Phil Schiller on iPhone XR Display: 'If You Can't See the Pixels, at Some Point the Numbers Don't Mean Anything'

[rafark]

Can you still read the text on the iphone?

yes of course. text has been readable since the first iPhone. That didn't stop us from being amazed by the retina display. There are still lots of ways screens can improve.

Do you have printed artwork near you right now? My dream is to get to the point where you can't tell whether it's printed or being rendered by a screen

 

[kre62]

yes of course. text has been readable since the first iPhone. That didn't stop us from being amazed by the retina display. There are still lots of ways screens can improve.

Do you have printed artwork near you right now? My dream is to get to the point where you can't tell whether it's printed or being rendered by a screen

What’s the point?

The jump from non retina to retina had a big impact on readability. Anything beyond retina will not have much of an impact. It may result is 2% more average enjoyment by those who actually care or notice.

 

[iMEric984]

$749 is “affordable” ... sure Phil, whatever.

Look at the tech inside the phone you get. People complaining about the stupid PPI when all past iPhones since the 4 had 326 on the non Plus models. Where were the complains then? For $750, you’re getting the best A12 chip, best camera out. IMO. Face ID. Pretty much everything the XS has besides OLED, 3D Touch, and telephoto camera.

Past iPhones like the 7,8 all started around $699. So for $50 more on an installment plan. It’s not expensive.

 

[_Refurbished_]

Why don’t the Xs and Max share the same low PPI to increase performance and keep their profit margins higher?

I’m not for PPI, but it seems a little hypocritical to defend one product while your other product offers what you’re saying doesn’t matter.

 

[imtoomuch]

Well that's not true and they know it! If it wasn't true Apple and other manufacturers wouldn't be going for more PPI with each release.

This dismissal of PPI is simply marking fluff to sell the lesser XR.

 

[verpeiler]

For the tech inside, it is...it's a bargain too.

Think about your smartphone. You take it wherever you go. It replaces your every day camera. It replaces your music player. Your alarm. Your web browser. You watch videos. You shop. You order things. You get support and software updates. You use it more than any device you own. You can use it for years. Is $749 really that expensive when it's such a useful device?

You can do all this (or even more and better) with phones half the price... take the P20 lite or, the new Nokia lineup or if you want something iPhone like: a OnePlus 6(T).

So no, it's not a bargain.

 

[Freida]

well in fairness, i can tell the differnce even on youtube vbr on 4k hdr 60fps on my phone as opposed to a 1080p stream

difference is, the xr cant display 1080p, so sorry but 720p youtube whilst okay on a £700-800 quid phone is taking the piss, people can spin it however they like, but the only people laughing are the apple board and shareholders, and it is at the customers expense.

I disagree but that doesn't matter. I'm more than happy to have 720p on my phone and 4K on my TV. Don't need anything different and I really believe people are just chasing the specs rather than anything else.

and in terms of the phone specifically, 720p will eat less data than 1080p or 4K so why using more when I can't see the difference? I would love to do control test with you and show you 720p 1080p and 4k and ask you which one is which. I doubt you would see the difference on such a small screen.

 

[dk001]

What’s the point?

The jump from non retina to retina had a big impact on readinility. Anything beyond retina will not have much of an impact. It may result is 2% more average enjoyment by those who actually care or notice.

Say it enough times and maybe you will convince someone somewhere.
The rest of us can see the difference and happen to like the higher definition display.
Still, enjoy it if that lower res is all you want.

 

[Baymowe335]

You can do all this (or even more and better) with phones half the price... take the P20 lite or, the new Nokia lineup or if you want something iPhone like: a OnePlus 6(T).

So no, it's not a bargain.

Do those run iOS?

Like I'm going to carry around a spyware P20 or a freaking Nokia...

 

[kre62]

Say it enough times and maybe you will convince someone somewhere.
The rest of us can see the difference and happen to like the higher definition display.
Still, enjoy it if that lower res is all you want.

I didnt say you cant tell the difference, im saying it doesn't matter as much as you think it does.

 

[neuropsychguy]

The issue isn't if near 720p is usable on a 6.1" display but the pricing at $750 starting when other 720p devices start around $50.

Congrats on causing me to literally laugh out loud at an online comment. It's been a while. You have a very dry sense of humor. Either that or you're practicing your trolling 101.

 

[StyxMaker]

For the tech inside, it is...it's a bargain too.

Think about your smartphone. You take it wherever you go. It replaces your every day camera. It replaces your music player. Your alarm. Your web browser. You watch videos. You shop. You order things. You get support and software updates. You use it more than any device you own. You can use it for years. Is $749 really that expensive when it's such a useful device?

We pay $400 for blenders in America.

I’ve never spent $400 on a blinder and I never will.

 

[torana355]

I cant see the pixels on my 1080p 55" TV so does that mean a 4k tv will look no better... Come on Phil.

 

[Justanotherfanboy]

I don't think Apple should try and go for the "more affordable" angle when it comes to a $749 phone...I mean it's technically true considering their flagship starts at $999, but still...it's $749.

Yup.
The EXACT same price as my 64gb iPhone 6S was 3 years ago... only people weren’t all huffy & whiny that year for some reason.

 

[cppguy]

I can see the difference between a 5K iMac and a 4K display. HD (1080) is completely unusable, it's like sand in my eyes. I can not only see the pixels, but even the gaps between pixels. I'm very comfortable using a 4K 27" display all day, and I don't find anything wrong with it. But a 5K display looks out of this world, noticeably more detailed than 1080, especially for text. Not as much for video. Watching 1080p video is alright, I only complain about HD text, which is borderline difficult to read, unless it's a special font designed for low resolution screens, like Microsoft Arial.

As for the iPhone, the original iPhone 4 was the big deal, and the first retina iPad. Everything beyond that is marginal improvement. It depends on your vision, though. I'm very short sighted, and without glasses I can focus an inch close, and see even the slightest imperfections. So my flawed vision may explain why I'm super picky about pixels, and crave for higher than 200ppi.

 

[Defthand]

I cant see the pixels on my 1080p 55" TV so does that mean a 4k tv will look no better... Come on Phil.

Good example. Some people are having a hard time understanding that logic. Nor can they explain why the higher ppi 4k display is more lifelike than the alternative.

Is there a limit to the benefits of ppi? Yes, when it’s no longer necessary to rely on anti-aliasing to create the illusion of vectors.

 

[netdudeuk]

Don't bring logic in here, when a new phone comes out you are FORCED to buy it!

If you have invested heavily in the ecosystem, use iCloud, etc., and need a new phone, then yes, there is a degree of pressure to buy from Apple again.

 

[StyxMaker]

No I say!!! Never!!! No way No how!!!!

Ooooooo... look at the pretty

So, the problem is that Apple makes products that a lot of people want to buy. How evil.

 

[dk001]

I didnt say you cant tell the difference, im saying it doesn't matter as much as you think it does.

No.... you really have no idea on what I think the impact / difference is to users.
That wasn't your original statement I commented on.

 

[Robert.Walter]

Sine would say Phil is full of ****.

I would just say that Mr Schiller’s statements are at best contradictory, and at worst insultingly disingenuous.

If pixels don’t matter, why rhapsodize about a gorgeous new screen in the Sr line of phones? Why even include it if it just jacks up the price with no benefit?

Everybody knows that the Jr line launched after the Sr line in order for the pent-up demand to be steered to that device. Unless the marginal unit profit in the Jr line exceeds that if the Sr line, we will never see a Jr launch before a Sr line product.

The when it’s ready is misleading. When one considers the lead times in such a segment and the necessity of launching in time and in quantity, and the fact that on the hallmark bread and butter items Apple generally keeps its cadence, it is misleading to make it seem like it is a coincidence these things happen. (There is no doubt a product roadmap that exists for the next several years that gets very accurate 2-3 years out and locked in 1-2 years out.)

I like Phil, but think, in general, these kinds of comments do damage to the authenticity of the Apple brand because they assume the customers are kinda stupid or ignorant.

Also, the naming conventions are kind of crappy. Sticking with 6, 6s, 7, 7s, is familiar to people and puts a psychological pressure to upgrade on folks as everyone likes, to some extent, to keep up with the Joneses; an abstract naming convention like X, XS, XR, destroys this for all but diehard detailed Apple fans.

 

[iMEric984]

You can do all this (or even more and better) with phones half the price... take the P20 lite or, the new Nokia lineup or if you want something iPhone like: a OnePlus 6(T).

So no, it's not a bargain.

It is a bargain. People value things differently. People like to complain that Apple charges $750 for. 720p screen. Where were the complaints from iPhone 4-8?? Same ppi. Except plus models. iPad Pro has a 264ppi screen. What you get with an Apple phone is years of software and security updates. You get hands down the best software experience without lag and bloat. You get the best customer service should a problem come. You also get the fastest chipset out, arguably the best camera out and a ton of other features.

Yes there are phones that are cheaper that can probably do most of what an iPhone can do. But it’s the above reasons why Apple continues to sell so many.

It’s just like comparing a Lexus to a Toyota. They both will get you there, but it’s how the Lexus gets you there better.

 

[kre62]

Sine would say Phil is full of ****.

I would just say that Mr Schiller’s statements are at best contradictory, and at worst insultingly disingenuous.

If pixels don’t matter, why rhapsodize about a gorgeous new screen in the Sr line of phones? Why even include it if it just jacks up the price with no benefit?

Everybody knows that the Jr line launched after the Sr line in order for the pent-up demand to be steered to that device. Unless the marginal unit profit in the Jr line exceeds that if the Sr line, we will never see a Jr launch before a Sr line product.

The when it’s ready is misleading. When one considers the lead times in such a segment and the necessity of launching in time and in quantity, and the fact that on the hallmark bread and butter items Apple generally keeps its cadence, it is misleading to make it seem like it is a coincidence these things happen. (There is no doubt a product roadmap that exists for the next several years that gets very accurate 2-3 years out and locked in 1-2 years out.)

I like Phil, but think, in general, these kinds of comments do damage to the authenticity of the Apple brand because they assume the customers are kinda stupid or ignorant.

Also, the naming conventions are kind of crappy. Sticking with 6, 6s, 7, 7s, is familiar to people and puts a psychological pressure to upgrade on folks as everyone likes, to some extent, to keep up with the Joneses; an abstract naming convention destroys this for all but diehard detailed Apple fans.

Apple talks about it because they know people like you THINK its important. Note the word think. So they say what it takes to make the sale. Same as any marketing campaign. In reality, PPI past retina for any screen size no longer matters. Sure, you may be able to see a slight difference, but in real, day to day life, it makes zero difference.

The phone is a tool. As long as you can read the text with little to no eye strain, you are good as far as display. OLED with PWM flickering actually is much worse from an eye strain perspective than the XRs LCD. So I'd say the XR is ahead from a utilitarian perspective. Add to that the better battery life, and you have a superior tool.

 

[WannaGoMac]

Apple talks about it because they know people like you THINK its important. Note the word think. So they say what it takes to make the sale. Same as any marketing campaign. In reality, PPI past retina for any screen size no longer matters. Sure, you may be able to see a slight difference, but in real, day to day life, it makes zero difference.

The phone is a tool. As long as you can read the text with little to no eye strain, you are good as far as display. OLED with PWM flickering actually is much worse from an eye strain perspective than the XRs LCD. So I'd say the XR is ahead from a utilitarian perspective. Add to that the better battery life, and you have a superior tool.

Nice. Unfortunately there is a sizeable contingent in these forums of basically trolls. No matter what Apple does it's wrong. PPI, ports, whatever. They just basically enjoy complaining

 

[boomer11]

imagine defending a company for making a 720 display in 2018 and charging 800 bucks for it

and then lying to yourself and saying you cant tell the difference from a 720p movie and a 1080p movie. yikes!

 

[kre62]

imagine defending a company for making a 720 display in 2018 and charging 800 bucks for it

and then lying to yourself and saying you cant tell the difference from a 720p movie and a 1080p movie. yikes!

XR isnt 720p and never was. Not surprising you just blindly believed something you heard.