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wowman (82)Sub-4″ iPhone 5 Screen Separates Apple From The Pack
Posted by Michael Nace on Monday Sep 12, 2011 Under iPhone 5 Opinion
More rumors suggest that the iPhone 5 may indeed turn out to sport the same screen size and form factor as the iPhone 4. If Apple chooses to stick with a sub-4″ screen, it’s because they believe that “smaller is better.”
If you were to surf all of the articles and comments about the iPhone 5 and its screen size, it would seem like a no-brainer that Apple would jack up its dimensions to match those of its trusty Droid competitors. After all, 2011 seems to be becoming “the year of the big screen” when it comes to smartphones. And yet, in the midst of immense pressure from its customers to redesign the iPhone 5′s form factor and equip it with a 4″+ screen, all of the purported evidence and best guesses from analysts suggest that Apple isn’t buying it.
The iPhone 5 may very well turn out to look exactly like a metal-backed iPhone 4. No big screen.
According to DigitalSpy, “Apple will not increase the screen size of the forthcoming fifth iteration of the iPhone to compete with the next generation of Android devices, an analyst has claimed.”
Apple enthusiasts often seen Cupertino’s unwillingness to go with the flow of public opinion of certain design considerations (such as the addition of Flash or an earlier adoption of NFC, for example) as a flaw in the company’s otherwise stellar track record; some would say Apple has a tin ear on what their users want, when should have something akin to a LiquidMetal ear, and follow the prevailing trends in smartphone technology.
But for as much as Apple’s decisions and non-decisions sometimes seem inexplicable when compared against the tack of the technology sector, they have turned out to be one of the most successful companies in the world for delivering products to their customers. Strangely, sometimes what Apple users want isn’t what they get, but in the end come to love.
In other words, sometimes Apple knows best.
In the case of the iPhone 5‘s screen — if Apple ends up opting for the iPhone 4′s screen and form factor — then it remains to be seen if that choice was based on a design preference or a business decision. From a business standpoint, getting more mileage out of the iPhone 4′s radical design would mean that Cupertino could perhaps invest R&D resources elsewhere, ceding the fact that no improvement in the iPhone 5′s screen size could alienate a few users, without otherwise affecting the iPhone’s ascendency into becoming the world’s most popular smartphone.
Small-screened wonder: the Mac Classic
On the other hand, Apple has been known to dig the small screen.
When early desktop computers were expanding the size of their screens, Apple’s Mac 30, Classic, and similar computers were utilizing much smaller, built-in screens for a more compact design that ushered in what would become the laptop. The Mac 30 came in a carrying case with a shoulder strap, and you could very easily sling it over your shoulder and take it home from work with you. Sure, the screen was small, but it gave the Mac 30 a versatility that did not exist anywhere else in the early world of computers. And once you sat down and started working on it, you quickly adjusted to the screen size.
Is it not possible, then, that Apple has something to say by not bumping up the size of the iPhone’s screen, should they decide to pass on a 4″+ screen? Much in the same way that Steve Jobs rejected the QWERTY keyboard for the iPhone, perhaps the design team at Cupertino simply believes that smartphone screens ought not to be that big. There is, after all, a huge gap in screen size between the iPhone and iPad.
Maybe they want to keep it that way?
September 12th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Smaller is not better in this instance. I can’t think of a disadvantage to having a 4″ screen.
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September 12th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
It’s been on my mind for a while, and finally somebody agrees with me in the form of this article. I’m not a fan of my hone being huge, I like the iPhone design and it’s screen size. Why make a phone thinner and thinner but longer and wider? The iPhone fits my hand perfect, the autocorrect fixes my spelling mistakes which I would make anyway, and it fits perfect in my jeans, pants, cargo shorts, and basketball shorts. I don’t want a phone that would be protruding out of my pants. Keep the same screen!
-John
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September 12th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
I think its not so good to have a too big screen because the phone is getting bigger and bigger, and not so easy too use anymore. I dont think the 3.5 is too small, but a near 4″ screen would be very nice, and wouldnt make the phone really bigger. I think about 3.8 would be perfect. Also, if they keep the same form factor, i will definitely buy another phone.
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September 12th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Screen size is perfect. Fits in pocket perfectly those who want a bigger screen size want it for games. If there old the iPad would be perfect.
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September 12th, 2011 at 1:26 pm
Almost every servey and website says that customers wan’t the iPhone 5 to have a bigger screen. Maybe it’s just me, but I really don’t understand why Apple wouldn’t want to listen to their customers. After all we are the people who are buying their products to keep them in business.
I wouldn’t want an iPhone that is as big as these other droid phones, but even if apple kept the iPhone 4 from factor, there is still more than enough room for a 3.8″ screen. 3.8″ would be the perfect size. Not only would it not be too big to fit in the current iPhone size, but it would also still be within the retina specifications.
Please apple, don’t give us the same screen size that we have had since the iPhone first came out. Also please don’t give us a phone that is pretty much the same as the iPhone 4, you guys have already given us the iPhone 4 3 times.
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September 12th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
The size is just fine it fits in my hand pocket perfectly. People that want a bigger screen want it for games or are either to old that they need and ipad.
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September 12th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
I’m really hoping for a bigger screen. I love using my iPhone for all sorts of different media-related purposes, and the one thing I feel would definitely make the entire experience more enjoyable would be a larger screen. Perhaps the best thing would be for there to be 2 models of the phone, one with a larger screen, and perhaps a more minimal design for those who think that the phone will be too big with a 4″+ screen. As for now, maybe its time to invest some more thought into the Galaxy S2?
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September 12th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
[...] we have reported on our sister site, the iPhone 5 News Blog, it is quite possible that Apple simply doesn’t believe in the notion of beefing up the size [...]
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September 12th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
I agree with John M.
I have a Droid X and can’t wait for the iPhone 5. Part of the reason is that I can tell you from experience that carrying around a 4″ screen gets old. For 99% of the use of my phone, I just don’t need anything bigger than 3.5″. These are mobile phones, not laptops. If you want a bigger screen, get a droid or an iPad. Apple is smart to stick to its strength, portability with unmatched productivity.
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September 12th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
JustinQ, remember, most of these survey (learn to spell) and forum websites cater to avid tech dorks like me. We love to play games, and other things on our cell phones that aren’t necessary or even used by 99% of people. For example, playing angry birds on a 3.5″ is fine… but gun bros is 500x better on a bigger screen! Apple is sticking to the majority of it’s base. Smart business move.
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September 12th, 2011 at 2:09 pm
Michael, Here is an interesting article about Bestbuy placing an apple display in their stores on October 21st.
http://www.gforgames.com/gadgets/iphone-5-release-date-21st-october-13933/
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September 12th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
I am a person that carries my phone in my pocket, and I think the iPhone is a great sizandYhey shouldn’t change the overall dimensions (except a little thinner if they can). I do believe, however, that there is more real estate on the front of the phone that can be utilized to house a larger screen. It may not come out to 4+”, but what’s bad about having a bigger screen AND the svelte form factor?
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September 12th, 2011 at 2:28 pm
I absolutely agree with JustinQ. Apple cant do just what they want anymore. Maybe they can, but i will not buy any device from an company that not interested in their users wishes. We are buying it and we want a bigger screen. Im really tired of them. I swear, if there will be no bigger screen, and no new design, i will not buy it. They can resell their old trash to stupid people but not me. And just for that reason, i will buy a high end gamer pc, but no mac. And its not just me, i know tons of people which told me the same.
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September 12th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
Sounds like Apple may be trying to lower expectations because they may have misjudged the marketplace and it’s customers desires. I used to say that the smaller screen was better too for handling but no more. Having had an iPhone 3G and now an HTC Inspire 4G with a 4.3″ screen, the bigger screen is much better. It really makes a difference when typing, playing games, viewing web sites, and watching movies. And the difference in device size is really negligable. Hopefully this news isn’t true.
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September 12th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
I call bullcrap, if apple put out a 4″ or even 4.3″ screen all you folks who say 3.5 is better would all be buying it and would be thrilled.
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September 12th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I see people confusing them self in this part .
Well first off all a bigger screen in not only for gaming or multimedia entertainment . Browsing in a 4″ screen would act be better than a smaller screen . And people who don’t really want a bigger screen on the next Gen I phone then why u even wanna get the next gen phone . If your not really bothere about gaming or any other multi media function then u can definitely stick to the currenti phone 4 itself . I mean the next Gen phone is gonna cone with an A5 chip and a faster processor which would boost up the phones speed and improve the graphics off the phone ,but when u not really worries much about the gaming or any other fucntions which would be a lot better with the bigger screen , then pls stick to the current I phone 4 . Apple is a company which has always made products before their competetors but then behind in this . I have been using apples products since last 12 years and I really want a bigger screen in the next Gen I phone .
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September 12th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
I feel ike 4 is the magic number. A 3.8″ screen, though fine, fails to reach the magic consumer number of 4 inches. The 4.3″ screens I’ve seen and held, though cool, are like what many other people have been saying. They are just too big in reality. But with a 4″ screen it’s a significantly bigger size without really increasing phone dimensions that much at all. Maybe just 1-3mm on each side of the phone. The ideal phone size would be one that if you hold you hand, palm facing you, in a manor that you would hold a phone, fits naturally inside that space. I have smaller hands and it seems like an iPhone 4 is maybe just a little bit too small. Just a little bigger would be perfect, and would accomodate a 4″ screen. So here’s to the continued hope of a 4″ screen. (though I do feel that a 3.8″ screen would be satisfactory).
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September 12th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
I think it would be incredibly foolish and wrong for Apple not to make the iPhone 5 (if that’s what they end up calling it) with a bigger screen. All Apples competitors, even if Apple think they have no competitors, provide phones for their customers with screens that are 20-25% larger than the one on the current iPhone. If Apple are so full of themselves that they refuse to provide phones with larger screens for their customers, it just proves that Apple are every bit as arrogant as some people tend to think. However, this Apple user and “lover” would not want to buy an iPhone with a sub 4″ screen. Apple may think they know best and all that crap, but as someone else has said: If you don’t “please” your customers, we’ll run for the hills, shaking our heads in disbelief.
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September 12th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
I agree with most in terms of the screen size on the 4 being perfect for the design of the 4. However, I also agree with those who are calling for a slight increase, maybe up to 4″ max. In order for the increase, Apple will have to reevaluate the entire phone’s design. So in other words, bigger screen, new design. Period. I personally wouldn’t mind seeing a slight increase but anything over 4″ is not an Apple. If it jumps to 3.7″-3.8″ i’m sure the design won’t need to change much but I would rather see the screen go as close to 4″ as possible and then redesign the entire shell. This is Apple after all, why put out the same phone and only tweak it here & there? That’s a waste of Apples time, resources & money. Most say that even with buyer discontent, Apple still stands to make billions in this quarter and that’s probably true but at the end of the day, Apple or not, they have to at least somewhat keep up with the Jones; if even to simply be comparable to a prospective buyer. My perfect version of the i5: a scaled down iPad 2 allowing for 4″ screen (or darn close) with the exact same ergonomic design and materials; metal/curved/tapered back, gorilla glass front, elongated home button,same thinness but slightly wider/shorter design. Viola
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September 12th, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Utilize the real estate on the current phone (stretch the screen), make it a little thinner and I would call that a winner.
Either way, I’ll be getting the next iPhone. I’ve used three different Android phones and they have all been piles of junk!
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September 12th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
I don’t know if it’s just me but i’ve always thought the original iPad looked a lot like how the i4 turned out. The iPad 2 has always struck me as an inclination into what the next iPhone would look like. So if we take that example to be true, the i5 will look much more like the iPad 2 than anything else. And that would sit perfectly with me. Anyone who owns an iPad 2 will agree. The lines are so smooth and the metal backing adds an elegance ang a sense of ruggedness that is like nothing else in the tablet market today. All other tablets look like a toy in comparison. The iPad 2 was such an improvement from the first tablet that it really makes one wonder why Apple would put out last year’s concept all over again. That would be like the iPad 2 being a basic redesign of the original iPad. We saw clearly how much a device that was already revolutionary could be changed within 1 year. I would love to see the new phone completely sealed like the iPad 2 because it really improves the overall style and durability of the unit. When you look at the iPad, what does it look like more: a 3GS or an i4? An i4. And so theoretically, what would the iPad 2 most likely resemble? The i4 or a possible i5? Exactly, save the same design of the i4 for a scaled down cheaper version 4S. That is all.
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September 12th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
@ Shane and Jacob : true said
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September 12th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
Found this article on Electricpig.co.uk that states some mobile provider, ‘Network 3′ is offering the iPhone 4 on their unlimited data plan with £169 cash back for signing up, seems like a good deal if you’re over there wherever they’re located, sorry I’m not up to snuff on European providers. Possibly trying to reduce their stock of iPhone 4′s?
http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2011/09/06/iphone-4-cash-back-deal-is-the-best-yet/
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September 12th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
You da man, John Berggren, but I have to respectfully disagree with you on this one in that, with a smartphone, bigger isn’t always better. I believe that there is a “sweet spot” for the overall size of a smartphone — it has to be a size that balances the use of a gesture-controlled screen with a compact size that still makes carrying the device viable. Sure, if you walk into Best Buy and tinker with a smartphone with a 4.3″ screen, it’s a total blast. But you’re trying it out in the abstract — you’re not living with it. It’s not having to fit in your pockets on a daily basis.
Look: I’m not advocating for tiny smartphones. The age of the incredibly small mobile phone is over. We’ve proven that we can make phones really small — but that doesn’t really interest us. At the same time, there is a “too big” size for a smartphone as well. Dell learned this with the Streak 5. Maybe Apple feels like, for the most part, they’ve found the “sweet spot” that balances computing with compactness?
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September 12th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Michael,
I agree. Apple likely thinks they’ve found the sweetspot or close to it. I would think they would have increased the screen size before now, since they have had multiple chances with 3G, 3GS, and the 4, and chose not to. I see the giant screens and think that it’s too much. The larger the screen gets, the less appeal the iPad will have. Apple wants you to buy an iPhone AND an iPad, not one or the other…
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September 12th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
I don’t know why Apple doesn’t consider a dual screen for the iPhone 6, similar to the Kyrocera echo. My wife has that phone, and when it is folded up, it is pretty much like the dimensions of the iPhone 4. But when you fold it open, it becomes like a mini tablet. Whenever she uses it, I always think, “I’ll bet apple wished they had done that first.”
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September 12th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
I guess I just must have ogre hands. The iPhone 4 is way too small. I feel like I’m going to lose the thing. I don’t see why all these other companies making large screened cell phones would make such bigger displays if their market research showed that it was a bad move. Apple is not the only company out there.
In the end, they’ll stick with this overly small screen, because they are a conservative company that does not like to take big risks (that’s a personal subjective opinion, I’m sure many of you could poke holes in the argument). They have a license to print money, and they’re not going to reinvent the wheel. Hell, they (literally) have more money than the U.S. Goverment. Don’t fix it if it isn’t broken. Too many cliches, but you get the idea.
I’ve played with a Droid X2 and other Android 4.3″ phones. The experience was fine. These companies would not make them if the experience was poor.
Also, are you guys wearing skin tight jeans or something? I’ve never seen a cell phone that did not like to fit in my pocket. I’ll admit I am a bigger guy, and I’m sorry if I have missed the point many folks here are trying to make.
Michael Nace, what’s your final opinion on iPhone 5 screen size? What specific size do you predict? I’m going to guess you predict 3.7-8″? That’s my prediction; just enough change to make us feel like we got something new, while simultaneously keeping the form factor and business model conservative to bring in more cash for the 4.
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September 12th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
I agree 100% with the sweet spot comment, though it seems like 3.5″ really isn’t quite there. My thoughts are that the 3.8″-4″ range is the sweet spot. I foresee that though 2011 is the year of the big screen, after some phones get up to 4.5″ by the end of this year and into 2012, by mid 2012 screens will start shrinking again, and probably back to a more realistic equilibrium of around 4″ Unfortunately I have not used an iPhone 4 much, really just my girlfriend’s 3GS here and there. I’m still holding out with my LG Dare, go ahead laugh, so really any iPhone will be great, but I don’t don’t think 3.5″ is quite it.
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September 12th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
Having used an HTC Windows Phone with a 4.3″ screen, and 640×480 resolution, I have to say that I loved it.
For those that say that Apple is so cool, and can do no wrong, remember the Lisa? The Newton (I owned one, and I LOVED it), the G3/G4/G5 iMacs, Apple at $8/share?
Just because Apple is cool now, remember, when you’re on top of the hill, everyone wants to knock you down. The nice thing is, we consumers win when that happens.
Apple and we consumers win when they and we agree, but with us holding the money, we have more power over them, unless we submit what we want to their directives on what we want. If Apple releases the iPhone 5 as an incremental phone, and we all gobble it up, why would they (would you? Remember, $10 saved on each phone is $500 million in more profit with 50 million phones sold… and you get the same customers on the next go-around…) change?
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September 12th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Michael, I tried to post a lengthy comment about 10-15 times, but the comment system keeps marking it as spam. Do you have any idea what I’m doing wrong? Finally got a condensed version above, but it took a lot of doing.
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September 12th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Sorry about that, Devin! Sometimes the spam blocker acts oddly. But I think I’ve fixed it. Also, I saw all of your drafts in the spam filter and “not spam”med the first one. Hope that’s the draft you wanted.
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September 12th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Devin, what I have read is that, given the current restrictions of the iPhone 4′s form factor, I don’t think that it could take more than 3.7-8″. But I think that that would be a good size. I really love the form factor of the iPhone 4, so it doesn’t stress me out to imagine it not growing a 4″+ screen and far-out new form factor (though, like an earlier commenter said, I wouldn’t balk at it, either). But that’s just totally a matter of taste on my part; I completely understand how people are pining for bigger screens and new form factors.
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September 12th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Thanks Michael. Sorry for the drafts.
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September 12th, 2011 at 6:33 pm
Just to make a point about the whole, “everyone else is making smartphones with big screens, so Apple should, too” theory: smartphone companies are also beginning to make 3D screens. And yet, 3D movies and other 3D technology is already on the wane (http://www.3dtvwatcher.co.uk/is-3d-yesterdays-news-2426/). But that isn’t stopping from the industry investing in it.
It very well may be that the average iPhone user is quite comfortable with the screen size — I think we’ve even seen some representation of them here in the comments today. We can be assured that Apple has done its due diligence in marketing focus groups to decide if going with a larger screen will really be worth the investment.
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September 12th, 2011 at 6:45 pm
I have to agree with people who say they don’t want a big 4.5 inch screen on the iPhone 5. There is no reason for apple to join the croud by making a phone that hardly fits in the average pocket. However there is also no reason at all why apple can’t fit at least a 3.8 inch screen in the current iPhone 4 form factor.
I understand that the iPhone 5 will not live up to most of the rumors. I do not understand at all why apple is possibly going to give us the same phone again for the 4th time, only with more power and a better camera. What have the product designers been doing for the past year. I hate android, but at least the Galaxy S2 is a major leap over the first Galaxy S. I can’t think of any good reason why apple has to make the iPhone 5 be a minor upgrade and make the iPhone 6 a major upgrade.
I really hope the rumors of the iPhone 5 being a minor update are false and apple blows everyone away next month.
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September 12th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
That’s a good point, but my gut says that humans like larger screens (e.g. Tv and computer monitors) a good bit more than 3d. I’m just trying to convince myself at this point. We know pretty much what we are gonna get.
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September 12th, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Devin, I would disagree with your comment that we pretty much know what we are going to get. There really hasn’t been any evidence in this matter, just only rumors. (Someone please correct me if I’m wrong) But everything we’ve all read just seems to be people talking and speculating. There aren’t any pictures of a leaked prototype or anything like that. But I think next week will finally be the week we find out.
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September 12th, 2011 at 7:23 pm
yeah all these ‘businessmen’ say “ive been in the industry for years and blah blah blah and the iPhone 5 will be like this, no questions asked” and then someone else comes along and speculates something completely different that contradicts the last guy. the only time we’ll know 100% is if someone finds an iPhone 5 in an iPhone 5 shell in a bar and analyzes it before they get their lives sued by Apple, end of story.
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September 12th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
I don’t get the 3.5 is plenty sentiment. I have used plenty of larger screen phones and side by side with an iPhone 4 the difference in overall phone size is no big deal. Since having read this on the comments on this site a few times I have started to watch and ask people and look for it on forums more. I couldn’t find people complaining it was too big for their hands or too big for their jeans etc. Oddly I think I primarily see that on the comments of this sute. I work with some women that have larger screen phone and small hands and trust me they can one hand type and text at speeds that are no way inhibited. Maybe there is some super tiny hand and tiny jeans segment I am just not exposed to? But at the end of the day to me…. It is a smartphone. I want it to be smart. I don’t just make phonecalls with it. In fact there is very little smartphones do that I do not do with mine. Besides phone calls/music listening(audio) without facetime/skype etc I can’t think of a lot of instances where I though a larger screen would not be better. Movies, VNC, photos, photo editing, Prismo use, games, reference, office apps, ebooks etc all look nicer on a larger screen. I have stuff like the Ar drone and Griffen Beacon just out of curiosity. Perhaps the small screen crowd are the “audio” crowd that want an iPod that makes calls and not as “visually” driven. The “get an iPad” sentiment seems odd. I have one and have to chuckle. It isn’t always with me like my iPhone. So as someone that does a lot with their phone and it goes everywhere with them, bring on the 4 inch screen:)
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September 12th, 2011 at 8:42 pm
I’ll get the iPhone5 regardless of the screen size. I’m not switching away from iTunes and I want a faster processor – but NOT for playing games as some suggest, because things like the Facebook Ap and Map Ap are severly hamstrung on my 3G. If I want to have a quick look at Facebook, it’s something like 90 seconds before it’s good to go.
I don’t need bigger. I don’t want the phone to get bigger, but if they can squeeze a bigger screen into the current format, go for it. It’s a bit like my 13″ Macbook – sure a bigger screen would be nice when I’m using it, but it takes up a lot of space and weight when I’m not carting it around. My phone goes almost everywhere with me (apart from the shower and places I’m not allowed to take a phone into), so size (small) is important.
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September 12th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
I could have agreed with you but if this means that Apple is consciously ignoring the demand for a bigger screen…what do you think they would do with the iPhone 6! Keep the same screen size?? I guess if they don’t…some customers (like me) would definitely start looking for other options. Also, if they incorporate new hardware in the 6, i think they would need to reconsider the design. But, if they do increase the screen size with the iPhone 6, why not do it now with the 5! Sure, bumping the screen size wouldn’t cost any fallout…i mean don’t make it huge…but big enough to satisfy the people who want it big, but still small enough for others to not feel its a brick in their hands! 3.7 to 3.8 would be perfect. Wouldn’t it??
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September 12th, 2011 at 11:35 pm
If you all REALLY wanted a larger screen, you would’ve sold your i4 for a prime amount of money, and bought a bigger screen android phone outright on your carrier. Truth is, Apple has been using this screen size for the past 4 iterations, and it’s been successful for them. There is no need to change on their part; it’s what makes Apple..Apple. Deal with it or look elsewhere for smartphones.
PS: 3.7 or 3.8? Do you realize how negligible that would be? It wouldn’t even be enough. Once it hits that, then more people would clamor for a 4 inch. Then a 4.3. Can’t satisfy everybody I guess, but Apple can satisfy enough evidently lol
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September 12th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
I think a slightly bigger screen would be great but nothing bigger than 4″ … smart phones are going to start looking like tablets for real if they make them any bigger. And let’s not forget, the bigger the screen, the more battery it’ll use (not dramatically but it will use more).
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September 13th, 2011 at 12:36 am
Hi You All – this is my first post, but have been a faithful follower for 8 or 9 months (feels like an eternity of waiting). The discussion about the screen size of the new iPhone has finally gotten me to the point of a response. I really hope for a larger screen for the sake of my older eyes and think something like a 4″ would be wonderful.
Are you guys out there familiar with Phi (the divine proportion of 1.618…) This is a proportion found all over nature (spirals of the Chambered nautilus, hurricanes, leaf arrangements of plants, etc.) Since I didn’t have anything better to do tonight, I drew out the current 3.5″ screen and lo and behold the screen perfectly conforms to the Phi proportion! If I enlarged it to a 4″ screen it didn’t quite meet the proportion, but if I drew the square and arc and measured that it worked out to 3 15/16″ – isn’t that about the 3.8″ screen we are all talking about? I can’t wait to measure the new screen and see if Apple (cross section of an apple displays a pentagram which also relates to Phi btw) keeps to their divine proportion like the present 3.5″ screen actually does. The screen I drew measured 2 3/16″ x 3 3/8″. That may make it too wide, but it has been said before that the screen could get larger and the bezel smaller. Anyway, just a little math exercise while we all wait…
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September 13th, 2011 at 12:46 am
If the iPhone 5 doesn’t change its form factor in any way, I’m getting the Samsung Galaxy Note, with a 5.3″ and a wacom stylus
Actually, might as well get the Note…
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September 13th, 2011 at 12:46 am
SheriBob, you’re very smart. lol. Anyways, I’m getting the next generation iPhone no matter what, but I think a jump to 3.8″ wouldn’t hurt. It may seem negligible to some, but it’s not really. I think it’s perfect. I’ve played with my friends 4+” screen phones and it feels uncomfortable in my hand and it’s difficult to type (and I have quite large hands). I truly believe that Apple does know best, so if it’s 3.5″ then that’s what is best for the consumers and I won’t be complaining. I need an upgrade so bad. My 3GS stopped working a few weeks ago and I’m using my mom’s old flip phone -___-
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September 13th, 2011 at 12:55 am
Have had the GS1 with a 4 inch screen for more than a year, and am way past ready to upgrade. Looking forward to trying out the iphone 5 on Sprint next month, but going to a smaller screen will be a tough pill to swallow. Typing on a 4 inch screen is already annoying at times, and I would really prefer a slightly larger screen. Less than 4 inches? That’ll gives me pause. I’ll have to compare it side by side with the GS2 before making a decision.
Hope this is all apple spreading false rumors, and they deliver in a big way. We’ve been waiting for so many months for this phone to arrive.
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September 13th, 2011 at 1:03 am
Here’s another point that I think a lot of people have missed: bigger screens are nice, but a majority of us also like to have our phones protected with a case. Putting a decent case on the phone significantly increases the dimensions of whatever phone you have. I have a 3Gs, and I liked the Otterbox, but it was way too big to put into my pocket. I instead got the Speck case to balance protection, and ease of stowing and retrieving my phone. I think Apple has considered this too, since the market for cases is so big. I do believe that there is a “sweet spot” in the overall form factor for this reason. I still stand by the overall dimensions of the 4, with it maybe being a bit thinner to accomodate a smaller case. Unless Apple can make a nearly indestructible phone that would be the same width/height as a 4 plus a case, they will need to stick by the same dimensions to appease the masses.
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September 13th, 2011 at 2:45 am
why cant we all just get along!! come on apple…. play nice…. just give us the 5 now and we can all go back to being friends
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September 13th, 2011 at 3:01 am
I actually expect iPhone5 having 4″ display and 720P resolution. I have been waiting for that. If iPhone5 still has 3.5″ display, I defintely will go with Samsung Galaxy SII, which has the best display in terms of color, but not the resolution.
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September 13th, 2011 at 4:33 am
Come now people let us all be civil in our discourse. While I may prefer 4 and you 3.5 I certainly wouldn’t be so crass as to tell you to go to another brand just because we disagree. Certainly screen size matters but there is more to a phone than just that. For example the anand article how Samsung galaxy sII dropped the ball on auio quality. You are entitled to your opinions as are others to their thoughts on the matter.
As far as I can tell those that hope the screen stays the same size quotes just two reasons. One typing might become more difficult and two it might not fit in their jeans. Well obviously 4 inch and even larger screen have been around some time and I do not see those people unable to text/e-mail etc or leaving their phones at home. Even more so transporting a phone really isn’t using it unless it keeps you from bringing it along to use. The larger screen supporters like myself list a plethora of activities that are improved by a larger screen movies, books, browsing, gps, VNC, photos, photo editing, Prismo use, games, reference, office apps, and so forth. I have saw two sided debates that a 4 in screen lowers typing ability or the ability to transport the phone, does anyone disagree all these and more visual activities are enhanced by a larger screen size?
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September 13th, 2011 at 7:38 am
I want a larger screen and I hope apple delivers.
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September 13th, 2011 at 9:01 am
folks like myself who’d prefer a 4″ or at least 3.8″ don’t want a bigger phone…. we want the same footprint with an edge to edge screen… so we’re not talking about turning the phone into a brick… I want a bigger screen, but I agree that phones like the thunderbolt, etc are too big for the pocket… and I’m not han solo, I don’t want to wear a holster. It does sound like we’re getting a refresh… man, are they really going to call a refresh Iphone 5?
on another note, the later we get here in the year, the more ‘lame’ it sort of seems that this phone isn’t going to be LTE. But that could just be an effect of having been hammered with verizon LTE commercials…
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September 13th, 2011 at 9:27 am
While a 4″ screen would be nice, I would be happy with whatever Apple comes out with at this point. My 3GS is about ready to die and I am surprised that it has lasted this long. I have played with other phones with larger screens and while the screen size was nice, it was not what would make me leave Apple for an Android.
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September 13th, 2011 at 9:31 am
With every one talking 4″ and 3.7″ Im kinda glad we are talking screen size and not…..well you know.. he he he
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September 13th, 2011 at 10:13 am
LOL @ Bob’s comment! You are just too funny!
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September 13th, 2011 at 11:38 am
These screens keep getting bigger and bigger, by the iPhone 7 or 8 they will be like iPads! What will the iPad be at that point, a desktop??? LOL.
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September 13th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
this is sooooooo Monday news …..lets get onto Tuesday already
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September 13th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Bob the Tuesday news is already posted lol.
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September 13th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
I think the entire tech news arena tends to miss the “personality profile” of Apple. Simply put, Apple is not a follower. They really couldn’t care less what the Droid phones have and tout. Apple believes that it’s product is vastly superior in QUALITY and FUNCTION…and, well… they’re right. Being the most “innovative” (in the opinion of tech reviewers) or having the best specs doesn’t matter to them at all. They operate in a bubble where they trust that their designers are the best in the business and even if some other product does have better specs in one area or another, it’s meaningless to Apple. They are concerned with the product as a whole. Is it ‘magic in the palm of your hands’ or is it just a jumbled mass of hi-tech parts? That is Apple’s concern, producing that magic, which all of us who’ve used the iPhone can attest exists in our hand every time we use our phone. Others can’t understand it. It’s not necessarily quantifiable. It’s a phone that seems to be a mechanical extension of you.
So with regard to screen size, there’s no telling for sure, but I’m pretty sure the screen will be larger than the iPhone 4, but Apple isn’t about to compete with the oversized behemouths that some Droids have become just for the sake of competing. Apple recognizes that a cell phone isn’t a television and no one gets measurably more enjoyment out of watching a movie on a 4″ screen versus a 3.5″. No blind person is buying an iPhone. We can all see the screen quite well at its current size. So expect a minor size increase, simply because it’s easy to do within the current overall dimensions of the phone. But don’t expect a 4″+ screen.
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September 13th, 2011 at 4:01 pm
I can’t agree with you more, MysteryMan. I think that is a very good comment. Much of our conjecturing about iPhone 5 features is based on what the Android market already offers. Apple, by definition, tries to diverge from those trends.
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September 13th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
MysteryMan great post and its very true.
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September 27th, 2011 at 5:01 pm
@John Berggren: The one disadvantage to a 4″ screen is more battery draw. Bigger screens need more juice, AND the retina display won’t look as good on a larger screen. (Although it probably wouldn’t look HORRIBLE on a larger screen)
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December 23rd, 2011 at 3:55 am
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