New iPhone Rumors Reiterate Claims of Smaller Dock Connector, No Change to Screen Aspect Ratio

[Heilage]

I want to see something new. Something that makes me go "Wow, I want that.". A cool new design and some kick-ass features.

But hey. If they don't, I'll just buy a different brand.

 

[fabianjj]

Well, that would obsolete a lot of very expensive docking devices like speaker systems which can run into the hundreds of dollars. I for one would not be happy, but I really do not see this happening. The Apple connector standard is now ubiquitous in the market from speakers to cars. I just don't see it happening. There is no benefit to Apple and it would slow adoption through upgrade.

I'm sure Apple would love to sell you a $50 adapter for that

 

[grahamnp]

The current dock connector has been around for almost 10 years now, to have them change the design after so long is not unreasonable. The main advantage of this would be the freeing up of space for more internal components which I am okay with. I would much rather they do this than increase the physical size of the phone the way Android phones have ever increasing screen sizes that actually stretch the footprint of the device.

 

[nfl46]

Making phones bigger is 'progress'?? That's funny because 15 years ago making phones ever-smaller was considered progress. No, it's just the latest fad. Apple could so very easily have made the original iPhone bigger—there's nothing difficult or magical about that—but they didn't. They chose the size that they obviously believed provided the best balance between screen real-estate and ergonomics, and many users happen to think they got it pretty right. (I wouldn't mind seeing the screen slightly bigger, but not if it makes the device any wider.)

Yes, it's making progress. Have you tried watching Netflix on a 3.5"? If so, it's horrible. Have you tried it on a 4.3" screen? It's much better. We use our phones for media consumption way more than 2007. We NEED a bigger screen.

Sorry, but the current overall size is perfect for MOST people. If they can keep the phone the same size and increase the screen size, then I'm all for it. Otherwise, stop whining and just go buy a ridiculous Samsung Note.

Large screen devices are only selling well in the US, where for some stupid reason dick size matters, ie. SUVs; Most every place else in the world, mobility and efficiency rule, unless those options aren't practical and a larger off road vehicle is required... that doesn't mean driving to Starbuck's for a coffee or traversing through the McDonald's drive-thru for another Big Mac.

Unless you're blind or have huge fat fingers, large screen phones that you need to carry around with you are just added bulk and a nuisance.

For most people? You would have done better saying iOS users. And thats what I'm talking about, I don't mind if they keep it the same size, just increase the screen size. I'm not saying they need to make the phone thicker, etc.

 

[JFKinDC]

Throw away society

I do not like the idea of another port. I have spent hundreds of dollars on iPhone, iPad and iPod speakers and chargers for office, home and car. I can only imagine the tons and tons of waste that will go into the landfills just because of a single new connector. What about Europe's effort to make all mobile devices use the same plugs and chargers. If anything a new iPhone connector would just be adding yet another kind of plug to the mix.

 

[JForestZ34]

If they do change the dock connector, I hope it is to a Magsafe design. No more knocking devices off a surface if you catch the charging cable (which is too short anyway).

I think to have a magsafe connector on the iphone would be a waste cause the iphone is way to lite to be able to work the way it should...



James

 

[Rocketman]

I do not like the idea of another port. I have spent hundreds of dollars on iPhone, iPad and iPod speakers and chargers for office, home and car. I can only imagine the tons and tons of waste that will go into the landfills just because of a single new connector. What about Europe's effort to make all mobile devices use the same plugs and chargers. If anything a new iPhone connector would just be adding yet another kind of plug to the mix.

While all that is true, a new incompatible plug is a pretty cheap and reliable way to add a brick to the wall of the walled garden, while adding some insanely great RDF perceived value. TB will do that no matter the strategy, so whether it is an existing 30 pin plug with a couple of enabled leads, or an entirely new plug requiring an adapter for legacy Apple Ecosystem products, we can expect Apple to go down that path. FW, FW800, MDP, TB, and even the magnetic power cord, all proprietary with limited non OSX adoption.

Possible addition of micro TB plug to make it a pass-thru device. Enabled by adding TB to forward 30 pin devices. or a new/new plug converter dongle.

Rocketman

 

[rotax]

Thunderbolt is not designed to fill the role of USB. It's made to cover the niche market of high speed data transferring such as external SDD's, HDD's, external GPU's/Apple Cinema Display and other things of that nature.

Apple's Displays have USB, Ethernet etc. over Thunderbolt. Would be great to do anything that reduces sync time when restoring a device etc.

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I think to have a magsafe connector on the iphone would be a waste cause the iphone is way to lite to be able to work the way it should...



James

Wow, I love that idea. especially for all the 3rd party docs i.e bose etc

 

[fabianjj]

Here's why I don't think that would be smart. Let's take an analogous situation. Think back to 4:3 TVs. When widescreen DVDs were released, you had one of two things happening on your TV screen. Either the DVD player would distort the image by squishing it into the screen or the DVD player would have to display the image with two horizontal black bars above and below the image. Similarly, when you try to display a 4:3 image on a 16:9 or 16:10 screen, either you need to squash the image, or you need to display two vertical black bars on the left and right of the image. The only other possibility in either of these circumstances is to cut up, or blow up, the image to fit the screen. Neither of these scenarios yields an optimal and elegant result. They are all terrible and ugly. The moral is: You don't want to force the native resolution of one screen onto another screen with a different native resolution that isn't optimally suited for the first screen's resolution. That strikes me as a non-starter and I don't think Apple would ever allow such a thing. If you can point to precedent showing otherwise, I'll happily retract my claim.

So where does that leave us? Well, that would mean each app would have to be designed, in its layout, for each display. That introduces a lot of fragmentation into the iOS environment. Tweaking the layout is very different from simply quadrupling the resolution of the images yet keeping the same layout. That is precisely why the work done to go from low-res to high res was small and pale in comparison to having to design software for 3.5" iPhones and design software for all other sizes at the same time. The same reasoning applies to iPad and the rumored 7" mini iPad.

But most apps are largely made up of scrollable lists, if the horizontal resolution remains the same adjusting to a greater height would be rather trivial.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

Yes but that is different, and I'll explain why in a moment.

Here's why I don't think that would be smart. Let's take an analogous situation. Think back to 4:3 TVs. When widescreen DVDs were released, you had one of two things happening on your TV screen. Either the DVD player would distort the image by squishing it into the screen or the DVD player would have to display the image with two horizontal black bars above and below the image.

I believe articles have been posted on this very site that have made mention that they could enlarge the screen without doing that. It just all depends on what size they do. I would expect any size increase from Apple to be on the conservative side. So I don't see this as an issue at all.

That day may be this Fall, when they release the new iPhone, but so far as I can tell, right now, there isn't any advantage to these bigger screens as far as making a better phone is concerned. The downsides outweigh the pros. When the scale turns, things may be different.

There might not be an advantage to you, but there would be to me..and frankly Apple as in addition to all the other Apple products I have bought, I would now buy an iPhone too. This size issue is the one thing holding me back. And yes, it IS that important to me. It is a dealbreaker. I will never go back to a smaller sized screen. Not now, not ever.

Making phones bigger is 'progress'?? That's funny because 15 years ago making phones ever-smaller was considered progress. No, it's just the latest fad.

It's not a fad...it's called USEFUL SCREEN REAL ESTATE. I don't know why people don't understand this. I suspect they have never used a phone with a larger screen and do not understand the benefits.

Sorry, but the current overall size is perfect for MOST people. If they can keep the phone the same size and increase the screen size, then I'm all for it. Otherwise, stop whining and just go buy a ridiculous Samsung Note.

So I'll ask the question again that no one ever seems to answer...why should someone have to go to an entirely different platform in order to get a larger screen? That notion is ridiculous. (and a lost sale too).

Unless you're blind or have huge fat fingers, large screen phones that you need to carry around with you are just added bulk and a nuisance.

Well then, perhaps you will be singing a different tune once you get older and your eyesight gets worse. The selfish single minded mindset around here really astounds me. There's no reason that there cannot be different sizes for different people's needs. There are different sized clothes, for a reason...different sized everything. There is nothing about this product that warrants it being only in one size and by doing so, Apple hands over customers (like me) to the competitors by default.

 

[bit density]

Thunderbolt is an i/o standard. It's a competitor to USB 3.

No, it's not. It's an external expression of the PCI bus which is specific to Intel system design.

And it is absolutely reasonable that devices to hook up to that are designed to understand that they are hooked up to that.

These are not things to be put willy nilly into all sorts of things, and they are not competitors to other devices. They solve specific kinds of problems to specific kinds of computers. It is not an alternative nor a competitor to USB 3.

 

[iMacoo7]

I think that the screen size will be lessening the bezel portion. Highly doubt they will enlarge the phone. Maybe they will use one of the awesome designs that were rising last year before the 4S came out... Only time will tell

 

[ftaok]

I think to have a magsafe connector on the iphone would be a waste cause the iphone is way to lite to be able to work the way it should...

Wow, I love that idea. especially for all the 3rd party docs i.e bose etc

Mag-safe connector on a data capable connection is a bad bad idea. The last thing you want on a data cable is a easy way to disconnect. You could easily have loads of data getting corrupted.

If you limit the mag-safe connection on devices that don't sync, then perhaps it'll work. But otherwise, it's a bad idea.

 

[kingtj]

Not necessarily ...

The right way to implement a new dock connector would be by selling an adapter to plug in to the bottom of the new iPhones to allow using them with existing accessories. A few things still might not work, if the iPhone can't fit into them properly with another bit of plastic on the bottom -- but I would think it could be designed to work with 90% of the gear out there, even if it didn't look real pretty.

Well, that would obsolete a lot of very expensive docking devices like speaker systems which can run into the hundreds of dollars. I for one would not be happy, but I really do not see this happening. The Apple connector standard is now ubiquitous in the market from speakers to cars. I just don't see it happening. There is no benefit to Apple and it would slow adoption through upgrade.

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I think there's such a thing as an "ideal size" for a touchscreen phone.... That doesn't mean it's a size that pleases *all* customers, but it's one that appeals to the vast majority. You reach a point where it makes more sense to lose a few sales to the "outsiders" who disagree than to spend what it costs in manufacturing and marketing to maintain two product lines, just to please the exceptions to the rule.

As successful as the iPhone's current design and size has been, I think Apple's realizing that they can still tweak it a little bit, making it a bit larger without the phone looking and feeling really big in one's hand or pocket - so that's what they're doing with the 5.

Having used some of the larger screen phones (such as the Samsung Galaxy sII), I think they're really too big. Sure, bigger screens are easier to see and work with -- but the tradeoff is carrying around a device that's so wide, it's more like the dimensions of a paperback book than a phone.

If you're in the minority who thinks such phones are the absolutely smallest they can tolerate? Great, go buy one of them! I don't think Android is the worst thing around, anyway. You'll still be able to use the vast majority of the apps you know and love on iOS....

I'm just saying, I support Apple if they decide to go for an optimal size that's the best possible compromise for the majority of users, vs. offering multiple sizes/shapes.

 

[JohnDoe98]

But most apps are largely made up of scrollable lists, if the horizontal resolution remains the same adjusting to a greater height would be rather trivial.

Yeah, the cheap disposable apps, perhaps. What about the quality apps?

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I believe articles have been posted on this very site that have made mention that they could enlarge the screen without doing that. It just all depends on what size they do. I would expect any size increase from Apple to be on the conservative side. So I don't see this as an issue at all.

Yeah, advocates of larger screens have suggested a way to make it possible, but they aren't the ones who need convincing. The question is would Apple be satisfied with these half-measures?

There might not be an advantage to you, but there would be to me..and frankly Apple as in addition to all the other Apple products I have bought, I would now buy an iPhone too. This size issue is the one thing holding me back. And yes, it IS that important to me. It is a dealbreaker. I will never go back to a smaller sized screen. Not now, not ever.

Right, but if Apple is managing to sell all the hardware it is capable of producing, there isn't really a need to try to target people like you. Their current client base is already sufficient.

It's not a fad...it's called USEFUL SCREEN REAL ESTATE. I don't know why people don't understand this. I suspect they have never used a phone with a larger screen and do not understand the benefits.

Or those "benefits" aren't actually useful to us and the benefits of a smaller device outweigh greater screen real estate.

So I'll ask the question again that no one ever seems to answer...why should someone have to go to an entirely different platform in order to get a larger screen? That notion is ridiculous. (and a lost sale too).

Why should Apple care about you going to another platform if it still sells out?

 

[Mark Booth]

So? Because you have a custom made product, Apple shouldn't do what they think is best to improve their products?

So if I just made myself custom case for my iPhone, I should probably not expect Apple to re-design the phone, just for me!

No. Even if they do change it, companies will run like mad to design something fitting for the new design, and soon enough, they will all have made a new product fitting for the new device.

I mean... Things change, it happens. Some people lose, yes, but some people win. It always happens.

I never said Apple shouldn't make a change. I said I WON'T BUY IT!

That said, the "new dock connector" news is all speculation and rumor. The EXACT SAME speculation and rumor that preceded the iPhone 4S release. Given the large number of vehicles and other devices that use the existing dock connector, I find it incredibly difficult to believe that Apple will make the change.

Mark

 

[b166er]

I really don't care about the dock connector. The only time I plug my phone in is to charge it. Everything else is done wirelessly for me so no reason to resist a new hardware on that front.

I don't really care about the design either. If the specs on the inside are good, I'll buy it. The iPhone 4/4s design has worked out just fine for me. I wouldn't mind a rounded back like the other versions had but either way I'm good.

As for the screen debate- it's tired. Plenty of people want a bigger screen and just as many don't. It's not up to us. No use speculating on it now, we'll find out soon enough.

 

[manu chao]

I don't mind if the dock connector is smaller or not, I'd rather they focus on implementing a new Thunderbolt connector for the iPhone (and all iDevices in the future). They need to push on it a bit more, and what better way than with their own products? Make it the standard.

So, currently the iPhone uses 10% of the bandwidth of USB 2 but adding TB (of whose bandwidth the iPhone would use 1%) would help TB? Why not add TB to keyboards and mice?

There is only one single reason to add TB to a slow devices: if it allows you to retire the current interface from your computer. Adding USB to mice allowed for the elimination of the serial or ADB ports on computers, adding TB to mice won't allow for the elimination of USB ports from computers, thus there is no point at all to add them.

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While this may or may not be true, with capacities of iDevices getting larger, a Thunderbolt sync would be amazing. USB 2.0 is way too slow for large syncs.

The point is that the iPhone and iPad are by themselves still to slow to coming close to actually hitting the USB 2 bandwidth limit.

 

[Djs621]

**** will hit the fan if Apple doesn't redesign the next iPhone.

with us the geeks it will hit the fan.. But the 99 percent could probably care less. However, it's undeniable that updating the hardware would create new excitement and build on it's already ridiculous success

 

[manu chao]

In a perfect world Apple would make every size, shape, and color we could imagine, with all the hardware included within it customizable.

A world in which Apple would, eg, make an 11", a 12", a 13", a 14", a 15", a 16" and a 17" Macbook would not be a perfect world. It has been proven time and again that too much choice makes consumers less happy (they feel more stressed when making the purchasing decision and they later have nagging thoughts about having chosen the right one).

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So is FW and the FW on the original iPad was superior to the current USB 2 based dock connector in the speed aspect. Like FW and USB, TB is hot swappable so I'm not really sure what you are trying to say when it uses "daisy chain".

That is not correct, FW400 was much faster than USB 1, which was still what 95+% of all new computers had when the original iPod was released. The move to USB 2 later did not lead to speed reduction. No iPod or iOS device has come close to saturating the USB 2 bandwidth in my experience.

As far a the price of cables, when FW and USB first came out the cables were the same price as TBs are now adjusted for inflation.

Active cables (that have a chip inside) will always be more expensive than cables that just route wires.

 

[blairh]

I could be dead wrong here, but I find it impossible to believe that Apple is 'in limbo' regarding the next iPhone. I think the decisions were made last year as to what we will all see this fall.

 

[Nightarchaon]

Well, two things i love about these "rumors" are that people are either SO opposed to a larger screen, or so FOR a larger screen, no one seems to want to mention that perhaps apple could run two iPhones side by side , a large, samsung galaxy SII or SIII sized iPhone, along side a similar to the existing iPhone 4s, that way they could release a new large phone , with a small doc connecter etc that was to big to fit into many accessories etc(whilst still introducing a new doc connector and giving third parties time to make new equipment for it), and keep the smaller phone with the existing doc connector in it for people with all the mac-centric hi-fi equipment and in car stereos .

I for one buy my Hi-Fi and In car audio equipment with USB connectivity and use a USB stick mp3 player i keep on my keyring to play my music, My phone and iPad are too full of apps and video to have space for music as well.

 

[iEvolution]

You want internet on the go with a screen bigger than 3.5"? The answer is simple. Get an iPad with 3G capability.

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yeah because a 10 inch device is totally portable vs a 4 inch iphone, apples to oranges my friend I cant fit an ipad in my pocket.

a bigger screen makes sense I cant fathom why some of you want the phone to remain at an outdated size of 3.5. I know of another company that didn't continually advance their product and look where they are at. (RIM)

 

[StyxMaker]

Well then, perhaps you will be singing a different tune once you get older and your eyesight gets worse. The selfish single minded mindset around here really astounds me. There's no reason that there cannot be different sizes for different people's needs. There are different sized clothes, for a reason...different sized everything. There is nothing about this product that warrants it being only in one size and by doing so, Apple hands over customers (like me) to the competitors by default.

I am older, and my eyesight has been 'worse' for most of my life. Buy a pair of glasses, that's what I do. The only reason for there being, or not being more choice in the screen size for the iPhone is what Apple decides will be profitable for them.

 

[champ01]

I want to see something new. Something that makes me go "Wow, I want that.". A cool new design and some kick-ass features.

But hey. If they don't, I'll just buy a different brand.

Please do buy another brand if thats how you look at it.
The wow factor is the total package. (thats why I buy Apple stuff in the first place)

I love the design. (hated the leaked pictures at first) Can it be better? Sure.

If the iPhone 4s wasn't out would you still buy the iPhone 4?
In my opinion nothing on the market can compete with the total satisfaction that Apple offers, Starting from the first iPhone up until the latest model.

Do we all like to use a bigger screen? Yes of course we want that.

Do most of us wanna carry around a bigger mobile phone? Hell no!

What I want over anything else is better specs.
Better camera, longer battery life, higher volume on speaker, video in & output and of course the usual boosts.

All that good stuff combined with iOS 6.0 and Apple proves once again to be the ultimate winner.