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What size screen would you prefer for the next iPhone?

  • 3.5 inch: same size as now.

    Votes: 37 25.7%
  • 3.7 inch: cut away bezel, phone remains same size.

    Votes: 35 24.3%
  • 4 inch: cut away bezel, phone very slightly larger.

    Votes: 58 40.3%
  • 4.3 inch: cut away bezel, phone larger.

    Votes: 14 9.7%

  • Total voters
    144
Have any of you actually used a phone with a 4" screen?
It's inconvenient as a phone, always have to use two hands or shift your grip to select something at the top of the screen. I have big hands and as it is I sometimes stretch to select the top of my iPhone screen.
If I wanted to use two hands with a PHONE I'd buy a samsung tablet.

Seriously though if you're so concerned about screen size just get an iPad.
I don't know. I use two hands on my iphone all the time. Ever pinch to zoom? Prolonged browsing just using one hand get's tiresome very quick. I'm always shifting my grip/fingers.

Now for something like a phone call, you want to be able to do it all with one hand and that's just good UI design. I doubt an additional 3/16" of an inch would adversely affect that in a good design.

And please stop equating a 4" cell phone screen with a giant screen like the iPad. NOT the same thing.
 
I see a problem with a larger screen. Apple have defined their "Retinal Display" as pixels too small for the average human eye to see. The current iPhone screen has small enough pixels for this to be true, but only just. If the screen size was increased put the pixel count wasn't this would no longer be true and they'd have to stop using the "Retinal Display" tag that they've invested so much time and money in. If they increased the pixel count then there would no longer be a nice, simple 2:1 mapping from the real pixels to the virtual pixels the OS exposes. This would make life a lot more complicated for developers and Apple alike...
 
For a phone, my old flip phone sufficed, but for multimedia/web device, it would greatly benefit with more real-estate.

it is still a phone. Want a strictly "multimedia/web device" then get an iPad.

If the screen gets any bigger an average-sized female hand will not be able to comfortably operate the phone with one hand.
 
I feel that 3.7 is the right size, but 4 would be fine with Retina (or better) resolution --however, don't expect Apple to be releasing a 4" and especially not a 4.3-inch.

I cringe when I see Androids with 4 and 4.3-inch - or the Streak! - displays with the same low res as 3.7-inch models.

Since all higher-end Androids/WP7 phones are now 3.7 and larger, I think Apple will likely counter with the same size.
 
4 inches. Anything to be on par with the Nexus S screen size at least.

I doubt I will get another iPhone for my next phone, but if I did, I wouldn't care if it was anywhere between 3.5 - 4.3 inches. I will be content. If the screen size feels too small, my tablet can solve those issues. If the iPhone screen gets bigger, I expect for it to get taller like the Nexus S. I don't think they want to make the width wider like they did to the iPod touch which gave Apple the opportunity to make it thinner. I miss my last Nokia phone. That felt like a real phone against my ear and not some iPod. Smaller width like cordless phones.

Here is the iPhone 4 vs Nexus S comparison. You can the difference in screen size right away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt6vD8QuT6E
 
Screen size is fine. I'd like them to rethink the speaker position though, it's hard to play a game horizontally and constantly cover the speakers with my hands muting the sound output.
 
I would like a bigger screen, could care less if it's a little bigger or a lot bigger. If the phone gets bigger I'm sure Apple will do what's neccesary to make the phone look good still. The i4 is noticeably smaller than the previous 2 models, and took some getting used to. As far as using 2 hands, I always do for browsing. As far as dialing the phone, I have no problem reaching any numbers, and if it were slightly larger, there would be no adverse effects as I could still reach them and use my thumb to dial all numbers. How much wider do you really think the phone would get, for it to have a larger screen? I could stand 1/4" wider, and probably a 1/2" longer and still see it as being comfortable. If I want a small phone, I'll buy a plain Jane Nokia and talk away and dial numbers with half a finger if I had too.
 
BIgger, I don't even care if the phone gets bigger. I might be in the market for a bigger screen phone in the newe year. I sold my Nexus One for the iPhone 4, whilst I'm very happy, I still miss the large Nexus One screen
 
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I would like to see a 4" screen on the next iPhone, but I don't think it's going to happen.
 
I would have to say it was a tradeoff between the retina display and a larger display (4”). The Retina display the victor, I would have to agree with Apple’s planning to push the newer display. I have the Samsung Captivate and love the 4” Super AMOLED display, but hate seeing the Honeycomb dots it shows. I truly believe Apple will introduce a larger display next year. Will it be 3.8” or 4” retina? I don’t know, but you know as well as everyone else that when it comes to Apple, they’ll make it slimmer to compensate for the larger screen size. “I Hope”
When I got my first iPhone, I didn’t have 2nd thoughts about the screen size. Now that I’m using it for more media applications it would be nice to have more screen size for videos, docs, and emailing. I check my emails more often on my iPhone than my MBP…
 
Now that I’m using it for more media applications it would be nice to have more screen size for videos, docs, and emailing. I check my emails more often on my iPhone than my MBP…

Same here and these old eyes could use a larger playing field. I think if Apple goes larger at all they'll stick to 3.8, if only to prove a point.
 
I see a problem with a larger screen. Apple have defined their "Retinal Display" as pixels too small for the average human eye to see. The current iPhone screen has small enough pixels for this to be true, but only just.

You underestimate Apple. Their definition allows all sorts of wiggle room, since it's not based just on dpi, but on viewing distance as well.

E.g. a 300ppi screen at 12" away (aka print quality) is also retinal. So a 3.84" diagonal 960x640 screen would still work.

They could even go 4" which is around 288ppi, and you could hold the phone at about 12.5" away and it'd be "retinal".

And if anyone complained about the extra inch of distance, Jobs could just write back with "You're holding it too close".
 
Having a phone with a larger display than the iPhone's, I can say the larger is better until you want to pocket it in a pair of pants that don't have super large pockets.
 
Having a phone with a larger display than the iPhone's, I can say the larger is better until you want to pocket it in a pair of pants that don't have super large pockets.
Bingo.

I just hope I get to vote in a few hundred more screen size polls before iPhone-next comes out. :rolleyes:
 
I support Don't Ask, Don't Tell for iPhone polls, of any kind.
 
Having a phone with a larger display than the iPhone's, I can say the larger is better until you want to pocket it in a pair of pants that don't have super large pockets.

I think that's why many people vote for the idea of a larger screen, but still within the current iPhone dimensions. I.e. use a smaller border.

Everything's relative of course. I know people who think the current iPhone size is too large for jean pockets. Which is one reason manufacturers still make and sell those smaller touchscreen phones like the Eris, Pixi and so forth.

Regards.
 
The original iPhone had the basic same form factor for 3 years (with the iPhone 3 gaining a little bulk). With the iPhone 4 just this year being introduced, I think we're not going to see any form factor change at least until 2012, maybe 2013. May see faster innards and maybe 3.8" screen, but otherwise it will retain the same look and size for another couple years yet:

iPhone: June 29, 2007 (115 × 61 × 11.6 mm (4.5 × 2.4 × 0.46 in))
iPhone 3G: July 11, 2008 (115.5 × 62.1 × 12.3 mm (4.5 × 2.4 × 0.48 in))
iPhone 3GS: June 19, 2009 (115.5 × 62.1 × 12.3 mm (4.5 × 2.4 × 0.48 in))
iPhone 4: June 24, 2010 (115.2 × 58.6 × 9.3 mm (4.5 × 2.31 × 0.37 in))

My thoughts:
iPhone 5: June 24, 2012 (3.8" screen, faster processor, themes)

2011 will just be software tweaks and maybe an antenna fix. They could throw themes in there too, if they wanted more for Steve to talk about during the preview.
 
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