talking about a redesign in 2016. Apple hasn't really been shy about changing screen sizes every two years. They've made it fairly easy for developers to do compared to other platforms. These are simple 2D mockups done in Illustrator by modifying this vector file: http://www.titanui.com/42955-minimal-iphone-templates-psd-vector/. I haven't really addressed the overall design in this mockup, but for what it's worth, I think we might finally see unibody (no seams) using that "Liquid Metal" stuff but with a similar design aesthetic to the iPhone 6 and about the same thickness. This mockup is more about dimensions.

I'd like to see the iPhone 7 come in three sizes: iPhone Mini (4"), iPhone (5"), iPhone Plus (6"). As you can see in my mockups, by reducing the top and bottom bezel as well as slightly reducing the left and right bezel, you can save a ton of space. The biggest compromise is reducing the Touch ID to more of a pill shaped button. While Apple has a patent about Touch ID being incorporated into the display itself, and Apple is bringing "Force Touch" to the Apple Watch, I still think we won't see that solution until the iPhone 8 when they could cut out the bezel completely (and could maybe use an e-ink hybrid display to show a home button when locked). For now a button is more obvious and easier to do.

What's interesting in my mockup is that the iPhone Mini, despite having the same 4" screen as the 5S, is significantly smaller. It's actually a bit smaller than the 3.5" iPhone 4S and below (those devices have quite the chin!). This size is great for women and others who prefer a small screen size that fits into tight pockets. I know my wife and her friends would love this. The 5" and 6" sizes are also smaller than the 4.7" and 5.5" iPhone 6. For me I would absolutely love the 5" iPhone 7. The 5.5" Plus is just a little bit too wide (and long with the bezels which makes it slightly uncomfortable in my fairly loose-fitting jean pockets), but I do enjoy the larger screen. The 6" iPhone is for true phablet users, and comes in a size that is reasonable given the massive 5.5" iPhone 6 Plus.

So what do you guys think? Would it be nice for Apple to simplify the devices across the line? 4", 5", and 6" just sounds so clean and nice and Apple-like. It also covers every possible customer base (think Google Nexus now coming in at 6" and the many people who prefer the smaller 4" size). I think pricing them at $199, $249 and $299 also makes sense. I know squashing the Touch ID button isn't ideal but might be necessary to reduce the massive bezels. Hopefully by 2016 the technology will be available to make an accurate yet smaller Touch ID button, as well as reduce the bezels while including software to prevent accidental touches. I would also like to know if a redesigned 4" iPhone should match the others with a sleep/wake button on the side or have it on the top like older models? Might be better on the top so that it doesn't accidentally get pressed on a smaller, palmed device—despite not matching. Please let me know what you think!
 
Not sure I'd like the 4" iPhone having the lock button on the side. What about thickness? Hopefully your 4" will be the same thickness as the 5 so it can carry a beast of a battery too!

They won't switch to 5" and 6" though. It'd be a nightmare for apps, and you'd end up with fragmentation with 5 different screen sizes (they'd need to support 4.7" and 5.5" GUI sizes too).
 
Kilamite said:
Not sure I'd like the 4" iPhone having the lock button on the side. What about thickness? Hopefully your 4" will be the same thickness as the 5 so it can carry a beast of a battery too!

They won't switch to 5" and 6" though. It'd be a nightmare for apps, and you'd end up with fragmentation with 5 different screen sizes (they'd need to support 4.7" and 5.5" GUI sizes too).
Click to expand...

Thickness would be nearly the same across the line. I figure the 4" could be downclocked, but still plenty fast for a phone in 2016. I'm also hoping that by 2016, the A series chip process will be small enough that it won't use much power. Smaller components would also make more room for the battery. Combine that with advancements in the battery tech itself and I think the smaller 4" should at least get as much battery life as the iPhone 6, if not slightly longer given two generations of improvements.

I don't think switching to 5" and 6" would be too crazy. They've done it the past two redesign cycles. They could probably even scale the 4.7" up to 5" but run it @3X (459ppi) and do the same for the 5.5" up to 6" but give it true @3X (right now it's 1080p scaled up to 1242p) which would result in 422ppi.

The main point of my post wasn't so much about the specific size number but was showing how even bigger display sizes can result in a smaller device if you change the design of the bezels. That is pretty incredible. Sure I think that 4", 5" and 6" sounds cleaner and gives a better product spread. However Apple may very well stick with 4.7" and 5.5" but reduce the bezels in the next redesign. That would result in some quite small devices! And we know that Apple loves small devices.
 
Looks a little "samsungish"... but at this point, anything to GET RID OFF these fugle bezels!!!
 
Don't these look a bit similar to Samsung's designs?
Screen Shot 2014-12-29 at 2.00.03 PM.png Screen Shot 2014-12-29 at 2.04.51 PM.png

Also I believe the home button is Apple's trademark and they won't get rid of it anytime soon. They might however consider having an iPhone with a full screen front in the near future, with the screen itself capable of Touch ID and with a virtual circular home button.
 
macduke said:
Thickness would be nearly the same across the line. I figure the 4" could be downclocked, but still plenty fast for a phone in 2016. I'm also hoping that by 2016, the A series chip process will be small enough that it won't use much power. Smaller components would also make more room for the battery. Combine that with advancements in the battery tech itself and I think the smaller 4" should at least get as much battery life as the iPhone 6, if not slightly longer given two generations of improvements.

I don't think switching to 5" and 6" would be too crazy. They've done it the past two redesign cycles. They could probably even scale the 4.7" up to 5" but run it @3X (459ppi) and do the same for the 5.5" up to 6" but give it true @3X (right now it's 1080p scaled up to 1242p) which would result in 422ppi.

The main point of my post wasn't so much about the specific size number but was showing how even bigger display sizes can result in a smaller device if you change the design of the bezels. That is pretty incredible. Sure I think that 4", 5" and 6" sounds cleaner and gives a better product spread. However Apple may very well stick with 4.7" and 5.5" but reduce the bezels in the next redesign. That would result in some quite small devices! And we know that Apple loves small devices.
Click to expand...

I'd never switch TouchID for a swipe fingerprint sensor...which is what you've done here.
 
NT1440 said:
I'd never switch TouchID for a swipe fingerprint sensor...which is what you've done here.
Click to expand...

I never said it was a swipe sensor. For instance, a newer sensor could do higher-resolution scans in strips across the finger. I'm speculating that the higher resolution could account for the lower surface area to be able to authenticate that it really is the right person. Furthermore higher resolution scans could help mitigate problems such as that team that was able to make fingerprints from publicly available photographs. Future improvements could scan deeper into the skin with higher fidelity. Just press down like normal. It's still about the same width, maybe slightly wider. I also mentioned that you could nix the button completely by using Touch ID in the display with e-ink hybrid that could show the button outline even when locked combined with Force Touch from the Apple Watch, but thought it might be too soon to see a solution that advanced. Maybe not. I just think that iPhone 7 will be the redesign that significantly reduces the bezel and that's a big problem to overcome. I think Apple can do it—my solution is just one possibility. The point of this was more about showing how even larger displays can fit into a smaller footprint—reducing the bezel has a huge impact!
 
bezels and buttons seem so unreal.

I do believe apple can offer 3 different sizes next year, but not like these mock ups.
 
Yuck. If I had one of those everyone would ask, "Is that the new Samsung?"

I support shaving a little off the bezels, but not eliminating them completely. I personally don't mind them. Right now, there is a bit of space above and below the home button. Shave away this space and move the home button down (to make almost no room above/below the button while keeping it the same size/shape), shave away an equal amount for the top bezel, and shave away some of the side bezels, and it'd be great. I don't want to lose the iPhone look, it's so nice and uniform and I personaly find it kind of cool how this general front design has kept with us all this way from the first iPhone.
 
They will never switch to that style oh home button. Touch ID wouldn't work right because you only get a strip of the fingerprint instead of the more broad round image thats given now.

It also looks like a Samsung phone.
 
I think removing the top bezel is more likely than reducing the bottom bezel. I think the phone would look quite nice.

At first I thought I would want both top and bottom to be the same, then I tried and covered the top bezel and it didn't look too bad.

Come to think of it, when you put a photo in a frame, many people find it better if you frame it in such a way that the bottom has more space than the top. Doing so make the photo appeared grounded.
 
meistervu said:
I think removing the top bezel is more likely than reducing the bottom bezel. I think the phone would look quite nice.

At first I thought I would want both top and bottom to be the same, then I tried and covered the top bezel and it didn't look too bad.

Come to think of it, when you put a photo in a frame, many people find it better if you frame it in such a way that the bottom has more space than the top. Doing so make the photo appeared grounded.
Click to expand...

I prefer to have equal space on both sides for proportional reasoning.

IMO, there's no functional difference between the bottom bezel on an iPhone and the on-screen "bezel" of most android devices. Additionally, it gives you room to place your thumb when holding it sideways no matter which orientation it is in.

The home button is staying. And as long as the space for the home buttons needed, an equivalent amount of space for the top is staying as well.
 
Please accept my order for a quantity of Five iPhone 7 Plus Models.

While I'm enjoying my iPhone 6 Plus, as are the other four members of my family, we all want 6" displays after being treated to that wonderful spacious size on the two Nexus 6 models I bought for my son and I.

I like your delightful design with the compact radius corners, slim attractive bezels and ideal button placement.

Kudos for a job well done, Apple could use you to lead the way... :)

----------
macduke said:
This isn't really a prediction—just what some random guy on the internet (me) thinks Apple should do for the iPhone 7. Before we get started, here is the mockup:

Image

Since we're talking about the iPhone 7 and not the iPhone 6S, we're talking about a redesign in 2016. Apple hasn't really been shy about changing screen sizes every two years. They've made it fairly easy for developers to do compared to other platforms. These are simple 2D mockups done in Illustrator by modifying this vector file: http://www.titanui.com/42955-minimal-iphone-templates-psd-vector/. I haven't really addressed the overall design in this mockup, but for what it's worth, I think we might finally see unibody (no seams) using that "Liquid Metal" stuff but with a similar design aesthetic to the iPhone 6 and about the same thickness. This mockup is more about dimensions.

I'd like to see the iPhone 7 come in three sizes: iPhone Mini (4"), iPhone (5"), iPhone Plus (6"). As you can see in my mockups, by reducing the top and bottom bezel as well as slightly reducing the left and right bezel, you can save a ton of space. The biggest compromise is reducing the Touch ID to more of a pill shaped button. While Apple has a patent about Touch ID being incorporated into the display itself, and Apple is bringing "Force Touch" to the Apple Watch, I still think we won't see that solution until the iPhone 8 when they could cut out the bezel completely (and could maybe use an e-ink hybrid display to show a home button when locked). For now a button is more obvious and easier to do.

What's interesting in my mockup is that the iPhone Mini, despite having the same 4" screen as the 5S, is significantly smaller. It's actually a bit smaller than the 3.5" iPhone 4S and below (those devices have quite the chin!). This size is great for women and others who prefer a small screen size that fits into tight pockets. I know my wife and her friends would love this. The 5" and 6" sizes are also smaller than the 4.7" and 5.5" iPhone 6. For me I would absolutely love the 5" iPhone 7. The 5.5" Plus is just a little bit too wide (and long with the bezels which makes it slightly uncomfortable in my fairly loose-fitting jean pockets), but I do enjoy the larger screen. The 6" iPhone is for true phablet users, and comes in a size that is reasonable given the massive 5.5" iPhone 6 Plus.

So what do you guys think? Would it be nice for Apple to simplify the devices across the line? 4", 5", and 6" just sounds so clean and nice and Apple-like. It also covers every possible customer base (think Google Nexus now coming in at 6" and the many people who prefer the smaller 4" size). I think pricing them at $199, $249 and $299 also makes sense. I know squashing the Touch ID button isn't ideal but might be necessary to reduce the massive bezels. Hopefully by 2016 the technology will be available to make an accurate yet smaller Touch ID button, as well as reduce the bezels while including software to prevent accidental touches. I would also like to know if a redesigned 4" iPhone should match the others with a sleep/wake button on the side or have it on the top like older models? Might be better on the top so that it doesn't accidentally get pressed on a smaller, palmed device—despite not matching. Please let me know what you think!
Click to expand...

Brilliant!
 
I don't see Apple completely throwing away the 4.7" and 5.5" screen just two years after implementing them. We would effectively have Apple then supporting (with software updates) FIVE different screen sizes. Of course, they could just decide to drop 4.7 and 5.5 inch support completely, but that's just bad business and MORE "un-Apple-like" than clean, round numbers.

I don't hate your design theory, but I must say that it's basically already been done by Samsung; it looks more like a galaxy line device than and iPhone. While I don't personally take issue to that, I feel Apple might.

I am all for larger screens, personally, but not if the footprint is even larger than the 6 plus.
 
Bearxor said:
I prefer to have equal space on both sides for proportional reasoning.

The home button is staying. And as long as the space for the home buttons needed, an equivalent amount of space for the top is staying as well.
Click to expand...

I am glad you made the call. That settled it. Thread closed. :rolleyes:
 
meistervu said:
I think removing the top bezel is more likely than reducing the bottom bezel. I think the phone would look quite nice.

At first I thought I would want both top and bottom to be the same, then I tried and covered the top bezel and it didn't look too bad.

Come to think of it, when you put a photo in a frame, many people find it better if you frame it in such a way that the bottom has more space than the top. Doing so make the photo appeared grounded.
Click to expand...

When I think of the top bezel being smaller than the bottom bezel, I think this.

http://youtu.be/opVgMDtBecA
 
meistervu said:
That is an excellent post.

I didn't think of something to that extreme of almost no top bezel, but perhaps a 1/4 bezel would be practical as it gives your finger a bit of space to grab and leave room for a top speaker and front camera.
Click to expand...

Yeah I will admit that I was exaggerating a bit, if you didn't notice already haha. I still am just not a huge fan of
assymetry. I'm sure Apple could do something though to make it look good. It may take some getting used to at first but I may grow to love it, just like the iPhone 6 design. Oh and front facing stereo speakers on the top and bottom on iPhone and iPad would be lovely.
 
Can we not at least enjoy the iPhone 6 for a little longer.

This is potentially 21 months away.
 
The oval-shaped home buttons look too Sam****-like. I think that the large bezels on the top and bottom of the iPhone, as well as the round home button, are signature features of the iPhone that make it look great and stand out, being instantly recognizable.
 
iThingsGurl said:
Don't these look a bit similar to Samsung's designs?
View attachment 522131 View attachment 522132

Also I believe the home button is Apple's trademark and they won't get rid of it anytime soon. They might however consider having an iPhone with a full screen front in the near future, with the screen itself capable of Touch ID and with a virtual circular home button.
Click to expand...

How will TouchID work with small home button like Samsung? :apple:
 
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