March Launch for Slightly Thicker iPad 3? iPhone with 4-Inch Screen in Summer?

[Warbrain]

Any report that has a summer release for the iPhone should be discounted immediately. Consider who is running the company and how Apple maintains inventory and builds devices. A year cycle is perfect for ensuring you can produce and meet demand for the entire year and keep the cycle.

Would they be smart to have a summer date for people who can upgrade come February or so? Sure. But a year cycle is so perfect that there's no need to break from it.

 

[Mackbook702]

So my girlfriend was right...

I can confirm that

 

[Joshwawilson]

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Steve always said not to worry about cannibalizing yourself. If you don't, someone else will.

 

[telic]

Larger air, thinner pro ---> airo!

 

[mrklaw]

I don't know if I want a retina iPad. I don't hold it so close to me that it'd make a huge difference, and i'd rather the power of the A5/A6/whatever + GPU is used to make amazing games, rather than be needed just to push around more pixels that I don't need.

Does this mean it'll need a spec bump just to keep pace with the iPad 2? Haven't heard any rumours around new chips from Apple recently.

 

[vitzr]

Only 4"?

As you can see by the negative responses, one dare not be unique and fall out of lockstep with the hero worshipping masses. Expressing his or her own opinion is verboten.

Oh the hypocrisy of the "Think Different" camp.

I simply cant imagine why Apple is caving in at this late date. If they're not going to use a widely accepted size such as at least 4.3" than they might as well stop upsetting those who are so attached to a diminutive phone. Besides they're already hordes who are so mesmerized they actually compare it to the substantially larger and certainly more cumbersome iPad. It seems a bit bizarre really.

 

[kevingaffney]

Another boring tread. Of course there will be an iPad3 in March/April. Next iPhone wont be any sooner than 12 months after 4s. How many dozens more stupid repetitive articles like this one will we see on macrumours over next four months.

 

[macpeach55]

The MBP is the part of the story that interests me. My MBP is 3 years old next year and ready for replacement, and I want to stay with a 15" screen. The question will be if it is a bigger screen MBA or revamped MBP. I would be looking for more than 256 MB of Drive space, and that would make a MBA very expensive even if a larger than 256 MB SSD was offered.

 

[permol]

Apple gives up

Apple releasing a thicker iteration of a product!!??

Steve, did you hear that!?

This basically means that Apple gives up on miniaturization - a battle that has been going on since - at least - the 19-eightties

 

[skinnylegs]

For the record, It wont be called an iPhone 5.. it will be called the iPhone 6.. Can't believe people still call it that..

Then where did the iPhone 5 go?

 

[skinnylegs]

Seems to have worked pretty well for us so far.

I like the iPhones current screen size. Larger screens are what iPads are for. I'm less concerned with getting a bigger phone screen than fragmenting the iOS. If I wanted a fragmented operating system, I'd use an Android.

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It's the misfortune of being amongst Americans. Bigger is always better in this country. Stupid....

 

[happylucky]

iPad HD

OK - Just thinking out loud:

If Apple builds a "retina display" iPad - meaning one with the same pixel density as the iPhone4 (326PPI) and double the pixels of today's iPad (1024px x 768px ->2048px x1536px) that would equate to a form factor with a screen diagonal of about 7.8"...

True. Steve Jobs described Retina as "over 300 dpi", so if they only focus on passing 300 dpi the screen size could be around 8.5". However, shrinking the screen size is unlikely given other quotes by Jobs.

So they will most likely keep the current size and double the pixel density to 2048 x 1536, giving it a DPI of 264. Not passing the magical 300 dpi limit, they will simply call it iPad HD and promote it as having a high-res display.

 

[mrklaw]

True. Steve Jobs described Retina as "over 300 dpi", so if they only focus on passing 300 dpi the screen size could be around 8.5". However, shrinking the screen size is unlikely given other quotes by Jobs.

So they will most likely keep the current size and double the pixel density to 2048 x 1536, giving it a DPI of 264. Not passing the magical 300 dpi limit, they will simply call it iPad HD and promote it as having a high-res display.

They'll invent something like pixels per inch per angle of view or something. iPads are most usually held around arms length, so perceived pixels per degree of view is probably similar.

I still find the idea of a 2048x1536 10" tablet a bit crazy, given thats higher resolution than most peoples' home computers or HDTVs

 

[ChrisTX]

Then where did the iPhone 5 go?

Apples number scheme is a bit odd, but the next iPhone will be the 6th iPhone that has existed. The 5th iPhone thus far is the 4S, it doesn't have to be called "iPhone 5" to be the 5th iPhone so far. Not sure why so many people struggle with this. It's basic math really.

 

[nmork]

If the volume buttons on the next iPhone are like those in the render, I'll pass.

I have a 4G iPod touch and it's a pain in the ass to use the volume/lock buttons just because of their form factor along with the curved shape of the back.

Also: teardrop design for horizontal use/landscape mode = fail

 

[daveathall]

I think that they are correct when they predict a summer release for the new iPhone, I have said this before and stick by it.

I think that Apple will miss a trick if they release the iPhone 5 in the Autumn, many users will have bought the iPhone 4 in June 2010, if they have to wait 4 or 5 months after their two year contracts run out, they may jump ship to other more up to date phones. Apple won't have missed this, IMHO, iPhone 5 will be out at the end of June 2012.

 

[jimbobb24]

Even though my iPhone 4S sucks at the battery thing and only gets about 1/4 whatever Apple advertises, I'd still rather have it than an oversized clown phone.

 

[OneOkami]

i just don't get this bigger screen thing, i was in a phone shop on Saturday and the shelf was full of droid devices all 4" plus screens, i picked one up and instantly it was to big,it just felt wrong, i don't have a pocket that they would have gone in, a 4" iPod touch may work but not the phone.

Me neither. Every time I see or hold one that 4+" inch screen and just looks and feels too bulky. I love the relatively compact size and feel of my HTC Droid Incredible and am happy with the screen size. My phone goes everywhere with me outdoors along with multiple other items/devices and I don't want any extra bulk if I don't need it. If I feel the need to have a large screen on a mobile device I'll just get a darn tablet.

 

[davepilgrimus]

Any idea how much more the new iPad 3 will weigh? I know that sounds like a lame question, but as much gear as I carry on the airplane everything really does add up on these long flights.

I am excited though they will not be doing the teardrop design for the new iphone. That just seemed like the new iphone would be very uncomfortable in your hand with that design despite what Apple said.

 

[szolr]

Only 4"?

Go and play with an Android phone. When you've seen how awful the other features are you can come back to Apple and hear us say, "told you so".

 

[Riemann Zeta]

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I really hope that Apple doesn't abandon the current MBP in order to make all their machines super thin Air-like, SSD-only tinybooks. That would mean no more GPUs, just intel's on-die crap. Also, no more FireWire port, just USB and mini-TB.

 

[Kris400]

I just can't imagine Apple going the other way in terms of thickness. It's just absolutely against their philosophy, no matter how magical the technology may be.

Now that the Amazon Fire is out, I'd like to think Apple will strive even harder to get the weight of the iPad as low as they can go. I'd really like to see a 1 lb iPad.

The iPhone 3G was thicker than the original iPhone, but by such a tiny, tiny amount that it was only noticeable on paper. So it has happened before.

 

[Riemann Zeta]

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I just don't understand the drive to make all electronics thinner and thinner. The iPad 2 is less comfortable to hold than the first one because of the sharp 1 mm edges and the thinner glass screen is also far easier to scratch and damage.

Having it be a little chubbier means that it is more durable, has a bigger battery and a faster chipset.

 

[happylucky]

They'll invent something like pixels per inch per angle of view or something. iPads are most usually held around arms length, so perceived pixels per degree of view is probably similar.

I still find the idea of a 2048x1536 10" tablet a bit crazy, given thats higher resolution than most peoples' home computers or HDTVs

Well, the retina dispaly-concept is also dependent on veiwing distance, since it is actually about the pixels being indistinguishable to the human eye. I completely forgot this when posting my previous post.

For a dpi of 264 (2048x1536, 9.7"), a viewing distance of 33 cm (13 inches) or more is required to call it a Retina Display, so this is actually appropriate for an iPad.

But I totally agree. For a consumer device, the resolution is insane, only surpassed by 27" and 30" displays.

 

[Navdakilla]

I hope this is true, I want to sell all my stuff now and get all the new stuff