Considering bigger devices to be premium devices allows them to charge $100 extra on the Plus models. Would you want a 4" A9-based phone to cost the same as the 4.7" A9-based phone?
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New 4-Inch iPhone Rumored to Feature A8 Chip, Bluetooth 4.1 and More
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Actually 100% are "going for" the bigger phones - THAT'S ALL WE CAN GET (with top-line specs) from Apple! I bought my atrociuos iPhone 6 b/c they didn't offer a decent sized (3.5-4") phone! Sales numbers can't be used to imply market preference when the market doesn't have a choice.
Sell iPhones with identical specs in 3 sizes starting at the current entry price point ($649) and then we can let the market speak as to popularity of each size.
Why can't they just wait till the 7 comes out and release it then? Right now they are setting the product up to get axed. It will be
Entry:iPhone 6C (iPhone 5S Mark II) - A8
Middle: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus - A8
Flagship: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus - A9
Then following the pattern, it will go like this shortly after the phone releases in the fall..
Entry: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus - A8
Middle: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus - A9
Flagship: iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus - A10
Unless they keep the 5S in play and treat it like so
Entry: iPhone 5S - A7
Middle: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6C (iPhone 5S Mark II) - A8
Flagship: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus
Agh I don't know. I think axing the regular iPhone 6 Plus would be a good idea, no matter what happens when this new 4" phone releases. It would remove clutter from the lineup, and might get Apple more money. For example, the small 6S would be the same price as the large 6 and people would go: they cost the same and bigger is better, so I'll get the 6 Plus not the 6S. Above all Apple should just wait for fall 2016 not spring 2016 or whatever.
Entry:iPhone 6C (iPhone 5S Mark II) - A8
Middle: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus - A8
Flagship: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus - A9
Then following the pattern, it will go like this shortly after the phone releases in the fall..
Entry: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus - A8
Middle: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus - A9
Flagship: iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus - A10
Unless they keep the 5S in play and treat it like so
Entry: iPhone 5S - A7
Middle: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6C (iPhone 5S Mark II) - A8
Flagship: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus
Agh I don't know. I think axing the regular iPhone 6 Plus would be a good idea, no matter what happens when this new 4" phone releases. It would remove clutter from the lineup, and might get Apple more money. For example, the small 6S would be the same price as the large 6 and people would go: they cost the same and bigger is better, so I'll get the 6 Plus not the 6S. Above all Apple should just wait for fall 2016 not spring 2016 or whatever.
The size of the battery would impact significantly, are you sure you want that trade off?
If you look at the iPod touch gen 6, you will see it has the A8 and a larger battery, by just as smidge, than the gen 5. Larger displays require larger batteries for normal all day use. The newer SoC's are actually more efficient hence the iPhone keeps getting thinner because the batteries are scaling down while the chips are scaling up. There would be no problem putting an A8 or A9 in a 5s form factor and get all day performance with a commensurate battery.
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I sure would. The 6 is just to damn big and I hate it! Can't use it with one hand and it is very uncomfortable in my pocket. I'd pay the same price or more for a iPhone that was the same size as the 4s and had most of the same fetures (Mostly speed, Battery and Camara) Just make it a little wider and move the home button to the side so the screen could be bigger and you would have the perfect phone! F the 6.
I hope it has A9, iphone 6 design, but as thick as the current 5s so no protruding camera and bigger battery size, and remove the antenna lines and make it glass back at the bottom and top like the 5s instead. And i think it would be the best designed smart phone in the world.
The A9 will probably be reserved for the 6s/6s+ until the A10 arrives. One good thing about that is with so many A8 devices available for sale now (iPod touch 6, Apple TV 4, iPad mini 4, iPhone 6, possibly the "6c"), app/game developers will have to target the A8 for the next 2-3 years to make sure their apps/games perform well.
The real difference will be if it has 2GB of ram. I'm really hoping for 2GB and ideally the A9 processor. I really want to be able to buy another iPhone, so I hope this comes true.
This will be exactly the iPod touch 6G put into a phone body. They may even keep aspects of the coloured 5C by anodising the metal body.
A8, standard 8MP camera, upgraded FaceTime camera. ApplePay via Touch ID but no NFC (like the iPads Mini 3 and 4 and the Air 2).
This will be the entry level phone. It will not be an A9.
A8, standard 8MP camera, upgraded FaceTime camera. ApplePay via Touch ID but no NFC (like the iPads Mini 3 and 4 and the Air 2).
This will be the entry level phone. It will not be an A9.
Why even bother if you're not going to make it with today's features.
I have to agree with the others here that are upset the smaller devices get the shaft on the latest specs. If the iPad mini had the same specs as the "best" other iDevices at the time of release I would buy it. It bummed me out when the original mini had the iPad 2 specs, and led to a shorter life for the device for me. Why punish those who prefer the smaller device by holding back the latest processor or features? I love the size of my iPhone 6, but totally understand the frustration of some here.
Just don't make them rounded edges, and Ill buy it! 
Honestly I love the 5S design! And thats why Im going from my 6+ back to it.
I tend to just use my phone for calls, text, and Facebook. A 4" screen is more portable for me and Id be in a market for one if they refreshed the line.
Honestly I love the 5S design! And thats why Im going from my 6+ back to it.
I tend to just use my phone for calls, text, and Facebook. A 4" screen is more portable for me and Id be in a market for one if they refreshed the line.
The 4" phone should be priced a bit higher than the 6s. The design/materials should reflect the style over screen-size preference of this customer segment. I would certainly pay more for the cost of miniaturizing the components (state of the art battery).
There cold still be a cheap version for some markets
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I think there's a bit of misconceptions. Remember that Apple is all about margin.
The iPhone 5c was created because Apple probably looked at the material cost of creating the 5/5S at that time, and consider that it is not good for their margin to sell the phone at the dropped price ($99 with contract). Thus the "magical" idea of using plastic.
So before thinking about why Apple should offer an A9 or whatnot, let's think back about Apple's priorities, margins. We already know that Apple can offer the 6th gen iPod Touch starting at $199, meaning that the margin is justifiable for those component costs.
The iPhone 5c was created because Apple probably looked at the material cost of creating the 5/5S at that time, and consider that it is not good for their margin to sell the phone at the dropped price ($99 with contract). Thus the "magical" idea of using plastic.
So before thinking about why Apple should offer an A9 or whatnot, let's think back about Apple's priorities, margins. We already know that Apple can offer the 6th gen iPod Touch starting at $199, meaning that the margin is justifiable for those component costs.
They're gonna end up "delaying" this phone to the Fall as usual so that it could include the A9 chip and not be on-par with the iPhone 7's A10.
What would be the point of releasing an iPhone with an A8 next year when in three months the A8 would become the low-tier and a year after that stop being sold?
What would be the point of releasing an iPhone with an A8 next year when in three months the A8 would become the low-tier and a year after that stop being sold?
That would be fine. I'd suggest that reducing the size to 4" could well deserve a miniaturization premium, but I won't because I wouldn't want Apple to get any ideas.
So would I. As long as it has 2GB of ram. A9 would also be nice. Would rather an A9 processor over Apple Pay and 3d touch if I had to choose.
Maybe they could brand it iPhone Classic
I think this would sell better amongst the non- techie people.. The average person isn't really that much interested in the processor etc, they're interested in things like design. I know people who chose an iPhone because of 'Better cases' or, 'I liked the 5C colours' etc.
Yeah the 2GB of RAM will make a huge difference, but also having the A8 in a 4" device will also improve performance. I did a little calculation with the Geekbench scores and despite the A8 in the iPod Touch 6th gen being clocked over 20% lower than the one in the iPhone 6, it scores just under 15% less; so the A8 in a 4" iPhone (clocked the same as the iP6) should outscore the iPhone 6 by maybe 8%. I know it isn't much but its something. Graphics would be better too. But man what a beast the A9 would be in it!!!
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