Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

When the time for a bigger screen comes, what will Apple say?

E

eat me

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 26, 2009
53
0
London
I know some people think 4" is enough. And some people want a bigger screen from :apple:, with a new iOS utilising that space in some new great way. This we all know.

What interests me though, is how will :apple: spin it when the time finally comes for a bigger screen? As it is now, their marketing and presentations basically all tell you that it's the best size ever, it's "just right" (including today's admittingly bad new campaign). And then, with iPhone 6, or maybe a year-two-three after that, but eventually when they'll unveil a bigger screen, what'll it be? "Erm, well now this screen is just right, forget all that stuff we were droning on about your finger reach, one handed use etc?"

The only semi-decent way out of this for :apple: is to wait until it can make a true edge-to-edge phone and then implement a bigger screen. Otherwise :apple: and all the "omg but I can't use those phablets with one hand" crowd will have to eat their words.

Even if they come out with 2 sizes for iPhone, it'll still be a u-turn.

Btw, I'm not saying bigger is better, maybe it is, maybe it isn't; depends on the way iOS will handle it and the way it's implemented, but it's implementation sometime down the line is inevitable, so please don't make this post about arguing whether :apple: will do it or not.
 
Apple never dwells on the past. When and if they come out with a bigger screen, they will advertize it as bigger and more beautiful screen. Simple.
 
One thing Apple doesn't do is admit that they're wrong.

They will market the crap out of it and really make you want to buy it.
 
Steve Jobs said people don't read anymore. Did Apple say anything about that when iBooks came out?
No


Steve Jobs said tablets aren't good for anything except reading in the bathroom. Did Apple say anything about that when the iPad came out?
No


Apple said the iPhone 4 had the perfect screen size. Did they say anything about that when the iPhone 5 came out?
No


Steve Jobs said that they couldn't make a $500 computer that wasn't a piece of junk. Did Apple say anything about that when the Mac Mini came out?
No



Are you catching on to the pattern yet?
 
Just remember many Android users want a 4 inch flagship Nexus phone.

Complaints from all sides here.

How big is too big? I have had everything phone size imaginable. Just alone in past 18 months. I have gone though Atrix 4g (4 inch). Lumia 900 (4.3 inch) Lumia 920 (4.5 inch). Nexus 4 (4.7 inch) Galaxy S3 (4.8 inch). Note 2 (5.5 inches) along with iPhone 4S (3.5 inch) and iPhone 5 (4 inches).

I kept the 4.7-5.5 inch phones less than 3 weeks each before reselling them.

I prefer the 4-4.3 inch screens the best. But everyone has different opinions.

I am medical doctor in operating room. I need phones that can slide into my scrub top. I could put phone in back pocket but obviously u can accidentally sit on it and break the phone.

4.5-4.8 inch are hard to fit into pocket.

----------
Small White Car said:
Steve Jobs said people don't read anymore. Did Apple say anything about that when iBooks came out?
No


Steve Jobs said tablets aren't good for anything except reading in the bathroom. Did Apple say anything about that when the iPad came out?
No


Apple said the iPhone 4 had the perfect screen size. Did they say anything about that when the iPhone 5 came out?
No


Steve Jobs said that they couldn't make a $500 computer that wasn't a piece of junk. Did Apple say anything about that when the Mac Mini came out?
No



Are you catching on to the pattern yet?
Click to expand...

What a company says to the public and what they are developing behind the scenes are 2 completely different things.
 
irDigital0l said:
One thing Apple doesn't do is admit that they're wrong.

They will market the crap out of it and really make you want to buy it.
Click to expand...

This, pretty much.
They will turn their previous arguments with something better. And , ontop of this add something about the grip. Make it more.. firm and pleasant to your hand.
 
HISTORY shown... They won't say anything. (And the press won't question them either).

Same as with iPad (Jobs once said they will never make a tablet), and the mini-iPad (after Jobs proclaimed original the perfect size).

But will YOU get into a depression if Apple never makes a bigger screen?
 
I know the history. I think it's just me being frustrated at this stupid reactionary marketing campagin they have going on. They f'ed up their marketing on this - one should never put yourself in a corner and pretend later like you haven't said what you said, it looks stupid.

On another note, as a user/consumer, how are going to feel about it (especially if you're one of those around here saying 4" is perfect) when the bigger screen happens?
 
eat me said:
I know the history. I think it's just me being frustrated at this stupid reactionary marketing campagin they have going on. They f'ed up their marketing on this - one should never put yourself in a corner and pretend later like you haven't said what you said, it looks stupid.

On another note, as a user/consumer, how are going to feel about it (especially if you're one of those around here saying 4" is perfect) when the bigger screen happens?
Click to expand...

They don't pretend they haven't said what they said, they just don't draw attention to it.

Why would they? It would look very silly if Apple mentioned that 3.5" was the perfect screen size on their iPhone 5 page :p
 
I think they'd still position the smaller phone as better. Knowing Apple, they'd sell you two sized phones with the same resolution, meaning the smaller phone will have a higher dpi, in addition to being well, not ****ing huge.

I f I were them I would scrub the world of the 4/4s resolution as soon as possible, as in stop selling as of their next release. Then I would introduce three phones: the cheaper plastic model, with the same res as the 5, and two new phones at a single even higher res, the flagship and the oversized flagship.
 
matttye said:
They don't pretend they haven't said what they said, they just don't draw attention to it.

Why would they? It would look very silly if Apple mentioned that 3.5" was the perfect screen size on their iPhone 5 page :p
Click to expand...

They shouldn't have said it's the perfect size in the first place, that's my point.

But even if I kind of understand their position - they said something stupid, they'd love to forget it and make you buy stuff. What I don't understand are people religiously repeating the same pitch and believing it, yet you'll see they'll be the first to switch to a 5" iPhone.

The whole screen size is a bit different to ther issues. Like the tablets being only good to read in the bathroom - he meant current (at the time) tablets, and they made a better one. Or the $500 computer they couldn't make with tech available, but later when supposedly it was possible they made a Mini. Yes, they're all straw men arguments, but passable. With the screen size, however, there's nothing, nothing they could do with current tech, or 3 years from now tech, because it's a physical issue. Unless it's a foldable or holo screen.
 
eat me said:
They shouldn't have said it's the perfect size in the first place, that's my point.

But even if I kind of understand their position - they said something stupid, they'd love to forget it and make you buy stuff. What I don't understand are people religiously repeating the same pitch and believing it, yet you'll see they'll be the first to switch to a 5" iPhone.

The whole screen size is a bit different to ther issues. Like the tablets being only good to read in the bathroom - he meant current (at the time) tablets, and they made a better one. Or the $500 computer they couldn't make with tech available, but later when supposedly it was possible they made a Mini. Yes, they're all straw men arguments, but passable. With the screen size, however, there's nothing, nothing they could do with current tech, or 3 years from now tech, because it's a physical issue. Unless it's a foldable or holo screen.
Click to expand...

They probably thought it was at the time. Times change. They also said web apps were all we needed once. What a humdinger of a mistake that was.

But why hold it against them? It doesn't really matter.
 
matttye said:
They probably thought it was at the time. Times change. They also said web apps were all we needed once. What a humdinger of a mistake that was.

But why hold it against them? It doesn't really matter.
Click to expand...

Hm, times changes, true, but finger length doesn't ;), and that's why this is unlike any other mistake they've made.
 
If Apple releases a 5" phone, they aren't going to replace the 4" one. Apple chose the that screen size for very valid reasons. It is compact, fits in your pocket and can be operated with one hand. One hand operation is the key factor in a 4" screen. I have used many 5" phones, and I have found I always end up using two hands because its too difficult to use just one.

If Apple ever makes a 5 inch phone they will release it to sell alongside the 4" phone not instead of it. They will offer it to people as either the phone you can operate with one hand or the phone with a large screen for content consumption.
 
roow110 said:
<...>

If Apple ever makes a 5 inch phone they will release it to sell alongside the 4" phone not instead of it. They will offer it to people as either the phone you can operate with one hand or the phone with a large screen for content consumption.
Click to expand...

yep, this makes most sense.
 
I really don't have anything to say about Apple— they're always changing their minds.
 
If it makes u feel any better, or not, Apple is consistent about making sexy hardware, regardless what u think about the features, and makes you want to come back and beg, "if Apple do this and do this it will be perfect!"

Samsung (the nearest competitor) OTOH readily admits the new S4 is made out of plastic because it's easier to manufacture.

Pick your poison: Sexy Hardware or Features Galore to entertain you.
 
aneftp said:
I am medical doctor in operating room. I need phones that can slide into my scrub top. I could put phone in back pocket but obviously u can accidentally sit on it and break the phone.

4.5-4.8 inch are hard to fit into pocket.
Click to expand...


A galaxy S3 size phone fits fine in a scrub pocket. Even in an otter box. You must have some freakishly small scrubs.
 
Simple, that they weren't the first to implement it, but the first to get it right. And then begin a long and laborious breakdown of how it is supposedly so.

That's basically what Scott said when he introduced push and multitasking to the iPhone. Or when Phil was comparing the ipad mini to the nexus 7.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back