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

val23

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 18, 2009
34
0
Been reading all the rumors for a while now and the likelihood of the cheaper iphone 5C surfacing is high... but given its specs... its simply another iPhone 5 with a plastic shell. The question is.. why would apple come out with the iPhone 5S at the same time if it isnt going to be a significant upgrade from the iPhone 5? Competition is fierce now... and apple is not doing as well as it was when the iPhone 4 came out... and everyone has been demanding for larger screen sizes since the iPhone 5. It does not make any financial sense at this point for apple to come out with the iphone 5S with the same 4inch screen and expect it to sell well when everyone will be waiting for the iphone 6 which is likely going to have a larger screen. Most will likely just wait for the iphone 6. This is why I think either of 2 things will happen. 1) the iphone 5S will sport a larger screen size with upgraded camera.. dual-led.. etc. OR 2) there is no iphone 5S and apple will be coming out with the iphone 6 alongside the cheaper iphone 5C. Thoughts?
 
Been reading all the rumors for a while now and the likelihood of the cheaper iphone 5C surfacing is high... but given its specs... its simply another iPhone 5 with a plastic shell. The question is.. why would apple come out with the iPhone 5S at the same time if it isnt going to be a significant upgrade from the iPhone 5? Competition is fierce now... and apple is not doing as well as it was when the iPhone 4 came out... and everyone has been demanding for larger screen sizes since the iPhone 5. It does not make any financial sense at this point for apple to come out with the iphone 5S with the same 4inch screen and expect it to sell well when everyone will be waiting for the iphone 6 which is likely going to have a larger screen. Most will likely just wait for the iphone 6. This is why I think either of 2 things will happen. 1) the iphone 5S will sport a larger screen size with upgraded camera.. dual-led.. etc. OR 2) there is no iphone 5S and apple will be coming out with the iphone 6 alongside the cheaper iphone 5C. Thoughts?

If they release a larger screen phone it won't be the 5S because it won't have anything in common with the 5. So like you said it will be called something else.

That said I doubt we'll see a larger screen on this release. From what I read the point of the cheap iPhone is too sell to different markets. And to reduce fragmentation.

By adding another screen size they will only be adding to the fragmentation.

I don't think as many people care about screen size as you think. Sure the avid enthusiast on this forum do but that's a pretty small percentage of Apple customers. I'm still happily using my 4S. Would I take a 4.3-4.7 screen? Sure but I'm just fine with 3.5-4.

I'm hoping for a slew of new hardware and software features on the 5S. If a larger screen is one of them then great. If not...meh.
 
The reason people are settling for S4 HTC one and note is the screen cause it's surely not the software. Two iphone screen sizes would not cause fragmentation , developers just need to get off there lazy ass.
 
I think we basically know what's coming out. The Chinese iPhone. I mean they've never been wrong before.
 
The reason people are settling for S4 HTC one and note is the screen cause it's surely not the software. Two iphone screen sizes would not cause fragmentation , developers just need to get off there lazy ass.

I would say one of the main reasons would be the "hey the *insert android phone here* is so cool" sales pitch from carrier salesmen.

I'm not saying that's the only reason people buy android phones because obviously it's not, there are many people who buy them for the screen size or just because they like android more, but I've seen tons of people being lured in by Verizon/AT&T workers.
 
The reason people are settling for S4 HTC one and note is the screen cause it's surely not the software. Two iphone screen sizes would not cause fragmentation , developers just need to get off there lazy ass.

Of course it can be software. Some people prefer android over ios.
 
First of all, apple is consistently updating new designed products every two years but with competition right now, their best bet is to just come out with something that will show innovative. Apple knows for a fact that making an iphone with a big screen is innovative. But the fingerprint sensor or something that can catch people's eyes will be innovative apple has never been about copying, like iOS 7 wasn't copied Johnny I've just made the os way better and I'm super excited! But back to the screen the 5s might be the first most upgraded "S" in apples line up! Considering A7, 13 megapixel camera and the dual flash which will help a lot with low light environments, and a better battery plus being launched with ios 7. But the thing is you'd think they'd launch ios 7 with an iphone so great. To me I think apple might have hired people to leak prototypes from earlier this year. Even Tim cook said they were doubling on secrecy and I doubt they'd wait till next year to do that! Anyways the 5s in my opinion won't have a biggers screen because apple won't launch a 5s maybe they will just skip the s upgrade and go for the 6.
 
Of course it can be software. Some people prefer android over ios.

Droids are also sold at a pretty big discount after a couple of months. The prices fall pretty quickly, so it's easy to get say a Note 2 for a fraction of the price 9 months in. 9 months in and the iPhone 5 is still the same price as day 1...
 
If it were going to have a larger screen, we would've seen credible rumors about it by now. I think by this time last year we had tons of rumors about the longer iPhone floating around including art. An increased screen size would likely mean a new resolution, meaning some code for that would be discovered just like the fingerprint scanner was. Doesn't mean it would be in the next model, but it would mean it's a possibility.

I also don't think Apple would go to the trouble of making the different-sized iPhone last year, made THAT size because of the decision about one-handed use, and then scrap it in 12 months. Apple isn't run by idiots, so the head honchos wouldn't totally ditch a concept that hasn't proved to be a huge problem.
 
I also don't think Apple would go to the trouble of making the different-sized iPhone last year, made THAT size because of the decision about one-handed use, and then scrap it in 12 months. Apple isn't run by idiots, so the head honchos wouldn't totally ditch a concept that hasn't proved to be a huge problem.

I have to agree with you that Apple isn't run by idiots and therefore they have to release bigger screen iPhone now and not next year, otherwise their market share will slip even further.
Btw; iPhone these days is considered as "tiny screen" sized phone and with market leading Android devices such as HTC One, SG4, SG3 and upcoming Moto X and LG 2, Apple can't afford to release new iPhone with the same puny sized screen.
As you said, Apple isn't run by idiots...
 
I have to agree with you that Apple isn't run by idiots and therefore they have to release bigger screen iPhone now and not next year, otherwise their market share will slip even further.
Btw; iPhone these days is considered as "tiny screen" sized phone and with market leading Android devices such as HTC One, SG4, SG3 and upcoming Moto X and LG 2, Apple can't afford to release new iPhone with the same puny sized screen.
As you said, Apple isn't run by idiots...

It's classified as tiny/small, but it also rakes in a ton of money for Apple. That list I saw on the news page today had just market share. It mentioned nothing about profitability. Apple had both for a while in smartphones and tablets because it made the only decent product in both. Now you've got Android-based gadgets that do some of the stuff and sell for dirt cheap, meaning they sell more but make less profit.

If Apple really cared about market share, the iPhone 5S/6 would come out at $149 with 32GB of storage on a 2-year contract. It would also probably come with one of those Men in Black flashy things and ... dammit, I forgot what I was talking about.
 
Any discussion of a larger screen iPhone needs to be accompanied by a proposed resolution. Making the screen much larger at the current 1136x640 resolution will drop the pixel density below the 300ppi "retina" mark. Yes, retina is a marketing term, but I don't think Apple is too interested in having all the early reviews of their new flagship knock the screen.

As for the "developers need to stop being lazy" argument in the event of a new resolution, I also don't see Apple telling everyone to re-do their entire UI for iOS 7, then remake all the assets again 3 months later for the new hardware.

Seems to me any hope of a larger screen will be reserved for the iPhone 6.
 
The reason people are settling for S4 HTC one and note is the screen cause it's surely not the software.

Based on what? I've spent significant time with both (currently with an S4 for my phone) and there is a lot of things Android does better than ios. For instance: widgets (scoff at them all you want but some people find them useful); maps that work and are integrated with the rest of Google; Google Now (which is head and shoulders better than Siri); flexibility to make the phone look like I want it to look; integration with a host of social media sites rather than a few in Apple; ability for true multitasking and processes that run in the background (ie for dropbox, I don't have to start the app to do "automatic" camera uploads, it just happens).

Don't even bother giving me the usual line about battery life, my phone lasts an entire day.

On the flip side, there is a lot that ios does better, for example, notifications. IMO, they stink on Android. There are workarounds but they involve turning on accessibility services and don't work well with PIN locks. I find the ios mail interface to be cleaner.
 
I would be ecstatic if Apple launched a larger size iPhone this year. But, it won't happen. Why? Because these days with the internet, Twitter and all the tech blogs it is near impossible for Apple to design, develop and manufacture a brand new phone with zero leaks.

Each year every leak from reliable sources comes true. There has been no leaks about a larger iPhone this year. There are rumors of larger iPhones next year...
 
Apple should just come up with 15 prototypes and intentionally leak them all. The real phone will blend in and cause confusion. If there is going to be a leak that you can't prevent then make it intentionally.

Movie directors will do this for big name movies. The actors will have to act out several different endings so they won't even know how the movie ends. Then there is only a small group of people you need to watch to prevent a leak.

That said I haven't seen or heard much about it. Unless the 5C is the distraction.....hmmm... :)
 
It is so frustrating....

I work in IT infrastructure for a company and I have watched all our technical staff move to Android one by one. If this is any indication, they are going to be in trouble as some point. Lower market share will eventually mean lower developer support which equals fewer apps.

It is frustrating as a loyal Apple fan that they will not innovate and will not give us any choice in hardware. I am sorry but a lot of people who buy smartphones are in the 40's and above and are moving to other Android phones so they can see the screen better.

Apple better get it together, they just are not listening to their customers and are starting to not fill our needs.
 
They can make improvements that will differentiate the premium model from the lower one without having to choose different screen sizes. For example the camera, and extented battery life, which can be improved by using more efficient under the hood components that the entry level iPhone will probably not share with the premium model.
I'm pretty sure that the above along with a new processor would be enough.

Choosing a bigger screen, on the other hand, would probably make their profits grow, as such an iPhone wouldn't necessarily have to have improved components, being the screen the protagonist, and older parts, now cheaper than before, could probably be adapted.

Basing on most rumors, they will go with the first route.
 
Bigger screen means more hardware space and from there they can innovate. Even if it's just an upgrade like bigger battery capacity, better wifi and radio antenna or camera with less PPI i would gladly buy it. I don't really care if it would be 5'' or whatever screen size, because what i care most about is the apps. Not just a social status brick box, it's just a phone. I have this feeling that apple care most only on the outside cosmetic, which is shallow. I don't really care with one handed operation crap, thank God i have two hands anyway.
 
i love how "innovation" has somehow become synonymous to larger screen size.

example: omg, samsung came out with a larger screen than the iPhone. Amazing! Apple needs to start innovating more.

:rolleyes:
 
The majority of iPhone users want larger screens. If you think different, you're off your rocker. We stick with our iPhones for the same reasons many of us stuck with our blackberries before turning to iOS. and that reason is stability, consistency, and that the device is coming from a company that knows what they are doing. By at the end of the day, most iPhone users want larger iphone screens. We just dont want to give up our iPhones to get that larger screen.
 
Been reading all the rumors for a while now and the likelihood of the cheaper iphone 5C surfacing is high... but given its specs... its simply another iPhone 5 with a plastic shell. The question is.. why would apple come out with the iPhone 5S at the same time if it isnt going to be a significant upgrade from the iPhone 5? Competition is fierce now... and apple is not doing as well as it was when the iPhone 4 came out... and everyone has been demanding for larger screen sizes since the iPhone 5. It does not make any financial sense at this point for apple to come out with the iphone 5S with the same 4inch screen and expect it to sell well when everyone will be waiting for the iphone 6 which is likely going to have a larger screen. Most will likely just wait for the iphone 6. This is why I think either of 2 things will happen. 1) the iphone 5S will sport a larger screen size with upgraded camera.. dual-led.. etc. OR 2) there is no iphone 5S and apple will be coming out with the iphone 6 alongside the cheaper iphone 5C. Thoughts?

Thoughts?

You will be embarassed when Apple show how wrong you can guess. If the screen was going to be bigger it would not be called the 5S, I will put money on that and I am just guessing, too! Got PayPal, I am willing to bet.:)
 
People mention that a larger iPhone will hurt iPad sales etc.

IMO that's kind of silly.

First there is a higher profit margin on an iPhone. So more selling more iPhones and less iPads = more profit.

Secondly its much better to take profit away from one device you sell and give it to another device you sell then it is to give it to the competition because you don't offer a solution at all.

I'm fine with the iPhone screen size. I'm still on a 4S and I'm fine with it. If a bigger then 4" screen came out I wouldn't complain but I'd actually rather see things like NFC and software advancements before a larger screen.
 
Been reading all the rumors for a while now and the likelihood of the cheaper iphone 5C surfacing is high... but given its specs... its simply another iPhone 5 with a plastic shell. The question is.. why would apple come out with the iPhone 5S at the same time if it isnt going to be a significant upgrade from the iPhone 5? Competition is fierce now... and apple is not doing as well as it was when the iPhone 4 came out... and everyone has been demanding for larger screen sizes since the iPhone 5. It does not make any financial sense at this point for apple to come out with the iphone 5S with the same 4inch screen and expect it to sell well when everyone will be waiting for the iphone 6 which is likely going to have a larger screen. Most will likely just wait for the iphone 6. This is why I think either of 2 things will happen. 1) the iphone 5S will sport a larger screen size with upgraded camera.. dual-led.. etc. OR 2) there is no iphone 5S and apple will be coming out with the iphone 6 alongside the cheaper iphone 5C. Thoughts?

I have been saying the same thing, this whole 5C being just a iPhone 5 with a cheaper plastic back just doesn't make sense by itself. It paves the way for a larger iPhone option (also the swiping back in iOS7 in place of hitting a back button points towards this as well since that eliminates the biggest reason to have to access the top left part of the screen). I am hoping hoping hoping this is what happens, wouldn't it blow everyone away if they did this? We are due for a surprise from Apple :)
 
The majority of iPhone users want larger screens. If you think different, you're off your rocker. We stick with our iPhones for the same reasons many of us stuck with our blackberries before turning to iOS. and that reason is stability, consistency, and that the device is coming from a company that knows what they are doing. By at the end of the day, most iPhone users want larger iphone screens. We just dont want to give up our iPhones to get that larger screen.

Really? Source? I'm asking because in my little world, everyone I know who has an iPhone does not want a bigger phone. Two of those iPhone users in my little world actually were coerced into buying a bigger screen phone by the cell phone carrier sales person, and couldn't wait until their contract was up to come back to iPhone.

So that's why I'm asking.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.