Two New iPhones With Screens Larger Than 4.5" and 5" Coming This Year

[Cmdrx3]

It would certainly make more sense than the hideous and completely pointless 5C. The 5C expensive as it was, was constantly said to be the budget iPhone (albeit not by Apple), and quite frankly people didn't want to be seen as the person who couldn't quite afford an iPhone 5S. They know they could say that they preferred the 5C and the funky colour or whatever else, but they know that people are still thinking they couldn't quite afford the 5S.

Different size screens however are a different kettle of fish. With the same kind of body, I would go for a 4.5" or 4.7" screen over a 5" screen even if it was the cheaper model simply because for me 5" is too big (you don't often hear that phrase outside of phones) so I think both models would sell equally well.

 

[smulji]

I don't see any way they stop selling the current 4" size. They have been pushing one handed use for so long, it just would make no sense. What I see them doing is keeping the 4" and releasing a bigger one that's between 4.5" and 5".

One-handed use was good for its time. The iPhone is a phone in name only, not in spirit. As more and more people begin using smartphones, which are basically mobile computers these days, as their primary or only computing device, having a bigger screen becomes essential to the user experience.

Before you or anyone else says I should get a carry a small smartphone and an 8" tablet around instead - not everyone can afford two devices and not everyone wants to carry around two devices.

 

[KPOM]

Interesting. WSJ has been pretty reliable in the past and nothing in this article seems too unlikely.

I wonder what the differentiating factor between those two devices will be if both have large screens though.

I initially thought they would release two iPhone 6's (iPhone 6 4-inch and iPhone 6 5-inch) with the same specs (think iPad mini Retina vs iPad Air).

Now I'm thinking they might have different specs. Perhaps iPhone Air and iPhone Pro?

Since Mossberg and Swisher left it's a little more difficult to gauge the WSJ's reliability, but they historically have been source for controlled leaks.

Given that the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini share mostly the same specs, it could be that size is the only real differentiator.

 

[brdeveloper]

It would certainly make more sense than the hideous and completely pointless 5C. The 5C expensive as it was, was constantly said to be the budget iPhone (albeit not by Apple), and quite frankly people didn't want to be seen as the person who couldn't quite afford an iPhone 5S. They know they could say that they preferred the 5C and the funky colour or whatever else, but they know that people are still thinking they couldn't quite afford the 5S.

Different size screens however are a different kettle of fish. With the same kind of body, I would go for a 4.5" or 4.7" screen over a 5" screen even if it was the cheaper model simply because for me 5" is too big (you don't often hear that phrase outside of phones) so I think both models would sell equally well.

I think the white 5C would pair nicely with my (almost vintage) late-2009 white unibody Macbook. I think the design of the 5S already looks outdated, basically a more lenghty iPhone 4. The 5C, on the other hand, is a more fresh design.

 

[SirLance99]

I hope Apple gets rid of all the current sizes and goes with 4.5" being the smallest and something like 5"+ for the larger size. This would be a great social experiment to do.

 

[acfusion29]

Majority of the ppl complaining will change their mind when September rolls around.

"Omg I didn't think a 5" phone would feel nice in my hand!!! All the stuff I said about a 5" phone was false cause I never even used a phone that big. I was just talking crap"

 

[H2SO4]

Cracks me up. Forum history shows many people saying they would never want a larger screen. When it comes out, they will be the same people saying that it is the best thing since sliced bread and rocks for creating the idea.

You've not looked into this closely enough. When asked, what they don't want is a bigger device. You can fit more screen in the same form factor.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Developers for every other platform in existence throughout time have managed just fine. I'm sure they will be fine this time as well. They are here to develop.

Actually one of the reasons you don't see developers flocking to develop for Android is that the screen sizes are a pain to deal with (along with hardware headaches). The more screen sizes you offer the more likely developers are to design their apps to support one or two rather than taking the time to support all of them. Apple makes things easier than Android but there is still additional work that we have to do. I'd put money that they don't do 2 additional screen sizes in one shot.

 

[RightMACatU]

These series of predictions are turning into a joke.

Just like gold analysts: Gold could go up but let's keep our eyes open since it could go down. Could go either way at this point and only time will tell.

 

[KPOM]

I don't see any way they stop selling the current 4" size. They have been pushing one handed use for so long, it just would make no sense. What I see them doing is keeping the 4" and releasing a bigger one that's between 4.5" and 5".

They can squeeze in a 4.5" or 4.7" screen into a case about the size of the current iPhone. If they introduce a swipe motion to go back they can address most of the one-handed concerns there.

What would be interesting to see is if the 5.5" model is positioned as a larger iPhone (same resolution as the 4.5-4.7" model, and same version of iOS), or a smaller iPad with cellular voice. I'm guessing it is simply going to be a larger iPhone. Apple might be able to quadruple the resolution again, and if so they can split the lineup the same way they do with the iPad Air and mini.

 

[tbrinkma]

agreed, look how many diffent iPad screens sizes there is with the rumor of a larger one to make even more screen sizes

There's 2 different iPad screen sizes.
There's 2 different iPad screen resolutions.

Is 2 really a lot to you?

 

[KPOM]

Actually one of the reasons you don't see developers flocking to develop for Android is that the screen sizes are a pain to deal with (along with hardware headaches). The more screen sizes you offer the more likely developers are to design their apps to support one or two rather than taking the time to support all of them. Apple makes things easier than Android but there is still additional work that we have to do. I'd put money that they don't do 2 additional screen sizes in one shot.

Another reason why it's likely that both 2014 models will have a higher resolution than the current iPhone 5s, but the same resolution as each other (just like the iPad Air and Retina mini).

 

[Woogaloo]

i seriously hope it gets released with a bigger screen

Ditto. I honestly wasn't wanting a bigger screen last year, but after having a Mini Retina I think having a quick go to with a bigger screen would be great. Yeah it will be little clunkier and not use the same cases, but I'll be fine with that. I just don't want it to be plastic...

 

[tbrinkma]

agreed
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101200875

this shows Samsung destroyed Apple in Q3 last year, I know samasung has many models but you would think with these numbers atlest one of them out sold the the 5C

You're exactly right. Based on the public numbers (previously reported at this very site), exactly *two* phones sold better than the iPhone 5C, only *one* of which was a Samsung model. They are:

1. The iPhone 5S
2. The Samsung Galaxy 4s

 

[KPOM]

God if they have the bigger model as the flagship I will be ****ing mad

They will probably both get the A8. Look at how the Retina iPad mini and iPad Air both get the A7. Sure, the iPad Air's is 100MHz faster, but that's not noticeable except when running benchmarks. So even if the larger model is the "flagship" the smaller model won't get short shrift like it does in the Android world.

 

[beaker7]

Why would someone want a phone bigger than the 5s?

I laugh whenever i see someone holding one of those phablets up to their face.

 

[heisenberg123]

There's 2 different iPad screen sizes.
There's 2 different iPad screen resolutions.

Is 2 really a lot to you?

what about the rumored ipad pro 12.9"

and there is 2 different mini resolutions so I am sure there is atleast 3 resolutions

 

[yojitani]

This is good to hear. I might just go for an iPhone next time around. Since carriers are now trying to lock down their phones (like the locked bootloader on my SGS4), Android is much less interesting to me. I like Android, but not when Samsung tries to design the OS.

 

[heisenberg123]

I don't want an iPhone with a bigger screen. It's fine the way it is.

but the way it is now is 0.5" bigger than the way it was, so you were ok with that 0.5" increase?

 

[pramirez95]

I wish my girlfriend thought the same thing

I logged in just to thumb this up. Nice one.

 

[tbrinkma]

what about the rumored ipad pro 12.9"

and there is 2 different mini resolutions so I am sure there is atleast 3 resolutions

The *rumored* 'iPad Pro' is, at this point, a *RUMOR*, not an actual device.

The original iPad and the original iPad Mini share the same resolution.
The retina iPad and retina iPad mini share the same resolution.

2 screen sizes. 2 resolutions.

 

[phpmaven]

Why would someone want a phone bigger than the 5s?

I laugh whenever i see someone holding one of those phablets up to their face.

Maybe they would like to be able to surf the web and actually see what's on the screen without having to squint.

I love my iPhone 5S, but the screen is too darn dinky for web browsing.

 

[heisenberg123]

The *rumored* 'iPad Pro' is, at this point, a *RUMOR*, not an actual device.

The original iPad and the original iPad Mini share the same resolution.
The retina iPad and retina iPad mini share the same resolution.

2 screen sizes. 2 resolutions.

interdasting

this phone thread is also a rumor so I guess its too early to complain about any nightmares the developers will have

 

[Jambalaya]

IMO the only problem with the 5C is the colours, if it was valuable in black and white they would sell many more. As it stands its a very expensive kids phone.

I am waiting for a large sized iPhone, my 4S and the 5 too are too small to easily read web content without using the Reader in Safari and bigger would be better.

I suppose the tough choice for Apple will be whether to go with 3 models, large screen "6S", normal screen "6" and perhaps retain the 5C as the lower priced option. I can see that if they stick to 2 option it will be the 5C which goes as they will not risk the 6 only being available in a big size.

 

[Rettun1]

lol @ 5c buhahaha @ Apple for thinking it would be so "amazing", bigger LOL at those who bought it... now give me a 4.7" or bigger iPhone please..

Waiting for those to complain and ask me to make a better product than Apple...

Waiting for those to complain that anything over 4" is too big...

Waiting for those to complain about my post in general...

You're waiting for an awful lot, if I didn't know any better I'd say you came on the site looking for an argument.