Size Question For Long Time iPhone Users

[Siamese_Dream]

I was hesitant to post this so please show a little mercy. The topic as a whole has been beaten like a dead horse but I want to take just a minor different approach.

For those of you who have always been iPhone since the early days with minimal experimenting with the competition, how do you feel personally about the two sizes we are offered. Do any of you feel conditioned to the smaller phone? In other words, have you tried the 5.5" and felt odd, or off, using a phone that size?

The reason I am not as interested in former android users is because I am sure many have switched over because of the larger screen sizes. I am a big boy. I am 6'8" 340 with mitts the size of hubcaps and STILL cannot seem to get used to the feeling of wielding the 5.5" version. And it sucks because that is where the premium specs reside. Just curious the thoughts and feelings of long-time users now with a 4", 4.7", and 5.5" having been accustomed to 3.5" and 4" for so many years. Thank you for sharing.

 

[T5BRICK]

My first iOS(actually iPhone OS, at the time) based device was the first gen iPod touch. It was a neat gadget. If I recall correctly, most of the time I owned it, I had it jailbroken.

Then I got an iPhone 3GS a few years later when it was time to upgrade from my old dumb phone.

After that I picked up a 4s. About 18 months in, I was absolutely sick of iOS and the tiny screen on the 4s so I sold it.

I bought a HTC One to replace the 4s. The iPhone 5 was available, but the slight increase in screen size over the 4s just wasn't enough. That HTC was absolutely incredible, everything about it. Well, except for the camera, it was garbage. I dropped it after about 6 months and destroyed the screen.

I ended up with an iPhone 5s simply because of TouchID.

When Apple announced that they were finally putting decent sized screens in their phones in 2014, I sold the 5s and bought a 6+. There is no way I'd go back to a sub 5" screen.

 

[Abazigal]

Being a current 6S+ user who recently went back to a 5s for a week while waiting for Apple to replace my phone, I can only say that there are pros and cons for each.

The 5s is smaller and lighter and I barely feel it in my pants pocket. I can handle it in one hand with no problems. No problems whipping my 5s out and taking a photo with one hand. I find I also prefer the "blockier" form factor of the 5s. It certainly has its charm still.

However, typing on the small keyboard felt cramped after being used to a larger keyboard all this time.

The 6S+ is larger and the extra screen estate really helps when browsing the web, reading documents and typing out stuff. But it's also heavier and bulkier and there are times when I am running with it in my pocket and am genuinely afraid that it might suddenly fall out. Barring typing (that's where Siri comes in), I find I can still use the 6S+ with one hand fairly comfortably but the smaller 5s just feels more secure in hand.

No right answer for me here.

At the end of the day, the 6S+ won out because it has all the best specs.

 

[M. Gustave]

I'm not a big guy, and I don't have big hands, but I took to the 6s+ immediately. For me the iPhone is a productivity tool, and I can't imagine going back to the smaller screens.

 

[JerTheGeek]

I'm in the same boat as many this time around, I have a 6 and am getting a 7 this year and wondered about which size. I've mentioned this before, that for me personally, I'll always wonder about the other size if I haven't tried it, so I'm gonna try the Plus for the first time, give it a shot and see how I like it. After a week or even just a few days I'll likely either love it and never want to go back or hate it and want the 4.7", in that case I'll simply return it and swap foe a regular 7.

 

[BrettApple]

I'm all over the map but I started out on iOS 3 with a 3rd gen iPod touch and went from there.

Spoiler: Phone History

HTC Incredible 3.7"
Samsung Galaxy SIII 4.7"
iPhone 4S 3.5"
iPhone 5 4"
iPhone 5C 4"
BlackBerry Z10 4.2"
HTC One M8
Moto X 2014 5.2"
iPhone 6 Plus 5.5" with huge bezel
iPhone 6S 4.7"
HTC 10 5.2"

Non phones
3rd gen iPod touch '09-'10
4th gen iPod touch '10-'15

Personally for me I think the sweet spot is 4.7"-5.2". That being said, I did just order an iPhone SE. It is mostly to accompany my HTC 10, but may replace it. I absolutely love the size of the 6S and up to about the 5.2" 10. I owned a 6 Plus for a nearly a year throughout most of 2015 and while I liked the screen I didn't like how hard it was to hold and to pocket. I had used an LG G3 for a short time before it and it also had a 5.5" screen but with none of the gigantic bezels that the 6 Plus has and it felt so much better. I sold it and went with the 6S from November to July of this year and it was great.

I was certainly trained on and used to the 3.5" form factor of my iPod's that I used extensively alongside my Android phones since VZW didn't get the iPhone till much later and the 4S and later 5's that I had. I never really complained about it either, particularly once the retina display came along. Going back to using a 4" SE will be interesting but I think my brain will adjust to typing like it has for some 7 years on smaller screens before jumping to the latest phones. My main reason for it is actually to try and get me off my phone rather than using it all the time. I want my phone to be more of a tool than an entertainment device so I can pay more attention to the world around me.

Just curious the thoughts and feelings of long-time users now with a 4", 4.7", and 5.5" having been accustomed to 3.5" and 4" for so many years. Thank you for sharing.

My thoughts are that 4.7" is the sweet spot for usability. 5.5" is "OK" but not optimal for a regular sized hand and for the most part demands both hands. You can one hand it but it can start to cause strain on your hands after a while where the iPhone 6/6s does not. 4.0" is now quite small but fits great in the hand and is hardly noticeable in a pocket but doesn't make as good of an entertainment device and browser.

 

[eyoungren]

I came from Samsung flip phones to a Sanyo Katana to an HTC Touch Pro. The TP was advertised as yet another 'iPhone killer' so I was disappointed to find out that the 3GS I got from my sister was in every way bigger and better than my Touch Pro.

That disappointment was because at the time I couldn't use the 3GS as a primary phone. When the iPhone 5 came out I replaced the Touch Pro with that phone and was pleased to discover how much larger my 5 was than the 3GS.

When Apple launched the 6 series, I got the 6+ because I wanted a larger phone. Took me less than five minutes to get used to it. Although I love my iPhone 5 there is absolutely NO WAY I will go back to that size phone.

5'10", 160 with small hands if it matters.

 

[silverblack]

The topic as a whole has been beaten like a dead horse but I want to take just a minor different approach.

The topic has been beaten to death. It's just a matter of personal preference of screen real estate vs. pocketability. People choosing the small screen are not because they like interacting with a tiny screen, they just don't like carrying around a big phone. There are no others ways to look at this.

 

[44267547]

I'm not a big guy, and I don't have big hands, but I took to the 6s+ immediately. For me the iPhone is a productivity tool, and I can't imagine going back to the smaller screens.

Agreed. I actually went from the 4.7 6s to the iPhone SE, which is a great phone, but I cannot wait until September gets here to upgrade back to the 4.7. The SE screen size is slightly to small.

 

[Siamese_Dream]

The topic has been beaten to death. It's just a matter of personal preference of screen real estate vs. pocketability. People choosing the small screen are not because they like interacting with a tiny screen, they just don't like carrying around a big phone. There are no others ways to look at this.

But it is a little more than that. OIS, 1080p, and longer battery life are differentiators beyond just the size of the screens. By the looks of things, come September the differentiating factors could be even greater. So that allows the question, would a person who doesn't like carrying around a big phone do so anyway due to the specs.

 

[HarryWild]

Individual preference! So like 5.5 because serve as a tablet too or they have bad eyesight! 4" good for activities like running and at the gym. 4.7" for daily use.

 

[silverblack]

..., would a person who doesn't like carrying around a big phone do so anyway due to the specs.

Yes, millions would. At the same time, millions wouldn't.

There, you have the answer. Does that really help YOU?

 

[elemenohme]

...

 

[LoveToMacRumors]

I think size depends on your usage mostly, here in canada, winter is rough, temperature can go down to -30degree Celsius, in summer everything is sweaty up to 40degree Celsius. In addition to that, I'm rather short with only 5'7" and I'm also pretty skinny. I feel very goood with the 4.7" screen, I can one hand use and in winter. I dont have to get both hands out just to text.

 

[Siamese_Dream]

Yes, millions would. At the same time, millions wouldn't.

There, you have the answer. Does that really help YOU?

Just curious, why did you come into this thread. There have been several unique, interesting, and thought provoking points of view. And then there have been yours.....lol. Thank you, captain obvious, for your contributions.

 

[BarracksSi]

For those of you who have always been iPhone since the early days with minimal experimenting with the competition, how do you feel personally about the two sizes we are offered. Do any of you feel conditioned to the smaller phone? In other words, have you tried the 5.5" and felt odd, or off, using a phone that size?

I started with the 3G (which was a big step up in size from my Blackberry Pearl), then had a 4, 5S, and now the 5SE.

Every time I tried either the 6 or 6+ in a store, I put them in my front pocket (good thing Apple's anti-theft cords are so low-profile) and raised my leg as if I were sitting. The larger phones felt like they would jam against my hip. I also never felt comfortable trying to use them one-handed, which is how I use my phone maybe half the time.

I'm okay with the smaller size. If I need to do a task that requires a lot of typing or manipulation of onscreen elements (like page layout or spreadsheets), I probably should be using my MBP instead.

I've wanted to enjoy the 6 and 6+, but I couldn't quite make myself go for them, and I was relieved when the 5SE was announced. I'll be fine for another couple years.

 

[rui no onna]

I'm 5'2" with short stubby fingers so ergonomics-wise, I find the 3.5" to be most comfortable (my ideal would be if it came in 5c chassis). For when nostalgia hits, I actually still have:

2x 32GB iPod Touch 4th gen (iOS 4)
32GB iPhone 4 (iOS 5)
32GB iPhone 4S (iOS 6)

Alas, support for new apps is pretty much non-existent but Safari and Stanza work just fine.

That said, going to 4" iPhones wasn't too difficult of an adjustment but the 16:9 aspect ratio kinda bugs me at that size. Tried the 5.5" 6+ for 2 months but as much as I loved the battery life, I just kept dropping the darned thing regardless of what case I used. Ended up going with the 4.7" iPhone 6 although I had to get a CandyShell Grip case for it as I have to do a lot of finger acrobatics in order to use it one-handed.

After a recent hospital stint, I'm considering going back to 4". It's just so much easier to operate with one hand.

 

[HEK]

I took to the larger iPhone pretty much from the start. I did debate my decision with myself to the point of making card board cutouts of the 6 and 6 Plus prior to deciding.

Once I got the iPhone 6 Plus, I fell in love with the screen. Within two weeks I was completely used to the larger size. I have always liked the Apple leather case and find it essential for my one handed use of the 6 Plus and now the 6s Plus I upgraded to last year.

My hands are not huge but I have been successful at one handed use. The only key I have trouble reaching is the lower left numeric pad key. Otherwise one handed texting is fine for me. But without the leather case I find the phone too slippery.

The 6s Plus still fits in my shirt pocket, or pants pocket. Though I do carry it in hand quite a bit. I got a red silicone case as well, but find that the friction closure windshield mount allows the silicone case to slip when in vertical position with only friction holding the sides. No such problem with the black leather case. By the way the black leather case is in like new condition after two years of use.

 

[nburwell]

I have been an iPhone user since it was released back in 2007. While I was always fond of the 3.5" screen, I have since embraced the 4" and 4.7" screens as well. I tried 5.5" briefly last year, but since I'm a pretty average guy, it was just way too much phone for me.

I swap back and forth between 4" (SE) and 4.7 (6s). I definitely prefer the 4" for it's true one handed use. But the 4.7" screen is still comfortable for me, but it's not ideal using it one handed.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Have been an iPhone user since 3G. 5/5S/SE remains the ideal size for me.

 

[Jimmy James]

I think for actual usage bigger is generally better. It's what makes the iPad so great.

I simply cannot transport a phone that big. It won't fit in my pant pockets, regardless of how I otherwise feel about it.

If you don't have to change how you're transporting it I say go for it. If not, think long and hard. You'll probably regret it.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

A different take on this...

If they made an iPad Pro 12.9in with a voice cellular chip in it, I'd buy it. I don't really look at my phone all day, and rarely (like maybe 10 times in the last 7 years since getting my first 3GS, and that was because I couldn't find the headset) held it up to my head like the old style phones. I use a BT headset, and before that, the wired one.

OK, maybe the 9.7in iPad Pro, because I eventually want to have it in the cockpit on a kneeboard.

 

[darrylcn]

I'm 5'11" and I've gone from a 3GS (3.5" screen) 2009-2012, then to a 5 (4" screen) 2012-2015 and now use a 6S Plus. I enjoy the extra screen size, but as far as perfection I think the 4.7 iPhone 6 my wife owns is the best blend of size vs use. That said, I'm not going back to a non Plus phone as long as they're making them. For me the inconvenience doesn't outweigh the benefits.I regularly use both my 5 and 3GS and both seem too teeny to use as a main phone after 8 months with my 5.5" phone.

 

[bluespark]

Opinions vary. I personally want the smallest phone possible (within reason). If feature parity existed across all models, I would opt for the 4" SE. As is, I'll likely choose the 4.7" for the better camera, speed, and force touch.

 

[chscag]

Being a senior citizen, the large screen on the 6+ and 6s+ is a blessing for me and my wife. Much easier to see and use and we love the landscape mode it provides for most apps.