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jdlindsey7

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 4, 2010
256
193
Would it be difficult for Apple to release 2 screen sizes on the iPhone? It seems as is there are a large number of people on here that would prefer the 3.7"-4" screen, but I really do think there would be a market for a 4.7"-5" screen also. Is there anything, hardware/software speaking, that would keep Apple from doing this? If in fact it is a realistic possibility for them to do so, what do you think is keeping Apple from releasing 2 iPhones at once?
 
Will never happen, Apple would claim it to "confuse the consumer too much."
 
Its not a good ideal for multiple screen sizes for an iPhone. For an iPad, yes, its a great idea to have a 9.7" and 7.85".
 
Its not a good ideal for multiple screen sizes for an iPhone. For an iPad, yes, its a great idea to have a 9.7" and 7.85".

Why do you say it's not a good idea? I was thinking something like an iPhone 16GB-32GB (small screen) and the iPhone Pro 64GB-128GB (large screen). The pro could be $100-$200 more and be sold to a different market.
 
Would it be difficult for Apple to release 2 screen sizes on the iPhone? It seems as is there are a large number of people on here that would prefer the 3.7"-4" screen, but I really do think there would be a market for a 4.7"-5" screen also. Is there anything, hardware/software speaking, that would keep Apple from doing this? If in fact it is a realistic possibility for them to do so, what do you think is keeping Apple from releasing 2 iPhones at once?

Apple is not that smart. They make different sized MBAs, MBPs and iMacs but for some strange reason, they believe everyone should be thrilled with one size phone. Thank God every other phone manufacturer on the planet gets that one size doesn't fit all and gives consumers a choice. Just another reason Apple is getting burried by Android.
 
Very few would choose a smaller screen when talking about only a slight size different. Also price would have to be at least $150 difference. Now if we were talking current size vs 5+ inches, then that's a differ story.
 
Very few would choose a smaller screen when talking about only a slight size different. Also price would have at least be a $150 difference.

Now if we were talking current size vs 5+ inches, then that's a differ story.

I understand that the bigger version would be more costly, but that would be an excuse to charge an extra $150-200 and make a lot more money while appeasing the masses. I know a lot of people that think the phones over 4" are hideous but I prefer the 4.7"-5.5" range. That is way too large for some but would be perfect for me.
 
Apple is not that smart. They make different sized MBAs, MBPs and iMacs but for some strange reason, they believe everyone should be thrilled with one size phone. Thank God every other phone manufacturer on the planet gets that one size doesn't fit all and gives consumers a choice. Just another reason Apple is getting burried by Android.
I probably shouldn't respond to your trolling, but there's a significant difference between screen size differences on a computer and screen size differences on a mobile device, and all the more so with a phone. It is far easier to design a good interface for use on screens ranging from 13" to 27" than it is to handle even small differences between 3.5" and, say, 4.5". And introducing any deviation at all necessitates a layout which is fluid on whatever axis varies. This is not to say that it has to be a major issue (e.g. it shouldn't be a big challenge for a Twitter client) but it can be (e.g. various games, or apps which need a far more sophisticated interface).

Trying to accommodate the difference between a 4" screen and a 7" screen (let alone a larger screen) without some responsible adaptive design stages, is far more detrimental to app design (and is among the biggest problem with many 'tablet' apps for Android today).

While a completely unpredictable range of screen sizes for a platform at a small screen size does offer choice, by definition it does eliminate full cross-device support for anything but a layout which is adaptive on both the x and y axis, and that does reduce rhe interface quality of apps in many cases.
 
I probably shouldn't respond to your trolling, but there's a significant difference between screen size differences on a computer and screen size differences on a mobile device, and all the more so with a phone.

I stopped reading right there. Bottom line is every other phone manufacturer in the world can make screens from 3 inches to well over 5 inches and everything in between running Android. If Apple can't figure out a way to make iOS run on different sized screens, just proves once again why Android is miles ahead of iOS.
 
The iPhone is a tremendous cash cow for Apple, and they've learned that they can get by with doing very little upgrading to the basic model. They have no incentive to change as long as everyone keeps buying the same old design over and over again. So all of you clamoring for change, stop giving Apple your money!
 
Would it be difficult for Apple to release 2 screen sizes on the iPhone? It seems as is there are a large number of people on here that would prefer the 3.7"-4" screen, but I really do think there would be a market for a 4.7"-5" screen also. Is there anything, hardware/software speaking, that would keep Apple from doing this? If in fact it is a realistic possibility for them to do so, what do you think is keeping Apple from releasing 2 iPhones at once?

YES! This is hugely important for Apple. I made a post suggesting the same a few months ago and got down voted and slammed for suggesting it, like you are now.

It's now abundantly clear the consumer wants choice in the screen size of their smart phone.

Yes, I know it makes it hard for developers, can affect app quality, and it isn't *easy* to do. Well, since when does Apple do what's easy? They pushed the limits making the thin Air, the retina MBP etc etc ... to do well as they need to in the Smart Phone Industry they're absolutely going to have to offer two screen sizes.

Rumor is they're doing it now with the iPad, not that Steve or Apple necessarily wanted to, but they must ... to ensure getting the maximum about of tablet sales dollars.

I hope like hell they've been forward thinking enough to have this plan in motion for the iPhone, or at the very least they're working 24 hours a day now to catch up.

iPhone available in two screen sizes is an absolute must - ASAP
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Think about the developers, they already have to develop two screen sizes and also apple would have to start making specific firmware for 2 screen sizes. It'd be too tiring.
 
I stopped reading right there. Bottom line is every other phone manufacturer in the world can make screens from 3 inches to well over 5 inches and everything in between running Android. If Apple can't figure out a way to make iOS run on different sized screens, just proves once again why Android is miles ahead of iOS.

Then why aren't you miles away from the iPhone section?

One of the reasons that makes the iPhone what it is , is simply cause it's just one phone. Not a ton of variations of the lastest, just one every upgrade. So far it's been working for Apple, so don't expect them to make a thousand differ versions of the iPhone like HTC did with the EVO.
 
The iPhone is a tremendous cash cow for Apple, and they've learned that they can get by with doing very little upgrading to the basic model. They have no incentive to change as long as everyone keeps buying the same old design over and over again. So all of you clamoring for change, stop giving Apple your money!



Sure, Apple is sitting around, no incentive to change, no innovating, no forwar thinking ... if that's the case they'll be laying of thousands of Engineers soon I suppose.

:rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
I stopped reading right there. Bottom line is every other phone manufacturer in the world can make screens from 3 inches to well over 5 inches and everything in between running Android. If Apple can't figure out a way to make iOS run on different sized screens, just proves once again why Android is miles ahead of iOS.
And it's clear you didn't read what I wrote. Or at least made no effort to understand it.
 
Sure, Apple is sitting around, no incentive to change, no innovating, no forwar thinking

Thats correct. Name ONE thing they have innovated on the iPhone? Their last big major updates to iOS were features Android has had for years they just stole and renamed. Its been the same boring design and the same small size for years and iOS is still far behind Android. Thats why you are seeing this explosion of nearly a million Android phone activations a day.

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And it's clear you didn't read what I wrote. Or at least made no effort to understand it.

Ok, lets make this short and sweet. If Android can run on screens from 3 inches up to 7 inches on a ton of different sizes in between, why can't iOS?
 
Then why aren't you miles away from the iPhone section?

One of the reasons that makes the iPhone what it is , is simply cause it's just one phone. Not a ton of variations of the lastest, just one every upgrade. So far it's been working for Apple, so don't expect them to make a thousand differ versions of the iPhone like HTC did with the EVO.

I agree, SO FAR it's been working. ICS and JB are the first Android operating systems that can compete with iOS. I've used them both and I can honestly say they are the closest to iOS that Android has ever been. No longer is Android buggy and slow. The Android phones are now as close to the iPhone as they've ever been. The big beautiful screens, great cameras, and fast processors on Android now make choosing more difficult. I would rather use an iPhone because I enjoy the OS, but I just wish they would catch up somewhat in the screen sizes that's all.
 
The iPhone is a tremendous cash cow for Apple, and they've learned that they can get by with doing very little upgrading to the basic model. They have no incentive to change as long as everyone keeps buying the same old design over and over again. So all of you clamoring for change, stop giving Apple your money!

I genuinely hope you're trolling, otherwise, that's just ignorant.

There are several widely accepted arguments regarding why Apple doesn't produce phones (and even tablets) in multiple sizes:

1.) Apple isn't Samsung; they don't want to have a different phone for every person's idiosyncrecies. They just want to make the best phones. It's widely reported that Ives and fellows make dozens of working models of most Apple tech and finally decide which one is best, and that's the model that gets manufactured. For some people this is a weakness that Apple isn't the first to the party and doesn't have 4G, 3D, kickstand, bla, bla, bla, etc. I don't think Apple sees it that way at all.

2.) As has already been mentioned, there are also developers to consider with UI, pixels, ratios, and general standards of quality to be upheld. I think one can see with the upgrades to retina on iPhone, iPad, and now MBP, that these aspect ratios and pixel counts are a high priority.

Congrats if you read all of that and Happy 4th!
 
No they are not but given the recent news that Samsung has become the top mobile producer in the world and made more profit than Apple, they probably wish they were Samsung :)

I seriously and respectfully disagree. Apple has never been about mass appeal or market share. They've been about quality and profits. They don't look to play the game with Samsung, Nokie, HTC, etc. They try to change the game Look at the "smart phones" pre-iPhone as reference. They don't want to have50 different phones, they ant to have the best phone(s). I suspect that they see Samsung and it's infinite lineup, laugh, and think, "Enjoy those 10% margins."

Samsung-Mobiles-Digitally-Yours-www.setelecom.ca_.jpg
 
I seriously and respectfully disagree. Apple has never been about mass appeal or market share. They've been about quality and profits. They don't look to play the game with Samsung, Nokie, HTC, etc. They try to change the game Look at the "smart phones" pre-iPhone as reference. They don't want to have50 different phones, they ant to have the best phone(s). I suspect that they see Samsung and it's infinite lineup, laugh, and think, "Enjoy those 10% margins."

Image

No, they look at Samsung and they see a VERY serious threat to their empire, hence all the lawsuits to try and stop them. They see Samsung and Google eating up their marketshare and profits like crazy. They are scared.
 
Would it be difficult for Apple to release 2 screen sizes on the iPhone? It seems as is there are a large number of people on here that would prefer the 3.7"-4" screen, but I really do think there would be a market for a 4.7"-5" screen also. Is there anything, hardware/software speaking, that would keep Apple from doing this? If in fact it is a realistic possibility for them to do so, what do you think is keeping Apple from releasing 2 iPhones at once?

I do think there is a market for larger screen sizes. What may be holding Apple back is that it may affect developers. Apple has already marketed their iPhone display as a "retina display". A larger screen size that does not increase the resolution will no longer qualify as a "retina display" unless Apple can convince everyone that people using the larger phone will hold it farther away. If Apple increases the resolution instead, it could make developing the app more difficult for developers. They would have to consider a different resolution for their apps.

There are rumours of a smaller iPad coming out. Depending on how this device works out, it may be a model that they can use to make a phone that has a larger screen.
 
I do think there is a market for larger screen sizes. What may be holding Apple back is that it may affect developers. Apple has already marketed their iPhone display as a "retina display". A larger screen size that does not increase the resolution will no longer qualify as a "retina display" unless Apple can convince everyone that people using the larger phone will hold it farther away. If Apple increases the resolution instead, it could make developing the app more difficult for developers. They would have to consider a different resolution for their apps.

There are rumours of a smaller iPad coming out. Depending on how this device works out, it may be a model that they can use to make a phone that has a larger screen.

I'm not a developer so I don't know the difficulty they would face making apps to work on various screen sizes, but I think we would all agree that Apple is number one in the world in terms of the volume and quality of app and software developers. It seems lazy to say they couldn't handle multiple screen size because it would be too hard. We are talking about one of the greatest software companies in history here.
 
Ok, lets make this short and sweet. If Android can run on screens from 3 inches up to 7 inches on a ton of different sizes in between, why can't iOS?
My answer had nothing to do with whether iOS could do this. Apple could set that up if they wanted. It had everything to do with apps. But you couldn't be bothered to put the slightest effort into understanding what I wrote. Given your other responses, you probably don't care anyway. You're here just to troll.
 
I think it's a great idea that will never happen. One model with a smaller 3.5-4.0 screen and a larger model with a 4.3-4.8 screen. One of the main reasons it won't happen is it will cut into their massive profit margins. Two production lines will cost a whole lot more than just one. Not to mention R&Ding and two different models. It just isn't going to happen.
 
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