The 7" iPhone
I sure hope Phill Schiller or Jonny Ive reads this.
After the release of the iPad, a lot of people wondered if there would be a smaller version, with a 7" screen. It didn't take long before Steve Jobs announced categorically that there would be no smaller iPad. Then Samsung released its own iPad clone with a 7" screen. So I wondered if Apple would reconsider. Then something struck me, Apple probably won't release a smaller iPad, but maybe they'll release a larger iPhone? There are some good reasons why such a product might be desirable:
- After a few initial reports criticised the iPad for being little more than a giant iPod touch, many buyers were skeptical about whether it would do anything that their iPhone and iPod Touch didn't do already. Months later with thousands of hours of usage under our belts, the iPad community's resounding answer is: yes! Having a larger touch screen changes everything; the user experience across an entire universe of apps, videos, music, diary dates, contacts, email and the net is incredible. The iPad does so much that it has become my preferred gadget for as many computing tasks as it can perform better than either my MacBook Pro or IPhone. So much so, that I no longer use my iPhone for watching video or surfing the net. Frankly, I'd like an IPhone with a larger screen.
- While there are some iPhone functions I am using less, there are others I am using more, like Calendar, Face Time and Maps. And, you know what, video calling would be a whole lot better with a larger screen.
- A larger screen would make watching videos easier. It would make web surfing more enjoyable, especially when looking at 600 x 800 websites which would display much better than they do now.
- Once you reach the magic age of 46, your eye sight suddenly fades and you need glasses. So for iPhone users like me,who are rapidly becoming old farts, that's another reason why we'd sure appreciate a little more screen real estate.
- Then there is the App store which is now so full of stuff that these useful little add-ons have replaced many traditional websites for leisure and information needs. They too could use a few extra pixels.
- In short, the iPhone started out as a Phone that could also be used to send/ receive email and surf the web. Today, it is a miniature hand-held computer. Who knows, tomorrow, it could become everyone's mainstream primary computer. Its only real limitation is the size of its screen.
- I still need my iPhone to fit in a trouser or shirt pocket, but I think it could be usefully larger than it is now without becoming overly cumbersome or heavy.
What do you think? What would be the ideal form factor?
P.S. I love the functionality of the IPhone 4. I've experienced no antenna issues whatsoever. What I hate about it is the design. Sure, it looks cool, but you just can't drop it at all, because the glass smashes so easily. I've already broken one. It was repaired easily and quickly (thank you Apple Store, Regent's Street) but I much prefer the form factor of the IPhone 3GS. It took a lot of punishment.
After the release of the iPad, a lot of people wondered if there would be a smaller version, with a 7" screen. It didn't take long before Steve Jobs announced categorically that there would be no smaller iPad. Then Samsung released its own iPad clone with a 7" screen. So I wondered if Apple would reconsider. Then something struck me, Apple probably won't release a smaller iPad, but maybe they'll release a larger iPhone? There are some good reasons why such a product might be desirable:
- After a few initial reports criticised the iPad for being little more than a giant iPod touch, many buyers were skeptical about whether it would do anything that their iPhone and iPod Touch didn't do already. Months later with thousands of hours of usage under our belts, the iPad community's resounding answer is: yes! Having a larger touch screen changes everything; the user experience across an entire universe of apps, videos, music, diary dates, contacts, email and the net is incredible. The iPad does so much that it has become my preferred gadget for as many computing tasks as it can perform better than either my MacBook Pro or IPhone. So much so, that I no longer use my iPhone for watching video or surfing the net. Frankly, I'd like an IPhone with a larger screen.
- While there are some iPhone functions I am using less, there are others I am using more, like Calendar, Face Time and Maps. And, you know what, video calling would be a whole lot better with a larger screen.
- A larger screen would make watching videos easier. It would make web surfing more enjoyable, especially when looking at 600 x 800 websites which would display much better than they do now.
- Once you reach the magic age of 46, your eye sight suddenly fades and you need glasses. So for iPhone users like me,who are rapidly becoming old farts, that's another reason why we'd sure appreciate a little more screen real estate.
- Then there is the App store which is now so full of stuff that these useful little add-ons have replaced many traditional websites for leisure and information needs. They too could use a few extra pixels.
- In short, the iPhone started out as a Phone that could also be used to send/ receive email and surf the web. Today, it is a miniature hand-held computer. Who knows, tomorrow, it could become everyone's mainstream primary computer. Its only real limitation is the size of its screen.
- I still need my iPhone to fit in a trouser or shirt pocket, but I think it could be usefully larger than it is now without becoming overly cumbersome or heavy.
What do you think? What would be the ideal form factor?
P.S. I love the functionality of the IPhone 4. I've experienced no antenna issues whatsoever. What I hate about it is the design. Sure, it looks cool, but you just can't drop it at all, because the glass smashes so easily. I've already broken one. It was repaired easily and quickly (thank you Apple Store, Regent's Street) but I much prefer the form factor of the IPhone 3GS. It took a lot of punishment.
Comments
Steve has said that 7" is worthless for iOS. Developers would also have to make three versions of every application.
And I'm not holding a 9" diagonal device to my head. You're not going to fit a 7" phone into a pocket.
No.
Steve has said that 7" is worthless for iOS. Developers would also have to make three versions of every application.
And I'm not holding a 9" diagonal device to my head. You're not going to fit a 7" phone into a pocket.
Thanks so much for photshopping it for me.
Okay, so maybe not 7" but it could grow 3/4" in width and 1" in height, and you'd have a useful increase in screen size. It could exactly the same version of iOS as the existing iPhone 4.
Besides that, I have a SIM card in my iPad, it would be nice to able to use it as a phone occasionally. (with headphones, of course!) Why not?
Besides that, I have a SIM card in my iPad, it would be nice to able to use it as a phone occasionally. (with headphones, of course!) Why not?
You can do that now. Plenty of VoIP apps.