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wowman (82)Rumored 4.5″ HTC Will Make a Refreshed iPhone 5 Screen Look Tiny
Posted by Michael Nace on Monday Aug 29, 2011 Under iPhone 5 Rumor, Uncategorized, Verizon iPhoneAn upcoming new Droid smartphone from HTC is promising a beefy 4.5″ screen. If the iPhone 5 turns out to use the same screen and form factor as the 4, its screen will look puny next to its competitors.
The recent debate and conflicting rumors over whether the iPhone 5 will turn out to be either a refresh our an overhaul has had much to do with the form factor of the next iPhone design, and whether form factor alone determines if a new iPhone is indeed a refresh or an overhaul. Given the fact that the iPhone 3Gs was a refresh of the 3G and featured the same form factor, and the iPhone 4 was an overhaul and offered a completely new form factor, this syllogism leads many iPhone users to use form factor as a litmus test for the new iPhone’s level of ingenuity, in spite of the fact that the 3Gs and 4 were refreshes and overhauls, respectively, based on other features moreso than form factor alone.
Whether the iPhone 5 will need to have a new form factor or not for you to consider it an overhaul, however, will not change the fact that, if the next iPhone retains the same screen dimensions as the current iPhone 4, it will undoubtedly be outclassed by its top Android rivals in screen size.
Both the Samsung Galaxy S 2 and the Nexus Prime are slated to get 4.3″ screens that would dwarf the current screen specs of the iPhone 4. This is bound to irk avid iPhone users, who have been clamoring for a larger, edge to edge screen for the iPhone 5 since the start of the rumor cycle. Smartphone users as a whole are beginning to recognize that, as smartphones become smarter, the need for a larger gesture area becomes apparent. Typing, for example, is particularly painful on a 3.5″ screen (which I am currently experiencing as I write this blog post, thanks to Hurricane Irene knocking out my power for 36 hours and counting. Thank God for 3G.) Even if the next iPhone features significant upgrades, such as an 8 megapixel camera or even 4G, the lack of a larger screen could create a gap between Apple and Android.
To add insult to injury, there is yet another new Droid phone coming up that will up the ante with an even bigger screen. The HTC “Waikiki” – which is perhaps the stupidest rumored name I’ve ever heard come out of the Droid universe, next only to Ice Cream Sandwich – is rumored to sport a luscious 4.5″ screen, along with an impressive list of features such as 1.2 Ghz dual core processor, 1 GB RAM, 8 megapixel camera, and qHD display.
It’s enough to make an iPhone user feel jealous.
August 29th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Fantastic……miniature tablets for phones lol. 4.3 is good but a 4.5?! The samsung infuse is huge, yet alone another one. I heard samsung is coming out with a 4.65 screen phone. What?!?!?!
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August 29th, 2011 at 11:40 am
Soon enough we will be back to the old brick cell phone!
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August 29th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
What is this battle of the screens?? You may have a larger screen but what about your internals?
I agree with iwhatever!, I don’t want to carry some heavy brick in my pocket every where I go. The 3.5in screen doesn’t bother me and I think a 4in screen would be perfect for the iphone. Not to big and not too small but just right.
Pretty soon their gonna have 5in screens.
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August 29th, 2011 at 12:35 pm
I’m sure apple can find a way to give us a bigger screen and still keep the phone a reasonable size. Even if they stick to a design that’s like the iPhone 4 there is still no reason why they can’t use up some of the unused space for a bigger screen.
I don’t think it would be smart for apple to ignore one of the most wanted features of the iPhone 5. I’m sure most people would be happy with a 4.0″ screen. Also, why would it take apple this long just to give us the same old iphone 4, only with an A5?
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August 29th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
It’s not the size of you screen, but what you can do with it. I think Apple recognizes this and will produce when iOS5 blows Android OS out of the water in user satisfaction. They must also realize that they can’t keep that now relatively “puny” iPhone 4 screen and maintain a foothold in spec marketing arena. I just picture the competitions commercials, “what good are all those apps if you can’t see them?”.
For me, I think if the next gen is keeping the form factor, they at least need to maximimize available area while keeping retina quality display, which if I remember correct is about 3.8″. That would suit me fine. Like others have said, the stradler (large phone / mini tablet) has been tried and failed in both markets simultaneously. Screen size is not the endgame to smartphones in my opinion, and anybody that wants to make it so lacks creativity or their operating system and app market stink.
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August 29th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
i think 4″ is the perfect size for iphone 5. if they could do that within the i iphone 4 shape, that would be great. design also matters A LOT because tech wise i think apple will lose the race against the android army which gets refreshed way more often. the build quality may be a big plus for apple as the android phones are all made of cheap plastic.
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August 29th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
I really don’t care what an OS is called. They could call it “the operating system formeraly known as [insert silly name]” or just give it a symbol; it wouldn’t matter to me as long as it was spectacular.
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August 29th, 2011 at 1:16 pm
I can’t speak for anybody else but I know that one of the reason I resisted buying the Samsung GS2 all this time was because I thought the footprint was too BIG. If i wanted something that wouldn’t fit in my pocket, I would look to tablets.
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August 29th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Just saw the most recent photos of Steve Jobs..yikes! I surely wish him well and thank him for his legacy at Cupertino that he’s leaving behind. Well I’m in agreement with the majority here. The trend of obnoxiously huge screens hopefully won’t get picked up by Apple. I’m all for a gentle push in the gesture area but I don’t think exceeding 4″ will be a good match for Apple’s minimal design characteristics. And a huge screen comes off a little too gaudy for my taste. The renderings/concepts on Mac Rumors & 9to5Mac of the white i5 that were created by ciccaresedesign using the supposed real specs of the new design featured a 4″ screen and it was truly beautiful. Almost like an iPad 2 in a phone’s form. I personally want a phone, not a downsized slate or tablet. There’s really nowhere to go once you cross over that 5″ threshold and find yourself in that strange vacuum of space in between a 5″ phone screen and a 7″ tablet screen. So hopefully Apple will find it noteworthy to increase the screen enough to appease the masses but won’t feel the urge to push past the competition. *Fingers losing circulation from being crossed so tight!*
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August 29th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
I want a 4.xx” screen iPhone that can downscale iPad apps.
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August 29th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Having a first gen iPhone has been killing me. The only really visual change iv ever wanted was
a 4.2/4.3 inch screen, plus the os5/A5 chip I’m sold!. But if the screen does not get bigger
and HTC comes out swinging an impresses me! I hate to say but…I might have to jump
ship from my beloved brand (Apple <3 u like a dad) for (2yrs)
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August 29th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
A 4″ screen is fine with me. Anything bigger then 4.3 or so is just crazy.
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August 29th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
The first iPhone was there, then next year apple only brought 3g to the iPhone, so not a big jump, so how if the iPhone cycle is acurate, the the iPhone 5 is a refresh, then why wasn’t the 3g an overhaul? Just a though?
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August 29th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
I think an all new iPhone 5 will be here soon, my guess is Apple might just have to up-size the screen, because like previous mentions, the all new iPhone sitting next to these top notch smartphones will look ridiculous, a 3.5″ screen next to a 4.3″ would even attract an Apple fan like myself towards the competition, let alone the general public. My imagination of the new iPhone will be something like a 4″ screen, same home button, HD FaceTime camera, 1080p HD rear camera, metal back that will be very similar to the iPad 2.. Seems like it would be minimalistic like Apple, clean and full featured, enough to be satisfying to all and keep iPhone 5′ers happy for their 2 year contract. I don’t want to sound whiney, but from a high class perspective, if it’s the same 3.5″ screen, I think a lot of people including myself will be highly disappointed. I mean, Steve Jobs himself stated that he believes the display is your window to the world, the iPhone 4 received the Retina display from the previous iPhones, why not bump up that “window” especially to utilize the new gestures coming in iOS 5. Just my opinion. *hoping for 4″ screen iPhone 5 looking similar to an iPad 2* =D (speaking of iPad 2′s, I just got my first iPad a few days ago and I love it, haven’t touched my laptop since) ;P
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August 29th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
I had an iPhone 3G, then moved to a 4.3″ HTC Inspire 4G because it started dying. The screen size, speed, Android OS,and quality are all excellent and very comparable to iPhone. I would like to go back to Apple just for iTunes integration but it is going to take a lot to make me come back. If Apple sticks with a small screen and 3G I will wait for the next gen.
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August 29th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
I would be happy with a slightly bigger screen on an iPhone 4 shell, so the phone gets no bigger, I agree regards screens that start to get towards tablet size, is pointless and would not interest me, it’s supposed to fit in my pocket…
If the next iPhone isn’t a big upgrade I will stick with my iPhone 4 and wait it out till mid 2012… My GF was gonna have my 4 when I get the new one, so she may just have to stick with her htc wildfire for a bit longer!!!
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August 29th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
I would argue, wowman, that adding 3G to the iPhone was a big deal, and an overhaul. 3G changed everything, and without it, the iPhone wouldn’t be what it is. Similarly, if the next iPhone is 4G but within the iPhone 4′ s chassis, out will be an overhaul.
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August 29th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
I still have my original iPhone and it is a little thicker than the 3G and the 3GS. The look of the back changed as well. My nephew’s 3G and my 3GS both have a black back, whereas the original had a silver and black back. When they came out, that was considered a major redesign. Well, 3GS was a refresh, but you all know what I mean. (Hopefully).
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August 29th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
This is all a bit like watching a delayed football telecast – I hope my team wins, but in reality, the game is already over. The iPhone 5 (whatever it’s called) already exists and is probably being assembled somewhere in China. I hope that the form of the phone doesn’t get any bigger – I carry mine everywhere and don’t want a big clunky thing. If they can make the screen bigger without making the phone bigger – fine, but I hope they haven’t got sucked into a size war.
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August 30th, 2011 at 12:00 am
Hey guys, love the blog. Check it daily. Hope everyone’s doing well on the coast.
I have a friend with a Droid X. Not sure what that screen size is, 4.3 I’m guessing. That phone seems GIGANTIC. Awkwardly big. That screen size would be awesome in a thinner, more elegant package. I believe anything 4.0″ – 4.3″ would be great. Any smaller would be weak in the market in 6 – 8 months.
As for myself and my wife, we can hardly wait for the next iPhone. Unlike all of you here, both our 16 month old 16gb 3GS iPhones are giving us the same issue. We LOVE our phones, however the issue is infuriating. Our phones will freeze suddenly and stick on a blank screen with random black lines. Mine will lock up after anywhere from 15 – 45 minutes of use if not plugged in or on a spare battery, rarely getting below 90% battery remaining. It has even happened while the phone displayed 100% battery. My wife can rarely use hers more that 3 – 5 minutes off the charger or battery.
We absolutely love our iPhones generally, except for the obvious problem.
If anyone has any suggestions that would be awesome.
Look forward to reading all the news.
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August 30th, 2011 at 12:01 am
Sorry guys. Didn’t mean to hijack the blog.
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August 30th, 2011 at 12:18 am
@Jesse case mate makes a case that charges your phone i use my phone alot and i have 100% at the end of the day its for iphone 3g,3gs and the best part i only paid 14$ idk about your area. Also when your not using it turn of 3g And put the screen brightness down if battery problems persist i would just restore your phone. i never heard of that problem and if your phone is still under apple warranty they replace it no charge they did it with my 3gs hope that helped!:)
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August 30th, 2011 at 12:18 am
Just curious, do you guys carry your phones in your pocket? Since moving to a smart phone a few years ago, I resorted to keeping it in a case on my belt. It’s never in my pocket, so size isn’t really an issue – as long as it isn’t too big that it is uncomfortable in my hand, I want the screen as large as possible. I have a 4 inch screen with my current Samsung GS1, and would like a slightly larger screen. If the Iphone 5 is smaller, i’ll likely pass on it.
Waiting for all the speculation to end – just release the phone already!
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August 30th, 2011 at 1:26 am
I’m confused. The Droid Prime (Sammy’s ‘Nexus Prime’ and VZW exclusive) is slated to be a 4.5″ screen. Are you sure your sources are correct? I first read it from BGR.com.
Also, it’s going to run [horribly named] “Ice Cream Sandwhich” (Android 4.0), along with a 720p display and LTE. Oh, and a 1.5 dual-core processor to boot.
Meet the iPhone 5 killer.
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August 30th, 2011 at 1:40 am
@michael … with my luck, the iphone will have 4g lte, but the battery life will be about 3-6 hours… just like my 3g lol
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August 30th, 2011 at 1:59 am
@wowman
knowing apple they won’t settle for 3-6 hour battery life 4g lte or not. they will make a way to get a long battery life with 4g and blow all those android people out of their seat.
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August 30th, 2011 at 6:22 am
Jesse, I’m 99% sure your battery is dead (dead and dying batteries cause a variety of weird symptoms, one of the most common being false messages about the amount of actual charge). If the new phone wasn’t around the corner, I’d say take it to one of those places that replaces the battery (cost me about $50 and took an hour). Otherwise, just hang in there.
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August 30th, 2011 at 8:12 am
@Rsonn Im sure apple will do that but still, my luck vs brilliant apple, why do I feel like I’m gambling, it’s proble the wager matches I always play on black ops
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August 30th, 2011 at 10:49 am
Herein lies the Apple vs. PC battle, in the phone arena:
Apple has been, with a few exceptions, vertically encompassing the market. They make the computer and the O/S, so they are inherently stable. (Imagine if IBM made the PC, and didn’t let MS sell DOS to whomever they wanted.)
Apple makes the O/S and the phone, so they have to live (and they live well on the iPhone) and die with that combination. Google, like Microsoft, makes the O/S, specifies what the phone and O/S can do, and the hardware makers are left to make the O/S work with their hardware. There, you get hardware makers pushing the boundaries, and as long as they get the hooks in, the phone will work. When it doesn’t, you get the the “Hardware problem, software problem” issue, with each pointing their finger at the other.
So, if you want the “coolest” (I know, completely opinionated) phone, go for the ‘droid. If you want one stop shopping, stability, and not worry about where to get the phone fixed (or if it’s even broken), get an iPhone.
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August 30th, 2011 at 11:09 am
@ Jesse, My 3Gs is starting to do the freezing thing, too. I believe that it is the battery. They do wear out after a while. I have been lucky, though, because mine has lasted me for 2 years. All I can say, is just hang in there. October will be here before we know it!
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August 30th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
4.3″ is too big, 4.5″ is stupid. It’s not the size of the screen that counts, it’s what you can do with it.
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August 30th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
@Aimee,
Just changed out the battery in my 3GS. That should get me to October/April/Whenever the real iPhone 5 (not 4GS) comes out.
Most nervous $25 I spent, and opening it and changing it with a 3 year old running around is not good for the nerves…
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August 30th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
The 4.3 size on the HTC Inspire is really nice and the overall case size is not much bigger than the iPhone 3G at all. I agree that 4.5 is too big. 4.3 is really nice for texting, reading news, playing games, and watching movies on a plane. I usually use bluetooth when talking on the phone so a slightly bigger phone is not awkward at all. It would be hard to go back to the smaller screen size now after getting used to 4.3.
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August 30th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
@Jeff, I can certainly understand about the 3 year old running around. Mine just turned 6. I hope that the battery works out for you.
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August 31st, 2011 at 7:30 am
Good source told me that none of the current pictures depict the actual iphone 5. He also said that u could scroll through text and pages using touch gestures on the back of the phone. oh and on another note he said the screen was larger but only incremental
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August 31st, 2011 at 10:28 am
@Aimee,
You sure you aren’t my wife, Amy, with a different spelling? (just kidding). We have a 6 year old birthday party on Friday…
So far, so good with the battery after a week. The first one I put in wouldn’t recharge, but the company sent a new one out, and it appears to be working properly. There is nothing like the nervous feeling of turning on your iphone after having it apart. The only issue I have is with connector3 going back in, so the speaker/mic don’t work anymore, but I use a headset/bluetooth, so it’s a minor issue for me anyway.
The main thing to understand on these devices are they are meant to be put together with minimally trained labor consistently and with high reliability, so the design is pretty solid. My favorite screw to remove was the one under the sticker that said, “do not remove”. My engineering mind said that the sticker could have said, “Eat at Joe’s” and have the same meaning… nothing. In all, the first time it took me an hour. The second time (to put the original battery back in) took 15 minutes, and the final time took about 30 minutes (3 year old “helped” by handing me screws. She’s a doll, and loves exacting work, so daddy helps her help him.)
Take care!
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August 31st, 2011 at 12:14 pm
That is wonderful about getting it to work again. Glad that you were able to get the battery to work out for you. That is so cute that your daughter wants to help out like that! My son is the computer guru in our house. It is pretty sad when I am supposedly the grown up and the six year old can fix the computer better than his mother can. LOL! He has gotten me out of a couple jams, all the while he is rolling his eyes at me. That is pretty cool that they are easy to work on and I can certainly attest to their quality. My son is playing Angry Birds on my 3GS as I am typing this.
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August 31st, 2011 at 1:02 pm
[...] over the cellular …Mobile Market Steady, Apple Poised to Explode with iPhone 5Review St. LouisRumored 4.5″ HTC Will Make a Refreshed iPhone 5 Screen Look TinyThe iPhone 5 News Blog (blog)Android Creeps Up on 42% Share: comScoreeWeekToday’s iPhoneall [...]
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September 5th, 2011 at 10:47 pm
I think anyone who complains about big screens or “heavy phones” (which are always mere FRACTIONS of a pound)are pansy a** weenies.
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