Will iPhone5 lose retina status without resolution change?

[mattopotamus]

You're right (though if you'd be so kind as to point out where I'm being "ignorant" it may be helpful)...or maybe I've seen things like "3D," "4G," and "HD" tossed around enough to know that despite any "standard" they can mean wildly different things. If being realistic is being jaded, then yes, yes I am, but it's going to be hilarious watching you all try and figure out if a screen fits a marketing term.

Pretty sure he quoted what made you "ignorant"....their are requirements you just didn't feel like looking them up or thought there were none, so tried to make another user look dumb by giving a simple answer.

 

[Julien]

You're right (though if you'd be so kind as to point out where I'm being "ignorant" it may be helpful)...or maybe I've seen things like "3D," "4G," and "HD" tossed around enough to know that despite any "standard" they can mean wildly different things. If being realistic is being jaded, then yes, yes I am, but it's going to be hilarious watching you all try and figure out if a screen fits a marketing term.

Even with Apple the definition of Retina currently means 3 different things and the number will probably increase in the future. 326, 264 and 220 PPI. While viewing distances are used as criteria for the variance I generally view my iPhone or iPad at about the same distance.

While I applaud Apple for increasing the PPI and have no problem with using the term Retina it isn't an absolute or universal description like SVGA, 1080p or kilogram. It is just a neat sounding marketing term that has a generalized meaning and is becoming a generic term.

 

[willmtaylor]

You're right (though if you'd be so kind as to point out where I'm being "ignorant" it may be helpful)...or maybe I've seen things like "3D," "4G," and "HD" tossed around enough to know that despite any "standard" they can mean wildly different things. If being realistic is being jaded, then yes, yes I am, but it's going to be hilarious watching you all try and figure out if a screen fits a marketing term.

I completely agree on things like,"AT&T 4G," and "Nintendo 3D," "Monster Cable Full All Digital High-Speed HDMI," and of course, "all-natural," "free range," etc. marketing mumbo-jumbo.

The discernible, and not insignificant, difference for me though, is that Apple hasn't seem to have tried to hide or convolute it's definition of terms or confuse its customers as many of the allusions above have. Does it use retina heavily to market it's products? Sure, but it's clear about what retina is & is not. (IMHO)

Additionally, I also find it humorous that this thread was full of those wringing their hands with worry as to whether it will be "retina" or not.

 

[ThatsMeRight]

So your question is: if Apple increases the screen size to 4" but keeps the same resolution, will the iPhone lose its "Retina display" status?

Well, let's first look at what "retina display" means. A retina display is a display where the pixels become indistinguishable when hold away from your eyes at the 'normal usage distance'.

The iPhone 4S has got a 3.555"~ display with a 960 by 649 resolution which results in a pixel density of 326 ppi. With 20/20 (default) vision, pixels become indistinguishable when you hold the display 10.55" away from your eyes.
That fits the discription: Apple says people hold their iPhones up to 12 inches wat from their eyes.

A 4" display with a resolution of 960 by 640 results in a pixel density of 290 pixels per inch. Pixels become indistinguishable when the distance between your eyes and the display is 11.9".

So yes, a 4-inch display with a resolution of 960 by 640 qualifies as a retina display!

 

[Julien]

Here is a great article (A true “Retina Display” but not an actual Retina Display...) by the well respected Dr. Raymond M. Soneira, president of DisplayMate.