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Other Possible to use a 6.1" iPhone with one hand?

MountainApple

MountainApple

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 24, 2011
25
5
HI
I was going to wait until iPhone 12 is announced, but it seems like the Pro model will be 6.1" instead of 5.8" like the 11 Pro. Question: how much harder is this going to make it to use the phone with one (not overly large) hand?
Currently still using a 6s, one thing I do like is its compact size and the fact that it fits in my front pocket. Would be curious to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
 
I’m sure a question like this will get some very different answers.
I’m probably not the best one to comment as at 6’8” I have very large hands and struggle to fit them in large size gloves. As such I have zero issues using a larger screen device.
My partner who has much smaller hands has no problems with the size of her XR either.
 
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I'm also tall (6'7") with large hands. On my iPhone 11 I can also reach the entire screen with just my thumb. My wife on the other hand, who is 5'4", has a hard time using anything larger than her 4" iPhone SE and always found the 4.7" phones too big for single-handed use. One reason is probably the way she holds her phone, which can make a big difference in reach, perhaps more than the screen size itself.

I switched from a 6s to my 11 and it did take some getting used to. But at least the actual phone isn't that much bigger so I didn't notice a big difference in pocketability.
 
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For me, using my 6,1” iPhone XR with one hand is doable but not comfortable. With the transparent TPU case that I use on it, it really is a stretch to reach the other side of the screen. Without the case it’s better, but I feel like the phone is just a little bit too wide. (The phone gets super slippery without a case so that’s not really an option for me.)

That being said, the iPhone 12 is rumored to have really slim bezels (even the non pro version), so I hope that might cut down the width of the phone. The dummy models actually look a little narrower, so that is what I’m hoping for!
 
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MrMacintoshIII said:
I have the strong suspicion that Apple has done it again, and the 6.1” 12 will actually be identically sized or very near to the iPhone X size. Here’s hoping anyway.
Click to expand...

For 12 Pro yes but for 12 Max no... There was a smaller bezels in Pro models - and 12 Pro and 12 will not have a same design. They have to differentiate Pro and non Pro models.
 
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I mean 12 Max..not Pro Max... If 12 6,1 and Pro 6,1 will have same bezels, same size and same squared design - only difference will be stainless steel ? That's not enough if you want to spend 300 €/$ more...
 
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imp3rator said:
I mean 12 Max..not Pro Max... If 12 6,1 and Pro 6,1 will have same bezels, same size and same squared design - only difference will be stainless steel ? That's not enough if you want to spend 300 €/$ more...
Click to expand...
That, as well as a third camera lens and a LIDAR scanner. Possibly a 120 hz display if we’re lucky. That is still a fair bit to differentiate the two, don’t you think?
 
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I'm 5'9 and change and had problem with the X/Xs/11 Pro 5.8" design even when in a slim TPU case. Could I use it one handed? yeah but not securely - I'd be constantly dropping it. What made it harder to use one handed wasn't just the size, but the size without the touchid button some of the gestures were hard to do one handed safely. So went back to my 7/8 and now on 2020 SE. I'm really hoping the 5.4" iPhone 12 will be in my sweet spot.
 
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imp3rator said:
I mean 12 Max..not Pro Max... If 12 6,1 and Pro 6,1 will have same bezels, same size and same squared design - only difference will be stainless steel ? That's not enough if you want to spend 300 €/$ more...
Click to expand...

except that the 12 Max will not have any of those things...
 
My fault - I meant "would be stainless steel?" I wanted to point out that apple add more features to Pro models.
 
headlessmike said:
My wife on the other hand, who is 5'4", has a hard time using anything larger than her 4" iPhone SE and always found the 4.7" phones too big for single-handed use.
Click to expand...
Similar experience here. 5'2" with small hands. Using the 4.7" iPhones already require some hand gymnastics and if I didn't have it in a grippy case (Speck Presidio Grip), I'd be constantly dropping it.
 
With a Loopy Case any big phone is super easy to use one handed even with small hands. I use one with my plus and even have one for my regular sized phone too... and I've got big hands.
 
now i see it said:
With a Loopy Case any big phone is super easy to use one handed even with small hands. I use one with my plus and even have one for my regular sized phone too... and I've got big hands.
Click to expand...

Yeah but then I’m stuck with a 3rd party case... I prefer naked phones anyway.
 
now i see it said:
With a Loopy Case any big phone is super easy to use one handed even with small hands. I use one with my plus and even have one for my regular sized phone too... and I've got big hands.
Click to expand...
Still doesn't solve the problem of small pockets. :p
 
MrMacintoshIII said:
I have the strong suspicion that Apple has done it again, and the 6.1” 12 will actually be identically sized or very near to the iPhone X size. Here’s hoping anyway.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I think they're likely refining what they already have for existing sizes (plus filling out the range with more options for people to choose from).

Talking of Apple doing it again – your avatar has reminded me… I'd really like them to take some bold colour/pattern risks like they did back with the 'Flower Power' and 'Blue Dalmatian' iMac and apply them to the iPhone (and Mac) ranges. They don't even have to start with those "out there" options. I'd be happy with something really bright like 'Key Lime', or the 'nano chromatic' iPods.
 
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orbital~debris said:
Agreed. I think they're likely refining what they already have for existing sizes (plus filling out the range with more options for people to choose from).

Talking of Apple doing it again – your avatar has reminded me… I'd really like them to take some bold colour/pattern risks like they did back with the 'Flower Power' and 'Blue Dalmatian' iMac and apply them to the iPhone (and Mac) ranges. They don't even have to start with those "out there" options. I'd be happy with something really bright like 'Key Lime', or the 'nano chromatic' iPods.
Click to expand...

I would totally love this.

Bring back Bondi Blue even!
 
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Depends how you hold the iPhone as well as size of hands. There’s always a time your going to need two hands
 
Also depends if you're going to use a case or not.

Some iPhones case-less are a dream to hold in one hand and are very secure. Like the iPhone 4/5/SE (mostly because of their small size), and surprisingly the iPhone X/XS with their glass backs, most especially the silver ones with the stainless steel frame. Although the iPhone X/XS are bigger than the 4/5/SE, they feel very secure in the hand.

This is not the case with the iPhone 11 Pro and their "frosted" glass backs. They feel very slippery and provide pretty much no grip at all. The iPhone 12 devices may change that with a combination of their flat edges like the iPhone 4/5/SE and hopefully a nice grippy glass back like the iPhone X/XS, best of both worlds.
 
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I can do most things on my Xr one handed, but I can't reach the upper corners. With reachability that issue is gone.

On my XS Max, it's still difficult to do things one handed with reachability because it's wider.

So I'd say the 6.1" iPhone should be easily usable with one hand with reachability enabled, and that is coming from someone with baby hands.
 
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its not comfy


that's why im wanting to replace my iphone 11 with iphone 11 pro


but since iphone 12 is coming


i will be buying that one
 
Definitely possible. Iphone Xr and iphone 11 were bigger due to the larger bezels, but the 6.1' iphone 12 pro with smaller bezels shouldn't be that much bigger than the previous 5.8' models.
 
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