Rumor: Apple planning 'iPhone 5S' and new 5-inch 'iPhone 6' for 2013 - Page 4

How well did that scheme work out for the iPad? ;)

That works because Apple doesn't sell past models concurrently. They tried calling iPad3 the new iPad in early 2012 and, by September, they went back to the numbering scheme.

This is semantics. If Apple releases a yet larger phone, it would be no more following a trend than it did when the first iPhone was launched. I might be exaggerating a bit here. But, the fact is - smartphones existed already in 2007. But Apple reinvented it. Arguably, Apple has never been the true trailblazer. But their history is not about creating new categories or trends but rather about entering a fledgling one to not only become more successful at it than anyone else but to reinvent it and popularize it.

 

Look at iPad Mini. Simple minds would say that they followed a trend. That is technically correct. But how many 7-8" tablets sold in the same volume as the iPad before iPad MIni was launched? How many allowed you to run apps with equally seamless and identical experience on either tablet size? How many were manufactured to the level and engineered to feel so svelte in our hold? There was no trend of such a high end small tablet before the Mini. So, once again, Apple reinvented a category (or rather a sub-category). Admittedly, this is a minor reinvention compared to the original iPad. But it is wrong to say that if Apple doesn't launch something completely revolutionary every 6 months, they have become a follower.

 

If Apple chooses to launch a larger phone (still questionable), here is how it will look:

 

It will use the same LCD panel as iPad (i.e. 264 ppi) and same screen resolution as iPhone 5 (i.e. 1136 x 640). Do the math and it works out to be a 4.94" display. Such an iPhone will (again) run apps identically as on iPhone 5 (and its successors). It will also take advantage of the display panels already used in the iPad (hence cost efficiency). In a future iteration, its pixel density may double. Although 528 ppi seems ridiculous now, it will give Apple a 1080p iPhone without going to 732 ppi. But I am willing to bet there will be another angle that will set it apart from iPhone 5 (and 5S, etc.). It might be even thinner, or it might feature a super longlasting battery. It will for sure feature superb engineering. It might sport OLED (questionable since that would mean not reusing the iPad LCD). Time will tell. Bottom line, by the time we hold it in our hands, only typical Apple critics would say it is a me-too large phone.

 

The thing is - it's silly to talk about who follows whom. Just judge a product on its merits.

Edited by ankleskater - 2/10/13 at 4:20am

 

Unlike the iPhone, Apply only sells one generation of new iPod touch at a time.

 

Even Apple sells older iPod touch by which generation number it is, not by specs.   From the Apple online store:

 

 

 

 

On the contrary, Apple hasn't shown any willingness to strip the iPhone name of model numbers.  You're arguing against Apple, not me. I like your idea. I just don't see how it could work right now.

 

When someone's mother asks us which of the three current iPhones to order from AT&T, to get the original screen size and Siri, do we reply succinctly with "Aha, you mean the iPhone 4S"... or do we respond with, "Read the online sales specs carefully and figure it out yourself!"

Edited by KDarling - 2/10/13 at 7:18am

They did? I thought it was just "iPad with retina display." The only people I've ever heard refer to an iPad 4 are idiotic reporters on CNN and the like.

 

Apple uses both names ("mini", "retina") and numbers ("2").   

 

 

They also put the Generation for refurbished units.  (I.e. they don't make buyers figure out what model they're getting just from hardware specs.)

 

Edited by KDarling - 2/10/13 at 10:08am

 

So you think the iPhone 4 and 4S are "new generations" of iPhone, huh. 

 

So do you see any numbers in the name of the product?

 

Where did I say they did? It's easy to argue against something that hasn't happened. They have, however, shown willingness to both never have and to remove numbers from other product lines, even where the same situation as the iPhone occurs.

 

By removing the numbers from the product name. Was that so hard to formulate? Why am I even asking this question? Why are YOU even speculating about it? What could have possibly been so hard to imagine about them doing it? They release a new device, but it has no number in the name. That's how it could work right now.

 

They just drop the number. It's literally that simple.

 

Neither. We're talking sales and service industry here. The customer is already there; it's your job to make it as painless for them as possible. When they're in front of you, assume they've either already done their research or don't care about doing the research. Don't add a second step for them; just get them what they want.

 

"I want the small phone one with Siri." "Here's the iPhone you want." (middle of the line iPhone)

"I want the small laptop one with retina." "Here's the MacBook Pro you want." (13" MacBook Pro with retina display)

 

Heck, drop both designators from the MacBook family names. It still works.

 

"I want the smallest laptop." "Here's the MacBook you want." (currently 11" MacBook Air)

"I want the biggest laptop without retina." "Here's the MacBook you want." (currently 15.4" old-style MacBook Pro)

 

People look at specs for every other product Apple sells. Why do you claim they don't do the same for the iPhone, even with the numbers?

 

What about other questions where the person doesn't have a clue what they want?

 

"Which iPhone do think I should get?" "Oh, I got the middle one. I think you'd be fine with that/you should get the best one/the cheapest one will work for you." "I [perform action] a lot." "Okay, then you should definitely get the middle one/go with the high end."

 

Same thing as any computer purchase. The name of the product doesn't tell a person anything, number or not.

They are selling the 4th and 5th gen iPod Touches alongside each other.

• http://www.apple.com/ipod/compare-ipod-models/

 

I'm still curious as to his definition of "new" in that regard.

 

Thanks for proving my point.   Apple tacks on a descriptive suffix, so the customer not only knows which one to buy by name, but which one is NEWER.  

 

Apple does NOT use the exact same name and just let the user pick by specs, as in this fake example where I blanked out the suffixes.

 

 

So tell me which iPad is newer. iPad 2 sounds newer. However if there were no numbers, you'd go off of capability. Seems pretty simple to me.

Your point, which I quoted in originally quoted and addressed in full and will do so a 2nd time is, "Unlike the iPhone, Apply only sells one generation of new iPod touch at a time." Whatever other discussion you have going on I did neither read not addressed. If you wanted to make sure your comment was tied to other comments then you shouldn't be so lazy with your writing as to exclude them in subsequent posts.

 

That's a good point about their naming.  The customer would have to know what "retina" is, and why it's worth having over the "2".   Or they could just go by the fact that it's more expensive.

 

Like I said, I'm in favor of using the same name each year...  that's why I brought up how silly that mere numeric naming might sound decades from now...  as long as there's only one model available at a time.

 

Then the question becomes, how do you sell such items easily on Craigslist or eBay?   The answer is, I think that people will come up with nicknames anyway to save time and words.   They might use just the year, or they might add the generation.

I think Retina is marketed well enough as well there being enough clues about the device to inform the customer which one is more expensive. Could it be any easier? I don't think so.

• http://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/

I enjoy using my ipad3, but cannot utilize things like iCloud and keep the same apps on my phone. Why? Being apple has not release an iPhone with a display similar to a galaxy II or newer. So I'm on both sides of the fence iOS vs android. Apple come lets get with it, I need the large display (and I'm ready to pay) LOL.

 

Right, and why would they when the existing displays are better?

Except that has nothing to do with iCloud or apps…

I think Apple could pull off three new phones this year.

1. A lower end plastic phone for emerging markets and cheap entry into iOS.
2. An iPhone 5S with the same design and upgraded internals
3. A new "experimental" iPhone with a 4.7"+ screen and more memory standard. 

How Apple introduced the Macbook Pro Retina is how I think they would introduce this bigger phone. It will be experimental the way that laptop was, while still keeping themselves mostly grounded in the 5S as their go-to phone for anyone not willing to play along just yet.

I've been an Apple fan/user for about 15 year now. But I'm not drinking the kool-aid. If someone builds a better product, I'll buy that instead. For the last year now I've been really looking at the bigger phones and I want one. So much so that if Apple doesn't build one by September, I'm jumping ship. I almost jumped ship last Feburary when I got my 4S, but Android wasn't quite up to par. Now it is and the hardware is great too. I also have buddy that is an iphone user who is looking to jump to a galaxy as well. I have another buddy who bought his first smart phone last months (Galaxy S3) because of the screen. Apple can no longer pretend that big screen phones don't exist, nor can it be all full of itself in believing it has the perfect design anymore. It doesn't. It has just one of many designs. 

I'm also tired of looking at the same grid of icons I've been looking at for the last four years. I need something new for the sake of change. Argue about utility all you want, If I'm going to spend $200-300 on a new phone this year I want something that feels new. Give me widgets or tiles or whatever, I don't care. Just something with a little more flexibility and style.

I think Apple is going to lose a lot of people this year (myself included) if it brings out only a 5S with a new processor and camera. They really need to push into new ground this year.   

 

Bon voyage.

 

Never have they believed that.

 

Never have they claimed that.

 

Blah blah stale blah blah grid blah blah I have absolutely no idea what good design entails…

 

No, you don't. But PLEASE buy something else then and save us from your uneducated whining.

 

Why?