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Wouldnt it make more sense for them to make the screen wider as well?

K

krashx7

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 5, 2012
126
0
Couldnt they just increase the screen size a little bit both ways and then up the rez? They doubled the rez from the 3gs to the 4. Why not just increase the size a little bit, keep the same aspect ratio, and double the rez again? Or just bump it up some? Sure developers will have to fix the apps but they already did that once so why not do it again?

I just dont see the point of a taller screen? I would really like some more space when using safari in landscape mode. Or even texting.. There just isnt enough screen space.
 
I'm sure that Apple will just try to make the point that 4:3 is yesterday and 16:9 is today and the future and that a wider phone is harder to hold, carry, store, etc.
 
I posted in another thread. I probably won't buy it if it's just taller.

Don't give me this ohh it's too wide to hold bs, Apple
 
ritmomundo said:
Maybe to keep the same docks (that are in everything now - cars, stereos, alarm clocks).
Click to expand...

Not if they are changing the dock connector, also I'm sure the next phone will also be thinner, would be an issue for certain docks anyway.
 
Darrensk8 said:
Not if they are changing the dock connector, also I'm sure the next phone will also be thinner, would be an issue for certain docks anyway.
Click to expand...

Thats why I don't believe those "longer iPhone" rumors. Why make it longer (and not wider) if not for the docks? And why change the dock connector if they're keeping the same width?

Thinner phones would work fine (just a different dock insert).
 
krashx7 said:
Couldnt they just increase the screen size a little bit both ways and then up the rez? They doubled the rez from the 3gs to the 4. Why not just increase the size a little bit, keep the same aspect ratio, and double the rez again? Or just bump it up some? Sure developers will have to fix the apps but they already did that once so why not do it again?

I just dont see the point of a taller screen? I would really like some more space when using safari in landscape mode. Or even texting.. There just isnt enough screen space.
Click to expand...

I agree and I don't think it's too hard to do. Here are a few ways:

1. just expand the size of the screen, keeping the same number of pixels. PPI would go down, but a lot of us would prefer more screen space rather than keeping pixels too small to see.
Pros: developers don't need to change anything -- all apps take full advantage of the screen from day one.
Cons: screen won't be as sharp. 3.5" to 4.0" screen means 326ppi to 285ppi.

2. expand the number of pixels with the size of the screen, keeping the same PPI. Unoptimized apps can be letterboxed into a 640 x 960 area of the screen (e..g, the way iPhone apps run letterboxed on the iPad). I'm thinking 720 x 1080 which at the same pixel density as the current screen is almost 4". Unoptimized apps would have an 1/8 inch letter box per side in the short dimension and about a 2/10ths inch letter box per side in the long dimension.
Pros: screen remains super sharp
Cons: developers must update their apps with new resources and/or layouts to take full advantage of the screen. This means more fragmentation.
 
iSee said:
I agree and I don't think it's too hard to do. Here are a few ways:

1. just expand the size of the screen, keeping the same number of pixels. PPI would go down, but a lot of us would prefer more screen space rather than keeping pixels too small to see.
Pros: developers don't need to change anything -- all apps take full advantage of the screen from day one.
Cons: screen won't be as sharp. 3.5" to 4.0" screen means 326ppi to 285ppi.

2. expand the number of pixels with the size of the screen, keeping the same PPI. Unoptimized apps can be letterboxed into a 640 x 960 area of the screen (e..g, the way iPhone apps run letterboxed on the iPad). I'm thinking 720 x 1080 which at the same pixel density as the current screen is almost 4". Unoptimized apps would have an 1/8 inch letter box per side in the short dimension and about a 2/10ths inch letter box per side in the long dimension.
Pros: screen remains super sharp
Cons: developers must update their apps with new resources and/or layouts to take full advantage of the screen. This means more fragmentation.
Click to expand...

Im pretty sure option one would mean that the font size would just grow with the screen. Meaning you would still see the same amount of info on the screen in landscape mode. Not sure if Im explaining that the right way. I like option 2.
 
ritmomundo said:
Thats why I don't believe those "longer iPhone" rumors. Why make it longer (and not wider) if not for the docks? And why change the dock connector if they're keeping the same width?

Thinner phones would work fine (just a different dock insert).
Click to expand...

Existing accessories are about the last thing that will keep Apple from redesigning the iphone.
 
iSee said:
I agree and I don't think it's too hard to do. Here are a few ways:

1. just expand the size of the screen, keeping the same number of pixels. PPI would go down, but a lot of us would prefer more screen space rather than keeping pixels too small to see.
Pros: developers don't need to change anything -- all apps take full advantage of the screen from day one.
Cons: screen won't be as sharp. 3.5" to 4.0" screen means 326ppi to 285ppi.

2. expand the number of pixels with the size of the screen, keeping the same PPI. Unoptimized apps can be letterboxed into a 640 x 960 area of the screen (e..g, the way iPhone apps run letterboxed on the iPad). I'm thinking 720 x 1080 which at the same pixel density as the current screen is almost 4". Unoptimized apps would have an 1/8 inch letter box per side in the short dimension and about a 2/10ths inch letter box per side in the long dimension.
Pros: screen remains super sharp
Cons: developers must update their apps with new resources and/or layouts to take full advantage of the screen. This means more fragmentation.
Click to expand...

Option 1: as stated above, this actually wouldn't add any extra screen real estate. Sure it would be easy to do, but it would kind of be a pointless move simply to appease the shouts of "larger screen!" Also that 285ppi wouldn't be a "retina display" as coined by Apple, so I don't see that happening

Option 2: I'm not a developer (so correct me if I'm wrong), but it is my understanding that it would take quite a lot of effort to completely remake their apps with the new resolution. As opposed to only a verical increase would be very easy for a majority of non-games apps. Look at most apps like twitter, facebook, pulse, etc. They could probably easily expand into the longer screen. Games would still probably pose a problem, but that would be the same for your option 2.
 
I agree longer doesn't make sense.

I was thinking that this year we wouldn't see a bigger screen, but next year they might up the screen to 4+" and increase the screen res too.

Though after all the supposed rumours that the screen is only getting longer I don't know anymore lol.

I will probably wait for 7th gen though if it's just a longer screen + lte.
 
I think it's funny that people want a bigger screen this year (and of course the rumors fueled by sites like MR would point us to believe apple is heading in that direction). Last year, everyone couldn't wait for the "iPhone nano," which was even "confirmed" by sources at the WSJ. I think the screen size will stay the same. iOS 6 (with 1 key feature that won't run on older iPhones, like Siri on the 4S) + 4G/LTE will be big enough changes for people to upgrade.
 
Mad Mac Maniac said:
Option 1: as stated above, this actually wouldn't add any extra screen real estate. Sure it would be easy to do, but it would kind of be a pointless move simply to appease the shouts of "larger screen!" Also that 285ppi wouldn't be a "retina display" as coined by Apple, so I don't see that happening

Option 2: I'm not a developer (so correct me if I'm wrong), but it is my understanding that it would take quite a lot of effort to completely remake their apps with the new resolution. As opposed to only a verical increase would be very easy for a majority of non-games apps. Look at most apps like twitter, facebook, pulse, etc. They could probably easily expand into the longer screen. Games would still probably pose a problem, but that would be the same for your option 2.
Click to expand...


This guy gets it. They're going longer 1136X640.
 
krashx7 said:
Im pretty sure option one would mean that the font size would just grow with the screen. Meaning you would still see the same amount of info on the screen in landscape mode. Not sure if Im explaining that the right way. I like option 2.
Click to expand...

This is exactly the point of a larger screen! The damn thing now is so small you need a magnifying glass to read a web page. Exactly the same thing happens when you get a larger TV.
 
Sedrick said:
This is exactly the point of a larger screen! The damn thing now is so small you need a magnifying glass to read a web page. Exactly the same thing happens when you get a larger TV.
Click to expand...

Youve got a point there but I want more on the screen. Not a few visible lines of a larger text size. I'd kill to be able to see more of my text conversations in landscape mode.
 
I also thought it made more sense to keep the same aspect ratio and simply increase the resolution while increasing the screen size. You're right that Apple already made developers do it once before so we know it's possible. Once the apps are updated for the new resolution, they should be backwards compatible with older iPhones just like the apps for the iPhone 4 are.

It might take a while for developers to update their apps similar to how long it took for some apps to update to retina, but the old apps will still work on the larger phone if the aspect ratio is the same. If Apple really wanted to make things easier for developers they should've made the iPad the same aspect ratio as the iPhone so that all the developer had to do was make one app for the iPad and then they should be able to easily scale down for anything smaller. It's most likely Apple won't make a tablet larger than the iPad, so developers would no longer have to enlarge any apps.
 
Last edited:
mbell1975 said:
The iPad isn't even 16:9, no way the iPhone will be. No chance in hell. Its still going to be a 3.5 inch screen.
Click to expand...


Ha you'll see in October. :D

Also, Incredible 4G launched today with a 4 inch 16:9 screen. It can be done for iPhone. And it will.
 
Last edited:
krashx7 said:
Youve got a point there but I want more on the screen. Not a few visible lines of a larger text size. I'd kill to be able to see more of my text conversations in landscape mode.
Click to expand...
I agree, but you have to have a larger screen first. Squeezing more in a 3.5" wide screen is just crazy talk. :D
 
The main reason I just got a Razr instead of an iPhone was the small screen. It was even smaller than my Droid2.
 
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