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Tim Cook Comments on 5-Inch Phone Market, Reiterates Commitment to Quality Over Size

I give Apple credit for doing what they want to do. It's their signature playbook. Now let's see if they can master the quality part.

Even if they only returned half of what was recently claimed, that's one heck of a lot of work to process. It's also the wrong direction for new product to be traveling. :D
 
nick_elt said:
yes. because some ppl like small arsed phones means everyone agrees with this crap.
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I can respect that there's a market for phones featuring larger screens, but I do think that it's somewhat of a trend that will die off as time goes on, especially as tablet adoption (can we just say iPad adoption at this point and not feel like an Apple sloppy?) continues to increase. I think there's more to be said about the benefits of the smaller iPhone screen than some admit. I've known several people who went for a phone with a bigger screen, and initially they really liked it. There's something to be said for a bigger screen too. But when they got iPads, suddenly they started wanting a smaller phone again.

I think the Phablet thing is a lot like Blu-Ray players with consumers. Do Blu-Ray players have something to offer? Sure. Are some people really going to appreciate what they offer and understand why? Absolutely. But they're a gateway for streaming services, as most come with Netflix and Hulu and countless other streaming options now, and once people get a taste, very few actually use the Blu-Ray functionality. More and more are just using streaming boxes or video game systems and skipping Blu-Ray altogether. And pretty soon, Blu-Ray will just go away and everything will be streaming.

I'm not saying Phablets are exactly like that, but I think as more people get tablets, they're going to be a lot less concerned with having a phone with a large screen. After all, it's a phone that goes in your pocket or purse. More often than not, the smaller the better when you're being truly pragmatic. I don't think iPhone should get smaller, but I just don't think we'll be talking about this in a few years.

But I do think Apple will put out a 5" device soon, and Tim Cook made as clear of a comment about Apple being open to it as Apple makes about devices that haven't been released. I don't think it will make as much of a splash as some people think though, and I think the 5"+ market will be a fairly small niche market in 3-4 years. And on a somewhat related note, I think the iPad Mini was and will continue to be a much more important device for Apple than a 5" iPhone will be.
 
pirg said:
Or how you'll find someone who didn't actually say they can't deal with 4 inches and pretend they did to further your "apple sheep" thing :rolleyes:
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Did I ever say anything about Apple sheep? And I wasn't talking to you, so go eat a a big fat horse.


It was the same thing before the i5. "We only need a 3.5'' display"




fat-horse.jpeg
 
daneoni said:
App compatibility and one-handed use
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The iPhone 5 isn't usable one handed. The controls are all at the top, and you can't reach there holding the phone normally without significant discomfort.

And what app compatibility? The one where, months and months after release, I still have dozens of apps that shift the keyboard a centimetre up, screwing up my muscle memory for typing?
 
slffl said:
Thank god. Do you think you'll continue to come here and troll? Some how I think so.
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As an owner of all versions of iPhone, several years of using various Macs, owner of iPads, iPods, please. Now you're just looking silly.
 
The ps3 is a blu ray player
At this point streaming has mostly crap content so I use blu ray


AgentElliot007 said:
I can respect that there's a market for phones featuring larger screens, but I do think that it's somewhat of a trend that will die off as time goes on, especially as tablet adoption (can we just say iPad adoption at this point and not feel like an Apple sloppy?) continues to increase. I think there's more to be said about the benefits of the smaller iPhone screen than some admit. I've known several people who went for a phone with a bigger screen, and initially they really liked it. There's something to be said for a bigger screen too. But when they got iPads, suddenly they started wanting a smaller phone again.

I think the Phablet thing is a lot like Blu-Ray players with consumers. Do Blu-Ray players have something to offer? Sure. Are some people really going to appreciate what they offer and understand why? Absolutely. But they're a gateway for streaming services, as most come with Netflix and Hulu and countless other streaming options now, and once people get a taste, very few actually use the Blu-Ray functionality. More and more are just using streaming boxes or video game systems and skipping Blu-Ray altogether. And pretty soon, Blu-Ray will just go away and everything will be streaming.

I'm not saying Phablets are exactly like that, but I think as more people get tablets, they're going to be a lot less concerned with having a phone with a large screen. After all, it's a phone that goes in your pocket or purse. More often than not, the smaller the better when you're being truly pragmatic. I don't think iPhone should get smaller, but I just don't think we'll be talking about this in a few years.

But I do think Apple will put out a 5" device soon, and Tim Cook made as clear of a comment about Apple being open to it as Apple makes about devices that haven't been released. I don't think it will make as much of a splash as some people think though, and I think the 5"+ market will be a fairly small niche market in 3-4 years. And on a somewhat related note, I think the iPad Mini was and will continue to be a much more important device for Apple than a 5" iPhone will be.
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animatedude said:
wow why are you on this message board then? ;)
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Well, this is a 'Mac'-rumors message board. I do own a Mac. I've owned Macs and Apple products since 1990. Many products, including iPhone. So this is my consumer feedback. Any more questions?
 
1- Admitting that they're even researching a bigger screen opens up a whole batch of more questions that they'd rather not/can't answer.

2- This is their slowest quarter of the year. People are already delaying purchases waiting for the 5S. Do you think they're going to give people *more* reasons not to buy this quarter by talking about future products?
 
AgentElliot007 said:
I can respect that there's a market for phones featuring larger screens, but I do think that it's somewhat of a trend that will die off as time goes on,
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Going to stop you right there simply because if the phablet market was a 'fad', then why is every major phone manufacturer investing development time and big money in making 5" and bigger devices now? Because it is what the market and people want, it is not a fad. I don't want a Note size device but ask anyone with one and they will tell you they love the screen size.

linkgx1 said:
Did I ever say anything about Apple sheep? And I wasn't talking to you, so go eat a a big fat horse.


It was the same thing before the i5. "We only need a 3.5'' display"
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I want a 3.5" screen AND I was against the 4" size. Having an iphone 5 now for several months makes me wish I had the same device but with the exact same screen out of my iPhone 4 even more :(
 
pirg said:
And it was the same thing then to. You're acting as if the same person said "we only need a 3.5" and then said "omg 4 inches!"

Protip: it wasn't.
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No, it is the same. I personally prefer the GS1 size mahself. But I dislike the way he worded it, especially making it seem like anything bigger is worse. Then Apple releases a bigger version, ''the light is seen''. Reverse with iPad mini.

And I hate the "OH, use your tablet" argument. I honestly think the devices might become one over time.

----------
apolloa said:
Going to stop you right there simply because if the phablet market was a 'fad', then why is every major phone manufacturer investing development time and big money in making 5" and bigger devices now? Because it is what the market and people want, it is not a fad. I don't want a Note size device but ask anyone with one and they will tell you they love the screen size.



I want a 3.5" screen AND I was against the 4" size. Having an iphone 5 now for several months makes me wish I had the same device but with the exact same screen out of my iPhone 4 even more :(
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:eek:



33927429.jpg
 
Some customers value large screen size. Others value other factors such as resolution, color quality, white balance, reflectivity, power consumption, compatibility of apps, and portability. Our competitors have made some significant tradeoffs in many of these areas to ship a larger display. We would not ship a larger display iPhone while these tradeoffs exist.
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Ex iPhone user, now a Samsung Note 2 user.

What tradeoffs? The colour quality, white balance and reflectivity are fine. Portability is fine, still fits in my pocket (I did wonder, but all it takes is going into a shop or asking a friend who has one and saying "hi can I try it in my pocket?"). Android devices come in all screen sizes so they're of the best compatibility by design, instead of having a limited number of screen sizes and then springing a new resolution on developers at the last minute when coming out with a new top secret device.

Resolution I'll give them, at least with the Note (the S-series is another matter) as it's 1280x800. But still more than enough to appear "retina" to the eye, so it matters how? By not being an insanely high numbers of pixels it keeps that battery drain they speak of down. Everyone wins. Seriously it's the best portable device I've owned.

Don't pin me as an Apple hater please, I have plenty of their gear, love their Macs and loved their iDevices. But they do need to keep up and stop being quite so blinkered. Steve would be proud, but he's gone, why stick with his stubbornness even to a greater degree than he would've?
 
tech4all said:
How long have you tried Android? If your going by what iPhone loyalists are saying here, judge for yourself. Plenty of what is said here is just nonsense IMO. They get UI is laggy...that's nonsense...I'm using it now as I type and its great. If you simply prefer iOS, more power to you then. Just saying plenty of talk here is by people who have no experience with Android. By experience I'm talking using Jelly Bean for more than 5 minutes.
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I've been using them on and off for about 3 years now. I've been a T-Mobile customer frustrated they didn't have the iPhone so I used Androids instead or sometimes unlocked iPhones trying to stomach Edge data.

They've definitely come a long way since the mess that was Gingerbread and while Jelly Bean is a massive improvement and very close to the iPhone's overall smoothness and ease of use, I still feel like there's something missing. Every time I tried Android devices there was always some issue either with the battery life, freezing, quality of apps (compared with their iOS counterparts) or something. Eventually I always went back to the iPhone (my first smartphone was the iPhone 3G in 2008). At some points I even tolerated Edge data over using an Android that worked on T-Mobile's 4G network. iPhone just seems to have that total package nailed down and it's extremely reliable and efficient. The Android's I've used did have a few features that iOS doesn't have that I miss but overall I still don't feel that it's the better OS at this point. It would probably be a long page if I type out all the little things that make me stick with iOS but I'll admit Android has significantly closed the gap and either one can get the job done these days in one way or another.
 
Razeus said:
So be it. HTC One, here I come. I'm looking for bigger screen, not narrower.
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The larger screen is nice, but it is awkward to hold because of that. Between say the iPhone 5 and SG2 or SG3 it may just be say .3-.5 inch difference, but it makes a huge difference in the hand.

Compare that to the even larger old Dell Streak 5inch "phone". Pause the video at 2:22. It is absolutely monolithic. And they sold a 7" version of this as well. A bluetooth headset would be the only way to use those.

Sorry, I disagree. Do not bloat the iPhone out laterally.
 
TennisandMusic said:
I don't care if Tim says they think 4 inches is the right size for a phone, but he straight up lied about the trade offs. I wish they wouldn't do this. How can they keep saying this stuff when the evidence completely flies in the face of such a statement? It's bizarre.
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He is not (completely) lying.

We always strive to create the very best display. Some customers value large screen size. Others value other factors such as resolution, color quality, white balance, reflectivity, power consumption, compatibility of apps, and portability.
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Here he is lying. I really think that a 5" iPhone would have a screen as good as the iPhone 5. (Also, see HTC One)

We always strive to create the very best display. Some customers value large screen size. Others value other factors such as resolution, color quality, white balance, reflectivity, power consumption, compatibility of apps, and portability.
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Here he isn't lying. A bigger display would make the entire phone bigger (I think that the bigger screen who would fit on a iPhone 5 body would be 4.3" - see RAZR M/i).


I haven't said about resolution or app compatibility because where it's technically possible to have a better resolution screen while maintaining app compatibility, it would complicate iOS development.
Apple shrank the iPad retaining iPad 2 resolution, and narrowed iPhone only changing the height.
An 5" iPhone could have 3 resolutions: 1) Keep 1136x640 2) Double resolution to retain "Retina Display" quality: 2272x1280 3) 1080p.

1 would be horrible at 5", specially with competitors using 1080p at that size, but would be the best option to keep app compatibility.
2 would be awesome and maybe that's what Apple is waiting to do a bigger phone. But current SoCs struggle a bit to do 1080p and "double retina" has 40% more pixels... But who knows?
3 is obviously possible, but the ratio is a bit off even comparing with the already wide iPhone 5. Maybe it was all just a plan: Change the ratio on iPhone 5 so it wouldn't be much harder with the bigger model.

Definitively, choosing an resolution is not a easy task. I bet on 2272x1280 and think it's possible that by September Apple could have a A7 with a better GPU (PowerVR Series6/Rogue) to drive that resolution well.
A6X can work with a even bigger resolution, but I don't think it would work well on a phone, even on a 5" one.

What I just hope is that Apple don't forget that there is market for small high-end phones. There aren't any options on Android anymore...
 
tom53092 said:
1- Admitting that they're even researching a bigger screen opens up a whole batch of more questions that they'd rather not/can't answer.

2- This is their slowest quarter of the year. People are already delaying purchases waiting for the 5S. Do you think they're going to give people *more* reasons not to buy this quarter by talking about future products?
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I think Snapple is doing this because they are trying to see if there's some other technologies or engineering techniques that can be used for making the screen bigger without enlarging the phone. They also don't want people to stop buying the iPhone 5S.

I have a 4S now. Will probably get the Note 3, then an iPhone 6 afterwards if this is true.
 
I think the 4" screen has more to do with aspect ratio than having a "bigger screen." Phone's get the most use in portrait mode, so going taller makes sense so you can see more standard content without the keyboard or titles or navigation functions cluttering things up.

But perhaps another thing makes sense moving forward, as I noticed early on that suddenly almost every app that does function in landscape mode really looks great when AirPlay Mirrored to an Apple TV, because every TV sold today is 16:9 aspect ratio. Then I thought that all of the Macs have 16:9 screens. When you think about all the rumors about Apple getting heavier into TV, and they obviously will continue to whether they make their own full set or not, the screens keep coming up 16:9, sans iPad. But I wouldn't be surprised if the next hardware revision of the iPad after the upcoming mini-like phase moved to a 16:9 screen as the bezel continues to be shrunk and perhaps we see a new way of navigating iOS that moves away from the Home button. It's not necessary for everything to be 16:9 to work well together, but it would certainly help in many ways, and again, I can't help but wonder if it's not all part of a still unfolding plan towards a more universal multi-screen experience.

I could easily poke a lot of holes in my own speculation, but I just thought it was interesting to consider.
 
radman2020 said:
Interesting phenomenon going on here.
The fact that there are so few fanboys here tells you the tide is turning. Never saw this before.
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You are so right on! I couldn't agree more especially the last part. Tim Cook or Apple for that matter should be reading these to gauge the interest.

When Steve was in control, Apple was interesting with all its constant roll of new products. Now it's like crickets with few products being released and at that it's the same stuff just slimmer, thinner, faster. So sad, we're almost in May now and nothing new has come out yet. BTW - where's that new Mac Pro?

I love and miss you Apple. Summer is close by and maybe that's where the Apple action will be.
 
xkmxkmxlmx said:
Yes, I understand *that*, but what is the logic? None of their other devices use a widescreen format, nor does it matter to have a 16:9 aspect ratio on a phone that size.
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16:9 is fairly standard on most other flagship phones... why not the iPhone? Apparently widescreen is a thing now :)

It seems Apple is settling on 16:9 for the iPhone and the iPod Touch... and they are sticking with 4:3 for the iPad.

3:2 will no longer be sold after the iPhone 4S is off the market (but developers will still have to support it for a while)
 
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