Rumor: Apple's next-gen iPhone will launch with 'at least two screen sizes'
Faced with growing popularity of big-screen phones, Apple will launch its next-generation iPhone with "at least" two different screen sizes, one analyst claims.
The details were reported on Tuesday by Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets, who said the details stem from a meeting with a company in Apple's supply chain. In fact, White said it's possible that Apple's so-called "iPhone 5S" could even launch with three separate screen sizes, in his view.
"We believe Apple is coming around to the fact that one size per iPhone release does not work for everyone and offering consumers an option has the potential to expand the company's market share," he said.
White expects that Apple will launch its next iPhone models in July, where he also believes the company will debut a lower-priced iPhone model that would address a large segment of the market that Apple currently does not serve.
The analyst doesn't believe that Apple would be able to offer an iPhone below $300 without a contract subsidy. He said on Tuesday that market watchers expecting an iPhone priced at $200 or even $150 will be disappointed, while a price between $300 and $350 "makes more sense."
"We believe this price point is reassuring for investors that Apple wants to expand its market reach with consumers in developing countries such as China," he said. "However, the company will also manage its margin profile and brand accordingly."
White is the same analyst who made waves last week when he claimed that Apple plans to launch a television set this year with a so-called "iRing" accessory for precise gesture-based controls. He also believes the "iTV" will come with a "mini" screen that will allow users to view content on a smaller display throughout the home, though this accessory will apparently not be as powerful as an independent iPad.
The analyst also made claims last week that Microsoft is working on a competitor to Google Glass that the Windows maker will allegedly launch in the first half of 2014. He believes the wearable computing market will heat up with the debut of a smart wristwatch accessory from Apple as well.
The latest claims from White regarding multiple iPhone screen sizes are not new, as earlier reports had suggested Apple plans to release a larger iPhone with a 5-inch screen, dubbed an "iPhone plus."
As larger iPhones like Samsung's Galaxy Note series have gained traction in the marketplace, there has been increasing speculation that Apple could go even bigger with a future iPhone model. The company increased the screen size of its flagship handset from 3.5 inches to 4 inches with the launch of the iPhone 5 last September.
The details were reported on Tuesday by Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets, who said the details stem from a meeting with a company in Apple's supply chain. In fact, White said it's possible that Apple's so-called "iPhone 5S" could even launch with three separate screen sizes, in his view.
"We believe Apple is coming around to the fact that one size per iPhone release does not work for everyone and offering consumers an option has the potential to expand the company's market share," he said.
White expects that Apple will launch its next iPhone models in July, where he also believes the company will debut a lower-priced iPhone model that would address a large segment of the market that Apple currently does not serve.
The analyst doesn't believe that Apple would be able to offer an iPhone below $300 without a contract subsidy. He said on Tuesday that market watchers expecting an iPhone priced at $200 or even $150 will be disappointed, while a price between $300 and $350 "makes more sense."
"We believe this price point is reassuring for investors that Apple wants to expand its market reach with consumers in developing countries such as China," he said. "However, the company will also manage its margin profile and brand accordingly."
White is the same analyst who made waves last week when he claimed that Apple plans to launch a television set this year with a so-called "iRing" accessory for precise gesture-based controls. He also believes the "iTV" will come with a "mini" screen that will allow users to view content on a smaller display throughout the home, though this accessory will apparently not be as powerful as an independent iPad.
The analyst also made claims last week that Microsoft is working on a competitor to Google Glass that the Windows maker will allegedly launch in the first half of 2014. He believes the wearable computing market will heat up with the debut of a smart wristwatch accessory from Apple as well.
The latest claims from White regarding multiple iPhone screen sizes are not new, as earlier reports had suggested Apple plans to release a larger iPhone with a 5-inch screen, dubbed an "iPhone plus."
As larger iPhones like Samsung's Galaxy Note series have gained traction in the marketplace, there has been increasing speculation that Apple could go even bigger with a future iPhone model. The company increased the screen size of its flagship handset from 3.5 inches to 4 inches with the launch of the iPhone 5 last September.
Comments
Brian W. of Topeka is nuts.
I would think iPhone for the new 5 inch (if rumors are true) and iPhone Mini for the 4 inch... AND DROP THE 4, 4S, 5, 5S, stuff!
Offering two screen sizes for the iPhone with the same resolution but different pixel density (just like with the iPad and iPad mini) makes a tremendous amount of sense. There are a lot of customers (particularly older customers) who prefer larger text and bigger UI elements.
And related to this -- there are also a lot of customers who simply cannot perceive any benefit to having a retina display. Offering lower priced versions of products that lack a retina display also makes a great deal of sense.
Just to pre-empt the usual complaints:
1. I'm talking about screen sizes varying because of different pixel density, not because of differences in logical screen size. So this would not be a major hassle for developers. And as noted above -- Apple already does this with the iPad and iPad mini.
2. Apple is not religious about retina displays or anything else other than making great products (and for many, many customers, a product lacking a retina display is still a great product)
3. Economies of scale is not a major constraint here. Apple produces more smartphones than anybody except maybe Samsung, but with far, far fewer models. If Apple were to offer four basic models of iPhones at a time: big retina, big non-retina, small retina, small non-retina, it would still enjoy massive economies of scale advantages over all competitors (including Samsung, which has far more models). [note, this assumes the current practice of keeping old models around would end, and that the less expensive models would be the non-retina models]
There are two sizes right now.
The average screen size of phones sold today would be a bell curve ranging from less than three inches to five point five inches.
Such a bell curve would be massively skewed toward top selling iPhones and cheaper smaller screened phones.
In other words another grasping at straws report with very little basis in fact apart from anecdotal, wishful thinking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blastdoor
I know a certain class of person goes ape-s**t whenever someone says what I'm about to say, but here goes:
Offering two screen sizes for the iPhone with the same resolution but different pixel density (just like with the iPad and iPad mini) makes a tremendous amount of sense. There are a lot of customers (particularly older customers) who prefer larger text and bigger UI elements.
Three point five and four inch, the two current iPhone screen sizes, available now at a store near you.
It would be nice to get the latest internals with a smaller screen size (if they are indeed going larger). I haven't checked out the iPhone 5 yet so I'm not sure how I'll like the taller 4" screen, but the 3.5" works well for me now (I don't have big hands).
He means two sizes for newly released products in the iPhone family. The 3.5" iPhone models, even though still be manufactured and sold, are still older models.
Why don't you put the part "one analyst claims" right on the title instead of trying to make this BS seen as fact?
And since when an analyst saying something gives any sort of credibility to something? You might as well say "a pile of sh*t claims".
Whatever...
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheUnfetteredMind
It would be nice to get the latest internals with a smaller screen size (if they are indeed going larger). I haven't checked out the iPhone 5 yet so I'm not sure how I'll like the taller 4" screen, but the 3.5" works well for me now (I don't have big hands).
Just after 1 month of using iPhone 5, I no longer noticed the increase in screen height.
In the last 4 months, I have switched back and forth for development purposes. Frankly, after the first minute or so, I notice the thickness difference more than the height difference, if the phones are not side by side.
They start it with the word rumor. That seems sufficient to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hill60
The average screen size of phones sold today would be a bell curve ranging from less than three inches to five point five inches.
Such a bell curve would be massively skewed toward top selling iPhones and cheaper smaller screened phones.
In other words another grasping at straws report with very little basis in fact apart from anecdotal, wishful thinking.
Three point five and four inch, the two current iPhone screen sizes, available now at a store near you.
Sorry. But it's not a bell curve. A bell curve implies a Gaussian distribution which requires, amongst many other things, symmetric distribution on two sides of the mean. Don't see that at all. Furthermore, in general, product sub-categories do not follow a normal distribution. Finally, a bell curve has one peak (the mean) and therefore cannot be massively skewed towards two screen sizes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ankleskater
Just after 1 month of using iPhone 5, I no longer noticed the increase in screen height.
In the last 4 months, I have switched back and forth for development purposes. Frankly, after the first minute or so, I notice the thickness difference more than the height difference, if the phones are not side by side.
I agree- Thought I don't notice the increased size with the 4"- the 3.5" seems much much smaller when I have to use an older device for whatever reason (helping a friend with something, etc.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by pedromartins
Why don't you put the part "one analyst claims" right on the title instead of trying to make this BS seen as fact?
And since when an analyst saying something gives any sort of credibility to something? You might as well say "a pile of sh*t claims".
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
They start it with the word rumor. That seems sufficient to me.
Good enough indeed. Furthermore, what's the point anymore of attacking any article herein for not explictly distinguishing between fact and rumor? Sounds like crankiness looking for a vent.
Typically an S generation iPhone does not change the physical shape of the phone. If Apple follows that pattern and releases an iPhone 5S there won't be any form factor changes until iPhone 6.
[LIST]
[*] The new iPhone (4" 32, 64 or 128 GB SSD) $199, $299, $399 with contract
[*] iPhone 5 (4" 16 GB SSD) $99 with contract
[*] iPhone 4S (3.5" 16 GB SSD) Free with contract
[/LIST]
Do the people making these predictions believe that Apple will also make software changes to begin catering to the anti-Apple demographic?
[LIST]
[*] Overwriting the OS
[*] Removable storage
[*] Replacable batteries
[/LIST]
I wish there was some way to get around the pixel ratio being a fixed scale factor. Web pages and desktop apps have been able to adjust to resizeable windows for years, I don't know why iOS apps can't do it.