Yup, I'm with you on this. I personally would rather not have a much larger screen, but if they want to do that, I don't think they'll let a marketing term stand in their way. They'll just quietly stop calling it that.
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The iPhone 5 resolution will change
- Thread starter Gurtz
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Yup, I'm with you on this. I personally would rather not have a much larger screen, but if they want to do that, I don't think they'll let a marketing term stand in their way. They'll just quietly stop calling it that.
Actually, yes, they would.
There are two options that are equally valid:
1) Keep the resolution the same and lower the DPI
2) Keep the DPI the same and add pixels to the screen (your description)
There's plenty to benefit from by simply increasing the screen size without changing the resolution. Everything looks bigger, not the least of which is the web, which is quite nice when viewing full-sized web pages on the screen of a phone which renders text at an equivalent font size of 5. If they add pixels, everything stays the same size (which is nice since it was all originally designed to be a specific size for touch) and they will have extra room for more buttons, etc.
There's good things about either option, but ask yourself this: which would be easier for Apple and developers to implement - just manufacture a different LCD panel, or for Apple and every single developer to create a new design, add additional code, and render larger images for a resolution with more space to work with while simultaneously supporting older resolutions?
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of coarse the phone 5 will have a larger screen.
how big no one knows for sure. I am betting on 4.0 or larger, you dont think that Apple would let the iphone as the only highend smartphone with the smallest screen do you? as in way smaller.
yes the iphone 4 had a smaller screen than most 3.5, which was not bad a year and a half ago. that will not fly now. also the phone needs to be bigger so the A5 can even think about going into the iphone 5.
how big no one knows for sure. I am betting on 4.0 or larger, you dont think that Apple would let the iphone as the only highend smartphone with the smallest screen do you? as in way smaller.
yes the iphone 4 had a smaller screen than most 3.5, which was not bad a year and a half ago. that will not fly now. also the phone needs to be bigger so the A5 can even think about going into the iphone 5.
Well all of this talk about changing screen size, aspect, pixel density makes it sounds like iPhone developers all program in bitmaps. Does anybody know if that is actually the approach forced by iOS? If not, then changing the screen should be a very minor issue. If so, which I doubt, I would imagine that developers who do use bitmaps have programs that generate the basic bitmap which then only requires minor tweaking by hand (by some low-paid graphics designer). Or at least, that is what any sensible developer would do after having the previous experience for adapting iPhone apps to the iPad.
Bottom line: changing the screen might cause a delay in getting updated apps, but any serious developer should be able to handle the transition relatively easy.
Bottom line: changing the screen might cause a delay in getting updated apps, but any serious developer should be able to handle the transition relatively easy.
The iPhone 4 has a 960x640 resolution (and a scaling factor of 2) which is twice the original 480x320 resolution, resulting in 330 PPI. An iPhone 5 with a 4" screen and the same resolution would result in 288 PPI. The only possible resolution increase for the iPhone 5 would be 1440x960 (and a scaling factor of 3 -- it's the scaling factor that keeps everything the same physical size) which with a 4" display would result in 430 PPI.
At 1440x960 (1.38m) we're looking at a little more than twice the pixels of 960x640 (614k) and it probably isn't worth it considering that 288 isn't too far off 330 (which is what we have now) and it's likely you won't notice much of a difference, if at all. That means the 1440x960 resolution would put roughly twice the amount of pressure on the GPU, which means developers are more restricted with the quality of graphics (in games) that they can use.
Then you've also got another problem -- that is, further increasing the difference in PPI between what an iPad with a retina display would have (263 PPI) and what the iPhone 5 would have (430 PPI). That's something that Apple doesn't want (or anyone, for that matter).
And then on the issue of increasing the resolution without increasing the scaling factor from 2 to 3 which results in more space (smaller content), it just isn't going to happen because (aside from the fact that the size of the text, icons, and so on is quite good as it is) Apple isn't about to fragment their entire iPhone App Store.
Summary:
So, we won't be seeing an increase in resolution at all. The cons significantly outweigh any benefits for the increase without scaling (for more space, smaller content) due to fragmentation, unnecessary GPU strain, lower quality graphics in games, etc.
And, it's not really worth it for an increase with scaling (same physical size, more detailed) not only because of the additional strain on the GPU and then the lower quality graphics, but because the difference between 288 PPI and 430 PPI is likely to be unnoticeable with but a few exceptions: Games, Movies, Photos -- they'd all look great, especially the former (although that would be somewhat countered with lower quality graphics). So, all in all there's not really any benefit to increasing the resolution.
The iPhone 5: 4" 960x640 display (288 PPI)
The iPad 3: 9.7" 2048x1536 display (263 PPI)
Perfect.
At 1440x960 (1.38m) we're looking at a little more than twice the pixels of 960x640 (614k) and it probably isn't worth it considering that 288 isn't too far off 330 (which is what we have now) and it's likely you won't notice much of a difference, if at all. That means the 1440x960 resolution would put roughly twice the amount of pressure on the GPU, which means developers are more restricted with the quality of graphics (in games) that they can use.
Then you've also got another problem -- that is, further increasing the difference in PPI between what an iPad with a retina display would have (263 PPI) and what the iPhone 5 would have (430 PPI). That's something that Apple doesn't want (or anyone, for that matter).
And then on the issue of increasing the resolution without increasing the scaling factor from 2 to 3 which results in more space (smaller content), it just isn't going to happen because (aside from the fact that the size of the text, icons, and so on is quite good as it is) Apple isn't about to fragment their entire iPhone App Store.
Summary:
So, we won't be seeing an increase in resolution at all. The cons significantly outweigh any benefits for the increase without scaling (for more space, smaller content) due to fragmentation, unnecessary GPU strain, lower quality graphics in games, etc.
And, it's not really worth it for an increase with scaling (same physical size, more detailed) not only because of the additional strain on the GPU and then the lower quality graphics, but because the difference between 288 PPI and 430 PPI is likely to be unnoticeable with but a few exceptions: Games, Movies, Photos -- they'd all look great, especially the former (although that would be somewhat countered with lower quality graphics). So, all in all there's not really any benefit to increasing the resolution.
The iPhone 5: 4" 960x640 display (288 PPI)
The iPad 3: 9.7" 2048x1536 display (263 PPI)
Perfect.
Scaling is only necessary to keep a 3:2 3.5" display, but if it's 3:2 4" scaling by that factor would not be necessary. It was a very smooth transition for developers that way because they just had to double the pixels but we're in a completely different realm with a 4" screen.
Mmm, no. We're in the same realm, scaling is just as necessary on a 4" display as it is on a 3.5" display.
The scaling factor on a 960x640 display either has to be two, which it is on the iPhone 4, or one, which would result in content way too small. You can't scale by a decimal such as 1.5, if that's what you're suggesting.
The only possible way for Apple to do what you're suggesting would be to have (say) a 1440x960 resolution display and redesign the layout for it, so to speak. It wouldn't be compatible with prior iPhone's and iPod touch's and it would heavily fragment the market. Additionally, you'd lose a lot of detail that we have now with the retina display.
Has anyone considered 1024x768?
Not a massive increase from the current 960x640 and it would give apple a massive advantage with the current ipad(2) as the the phone and ipad could share resolution, meaning that iphone apps would scale correctly.
Could also mean they can increase the size slightly and keep the retina tag.
Not a massive increase from the current 960x640 and it would give apple a massive advantage with the current ipad(2) as the the phone and ipad could share resolution, meaning that iphone apps would scale correctly.
Could also mean they can increase the size slightly and keep the retina tag.
Well, that'd mean apps would have black borders on them and any new apps would need to support both 960x640 and 1024x768. Also, I think 4:3 would look strange on an iPhone (due to the shape). And, I don't think Apple wants iPhone apps to scale properly (or look nice for that matter) on the iPad. Having them look really good may discourage iPad app development a bit.
Sure you can. It's kinda like how you can pick size 3 font or size 4 font, which is something about 50% larger. Works just fine with images too.
I agree with the OP. if they cannot increase the resolution, they aren't going to change the screen. Everything will look exactly the same until the resolution is bumped up
This makes me feel better about owning the 3GS. But many others won't be pleased with it. But atleast the people who want to own the latest and greatest can ;D
If that's the case, I'm going Android, even though I've invested hundreds of dollars into iOS apps. Really, the same amount of RAM as the iPhone 4? That would just be insulting.
Apple are doing well right now, but they shouldn't rest on their laurels. These rumored specs we've seen today would be the very definition of "phoning it in" (pun intended).
Apple are doing well right now, but they shouldn't rest on their laurels. These rumored specs we've seen today would be the very definition of "phoning it in" (pun intended).
I love how people are trying to bum everyone out by saying "FACT IS IPHONE 4S WILL BE CRAP AND THERE'S NO IPHONE 5!" how could you possibly know that? I find it hard to believe apple would wait 15 months instead of the normal 12 to release an iPhone that according to you will be just barely above the iPhone 4, why wouldn't they have had that complete in July? I also think apple is smart enough to know when they have some stiff competition with new upcoming android devices. Nobody knows what the next iPhone will be (except for a few choice people at apple) and they're not going to risk there job by leaking anything! Apple's doing a great job of keeping this thing hidden and it's causing people to believe that they're not working on anything big just because if it's big it can't be hidden. In my opinion which I would say is more realistic than yours just because I'm not trying to set the bar on the ground, apple will release a damn good iPhone 5. Maybe not LTE but it'll damn sure have something that none of us really even thought about.
There will be no new screen size. App developers would need to redesign their apps to support two screen types and Apple would not give a time frame of weeks to get it done. There is also no evidence in the beta SDKs that applications will need to be designed with two screen sizes in mind.
The new iPhone will have more RAM, a faster processor, better battery management, probably a global CDMA/GSM chip (which the CDMA iPhone already possesses it's just not active) and a better camera. It will look very similar to the iPhone 4 and probably you won't be able to tell which one is a 4 and which one is a 4S when they lay next to each other. Apple will also demo their voice to text engine which will probably be unique to the 4S due to perhaps an updated microphone. The biggest news is it will be available on Sprint and perhaps TMobile.
Apple kept the design of the iPhone the same for three generations before changing it with the 4. Do people really expect them to start making these major redesigns every generation?
The new iPhone will have more RAM, a faster processor, better battery management, probably a global CDMA/GSM chip (which the CDMA iPhone already possesses it's just not active) and a better camera. It will look very similar to the iPhone 4 and probably you won't be able to tell which one is a 4 and which one is a 4S when they lay next to each other. Apple will also demo their voice to text engine which will probably be unique to the 4S due to perhaps an updated microphone. The biggest news is it will be available on Sprint and perhaps TMobile.
Apple kept the design of the iPhone the same for three generations before changing it with the 4. Do people really expect them to start making these major redesigns every generation?
Yes you can. Here's an example:
960x640 x 1.15 = 1104x736.
1104/736 = 3/2
Scaled? Yes
Maintained 3:2 aspect ratio? Yes
Which would explain Apple investing in LG 720p tech earlier in the year
Gah Im hoping for a 4inch 720p iPhone screen.
(For those not knowing, 768 is also considered "720p" screens. Most TV manufactures with "720p" screens are technically "768p")
Yes? They got away with the 3GS because
a) they upgraded almost everything apart from the case, turning the phone into a total beast, and
b) the competition hadn't stepped up their game at the time.
Things are different now. Even if Apple cram an A5, a better GPU and more RAM into the iPhone 4's chassis, that's not going to be enough to compete with the Galaxy SII, the Galaxy Note, the Nexus Prime, the Droid Bionic and all these other juggernauts that are coming out.
What if they keep the same resolution and ratio? You realize that all apps would run without changing a thing?