Of Screen Sizes, Aspect Ratios, and The iPhone 5
Posted by Michael Nace on Wednesday Apr 11, 2012 Under iPhone 5 Opinion
A clever contributor on the Verge forums has imagined how Apple could increase the iPhone 5‘s screen size while reasonably maintaining the iPhone’s overall dimensions: change the aspect ratio. But is this really a viable solution?
The size and functionality of the iPhone 5′s screen has become a complex discussion topic for iPhone enthusiasts, who have tried to reconcile the disparate rumors of its size and specs with what would be considered a reasonable upgrade to the current iPhone’s 3.5-inch display. Considering that we have heard rumors of a 4.6-inch screen, a 5-inch screen, and even rumors that Apple won’t increase the screen dimensions at all, there has been a lot to mull over. Overall, most commenters on this blog appear to want the iPhone 5 to feature a larger screen — just not one that makes it look like you’re holding an iPad next to your ear when talking on the phone. (I’m still waiting for a Photoshopped photo of this.)
There is a trick to this business of making an iPhone with a bigger screen, however: how does Apple increase the screen size, but still make the iPhone 5 seem like an iPhone?
Leave it to the talent and clever thinking of readers and commenters to offer up a viable theory — and one that you can imagine has already been brainstormed at Cupertino. There are a lot of articles covering this story, but I think Cult Of Mac offers the best layman’s explanation.
The whole discussion got started by a reader by the name of “Modilwar” who comments over on the Verge forums: “Modilwar argues that Apple won’t want to increase the physical footprint of the sixth-gen iPhone — no matter how slightly — so that would leave LTE on the cutting room floor. In his mind, Apple would need to increase the iPhone’s overall size, and thus the screen size, to accommodate LTE networking.” I agree in essence with Modilwar: I think that Steve Jobs felt really good about the size and weight of the iPhone. Anyone with an iPhone 4 or 4S should more or less agree: it feels great in your hands — particularly in landscape mode. Even with Jobs’ passing, it would not surprise me if there is still a fondness for the iPhone’s current dimensions at Cupertino, and a reluctance to change it.
Another reader on the forum named Colin suggested that Apple could change the aspect ratio of the screen in order to increase the screen size lengthwise, while still maintaining the relative width of the current iPhone:
“‘Could Apple change the aspect ratio to increase the screen size while maintaining the same 326 ppi? What aspect ratio would need to be to hit that 4 inch mark? And most importantly how could app fragmentation be avoided?’
Colin’s idea was to keep the shorter side of the iPhones screen the same, i.e. 640 pixels at 1.94 inches. With that in mind how much would the longer side need to increase so the that diagonal measurement was 4 inches. The answer, derived using simple algebraic rearrangement of Pythagorus’s theorem, 1152 pixels and 3.49 inches. That leaves the the diagonal length measuring a little over 3.99 inches, I’m sure Apple PR could round this 4.
For those of you who are good with numbers I’m sure you’ve noted that 1152 x 640 has an aspect ratio of 9:5 and the 1152 pixels is and increase of 192 from 960 and that’s 20% more than on the iPhone 4 and 4S.”
The graphics in this post picture what this new “stretched” iPhone 5 screen would look like.
Of course, there are already some hard core opinions on either side of this concept for the iPhone 5′s display. Some are arguing that changing the aspect ratio would lead to fragmentation, screwing up apps and games, or otherwise “letterboxing” a lot of stuff that users are already accustomed to using on their current iPhones. I don’t think anyone wants to purchase a new iPhone and have half of what they like to use on a daily basis be framed by two twick, black bars.
Even our Verge brainstormers admit that there would be some challenges to this paradigm shift in Apple’s aspect ratio, with Modilwar noting “that there are some instances where the new dimensions wouldn’t work as well. For example, game devs would need to rebuild certain UI elements for a 4-inch display with a 9:5 ratio.” However, he also claims that “video playback would actually leave room for less black space around the edges of the video frame, creating a better experience than what the current iPhone displays.”
Finally, it’s worth noting that John Gruber over at Daring Fireball kind of doesn’t think that this whole discussion is totally ad hoc. He added that “Methinks ‘Colin’ wasn’t merely guessing or idly speculating.” Thus, it would appear that Gruber has a bit of a conspiracy theory going on here that “Colin” might be a Cupertino insider who is perhaps floating this idea out to the technosphere to see how it flies.
What do you think of this proposition?
By Michael Nace
Michael Nace is the Publisher of the iPhone 5 News Blog and iPhone 6 News Blog. He has published articles about the iPhone since 2010.
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April 11th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
I think that to avoid fragmentation Apple will have to keep the aspect ratio the same. If they want to increase the diagonal screen size to 4 inches and keep the aspect ratio, both the length and width will have to increase only slightly. The screen would need to be 2.219 inches x 3.328 inches. That’s only a quarter inch wider and about a third of an inch taller. The physical dimensions of the phone wouldn’t need to increase by much if Apple could decrease the bezel to accommodate some of that increase in screen size.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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April 11th, 2012 at 3:47 pm
I really like your article and im following you every day. One thing I’ve never heard of is the possibility of Apple creating two versions of iPhones, one “traditional” 3.5″ and an oversize second version, thus suiting both groups of people interested in larger or regular iPhone sizes. I know this is a little off the topic, but I still wanted to make a comment on that.
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April 11th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
G**D** iphone 3GS screen cracked today. It is usable, but man does that make it much harder to hold out until October for a new phone.
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April 11th, 2012 at 5:02 pm
@Pauly C- You can find a replacement screen for like $30 on Amazon, then youtube how to change the screen. It’s VERY easy to do and can save you some headaches until then, plus you’ll have a like new screen for resale or backup purposes. Just my two cents.
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April 11th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
@Pauly C, I’m going with June release. Also, I think it looks stupid longer and the width not changing, but what do I know?
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April 11th, 2012 at 7:19 pm
as much as im an advocate of keeping the current dimensions of the iphone, i dont think stretching the screen and messing with the aspect ratio would be something apple does to satisfy those who want a larger screen. if its only by a little i wont mind a size increase. of course this is as long as it stays away from those droids that are downright HUGE.
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April 11th, 2012 at 9:44 pm
What an interesting idea, and a Pathagorian therom to boot! This may be a clever solution for Apple. Who says you need to display black bars on the top and bottom for existing Apps? Shift them up, get rid of the physical home button and display a virtual home button or home bar at the bottom. New Apps could always take advantage of the entire new screen. Those Apps would have to be different anyway, innorder to recognize a new swipe for a home button press.
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April 12th, 2012 at 4:43 am
How much bigger would the phone need to be with a 4″ 3:2 edge-to-edge screen?
Looking at Thomas’ measurements, the width of the phone may even be able to stay the same (2.31″) and I’m sure the height difference could be near enough un-noticeable unless you’re doing a direct phone by phone comparison.
I think messing with the aspect ratio is a bad idea.
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April 12th, 2012 at 8:48 am
I am an iphone 3gs user. It’s time to have the new iphone with beautiful specs & features! Well… June release should be perfect time for its birth!
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April 12th, 2012 at 8:55 am
@Braden – “I’m going with June release. Also, I think it looks stupid longer and the width not changing, but what do I know?”
I concur with wishing for a June release, as well as, not favoring the changes mentioned above. I wish for Apple to keep the 4:3 format.
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April 13th, 2012 at 9:40 am
Different aspectratio’s: If Apple didn’t like them,
they would have build the iPad 1, 2 and 3 to match
the iPhone’s screen ratio’s, or at the time of iPad 1
they would have made the iPhone match the iPad’s ratio.
But they didn’t. Why? Because at that time, two app’s made
twice the money… This stil is, but now WE are used to buying
two app’s. Therefor Apple might reconsider the aspect ratio of the
iPhone and bring it up to that of iPad. Apple is always aiming for
better user experience, it might be the time for a iPad ratio iPhone.
Physical homebutton: It wil NEVER leave. Why?
Because iPhone’s use two userinterface’s, first the screen,
and the second one being the physical one (sleep/wake,
volume up/down/silence and last but not least the home button)
Blind people can only “see and use” a button they can feel.
Apple wil not get rid of any buttons unles they tackle this issu…
There are millions of blind people using iPhone’s , Steve would say,
it’s wonderful.
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March 16th, 2013 at 4:53 am
Your way of describing everything in this article is actually good, all
be capable of easily understand it, Thanks a lot.
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