If Jobs worked on it, he will have found a satisfactory way to resolve the issue of holding a 4" screen device in one hand- it will be slim enough so your hand can wrap around and comfortably hold it.
My prediction is they will keep the same screen aspect ratio and increase the size of the screen to 4", thereby decreasing the "retina qualities" of the screen a bit to retain the same resolution. This is fair trade off for me to increase the screen size.
Other companies have released larger screens without any rationalization than merely - here is a phone with a larger screen, as if that speaks for itself.
That's not Apple's history. They won't change the screen size without explaining the functional advantages. For sure, they ain't gonna say, "we made the screen slightly larger to catch up with others but our phone is still smaller." They will have a convincing selling point (valid or not). I'm looking forward to that pitch more than the larger screen itself.
Gruber has speculated that the screen growth may be in length - i.e. they won't keep the resolution and simply decrease PPI. Instead, PPI will remain the same and there will be more pixels lengthwise. Current apps (and all those that need to be backward compatible with current and past iPhones) will continue to occupy the 960 x 640 real estate while some new apps, not to mention videos, can take advantage of the increase in screen size.
If he is right, that can prove interesting (or confusing).
Jobs said a smaller iPad wouldn't work because people's fingers aren't that small.
Why, then, is the even smaller display on the iPhone considered adequate?
I'm 2 1/2 years on a 3GS. My next phone will definitely have a larger screen. I'm more than happy to leave Apple for another brand that gives consumers what they want.
If you crammed the iPad's UI into a 3.5" display would you not think that would affect the usability as all the elements would shrink? Can't see it? Imagine putting the iPad's UI on an iPod Nano's display. Now can you see how reducing the size of the display without adjusting the UI to maintain a level of usability that our fingers require?
Do you mind if I ask you how tall you are? What type of jeans do you wear. I am 2 meters or six feet tall. I occaisionaly wear skinny jeans to work. I have no problem fitting my galaxy nexus in my pockets when I where my skinny jeans. I have a friend who is 5 foot even. I had her try my phone in her pocket no problems with it in her front pocket. Besides most people who can't fit a large phone in their pocket because their pants are too tight generally can place their phone in their purse, at that size they are not putting a grown up wallet in there.
If you have to try it out with your wardrobe before you buy it, then it IS TO BIG! How friggin stupid is that I'd have to wear my "skinny jeans" to a phone store to make sure the damn thing fit in my pocket?
"Is that a Galaxy Nexus in your pocket or are you just happy to see me"?
If outlets like the Journal and Bloomberg are starting to report on actual inventory orders from suppliers, I'm pretty sure I'll be upgrading to an iPhone with a four inch screen in the Fall. Not that the Journal and Bloomberg haven't made mistakes before, but this isn't some rumor originating from an obscure Chinese blog.
I'm looking forward to it, and am completely confident in Apple's ability to pull it off brilliantly. They might put the emphasis on pixel density changes to avoid some of the qualms about aspect ratio and app development, or do something completely different on the technical end, but I'm keeping the faith either way.
And, as far as I'm concerned, Jony bleeds the same blood as Steve. If a phone with a four inch screen comes out of his lab, it will look and feel incredible.
Apple doesn't care about the obsessive, socially awkward techies who populate these boards - this will be a great product that the overwhelming majority of people will gladly open up their wallets for.
Jobs said a smaller iPad wouldn't work because people's fingers aren't that small.
Why, then, is the even smaller display on the iPhone considered adequate?
I'm 2 1/2 years on a 3GS. My next phone will definitely have a larger screen. I'm more than happy to leave Apple for another brand that gives consumers what they want.
You'll likely never read this since I'm late... but... So, you speak for all consumers? No one would ever complain about a bigger iPhone screen, but obviously consumers are content with the current size since the 4S is/was a hot seller. If consumers were so upset about it they'd all buy Samsung or HTC. Speak for yourself not everyone, you would leave Apple, well I seriously doubt Tim Cook and team will miss you. Most Apple buyers are loyal to the brand, it's not all about the screen-size it's about the OS, features, apps and quality design and production. I personally (I don't speak for all consumers like you - voice of the people) would like very much a 4" or 4+" screen, but I'll still buy an iP5 if still the same size cuz to ME Android phones can't match what the iPhone offers. If all it takes is an extra 1/4 inch to make you get Android - good riddance.
Apple doesn't care about the obsessive, socially awkward techies who populate these boards - this will be a great product that the overwhelming majority of people will gladly open up their wallets for.
We ARE this 'overwhelming majority'. We are what comprises Apple. All of us here, plus the extras.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mesomorphicman
No one would ever complain about a bigger iPhone screen…
Jobs said a smaller iPad wouldn't work because people's fingers aren't that small.
Why, then, is the even smaller display on the iPhone considered adequate?
I'm 2 1/2 years on a 3GS. My next phone will definitely have a larger screen. I'm more than happy to leave Apple for another brand that gives consumers what they want.
This is no more true than the last 100 times it was claimed. Apple has a single iOS UI - as spelled out in the iOS guidelines. The UI for the iPhone and iPad is the same - according to Apple's guidelines.
There are a very small number of areas where there are differentiating factors, but they are insignificant in terms of the UI.
Really?
"Ensure that Universal Apps Run Well on Both iPhone and iPad
If you’re planning to develop an app that runs on iPhone and iPad, you need to adapt your design to each device. Here is some guidance to help you do this:
Mold the UI of each app version to the device it runs on. Most individual UI elements are available on both devices, but overall the layout differs dramatically."
Search for the terms: "On iPhone" and "On iPad" and you see different guidelines for developers even on many of the common UI elements (Modal View, Tab Bar, etc)
While most of the basic UI widgets are largely the same the addition of the Split View and Popover greatly (even dramatically) impact the UI and interaction flow between iPad vs iPhone versions of the same app.
The last 100 times you were wrong. You're still wrong. The two devices have specific user interaction expectations, design guidelines and layouts. The layout differences are, as Apple states itself, dramatic and Apple instructs app devs to design (mold) specifically for each device.
A 4" iPhone might be great but unless it is EITHER less than retina resolution OR at 1280x1920 it's going to have (relatively speaking) very few apps on day 1. I suppose it COULD run "classic" apps in a box like the iPad did but while that was acceptable for the iPad it's not so much for a device only a little bit bigger.
If announced at WWDC and launched in October that's not many months for devs to get all new layouts, assets, etc in order, tested and then approved for launch. You're looking at a much reduced app library or one where a lot of apps may look like ass.
If Apple is buying a lot of 4" panels I'm going to guess new 4.7" iPod Touch at less than retina density (retaining the current 640x960 rez) and not for the next iPhone.
As high as 16%/ Returns rate is either 16% or it isn't.
There are indeed cloud services available.
What exactly is the customer satisfaction rate, customer retention rate?
You're both biased and citing 3rd party reports to support your own preferences.
I originally wrote "product return rates." Were you well informed you would know I was referring to a specific product which has a return rate of 16% which was published in the results of a study performed by a third party. Most companies don't publish their product return rates; therefore, limited data is available but important since comparing a company which had a return rate of 2% for a product which supposedly had a major issue versus a product from another company which didn't have well known significant issues but had a 16% return rate.
You claim "cloud services" are available. Can you support your claim aside from S Cloud which is simply rebranded mSpot? mSpot only provides limited cloud storage of previously purchased music. S Cloud doesn't provide comparable cloud services such as calendar, contacts, email, data & document synchronization, device backup, find my phone, notes, reminders as well as unlimited, free, permanent cloud storage and access to digital media content purchased from said vendor's digital media store.
If you can't discern the definition of customer satisfaction or customer retention you probably have no place commenting. You are challenging well defined terms simply as a red herring.
You claim I am biased but provide no evidence to support your conclusion. Furthermore, I am an anonymous commenter on a public forum and I do not have an obligation explicit or implied to provide a balanced viewpoint. If you have an opinion you would like to argue and support then you are welcome to do so.
While I didn't cite any sources I certainly could. I generally use objective evidence to support my conclusions. Can you say the same? Can you cite sources providing evidence that Apple iPhone doesn't have the "best customer service," "highest customer satisfaction" or "highest customer retention rates?" I suspect not since you attempt to distract from the discussion at hand.
What do you think the chances are Apple will start using Gorilla glass again instead of the unprotected glass they're currently using. My daughter has already gone threw 3 repair to replace the glass in hers.
Why can't obvious trolling and fabrications, like Relic's asinine cry for negative attention above, get a poster banned? They never add a single fraking thing to any conversation.
You can't compare Macs to iOS-based iDevices because the logistics are completely different. You can hook any size monitor up to a Mac. Apple starts at 11" and while that gets quite small and many pro apps simply aren't designed with that mine for general use it works out and there are certainly advantages for the small size device. Or you can go to 100" HD projector if you wish, not using an Apple display at all. You can use any aspect ratio that suits your needs.
You simply don't have all those options with a non-windowed OS without a direct and severe hit to the user experience. For those reasons I think the most likely avenue for Apple to increase the display size to keep the PPI the same and increase the resolution on one or more axis. This allows for any current iPhone content to be displayed on a larger iPhone exactly, pixel-for-pixel, the same size today as it will tomorrow. Devs will still get a new SDK and updated apps will be the better for it, just like with the iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4 transition.
FTR I wasn't comparing devices as much as markets. I believe the cell market's roughly a billion units per year - and the new tab market is roughly a tenth that (with likely half or more of those Wi-Fi devices). Apple's disrupted and transformed the former one device at a time - by revealing that what were being thought of as smart phones were really pretty dumb, and they've jump started and validated the latter - again by showing no one else had grabbed the metaphor for what a useful/user friendly tablet could be.
But now that everyone and their cousin in the industry is focused on mobile computing - and now that consumers begin to see all the possibilities, going forward I don't expect Apple to try and fill every niche use with a plethora of specialty mobile products, but I do think it will take more than one "phone factor" device and one "tablet factor" offering to cover even the mass markets and leading edges of where the mass markets will be going as the tech and engineering drive relentlessly forward.
My signature example for a future not-so-sy fy iDevice is a 20"+ flexible sheet that rolls up into a cylinder - with application for consumers (reading the paper on a commute, collaborative gaming on the device or across the net, a portable multi-person HD movie experience anywhere, anytime, etc., etc.), for business - instant design and markup collaboration, presentations and conferences anywhere, blueprints on the 80th story - with the ability to change 'em on the construction site, again, etc. ad infinitum), and for the military (obvious applications all over the field).
Meanwhile, Apple's got this Other Line that no one talks about much anymore - the iPod (since anyone with a smart phone or iPad already has their music on their phone or pad - which is very successful in gaming, but kind of superfluous strategically at the moment. This is one place one could see some tweener sizes for dedicated devices that don't need phone service or which can rely on Skype type services.
Apple (along with Android and some interesting work at Nokia) has already knocked a good amount of the stuffing out of point and shoot cameras with only what they can cram into an iPhone (along with the phone and computer).
I think a 4-5" iPod class device optimized for photography (real zoom, better optics (even if the optical path has to turn and do other tricks to keep a thin device that's also a good reader/gamer/semi-pocketable) and useable amounts of flash or video light, e.g.) - and still a potent (more potent) game device - and able to run all those other apps, and be useful with video and book content - and if marketed liked a tablet class device with, say, LTE as an option (but not called an iPad) - could grab another nice chunk from all the camera makers - and further blunt any market share progress by Android or MS. And no one's really done this yet. I.e., could be 10M+/yr device market between say $299 and $499.
The cam makers are starting to add Wi-Fi and other iDevice features - but a Coolpix that can transmit pics/vids on a home network or even post them to say, facebook or YouTube, is not an iPhone or an iPad. It's a camera with a few extra tricks - and couldn't hold a candle to an Apple device, even if marginally better as a shooter. And again, that's just an existing market. There are more brand new ones to come. As Apple has proven repeatedly with the three devices discussed here.
Also, as iOS and its processor families develop (tho' tech-knowledge-wise I realize I'm just talking out of my butt here), more of the screen management chores could (as I think I kind of understand) be abstracted into to the OS - making more screen sizes and even aspect ratios far less painful for developers. Or maybe not.
But my point is that while you're right about the current market - where brilliant engineering has won amazing share with only one new basic phone and tablet model per year (or less!) - both of which have turned out to have totally hit the sweet spot for compromise between all the mainstream uses to date as highly adaptable general use devices - we haven't seen every class, size and form factor with enough market potential for Apple to target in this new world yet.
Comments
If Jobs worked on it, he will have found a satisfactory way to resolve the issue of holding a 4" screen device in one hand- it will be slim enough so your hand can wrap around and comfortably hold it.
My prediction is they will keep the same screen aspect ratio and increase the size of the screen to 4", thereby decreasing the "retina qualities" of the screen a bit to retain the same resolution. This is fair trade off for me to increase the screen size.
Looking forward to the upgrade.
Where?
Who?
An inferior race,
just like Loki says.
Other companies have released larger screens without any rationalization than merely - here is a phone with a larger screen, as if that speaks for itself.
That's not Apple's history. They won't change the screen size without explaining the functional advantages. For sure, they ain't gonna say, "we made the screen slightly larger to catch up with others but our phone is still smaller." They will have a convincing selling point (valid or not). I'm looking forward to that pitch more than the larger screen itself.
Gruber has speculated that the screen growth may be in length - i.e. they won't keep the resolution and simply decrease PPI. Instead, PPI will remain the same and there will be more pixels lengthwise. Current apps (and all those that need to be backward compatible with current and past iPhones) will continue to occupy the 960 x 640 real estate while some new apps, not to mention videos, can take advantage of the increase in screen size.
If he is right, that can prove interesting (or confusing).
I want Flash on my phone. I want external storage. I want a cheap removable battery. Thanks Samsung.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hentaiboy
+1
I want Flash on my phone. I want external storage. I want a cheap removable battery. Thanks Samsung.
Interesting.
I have Adobe Flash and a camera flash on my iPhone. I have external storage on my iPhone. I have a removable battery for my iPhone.
Unfortunately, Samsung also has the following:
Low customer satisfaction
Poor customer retention rates.
Inconsistent design and poor manufacturing controls resulting in product return rates as high as 16%.
Incomplete digital media storage solution
No cloud services
High latency user interface
Bloatware
No major software upgrades
If you crammed the iPad's UI into a 3.5" display would you not think that would affect the usability as all the elements would shrink? Can't see it? Imagine putting the iPad's UI on an iPod Nano's display. Now can you see how reducing the size of the display without adjusting the UI to maintain a level of usability that our fingers require?
If you have to try it out with your wardrobe before you buy it, then it IS TO BIG! How friggin stupid is that I'd have to wear my "skinny jeans" to a phone store to make sure the damn thing fit in my pocket?
"Is that a Galaxy Nexus in your pocket or are you just happy to see me"?
If outlets like the Journal and Bloomberg are starting to report on actual inventory orders from suppliers, I'm pretty sure I'll be upgrading to an iPhone with a four inch screen in the Fall. Not that the Journal and Bloomberg haven't made mistakes before, but this isn't some rumor originating from an obscure Chinese blog.
I'm looking forward to it, and am completely confident in Apple's ability to pull it off brilliantly. They might put the emphasis on pixel density changes to avoid some of the qualms about aspect ratio and app development, or do something completely different on the technical end, but I'm keeping the faith either way.
And, as far as I'm concerned, Jony bleeds the same blood as Steve. If a phone with a four inch screen comes out of his lab, it will look and feel incredible.
Apple doesn't care about the obsessive, socially awkward techies who populate these boards - this will be a great product that the overwhelming majority of people will gladly open up their wallets for.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LizSandford
Jobs said a smaller iPad wouldn't work because people's fingers aren't that small.
Why, then, is the even smaller display on the iPhone considered adequate?
I'm 2 1/2 years on a 3GS. My next phone will definitely have a larger screen. I'm more than happy to leave Apple for another brand that gives consumers what they want.
You'll likely never read this since I'm late... but... So, you speak for all consumers? No one would ever complain about a bigger iPhone screen, but obviously consumers are content with the current size since the 4S is/was a hot seller. If consumers were so upset about it they'd all buy Samsung or HTC. Speak for yourself not everyone, you would leave Apple, well I seriously doubt Tim Cook and team will miss you. Most Apple buyers are loyal to the brand, it's not all about the screen-size it's about the OS, features, apps and quality design and production. I personally (I don't speak for all consumers like you - voice of the people) would like very much a 4" or 4+" screen, but I'll still buy an iP5 if still the same size cuz to ME Android phones can't match what the iPhone offers. If all it takes is an extra 1/4 inch to make you get Android - good riddance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alex1
Apple doesn't care about the obsessive, socially awkward techies who populate these boards - this will be a great product that the overwhelming majority of people will gladly open up their wallets for.
We ARE this 'overwhelming majority'. We are what comprises Apple. All of us here, plus the extras.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mesomorphicman
No one would ever complain about a bigger iPhone screen…
I would. And do. Moderately loudly, I might add.
*door narrowly misses ass*
You are obviously just an idiot cuz my grandma is always bitchin and moanin about how she wishes her iPhone was bigger and how her iMac isn't matte.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hentaiboy
+1
I want Flash on my phone. I want external storage. I want a cheap removable battery. Thanks Samsung.
Is Flash truly working on other platforms? Is Adobe supporting it in the future?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacBook Pro
Interesting.
I have Adobe Flash and a camera flash on my iPhone. I have external storage on my iPhone. I have a removable battery for my iPhone.
Unfortunately, Samsung also has the following:
Low customer satisfaction
Poor customer retention rates.
Inconsistent design and poor manufacturing controls resulting in product return rates as high as 16%.
Incomplete digital media storage solution
No cloud services
High latency user interface
Bloatware
No major software upgrades
As high as 16%/ Returns rate is either 16% or it isn't.
There are indeed cloud services available.
What exactly is the customer satisfaction rate, customer retention rate?
You're both biased and citing 3rd party reports to support your own preferences.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jragosta
This is no more true than the last 100 times it was claimed. Apple has a single iOS UI - as spelled out in the iOS guidelines. The UI for the iPhone and iPad is the same - according to Apple's guidelines.
There are a very small number of areas where there are differentiating factors, but they are insignificant in terms of the UI.
Really?
"Ensure that Universal Apps Run Well on Both iPhone and iPad
If you’re planning to develop an app that runs on iPhone and iPad, you need to adapt your design to each device. Here is some guidance to help you do this:
Mold the UI of each app version to the device it runs on. Most individual UI elements are available on both devices, but overall the layout differs dramatically."
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/MobileHIG/AppDesign/AppDesign.html
Even individual UI elements differ
Status Bar: Different
Tool Bar: Different
Popover: iPad only
Split View: iPad only
Action Sheet: Different (Popover on iPad)
Search for the terms: "On iPhone" and "On iPad" and you see different guidelines for developers even on many of the common UI elements (Modal View, Tab Bar, etc)
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/MobileHIG/UIElementGuidelines/UIElementGuidelines.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40006556-CH13-SW1
Again, in the HIG overview, search for the terms "On the iPad" for iPad specific HIG recommendations.
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/MobileHIG/UEBestPractices/UEBestPractices.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40006556-CH20-SW1
While most of the basic UI widgets are largely the same the addition of the Split View and Popover greatly (even dramatically) impact the UI and interaction flow between iPad vs iPhone versions of the same app.
The last 100 times you were wrong. You're still wrong. The two devices have specific user interaction expectations, design guidelines and layouts. The layout differences are, as Apple states itself, dramatic and Apple instructs app devs to design (mold) specifically for each device.
A 4" iPhone might be great but unless it is EITHER less than retina resolution OR at 1280x1920 it's going to have (relatively speaking) very few apps on day 1. I suppose it COULD run "classic" apps in a box like the iPad did but while that was acceptable for the iPad it's not so much for a device only a little bit bigger.
If announced at WWDC and launched in October that's not many months for devs to get all new layouts, assets, etc in order, tested and then approved for launch. You're looking at a much reduced app library or one where a lot of apps may look like ass.
If Apple is buying a lot of 4" panels I'm going to guess new 4.7" iPod Touch at less than retina density (retaining the current 640x960 rez) and not for the next iPhone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ankleskater
As high as 16%/ Returns rate is either 16% or it isn't.
There are indeed cloud services available.
What exactly is the customer satisfaction rate, customer retention rate?
You're both biased and citing 3rd party reports to support your own preferences.
I originally wrote "product return rates." Were you well informed you would know I was referring to a specific product which has a return rate of 16% which was published in the results of a study performed by a third party. Most companies don't publish their product return rates; therefore, limited data is available but important since comparing a company which had a return rate of 2% for a product which supposedly had a major issue versus a product from another company which didn't have well known significant issues but had a 16% return rate.
You claim "cloud services" are available. Can you support your claim aside from S Cloud which is simply rebranded mSpot? mSpot only provides limited cloud storage of previously purchased music. S Cloud doesn't provide comparable cloud services such as calendar, contacts, email, data & document synchronization, device backup, find my phone, notes, reminders as well as unlimited, free, permanent cloud storage and access to digital media content purchased from said vendor's digital media store.
If you can't discern the definition of customer satisfaction or customer retention you probably have no place commenting. You are challenging well defined terms simply as a red herring.
You claim I am biased but provide no evidence to support your conclusion. Furthermore, I am an anonymous commenter on a public forum and I do not have an obligation explicit or implied to provide a balanced viewpoint. If you have an opinion you would like to argue and support then you are welcome to do so.
While I didn't cite any sources I certainly could. I generally use objective evidence to support my conclusions. Can you say the same? Can you cite sources providing evidence that Apple iPhone doesn't have the "best customer service," "highest customer satisfaction" or "highest customer retention rates?" I suspect not since you attempt to distract from the discussion at hand.
What do you think the chances are Apple will start using Gorilla glass again instead of the unprotected glass they're currently using. My daughter has already gone threw 3 repair to replace the glass in hers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
You can't compare Macs to iOS-based iDevices because the logistics are completely different. You can hook any size monitor up to a Mac. Apple starts at 11" and while that gets quite small and many pro apps simply aren't designed with that mine for general use it works out and there are certainly advantages for the small size device. Or you can go to 100" HD projector if you wish, not using an Apple display at all. You can use any aspect ratio that suits your needs.
You simply don't have all those options with a non-windowed OS without a direct and severe hit to the user experience. For those reasons I think the most likely avenue for Apple to increase the display size to keep the PPI the same and increase the resolution on one or more axis. This allows for any current iPhone content to be displayed on a larger iPhone exactly, pixel-for-pixel, the same size today as it will tomorrow. Devs will still get a new SDK and updated apps will be the better for it, just like with the iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4 transition.
FTR I wasn't comparing devices as much as markets. I believe the cell market's roughly a billion units per year - and the new tab market is roughly a tenth that (with likely half or more of those Wi-Fi devices). Apple's disrupted and transformed the former one device at a time - by revealing that what were being thought of as smart phones were really pretty dumb, and they've jump started and validated the latter - again by showing no one else had grabbed the metaphor for what a useful/user friendly tablet could be.
But now that everyone and their cousin in the industry is focused on mobile computing - and now that consumers begin to see all the possibilities, going forward I don't expect Apple to try and fill every niche use with a plethora of specialty mobile products, but I do think it will take more than one "phone factor" device and one "tablet factor" offering to cover even the mass markets and leading edges of where the mass markets will be going as the tech and engineering drive relentlessly forward.
My signature example for a future not-so-sy fy iDevice is a 20"+ flexible sheet that rolls up into a cylinder - with application for consumers (reading the paper on a commute, collaborative gaming on the device or across the net, a portable multi-person HD movie experience anywhere, anytime, etc., etc.), for business - instant design and markup collaboration, presentations and conferences anywhere, blueprints on the 80th story - with the ability to change 'em on the construction site, again, etc. ad infinitum), and for the military (obvious applications all over the field).
Meanwhile, Apple's got this Other Line that no one talks about much anymore - the iPod (since anyone with a smart phone or iPad already has their music on their phone or pad - which is very successful in gaming, but kind of superfluous strategically at the moment. This is one place one could see some tweener sizes for dedicated devices that don't need phone service or which can rely on Skype type services.
Apple (along with Android and some interesting work at Nokia) has already knocked a good amount of the stuffing out of point and shoot cameras with only what they can cram into an iPhone (along with the phone and computer).
I think a 4-5" iPod class device optimized for photography (real zoom, better optics (even if the optical path has to turn and do other tricks to keep a thin device that's also a good reader/gamer/semi-pocketable) and useable amounts of flash or video light, e.g.) - and still a potent (more potent) game device - and able to run all those other apps, and be useful with video and book content - and if marketed liked a tablet class device with, say, LTE as an option (but not called an iPad) - could grab another nice chunk from all the camera makers - and further blunt any market share progress by Android or MS. And no one's really done this yet. I.e., could be 10M+/yr device market between say $299 and $499.
The cam makers are starting to add Wi-Fi and other iDevice features - but a Coolpix that can transmit pics/vids on a home network or even post them to say, facebook or YouTube, is not an iPhone or an iPad. It's a camera with a few extra tricks - and couldn't hold a candle to an Apple device, even if marginally better as a shooter. And again, that's just an existing market. There are more brand new ones to come. As Apple has proven repeatedly with the three devices discussed here.
Also, as iOS and its processor families develop (tho' tech-knowledge-wise I realize I'm just talking out of my butt here), more of the screen management chores could (as I think I kind of understand) be abstracted into to the OS - making more screen sizes and even aspect ratios far less painful for developers. Or maybe not.
But my point is that while you're right about the current market - where brilliant engineering has won amazing share with only one new basic phone and tablet model per year (or less!) - both of which have turned out to have totally hit the sweet spot for compromise between all the mainstream uses to date as highly adaptable general use devices - we haven't seen every class, size and form factor with enough market potential for Apple to target in this new world yet.