Improved antenna, 4-inch screen, NFC e-wallet rumored for Apple's iPhone 5

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  • Reply 101 of 128
    docno42docno42 Posts: 3,761member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    Actually, the USa is still the second largest manufacturer of goods in the world. In fact, right before the recession, we were still larger than China. That ended it, at least for now.



    OK, not electronic goods then...
  • Reply 102 of 128
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DocNo42 View Post


    OK, not electronic goods then...



    Not so much the consumer goods we often see.
  • Reply 103 of 128
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    That's a funny request because no phone supports VZW LTE right now.



    Seeing how much of a battery drain 4G has been on phones that do support it. It doesn't sound like you will be getting an iPhone 5.



    HTC Thunderbolt runs on VZ LTE 700!
  • Reply 104 of 128
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    I do believe that larger is better when it comes to a small screen. One problem is that people make more mistakes typing, and do so more slowly. A slightly bigger screen will help that without a doubt. Even a very slightly larger screen will help. Same thing with reading some of the very small type I now get on my 4. It will be easier to tap a link in the browser, as it will be slightly larger and better spaced. There are no negatives about larger screen sizes. The only problems are unrelated to it directly. Problems, should they exist, are battery usage from the slightly larger backlight. Weight, size. If Apple can solve those, there are no issues.



    I can go along with all of that, especially the mis-taps. In fact, the only issue I can think of with a larger screen would be, as you say, indirectly related: possibly having to increasing the size of the phone to accommodate the larger screen. Quick example: I don't like belt holsters and prefer, instead, to pocket my iPhone. At its current width, it fits comfortably (or snugly) in the change pocket, sewn inside the right front pocket, of some of my dress slacks (that's with the Bumper on). Even a couple extra millimeters in width would ruin that convenience. But that's nothing; I could easily deal with that. And I know the rumor is to increase the size of the screen, but keep the size of the phone the same. Not that it can't be done (especially by Apple). I just think it would require a totally new design. But hey! I'm not Jony Ive.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anonymouse View Post


    A possible downside to an edge-to-edge screen is more inadvertent touch events being generated.



    I don't see that as very likely. iOS is pretty intelligent regarding accidental touches, and people know what they're doing by now, or can quickly learn to adjust to a larger screen. No, what I see as a possible downside with an edge-to-edge screen is increased risk of impact damage, especially at the corners. People, I've been told, are already more leery of the glass back than I thought. If the front glass panel went edge-to-edge, ever with a metal or carbon fiber back panel, people would have just as much to complain about as they do now ("It's too fragile!" "Form over function!" "I shouldn't have to use a case!").



    Still, and having said all that, I personally don't find the idea of a larger screen (even an edge-to-edge one) unwelcome. Frankly, I was impressed with the size of my niece's EVO, but its heavily pixelated screen just didn't compare to my Retina Display at all! I thought it looked terrible, in fact. Given that, my only caveat for a larger screen is that it retain Retina Display pixel density. As Mel said, if Apple can solve all the potential problems of a larger, edge-to-edge screen, there won't be any real issues. I'm sure they can, and will do it, so? bring it on!



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    Apple also has a long history of researching the hell out of things before they even start. It's clear that they think that 3.5" is the perfect screen size for a phone and they haven't ever changed their mind on that during either the four years they have been selling them or the (roughly) three years previous to that they were designing the thing. IMO it only makes sense to change the size if they have evidence (in the form of feedback), that tells them people are having a big problem with the size. I haven't heard any such feedback myself.



    Again, this is what keeps me from putting a lot of stock in this rumor. Apple knows what it's doing when it comes to hardware ergonomics. If Apple was really intent on introducing a larger screen in the iPhone, I think they would have done it last year when the iPhone got a complete overhaul. Unless, Mel, you're right in that the major factors preventing them from doing so were cost and availability of the necessary parts. Otherwise, completely redesigning it, again, after only one year doesn't make a lot of sense to me, particularly given Apple's commitment to a CDMA iPhone 4 for Verizon (and presumably other CDMA carriers internationally).



    In fact, it would have only made sense to me if there actually had been a major design flaw with the antenna (which, despite some peoples' problems with reception, is not the case as proven by the lack of such call-failure issues internationally). I still think such a problem (the alleged design flaw), had it really existed (please note: I'm not discounting that real people had real problems, but acknowledging that those problems had as much to do with AT&T's poor 3G coverage as with the iPhone), would have had a greater impact on the release of the Verizon iPhone 4 (possibly in the design, definitely in the timing).



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    You'd be surprised at just how many people think that the type on phones is too small.



    No, I wouldn't. When the iPhone was introduced, it was still primarily a phone (well, "a phone, an iPod, and an Internet connectivity device"). But thanks to the App Store and the flood of developers and quality third-party apps, we're doing more now with iPhones and other Post-PC Devices than ever before. 3.5", even 4", has come to feel cramped with certain applications; thus, the wild success of the iPad.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    All the phones at CES that support LTE in some vaporware capacity were all large phones, not the super slim iPhone design.



    It's sounding like 4G and LTE present some technical hurdles that Apple, and others, will have to surmount (particularly size and power consumption) before those technologies become ubiquitous. I'm thinking we won't see an iPhone LTE until its sixth, possibly even seventh, version. It'll probably take that long for the infrastructure to get in place for one thing, and, following that, for Apple to solve the issues of antenna size and power consumption. In that interim however, we may see a larger screen in the iPhone. Don't know about multiple sizes for the handset though. Sorry, Professor. I know that strategy made sense, and worked to tremendous effect, in the iPod market, but it just doesn't fit the iPhone market as I see it.
  • Reply 105 of 128
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    I certainly wouldn't be concerned about any web apps. There are at least a dozen different screen sizes in use now, with a dozen different resolutions. Often those resolutions are higher on smaller screens, and lower on larger screens. Somehow, those apps seem to work with most of them.



    Well to clarify, we have written a few web apps that sniff out the iPhone specifically and provide exact pixel dimensions, orientation etc. We already had to revise this once for retina and now yet again? WTF? I guess web apps aren't so sweet after all. Anyway I'm not talking about universal Android/BB/iPhone dumbed down sites I'm referring to sites that take advantage of the accelerometer and orientation that can be reliably detected only with iPhone.
  • Reply 106 of 128
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by d-range View Post


    I think the 'problem' (as far as you can actually call it a problem in real life) with the iPhone 4 antenna is not so much that your hands touch it (GSM signals go straight through them), but that by touching the small bands between the antenna parts you bridge them, which does distort the signal since it changes electrical properties of the antenna part used for the GSM signal.



    Yes. And there was the problem with some 1% of ATT iPhone users dropping or failing a call during the 'death grip, due to 99.9% of those folks being in a area with crappy ATT service.
  • Reply 107 of 128
    bushman4bushman4 Posts: 863member
    Old rumors being combined into a new story. All of these features have already been mentioned in the last few weaks..............stay tuned better rumors are coming as we get closer.
  • Reply 108 of 128
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Ah I guess I've fallen behind the every two weeks someone launches "the best Android phone ever!"



    iPhone 5 still isn't going to have LTE.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iUser71 View Post


    HTC Thunderbolt runs on VZ LTE 700!



  • Reply 109 of 128
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    Ah I guess I've fallen behind the every two weeks someone launches "the best Android phone ever!"



    iPhone 5 still isn't going to have LTE.



    Verizon and HTC offer Thunderbolt extended battery
    Marketing slogans that don’t work: The World’s Biggest Smart Phone Just Got Bigger
  • Reply 110 of 128
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TammyT View Post


    How can an "all metal back" help improve the antenna?



    I would think it would just:



    1. Using metal would *BLOCK* the signal. (not help it)



    2. If the metal *IS* the antenna... now we have to not-touch the entire back (instead of just the edges.)



    Metal backing is impractical for cell phone frequencies, but in certain cases using a large grounding plane can actually make antennas much better.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Verizon and HTC offer Thunderbolt extended battery

    Marketing slogans that don’t work: The World’s Biggest Smart Phone Just Got Bigger



    If they were just honest and called it the "backpack," they'd be far better off.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    ...There is no consensus on a NFC billing system and I want to know more information about security before I'd widely use it.



    NFC Security for phones is the same as smartcard security, which is a billion times better than magstripe card security, and is also, incidentally, identical to phone security because the SIM card and the smart card come from the exact same standard. The rationale for contactless smartcards has mostly to do with the fact that the contact pads get worn-down, but contactless also happens to make it possible for phones to issue payments -- you can't put a SIM pad or a magstripe on a phone. As for billing systems, the NFC stack is very well defined, and standardized. This is the important part. The billing can be run in software.
  • Reply 111 of 128
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheOtherGeoff View Post


    and you didn't have a phone before an iPhone 4? Do you have a width limit on your car? Will you absolutely not enter a room that is not 2" too narrow/wide?



    doubtful.



    It's not the size but the feel that's important (yes, that _is_ what she said). If apple designs it right, it will feel right, probably so right that the iPhone4 will feel 'wrong'.



    So if I am understanding correctly, you believe that you know more about what Ireland will or won't like in an unannounced product than Ireland knows himself? Yeah, I'm sure you are 100% correct. This prediction is both extremely meaningful and a great use of time. Keep up the good work.
  • Reply 112 of 128
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by brucep View Post


    i see a nano sized fat boy shaped iphone coming soon



    with a cheaper price and super mass production possible .



    look to 4 countries that would buy a ton of these cheaper phones

    russia china india singapore









    just saying







    peace





    9



    WTF!!!?Russia=China=India=Singapore???? It is one strage thought=) To be clear, I'm from Russia and there are lot of apple fans here. Particularly those, who would and who buy iPad 2 for $2 000 - $3 000. They will buy ton of iThings just because they love it and not because it is cheap. Just like in US or wherever you are from) Don't think, that "all russian people are just bears on unicycles" =))))
  • Reply 113 of 128
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Well to clarify, we have written a few web apps that sniff out the iPhone specifically and provide exact pixel dimensions, orientation etc. We already had to revise this once for retina and now yet again? WTF? I guess web apps aren't so sweet after all. Anyway I'm not talking about universal Android/BB/iPhone dumbed down sites I'm referring to sites that take advantage of the accelerometer and orientation that can be reliably detected only with iPhone.



    It's very unusual for web apps to be that specific, and I suggest that it's an error to be so specific. There's no good reason why a screen slightly different in size should result in an app functioning differently. Going from the 3.2" screen of the Pre to the 4.3" screens on a number of phones would make a difference, but not so much from 3.5" to 4".
  • Reply 114 of 128
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DJinTX View Post


    So if I am understanding correctly, you believe that you know more about what Ireland will or won't like in an unannounced product than Ireland knows himself? Yeah, I'm sure you are 100% correct. This prediction is both extremely meaningful and a great use of time. Keep up the good work.



    I know Ireland pretty well by now. It's far more likely that he's making a point than actually making a decision to not buy a phone because it's two mm wider.
  • Reply 115 of 128
    jason98jason98 Posts: 768member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    3D works best when its an expansive experience filling your full field of vision. I think 3D on anything smaller than a 30 foot screen is pointless.



    3D on a 3-4 inch screen is an absurd gimmick.



    It's like saying that playing games or watching movies on 3-4 inch screen is absurd gimmick.

    People, you just don't get it, do you?



    Actually, it's personal mobile devices where 3d makes more sense because relatively stable viewing angle makes it possible to have it glassless.
  • Reply 116 of 128
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jason98 View Post


    It's like saying that playing games or watching movies on 3-4 inch screen is absurd gimmick.

    People, you just don't get it, do you?



    Actually, it's personal mobile devices where 3d makes more sense because relatively stable viewing angle makes it possible to have it glassless.



    No, you don't get it. If you read what's happening with the 3DS, you'll see that Nintendo is backing away from the concept of using the 3D effect for gaming purposes. That is, they won't use, and are telling 3rd party developers to not use 3D effects as an element in games. They're now saying that it should just be used for a 3D "look".



    It turns out that many people can't see the 3D at all on these tiny devices, or they get headaches, or eyestrain.



    I just posted this to an article on this very topic on Ars Technica, and I'll quote it here:



    Quote:

    This is much more of a problem for 3D systems that don't use glasses. One reason is that using glasses allows one to focus much further out. So far, glassless systems that use these tiny screens require you to be much closer, 14" in the case of the 3DS. Then you have to sort of cross your eyes to see the effect. That's straining. There are a lot of people who can't see that way at all, and others for whom it's a problem after a short while. In addition, you must maintain an exact position while playing, or you lose the effect. That's difficult too, and it's disconcerting when the image moves in and out of the effect, as your eyes are trying to compensate.



    I had my hands on the 3DS for a short while, and can say that it's problematical. Nintendo knew this from the beginning, which is why they provide the slider.



  • Reply 117 of 128
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    I hear you. In the US NFC so far isn't being widely embraced. Before waving my phone in front of a wireless pad is tied directly to my bank account, I want a clear understanding of how it works and who supports it. What happens if my phone is lost or stolen? I think asking questions only makes prudent sense.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Splinemodel View Post


    NFC Security for phones is the same as smartcard security, which is a billion times better than magstripe card security, and is also, incidentally, identical to phone security because the SIM card and the smart card come from the exact same standard. The rationale for contactless smartcards has mostly to do with the fact that the contact pads get worn-down, but contactless also happens to make it possible for phones to issue payments -- you can't put a SIM pad or a magstripe on a phone. As for billing systems, the NFC stack is very well defined, and standardized. This is the important part. The billing can be run in software.



  • Reply 118 of 128
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    No its not the same at all. Certainly playing games or watching movies on a tiny screen changes the experience. But its not a gimmick.



    3D is an optical illusion of depth. It works best if your entire line of vision is covered by the image. Your eyes should be allowed to scan a wide area and see the illusion. I think even a television is too small.



    To hold the illusion of depth on a tiny screen your eyes have an extremely small area in which to focus. You are forced to do way too much work in an attempt to see the 3D illusion. It just gets silly at that point.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jason98 View Post


    It's like saying that playing games or watching movies on 3-4 inch screen is absurd gimmick.

    People, you just don't get it, do you?



    Actually, it's personal mobile devices where 3d makes more sense because relatively stable viewing angle makes it possible to have it glassless.



  • Reply 119 of 128
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    I hear you. In the US NFC so far isn't being widely embraced. Before waving my phone in front of a wireless pad is tied directly to my bank account, I want a clear understanding of how it works and who supports it. What happens if my phone is lost or stolen? I think asking questions only makes prudent sense.



    What if your credit card is lost or stolen? Or the number, as happened to me just the other day in England? Same problem.
  • Reply 120 of 128
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    What if your credit card is lost or stolen? Or the number, as happened to me just the other day in England? Same problem.



    People seem to overlook these simple and common ways to access your account. At least with NFC in a smartphone there are ways to protect (E.g.: passcode), track (E.g.: GPS/Find My iPhone), and erase (E.g.: Find My iPhone) your account info in ways that make it inherently more secure than handing a plastic card with a magnetic strip and emboldened numbers to a person making near minimum wage with little to lose.



    I'd wager the weakest point for most are weak passwords that are used across many different websites. I suggest 1Password for any who cares about their online security.
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