AppleInsider podcast talks hi-res Apple Music streaming, 4-inch iPhone rumors, Wall Street & more

AppleInsider

Pour some eggnog, pop in your EarPods and relax as the AppleInsider podcast discusses this week's top news, including hi-res streaming audio rumors, more 4-inch iPhone talk, Dan's fiery excoriation of Wall Street analysts and Neil's review of Gamevice's latest iPhone controller.

This holiday edition marks the return of Dan Dilger, who joins Neil Hughes and Mikey Campbell to talk about:

• Rumored high-resolution streaming audio format in 2016
  
• 4-inch 'iPhone 6c' to debut on China Mobile in April
  
• CBS News gets extensive look at Apple, execs in "60 Minutes" feature
  
• FBR analyst cuts iPhone 6s sales estimates
  
• Gamevice collapsible, Lightning-connected controller for iPhone

The show is available on iTunes and your favorite podcast apps by searching for "AppleInsider." Click here to listen, subscribe, and don't forget to rate our show.

Listen to the embedded SoundCloud feed below:

The show is now also available on Stitcher Radio.

Show note links:

• Apple Music reportedly preparing hi-res audio streaming for 2016
  
• Apple's 4-inch 'iPhone 6c' set for April 2016 launch, China Mobile claims
  
• Cook, other Apple execs open up on company's future in extensive '60 Minutes' feature
  
• FBR is latest firm to cut iPhone 6s estimates, but expects 'mega product cycle' for 'iPhone 7'
  
• Review: Gamevice Lightning-connected gaming controller for iPhone is unique, too expensive

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @thisisneil, @danieleran and @mikeycampbell81.

Feedback and comments are always appreciated. Please contact the AppleInsider podcast at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter @appleinsider.

Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at [email protected].

wood1208

Apple needs to offer 4" iphone just for those millions iphone users who don't like larger phones help to move from older 3.5", 4" to newer 4" so they can also be ApplePay customers and get newer tech like VoLTE, VoWiFi, faster processor, more RMA(if A9), better camera,etc

nolamacguy

they need to? need? if they're already the best selling consumer electronic good in the history of the human race, then why do they need to?

matrix077

The audio level mixing is still really bad. One was much louder than the others.

hawker

wood1208 said:

Apple needs to offer 4" iphone just for those millions iphone users who don't like larger phones help to move from older 3.5", 4" to newer 4" so they can also be ApplePay customers and get newer tech like VoLTE, VoWiFi, faster processor, more RMA(if A9), better camera,etc

My sentiment as well. Not everyone wants one of the larger iPhones, me included. 5s format works fine for me; easy to hold and to carry.
If the there would be an update to the 5s to a high spec including the above mentioned, then I would be in the market for a new one. The future  is not bigger devices but small, powerful and well designed.

harry wild

I echo many iPhone user that want a 4" model!  I would love to have a wider width too close to the 4:3 ratio screen size. It must be cutting edge components inside; not previous year's components in the built.  Price can be the same as the 5.5" iPhone model.

wood1208

Iphone 4/4S had the best screen ratio for text and other web contents viewing but chasing 16:9 aspect ratio for video format in iphone 5 or any larger phones's display skewed screen more taller than wider. It is understood that too wide phone is hard to hold as screen gets larger in phones. But, for around 4" display, phone manufacturers could have maintained equivalent to 4:3" ratio.

canukstorm

hawker said:

wood1208 said:

Apple needs to offer 4" iphone just for those millions iphone users who don't like larger phones help to move from older 3.5", 4" to newer 4" so they can also be ApplePay customers and get newer tech like VoLTE, VoWiFi, faster processor, more RMA(if A9), better camera,etc

My sentiment as well. Not everyone wants one of the larger iPhones, me included. 5s format works fine for me; easy to hold and to carry.
If the there would be an update to the 5s to a high spec including the above mentioned, then I would be in the market for a new one. The future  is not bigger devices but small, powerful and well designed.

"The future  is not bigger devices but small, powerful and well designed."

Sales would say otherwise, considering that iPhone hit record sales ever since the introduction of the iPhone 6 / Plus.  Even in developing countries, where the smartphone for most people, is their only "computer", there's not much of a market for smartphones with screens smaller than 4.7".  As another poster mentioned, this upgraded 4" iPhone will appeal to iPhone fans that don't want a bigger screen. I'm skeptical that it'll pull in a lot of new users.

mac_128

canukstorm said:

hawker said:

My sentiment as well. Not everyone wants one of the larger iPhones, me included. 5s format works fine for me; easy to hold and to carry.
If the there would be an update to the 5s to a high spec including the above mentioned, then I would be in the market for a new one. The future  is not bigger devices but small, powerful and well designed.

"The future  is not bigger devices but small, powerful and well designed."

Sales would say otherwise, considering that iPhone hit record sales ever since the introduction of the iPhone 6 / Plus.  Even in developing countries, where the smartphone for most people, is their only "computer", there's not much of a market for smartphones with screens smaller than 4.7".  As another poster mentioned, this upgraded 4" iPhone will appeal to iPhone fans that don't want a bigger screen. I'm skeptical that it'll pull in a lot of new users.

The iPhone hits record sales with every new release since the original. That's specious reasoning at best. Considering there are several actual studies that show around 40% of current iPhone users are using the 5S or earlier, even after two newer annual product cycles, I'd say there's sufficient evidence that there might be a large percentage of iPhone users holding out over size. Even if it's only 20% of all iPhone users who prefer a smaller phone who haven't upgraded, or upgraded because they needed new features but would switch back, that's a significant number for a company who sells tens of millions of phones each year. And just like Apple's move to larger phones, Apple is not going to let Android step in and fill a niche for some of its customers who aren't tied loyally to the Apple platform. Indeed Apple will likely offer the 6 & 6 Plus as the "free" and entry level phones to grab the last of the cheap android crowd. And that will do nothing toward satisfying a somewhat significant percentage of those who prefer smaller phones, particularly the affluent US Customers for whom a single device that does everything is irrelevant to their lives in which they own multiple Apple devices (iPads, iPhones, Watches, Macs) -- the correct tool for the job, as it were. Catering to these customers keeps them happy and helps Apple sell more of their other products. Why on Earth would Apple cater to the lower to middle-class consumer, much less third world customers, who are only going to buy one lower-priced Apple product for exclusive use for everything digital in their lives?  And in the process, leave the door open to the competition to offer a competing product to draw Apple's more affluent customers away?

its a big world with a lot of diverse needs, and it's in Apple's best interest to address as many of those needs as economically viable. Ultimately, they've made their money catering to wealthier customers with premium products, I see no reason to change that behavior now in order to draw in the lowest common denominator.