Perhaps I'm an outlier, but I'm 58 and I could keep a huge LG Flex in my jeans pocket.
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To the folks who think the 5.5 will be too big: Please just try it. Give it a chance.
- Thread starter Bobby Corwen
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Perhaps I'm an outlier, but I'm 58 and I could keep a huge LG Flex in my jeans pocket.
Perhaps I'm an outlier, but I'm 58 and I could keep a huge LG Flex in my jeans pocket.
Haha, well I would have been able to in the 90's when baggy jeans were last fashionable
I have a 5S and usually pair it with a flagship htc phone.
This year I replaced my htc m7 (4.7") with an htc m8 (5.0") and I feel like my m7 had a much nicer feel with the 4.7". I feel my m8 at 5" is a tad too tall/wide for my taste. I'm really looking forward to a 4.7" iPhone.
This year I replaced my htc m7 (4.7") with an htc m8 (5.0") and I feel like my m7 had a much nicer feel with the 4.7". I feel my m8 at 5" is a tad too tall/wide for my taste. I'm really looking forward to a 4.7" iPhone.
Having owned the note 2 for well over a year and a half, I still do not prefer a phone this big. As an actual phone, I'd describe this thing as a huge pile of worthless crap. The relatively smaller 4.7 inch galaxy S2 my wife has isn't much better either. In fact, I don't even find the iphone 5 as the perfect size.
So what's the perfect size for a phone IMO?
I have a 3.5" iPod touch (3rd gen) and that my sir is THE perfect size for a smartphone, IMHO. That thing is a delight to hold in your hands. It borderlines on perfection IMO. Get rid of the unnecessary top bezel, trim the bottom bezel a tiny bit (while still keeping the home button and Touch ID) and and fit the 5s screen inside the same body and it'll reach absolute perfection! For me atleast.
Carrying around the note 2 or other big screen phone isn't really a problem for me. It slips easily in my jeans pocket. Problem is while using it. I got so annoyed by the note 2's screen size, I ended up going back to my trusty old dumb phone for the actual phone part. Now I carry both the devices.
For me, the one handed use trumps any advantage a bigger screen can offer. Other than watching videos and maybe gaming (both of which I'd much rather do on the ipad instead), I do NOT see any advantage of the bigger screen once you consider the need to use both your hands with the note ii. From calling to typing to even web browsing, everything is way easier on the iPhone's smaller screen. If I have to use my other hand just to open a new tab or hit the URL bar or simply checking my call logs, its a fail already IMHO.
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Now, about apple's 5.5" phone, if they end up making it the same way android manufacturers do, it would also be a piece of crap IMO and I'll lose all respect for apple. Sure it'll sell and many, even most, will love it but not me. I'd be very disappointed if apple didn't make changes to the iOS to make it a better fit for 5.5" phone specifically.
With a few tweaks and intelligent UI design, I think a even a 5.5" screen can be made single hand friendly and more importantly, a phone worth manufacturing instead of simply a means to attract buyers which have been lured away by android thanks to "bigger is better no matter what" mentality. Unfortunately, neither google nor android hardware manufacturers have any idea how to do it. Samsung's solution for the problem was making the phone dial pad slightly smaller and closer to your chosen side edge. And that's about it. If I want to check my call logs or hit the contacts in the phone app, tough luck! Can't do without using the other hand even though I ticked the little box in settings saying it'll make the phone app more single hand friendly
How hard can it be really to make sure you can atleast do the simplest of the tasks like making a call and browsing the web single handily? Took me 5 seconds to come up with a solution. Just add a gesture where if you swipe from the middle of the phone towards the bottom, the buttons for contacts, logs etc hit the bottom of the screen and go back up with an upward swipe. For browser, put the URL bar at the bottom. Or double tap and swipe sidewards/downwards for bringing down the URL bar. For notification bar, use the same swipe-up-from-bottom gesture apple currently uses for its quick settings menu. From there you swipe left/ right to toggle between the quick settings and notif bar. Or as an alternative, use the bottom left side for settings menu and bottom right for notification bar. For keyboard, swiping towards either edge makes it smaller and shifts it towards the edge. Credit to samsung here as note ii already does this even though not as easily as a simple swipe to go back and forth between smaller and full size keyB but as a permanent change in settings instead.
How hard can this be? And what exactly is the harm here especially considering the one handed use has been the single biggest criticism of current phablets? So far I haven't felt any real worries for apple as a result of loosing Steve jobs but if apple ends up with simply a bigger screen with more rows and columns as the only real change in the 5.5" phone, I'd worry for the first time if Steve jobs left the company in wrong hands....
So what's the perfect size for a phone IMO?
I have a 3.5" iPod touch (3rd gen) and that my sir is THE perfect size for a smartphone, IMHO. That thing is a delight to hold in your hands. It borderlines on perfection IMO. Get rid of the unnecessary top bezel, trim the bottom bezel a tiny bit (while still keeping the home button and Touch ID) and and fit the 5s screen inside the same body and it'll reach absolute perfection! For me atleast.
Carrying around the note 2 or other big screen phone isn't really a problem for me. It slips easily in my jeans pocket. Problem is while using it. I got so annoyed by the note 2's screen size, I ended up going back to my trusty old dumb phone for the actual phone part. Now I carry both the devices.
For me, the one handed use trumps any advantage a bigger screen can offer. Other than watching videos and maybe gaming (both of which I'd much rather do on the ipad instead), I do NOT see any advantage of the bigger screen once you consider the need to use both your hands with the note ii. From calling to typing to even web browsing, everything is way easier on the iPhone's smaller screen. If I have to use my other hand just to open a new tab or hit the URL bar or simply checking my call logs, its a fail already IMHO.
--------------
Now, about apple's 5.5" phone, if they end up making it the same way android manufacturers do, it would also be a piece of crap IMO and I'll lose all respect for apple. Sure it'll sell and many, even most, will love it but not me. I'd be very disappointed if apple didn't make changes to the iOS to make it a better fit for 5.5" phone specifically.
With a few tweaks and intelligent UI design, I think a even a 5.5" screen can be made single hand friendly and more importantly, a phone worth manufacturing instead of simply a means to attract buyers which have been lured away by android thanks to "bigger is better no matter what" mentality. Unfortunately, neither google nor android hardware manufacturers have any idea how to do it. Samsung's solution for the problem was making the phone dial pad slightly smaller and closer to your chosen side edge. And that's about it. If I want to check my call logs or hit the contacts in the phone app, tough luck! Can't do without using the other hand even though I ticked the little box in settings saying it'll make the phone app more single hand friendly
How hard can it be really to make sure you can atleast do the simplest of the tasks like making a call and browsing the web single handily? Took me 5 seconds to come up with a solution. Just add a gesture where if you swipe from the middle of the phone towards the bottom, the buttons for contacts, logs etc hit the bottom of the screen and go back up with an upward swipe. For browser, put the URL bar at the bottom. Or double tap and swipe sidewards/downwards for bringing down the URL bar. For notification bar, use the same swipe-up-from-bottom gesture apple currently uses for its quick settings menu. From there you swipe left/ right to toggle between the quick settings and notif bar. Or as an alternative, use the bottom left side for settings menu and bottom right for notification bar. For keyboard, swiping towards either edge makes it smaller and shifts it towards the edge. Credit to samsung here as note ii already does this even though not as easily as a simple swipe to go back and forth between smaller and full size keyB but as a permanent change in settings instead.
How hard can this be? And what exactly is the harm here especially considering the one handed use has been the single biggest criticism of current phablets? So far I haven't felt any real worries for apple as a result of loosing Steve jobs but if apple ends up with simply a bigger screen with more rows and columns as the only real change in the 5.5" phone, I'd worry for the first time if Steve jobs left the company in wrong hands....
I'm 6'1" tall with large hands and the 5" Nexus 5 is as large as I would want to go. My Lumia 1520 was too big and unwieldy for my tastes, as would be the larger iPhone. 4.7" screen is a perfect size for me, which is why I love my Moto X.
I don't generally agree with the OP, but kudos to him here. One of the best thread titles ever by Bobby while acknowledging to keeping an open mind approach.
My only issues with the 5.5 is if those dimensions are correct, Apple could have trimmed more bezel instead of having it have a similar footprint to a GNote 3. Even the OnePlus One is shorter. The protruding camera don't mean squat to me. I had a Nexus One for years with scratches. Apple put a sapphire crystal lens since the 5. My 5s has dents but a flawless lens. And a case generally solves all that too. So the 5.5's larger protruding cam should be no problem to most.
We have been spoiled by LG and perhaps even recently like Sharp to keep those bezels to a minimum though. Even the 4.7 iPhone 6 is quite large for that size. It doesn't have BoomSound like the HTC One M7. Huawei Ascend P6, Nexus 4, and Motorola Moto X have 4.7 inch screens and are still smaller. Sony Xperia ZL had a 5-incher and it was much shorter than the Nexus 5 and this 4.7 iPhone 6.
I think Apple needs to take lessons from LG on how to pack a 5.5 inch display on a reasonable footprint. Not worry on competing with the Sammy GNotes so much.
My only issues with the 5.5 is if those dimensions are correct, Apple could have trimmed more bezel instead of having it have a similar footprint to a GNote 3. Even the OnePlus One is shorter. The protruding camera don't mean squat to me. I had a Nexus One for years with scratches. Apple put a sapphire crystal lens since the 5. My 5s has dents but a flawless lens. And a case generally solves all that too. So the 5.5's larger protruding cam should be no problem to most.
We have been spoiled by LG and perhaps even recently like Sharp to keep those bezels to a minimum though. Even the 4.7 iPhone 6 is quite large for that size. It doesn't have BoomSound like the HTC One M7. Huawei Ascend P6, Nexus 4, and Motorola Moto X have 4.7 inch screens and are still smaller. Sony Xperia ZL had a 5-incher and it was much shorter than the Nexus 5 and this 4.7 iPhone 6.
I think Apple needs to take lessons from LG on how to pack a 5.5 inch display on a reasonable footprint. Not worry on competing with the Sammy GNotes so much.
Totally agree. With a huge screen like 5.5" I see no reason for such a huge top bezel. I HOPING it'll mean incredible battery life but I think they could have cut down on the form factor to accommodate such a big screen in your pocket.
While I much prefer the 4.7 iPhone 6 dimensions over the 5.5 since it is similar to my M7 which should fit into my holster case nicely, the biggest question on the smaller iPhone 6 is the 1800+ mAh enough juice to power that model?
When I look at several current battery tests, the 5s is generally now on the bottom when before they were generally near the top. Most of these larger Androids powered by Snapdragon 800/801 and 3000-3200 mAh now are regularly surpassing iPhones in battery life. Their custom battery optimization also adds to that and KitKat...
I can understand most iOS folks not caring for a better cam or slightly faster SoC. But good battery life generally ranks top 3-5 for most people's needs. I will be curious when both models get tested for battery stamina (1800+ vs 2900+). It is pretty obvious the 5.5 will last longer with the near 40% larger capacity but by how much is the real question? Secretariat's Belmont-type of gap?
I just find it ironic that most guys who are 6ft or higher complain about screen size, yet, I see many little Asian girls loving the phablet movement. I saw one whip out the Sony Xperia Z Ultra proudly. Another was talking on a 7-inch Asus Fonepad! True, girls have handbags to put them in but you rarely see them worry about screen size or worry about one-handed use especially if they used tablets prior.
Some of us lived through the bag phone and Zack Morris "cellular" phone era. The Nintendo GameBoy and Sega Game Gear era. Sony Walkmans and PSP. Laptops. Remember in Lethal Weapon 4 when Chris Rock and Joe Pesci complained how mobile phones were getting smaller? This was 1998. How is a 5.5 inch iPhone scary to use for some taller guys in 2014? People just adapt to the changes similar to a 5ft woman driving a Ford Escalade coming from a Honda Fit.
When I look at several current battery tests, the 5s is generally now on the bottom when before they were generally near the top. Most of these larger Androids powered by Snapdragon 800/801 and 3000-3200 mAh now are regularly surpassing iPhones in battery life. Their custom battery optimization also adds to that and KitKat...
I can understand most iOS folks not caring for a better cam or slightly faster SoC. But good battery life generally ranks top 3-5 for most people's needs. I will be curious when both models get tested for battery stamina (1800+ vs 2900+). It is pretty obvious the 5.5 will last longer with the near 40% larger capacity but by how much is the real question? Secretariat's Belmont-type of gap?
I just find it ironic that most guys who are 6ft or higher complain about screen size, yet, I see many little Asian girls loving the phablet movement. I saw one whip out the Sony Xperia Z Ultra proudly. Another was talking on a 7-inch Asus Fonepad! True, girls have handbags to put them in but you rarely see them worry about screen size or worry about one-handed use especially if they used tablets prior.
Some of us lived through the bag phone and Zack Morris "cellular" phone era. The Nintendo GameBoy and Sega Game Gear era. Sony Walkmans and PSP. Laptops. Remember in Lethal Weapon 4 when Chris Rock and Joe Pesci complained how mobile phones were getting smaller? This was 1998. How is a 5.5 inch iPhone scary to use for some taller guys in 2014? People just adapt to the changes similar to a 5ft woman driving a Ford Escalade coming from a Honda Fit.
For all the people who see larger screen phones out there and think, "yuck, thats just way too big!"
or
"3.5/4 is good enough for me and my hands."
Why not just give it a try one time?
Give it a whirl one year and see what happens...
I don't mean like a time you tried your friends device and it felt weird; I mean like actually OWNING one for a sustained period of time.
You can always return it and get the 4.7, but give yourself a chance to get acclimated with it, even if you thought you would be bothered by this or that. Have an open approach to it and you may find some benefits that you love!
Or you might change the way you use it and what you use it for and when. What about those little cases too--that make it like a small mini iPad or planner. You know, its OK that your hands are small because your hands don't have to "swallow" the whole phone; you can just hold it and use it in various sizes and positions.
What about just finally watching a few Youtube videos or Netflix episodes and enjoying the graphics or eye candy. Maybe download some nice new games even though you don't play them much, just to see the new screen and the new OS in its biggest, boldest form yet.
I know I for one am excited!! You never know for sure until you try one!
Give it a chance!!!
I'm not going to spend hundreds of dollars just to randomly try a phone I don't know that I will like. That's a VERY expensive test.
Erm. No. Not even if the OP is paying for the "Phone".
The form factor on the 4 is just about perfect, I'll call it phone-like. I don't want a 5.5" monstrosity that won't fit in any of my pockets. If I need/want something bigger than an iPhone 4 format device then I'll buy a 7" iPad.
The form factor on the 4 is just about perfect, I'll call it phone-like. I don't want a 5.5" monstrosity that won't fit in any of my pockets. If I need/want something bigger than an iPhone 4 format device then I'll buy a 7" iPad.
He is right.
Then that's the rMini screen size in most of my situations.
No. Not at all, the opposite may be thee cause.
When I go out 'partying' I do not need a large screen. When I go running or cycling I do not need a large screen. When I go for groceries I do not need a large screen. When I go to the cinema - they already have a big screen there, so I don't have to bring my iPad.
My son-in-law has an android phone that is 5.5 inches. It looks like he's holding a small board to his head. His logic is sound however. He doesn't have or want a tablet so he only has that device to use while away from home. But still, it's soooo big!
I don't want a 5.5" phone BUT I'll get it if the specs are significantly better than the 4.7" (OIS, RAM, resolution, sapphire, battery life!!!).
I don't think that the leaks are accurate. There is no 5,5" iPhone. Apple has been saying that they will never do a bigger iPhone, unless they can provide a good one handed experience. I am sure this is possible with a 4,7" iPhone, but definitely not with 5,5". How would they argument about it?
There is no way this is happening.
There is no way this is happening.
To the folks who think the 5.5 will be too big: Please just try it. Give it a...
The 4.7 is in the range I want. No smaller, and IF any bigger, 5" is as big as I would go. I like my one hand use, and yes, I have experience with larger phones. LG G3 is too big and has minimal top and bottom plastic. The iPhone 6 5.5 is going to be even bigger. 4.7 I will go for sure.
The 4.7 is in the range I want. No smaller, and IF any bigger, 5" is as big as I would go. I like my one hand use, and yes, I have experience with larger phones. LG G3 is too big and has minimal top and bottom plastic. The iPhone 6 5.5 is going to be even bigger. 4.7 I will go for sure.
Its quite simple, if you use your phone more like a phone than get the 4.7, if you use it more like media device, get the 5.5.
I just went to Best Buy yesterday to buy something, and I happened to walk by the Galaxy phone section.
Now normally, I don't really look at those things, (still can't look at nor touch the OS without wincing) and I usually kind of almost pretend they don't exist or don't really indulge too much because the reality would hurt. The only times in the past I picked one up to check, was to make sure they are still ugly in design and unusable. I did this every once in a blue moon without ever really meditating on the painfully real advantage of the screen size. It was almost like a defense mechanism of insecurity.
But for some reason, this time I picked up a Galaxy Note 3 and I SMILED. This time it wasn't THEIR screen it was about to be OUR screen.
For the first time, I let myself almost transport through the visually rich portal in the screen into eye-candy-Nirvana. Its like we finally made it and I don't have to hide my true feelings anymore!
Rotating the phone phone around and sideways and imagining iOS 8 running on it --and I just had the biggest smile on my face
Finally, I thought!