I admit to upgrading every version... but if it's taller and not wider I'm going to pass on this version. I have a Droid Razr and love the screen size, although I mainly use it if I watch some video and as my unlimited LTE hotspot, but that size is the sweet spot for me anyhow.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Video Demo of What a 4" iPhone Screen Looks Like in Action
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I admit to upgrading every version... but if it's taller and not wider I'm going to pass on this version. I have a Droid Razr and love the screen size, although I mainly use it if I watch some video and as my unlimited LTE hotspot, but that size is the sweet spot for me anyhow.
No, I think its more or less it's analogous to having an addiction.
Drug users keep taking drugs to have that same 'first time' feeling. They are expecting Apple to do another 'wow' feature......stupid I know. Considering the iPod virtually hasn't changed much since it's intro. It EVOVLED. But didn't radically change.
Apple itself uses the word far to loosely, so why would everyone else not expect every product to be innovative. Other than Siri what was the last major change the iPhone has seen, it is certainly not in the OS.
This looks... weird. The problem I have most often when viewing things on my iPhone is a lack of horizontal space. For example, I was just checking out the announcement of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes on my 3GS, to view more detail in the pictures, I had to zoom in and constantly scroll left-to-right and up-and-down. I noticed while doing this that I was doing far more horizontal scrolling than vertical scrolling. Resolution needs to increase in both directions, with the new resolution I'd be doing a little less vertical scrolling, but just as much horizontal scrolling.
It requires an IQ over 80 to understand. Sorry.
Fixed that for you. Super AMOLED screens are over saturated and inaccurate. Keep them the hell away from me until they are fixed.
Last edited:
Yeah but this is just a render of how they think the new screen will work, it was never meant to be a sneak peek at the new iPhone or anything. This was merely a mockup of what the new screen might look like based on rumors.
I think there's some truth to that. There is a bit of a buzz with getting some fangled new tech gadget (for those of us who are into tech, and presumably that's most of us on MR). I have to ask myself why I spend so much time on MacRumors, when I could be reading about and/or discussing something more meaningful than the size of a smart phone! Although I'm certainly not the worst addict, as evidenced by the fact that I'm still on an iPhone 3G.
Fair comment mate. Yes, Apple itself is possibly the worst offender!
The real question for me, is not whether there is a 'major change'. As AppleInMyBlood joked, they could make it triangular—that would be a major change, but so what. The real question is, does it deliver a genuine benefit—is there a real improvement in what the product allows you to do, and how you enjoy using it? When I finally upgrade from my 3G to the new iPhone, I'm going to be enjoying many benefits—a far more responsive interface, faster launch times, a vastly improved display (with no discernible pixels in normal use), vastly improved still camera, video camera, flash, easy wireless syncing of information between devices, more storage, more apps to choose from, free texting (with other iPhone users), more multi-touch gestures, fast app switching, multi-tasking / saved app states, built-in turn-by-turn navigation… These are just some of the benefits which come to me as I type, in addition to Siri. (I'm hoping the upcoming version of Siri will improve the experience over the Beta version, which is still more of a novelty here in Australia where location based information is severely limited. In time Siri will mark a revolutionary change in how we interact with these mini-computers). Aside from Siri, these improvements may rightly be called evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but when you put them all together, you have a vastly improved product and a vastly improved user experience, and really, that's all that matters.
Consider the humble bicycle—one of humankind's great inventions. Modern bicycles have some very nice improvements (one might call some of them innovations), gears, better components, stronger and lighter alloys—but the basic design of the bicycle hasn't significantly changed since 1885. John Starley's design has stood the test of time because it was simply a great design…
If the iPhone (and iOS) hasn't visibly changed much in five years, that doesn't necessarily mean Apple is doing something wrong now—it could be an indication that they did an awful lot right in the beginning.
I personally do not want a wider screen. You do, that's fine—but let's not pretend that a larger screen is innovative. It used to be that the goal with mobile phones was to get as small as possible. Now some consumers (disproportionally represented here on MR I would suggest) think that going bigger should be the goal. It's nothing but personal preference and shifting perceptions in different markets.
BTW, I have used a number of Android devices (phones and tablets), and honestly, I've yet to be impressed by a single one. It's not the big things—it's arguably all the little things that to me still make iOS a more useable, more enjoyable platform. But to each their own.
Arn, great Video - very Apple like production!
You might get a job offer from Samsung very soon!
You might get a job offer from Samsung very soon!
It's a 4 inch diagonal HD 16:9 screen. It is no different than any Android 4" HD screen. Go to a store and compare the sizes. If you enjoyed a 4 inch Android, this iPhone 5 will be the same width and height.
Why all the complaints? It's the logical next step HD display. Except that it will higher pixel density than any other 4" HD screen out there (Retina quality). And even some 4.3 and 4.5 screens.
HD movies will look gorgeous on this 640 x 1137 device. I'm ready to see this phone.
Droid 3
Display Type: LCD (Color TFT/TFD)
Resolution: 540 x 960 pixels
4" diagonal
Galaxy s3
Display Type: OLED (Full-Color)
Resolution: 720 x 1280 pixels
4.8" diagonal
Colors: 16.7 million (24-bit)
Samsung Super AMOLED
Razr maxx
Display Type: OLED (Full-Color)
Resolution: 540 x 960 pixels
4.3" diagonal
Super AMOLED
Galaxy nexus
Display Type: OLED (Full-Color)
Resolution: 720 x 1280 pixels
4.7" diagonal
Colors: 16.7 million (24-bit)
Samsung Super AMOLED
Htc nexus one
Display Type: OLED (Full-Color)
Resolution: 480 x 800 pixels
3.7" diagonal
Colors: 65,536 (16-bit)
Galaxy s 2 skyrocket
Display Type: OLED (Full-Color)
Resolution: 480 x 800 pixels
4.5" diagonal
Samsung Super AMOLED Plus
Hmmm...you are neglecting the loss of detail when reducing 80 vertical lines yet are talking about the color of a display being oversaturated?
You may haven't used one but actually you can use one of 4 presets on the SG3. And if you prefer IPS I recommend the HTC One series or the LG Optimus 4X HD.
Currently the best screen is delivered by Sony IMHO. Those Xperia mobiles really have a gorgeous screen with the extra white pixel. And 720p is available in a 4.3" form factor too.
If it wasn't for the battery (which Samsung and LG both have set a pretty high bar judging capacity) I went Sony.
And not significantly upgrading the battery capacity (if the rumors hold true) is Apple's biggest mistake in this revision. And to reiterate a current meme:
Steve Jobs would let this absolutely happen to satisfy his anorectic "It must be thinner!"-fetish.
Yeah, I'm a photographer, not a videographer.
I have an iPad for larger viewing of my photos, so I prefer my phone to stay small.
I also have a significant investment in iOS (not Apple in general) and prefer to keep my phone as a part of that ecosystem.
Why are you attempting to sell me something else anyway? I'm not unhappy and asking for advice on what non-iPhone product to buy. The fact is that I was very outspoken against the first iPhone, but eventually Apple addressed most of my concerns. I now admit that it's one of the best devices on the market and fits my needs very nicely. So thanks, but no thanks on the advice. I'm doing just fine.
Just after using the SG3, the iphone browsing experience is so lacking. Seems like the SG3 is like 2 steps ahead of the iphone in everything. I honestly have to resize every website on my iphone 4s, whereas the SG3 was already readable. Don't believe, just try it out with a buddy who owns one.
I will get the iphone 5 just like every other apple junkie here, but I wish we could get the SG3 type phone for higher tech people. Iphone file system and everything is so dumbed down. Give me a Iphone 5 PRO.. with a 4.5 inch screen. That's all i'm asking for. I'll bet my house that a 4.5 inch version will out sell the 4inch iphone version we're getting.
Great video indeed. But so not impressed with the product, if that's actually what it's gonna be. I hate to say it...
Oh I believe you.
To get a retina quality display on a 720x1280 pixel count- that iPhone would have a diagonal screen over 5 inches.
That is to big for a pocket device, for my tastes. I love the iPhone screen quality. Wouldn't give that up.
I zoom in even with my iPad. Even with my 27 inch iMac.
I'm very comfortable with a 3.5 screen. Probably with the 4 too. Not sure I'd go much bigger though.
Back in the day all Japanese had large screen flip phones. It seems to be an Asian thing. In the USA we were going to smaller devices. Then the iPhone hit the market and a smartphone really became smart.
Personally I think the trend to larger and larger phone screens is a passing fad.
That is what tablets or mini tablets are for. Certainly some will want them. But there is no reason to expect apple to make a 5 inch phone.
Going to four inches is about are large of a screen Apple should ever go with, these are phones afternoon and not tablets. There have been times when the 3GS felt large compared to older cellphones. However those required a toothpick to press the keys. A phone can only be so large and thin.
Nice video, I think now that I see that I see the benefits of the extra space. It does give you a better screen experience. Im not that sad that apple doesn´t make a larger screen in all directions, as a phone its not needed and I have other devices that gives me screen real estate experience.
But then most people wouldn't be able to reach across the screen with their thumb anymore (especially an issue for typing). It would require two hands to operate the phone.
The current width is about the sweet-spot. Any wider, and you would require giant-hands to operate the thing.
I would prefer taller and wider , but thats gonna be the super wow feature on the iphone 8 , apple inovation!
But lets wait a few weeks and see what they got to show us !
But lets wait a few weeks and see what they got to show us !
I think that the majority of people are already using the phone with two hands, I find it hard to operate in one hand so for me it would make no difference if the phone would be wider.
I bought the 3GS just 1 month ago(good price) and now I wouldn't mind a wider phone, the iPhone is in fact too small for quite a few things, browsing for instance is awful, way too small.
But, it's still very much useful and better than android which I used before.
Everyone I see typing on the iPhone seems to be doing it one-handed, typing with their thumb. That's definitely the way I do it every single time - probably just a habit from pre-touch-screen days.
There may be some variation in how people use the phone, with some using it one-handed and others with both hands. However, since Apple only makes one model, they need to ensure their design suits everyone.
Last edited:
Well then, I must have small hands then or just clumsy.
Most people here use them with two hands, but I am in Asia, maybe they have smaller hands.
Aha. Now I see...
...is the US really that far behind? I mean your extensive list only shows one device (Galaxy 3) I consider worth mentioning in the current Android realm.
Now I understand why you think the purported iPhone is still on par