Unless there is a valid, *design-based* reason for changing the screen size, I don't see Apple doing it, (and I've yet to hear anyone elucidate that reason).
I doubt things like the phone or iPod apps would be any different but most other "smart" things you do on a smartphone (like web browsing, messaging, email, games etc) are easier and/or more immersive on a larger screen.
Of course the design-based reason for not increasing the screen size is battery life and the fact the damn thing might not fit in your pocket.
I guess it's just a balancing act between functionality and practicality.
It wouldn't be surprising for Apple to host its annual September event to announce the iPhone 5 and presumably new iPods with a street date in late September or early October.
Although a bigger screen and faster processor are certainly welcome in the new iPhone, I would really like to see a bump in capacity to 64GB. The iPhone 4 also sports an excellent camera and I hope that Apple makes it even better.
+1
This is what I expect will happen - iPod event in September with the iPhone 5 being the "one more thing..."
I'd love the iPhone 5 to be released in September but my gut-feeling is early October
As for the camera - I hope for a better quality lens and faster shutter. Not too bothered about Mega-pixel resolution...
I doubt things like the phone or iPod apps would be any different but most other "smart" things you do on a smartphone (like web browsing, messaging, email, games etc) are easier and/or more immersive on a larger screen.
Of course the design-based reason for not increasing the screen size is battery life and the fact the damn thing might not fit in your pocket.
I guess it's just a balancing act between functionality and practicality.
Being immersed in internet services is what my Mac is for. I want my phone to be a quick, convenient, and portable access point to my information while I am not home, and for the hardware and UI to look great. I do not expect, want or need to be immersed in the internet on my phone.
Being immersed in internet services is what my Mac is for. I want my phone to be a quick, convenient, and portable access point to my information while I am not home, and for the hardware and UI to look great. I do not expect, want or need to be immersed in the internet on my phone.
In that case, may I recommend a Blackberry Bold? It's a very effective device and totally un-immersive.
Given the fact that this sentiment seems to be basically the only reason for making the screen bigger, it's also the main reason why it probably won't happen. When was the last time Apple changed a product of theirs (a flagship product in fact), to match the competition or because "everyone is doing (X) now." Oh that's right ... never!
Unless there is a valid, *design-based* reason for changing the screen size, I don't see Apple doing it, (and I've yet to hear anyone elucidate that reason).
I agree that Apple won't chase a buzzword but having a bit more screen real estate (hopefully without changing the overall size) could increase usability without decreasing portability. There are also many constraints that dictate design. Component cost, battery life, physical size of other components. As these are reduced they no longer constrain your design(or less so anyway).
I like the overall size of the iPhone right now and if they can squeeze a bit more screen out of it, the benefits seem obvious.
Being immersed in internet services is what my Mac is for. I want my phone to be a quick, convenient, and portable access point to my information while I am not home, and for the hardware and UI to look great. I do not expect, want or need to be immersed in the internet on my phone.
I suppose that's one area where Apple's one-size-fits-all iPhone policy is a failure.
Some people want a compact phone and maximum battery life, others are willing to trade off on those two in order to get a larger screen that is easier to read.
Apple cater to different markets with the iPod. People that just want a compact music player buy a Nano, and people that want more functionality go for a Touch.
Maybe they will do the same thing with the iPhone.
The necessary LTE chipset for Apple (Qualcomm 9615) wont be in mass production until the end of the year. So the new phone wont be LTE.
What I worry about is Apple waiting until next Sept. (of 2012) to bring LTE to the iPhone, even though there will be a capable chip available much earlier (and there will be a ton of LTE devices on the market that have good battery life using this same chip). On the flip side, Apple could release the iPhone 6 as early as May or June of 2012, so whats the purpose of getting the iPhone 5 if the LTE phone is just 8 months away? Its a weird situation they're in with their product release cycles.
1) The Moto Droid 3/Milestone 3 has a true "world mode" or LTE option and appears to get good battery life. It's larger than the iPhone but it's impressive for Moto so maybe Apple will something up their sleeve for this later-than-average iPhone release.
2) If Apple has to wait well past their competitors to use a cellular technology I don't think that is a big deal. The first iPhone was called a failure because it was only GPRS and EDGE for data yet it sold faster than other phone on the market making its way around the world. I even sold mine after a year of usage for more than I bought it for.
3) What is the size and specs of the MDM9615? (edit: It looks like it will be a true "world mode" device supporting all the bands Apple needs to create one device again. If that is what they are doing I could see a non-LTE "world mode" device being launched this year. Those with Verizon and other CDMA-based carriers wouldn't benefit from faster speeds, but those on AT&T and other HS*PA-based networks would get the faster speeds of HSPA+.0
Quote:
Originally Posted by cameronj
Whoa... you're like, a total seer! Amazing! Where did you get those prices? That's so brilliant, the way you segmented the market. you should totally call Apple and suggest it!
And the style prediction of the 5! Amazing! It's like you know what all the rumors said, AFTER they said it! Wow!
A man makes a reasonable prediction and you dog him for it?! Maybe if we gave more value to balanced predictions and not to woefully absurd predictions our expectations would actually be met.
In that case, may I recommend a Blackberry Bold? It's a very effective device and totally un-immersive.
While I am sure this Blackberry you recommend is not immersive in any way (or enjoyable), I am just fine with my iPhone. It's the perfect size and filled with Apple-y goodness.
And I should now return the favor and make a suggestion for you. Since the iPhone isn't going to deliver the 4+ inch screen you seem to want, then you should check out an iPad. They are very big, immersive, and quite cool. My wife loves hers.
I suppose that's one area where Apple's one-size-fits-all iPhone policy is a failure.
Some people want a compact phone and maximum battery life, others are willing to trade off on those two in order to get a larger screen that is easier to read.
Apple cater to different markets with the iPod. People that just want a compact music player buy a Nano, and people that want more functionality go for a Touch.
Maybe they will do the same thing with the iPhone.
I wouldn't say the one phone model has been a failure, rather, it has not been quite as successful and dominant as it could have been to this point. Definitely not a failure though.
You are correct though in that having two or more differing models would satisfy even more users. I suppose they could do this at some point, it's just hard to imagine since they have embraced the one phone model since the beginning. Who knows though, maybe they are gearing up for a product transition.
While I am sure this Blackberry you recommend is not immersive in any way (or enjoyable), I am just fine with my iPhone. It's the perfect size and filled with Apple-y goodness.
And I should now return the favor and make a suggestion for you. Since the iPhone isn't going to deliver the 4+ inch screen you seem to want, then you should check out an iPad. They are very big, immersive, and quite cool. My wife loves hers.
You might want to make note of who you are replying to - not everyone that you reply to embodies each of the comments that have been posted in this thread.
You said you wanted a phone where the web was not immersive. Sorry, going from 3.8 inches to 4 inches, while not changing the size of the frame, would not make such a large difference. The web experience on the iPhone is immersive, and it will remain so with a whopping increase of 5%.
If they can do it while retaining one day battery life, I'm perfectly happy. If they don't change the screen size, I'll remain perfectly happy, and will buy my 5th iPhone.
This is what I expect will happen - iPod event in September with the iPhone 5 being the "one more thing..."
I'd love the iPhone 5 to be released in September but my gut-feeling is early October
As for the camera - I hope for a better quality lens and faster shutter. Not too bothered about Mega-pixel resolution...
I just can't wait to upgrade my iPhone 3G
I think the iPhone is too important to Apple to make it a "one more thing". I think Apple will start with the usual stats, then move into the iPods but at much faster pace than before.
I think that only the iPod Touch will change it's design around, outside of color changes that may affect the Nano and Shuffles.
Then we get a very long session for the iPhone. I think they will also focus on its reception since they had to do a special event just to talk about the antenna last year and don't want any bad press that will cost them millions in free cases.
If there is a "one more thing" product I think it could be about the AppleTV but I'm not holding my breath.
last year when Apple said they made a 3 or 4 billion dollar super secret strategic investment, people tended to assume that it was for screens or building the next A# processor. But what if it was to fund early development of an LTE chipset that meets their power needs?
last year when Apple said they made a 3 or 4 billion dollar super secret strategic investment, people tended to assume that it was for screens or building the next A# processor. But what if it was to fund early development of an LTE chipset that meets their power needs?
Completely meaningless when there aren't any meaningful LTE networks anywhere in the world right now. So no, that probably wasn't it.
Completely meaningless when there aren't any meaningful LTE networks anywhere in the world right now. So no, that probably wasn't it.
I don't think it's completely meaningless if the 6th iPhone won't arrive until Autumn 2012, but I think a better strategic move is to get an efficient true "world mode" chip with the new SIM design that could make their economics of scale effective in squeezing an even higher percentage of profit from the handset market.
You might want to make note of who you are replying to - not everyone that you reply to embodies each of the comments that have been posted in this thread.
You said you wanted a phone where the web was not immersive. Sorry, going from 3.8 inches to 4 inches, while not changing the size of the frame, would not make such a large difference. The web experience on the iPhone is immersive, and it will remain so with a whopping increase of 5%.
If they can do it while retaining one day battery life, I'm perfectly happy. If they don't change the screen size, I'll remain perfectly happy, and will buy my 5th iPhone.
Already have an iPad, but thanks.
You might be taking my remarks too seriously. I thought we were just making smart-ass remarks to give each other a hard time. If my remark incorrectly labeled you as someone who wants a much larger device and this brings you distress, then I apologize. I thought it was all in good fun. With that said, if we are now returning to an intelligent debate of screen size, then by all means, let's do that.
Above you mention "going from 3.8 inches to 4 inches, while not changing the size of the frame, would not make such a large difference." Obviously the iPhone is currently 3.5 inches as opposed to 3.8. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple found a way to increase to 3.8 without increasing the overall phone size. But I can't imagine how they could keep the same frame size if they put in a 4 inch screen. If they can do it, then that is amazing. It just seems unlikely.
As for immersive...you and I likely just have different ideas of the word.
I don't see the current iPhone as being immersive, nor do I think gaining a small amount of screen size (to 4 inches) would suddenly make me feel immersed either. However, if any screen size increase causes the device to be less portable, and not fit as well in my pocket, then I am definitely against this move.
Of course, Apple will make this decision for all of us. So we'll just have to wait and see what they deliver. My biggest pet peeve in this whole screen size discussion is that many of those here who want a larger screen/device, seem to operate under the thinking that all users want what they want, but of course this is not at all the case.
Otherwise, what's the point? My iPhone 4 is plenty fast enough for my tastes, so if all they do is slap a better CPU in it then I'll just skip this generation and wait for the 6.
This is really pretty much the plan from Apple's perspective anyway. The contracts on phones are all 2 years, so they expect the majority of users to upgrade every other generation anyway. My wife will skip this generation as she has an iPhone 4, but I'm chomping at the bit because I have a 3GS and it's feeling rather long in the tooth.
Personally, I don't think I would ever upgrade annually unless Apple happens to seriously drop the ball and release a true iPhone lemon. This could possibly frustrate me enough to pop for one the following year if Apple really made up for the bad model with a fantastic next unit. IMHO the vast majority of users simply upgrade when they are contract eligible for an upgrade so I don't think you are going to be seeing loads of iPhone 4 users rushing to upgrade. I think however you are going to see hordes of folks like myself or those still suffering along with a 3G springing for the new model this fall.
Comments
Unless there is a valid, *design-based* reason for changing the screen size, I don't see Apple doing it, (and I've yet to hear anyone elucidate that reason).
I doubt things like the phone or iPod apps would be any different but most other "smart" things you do on a smartphone (like web browsing, messaging, email, games etc) are easier and/or more immersive on a larger screen.
Of course the design-based reason for not increasing the screen size is battery life and the fact the damn thing might not fit in your pocket.
I guess it's just a balancing act between functionality and practicality.
It wouldn't be surprising for Apple to host its annual September event to announce the iPhone 5 and presumably new iPods with a street date in late September or early October.
Although a bigger screen and faster processor are certainly welcome in the new iPhone, I would really like to see a bump in capacity to 64GB. The iPhone 4 also sports an excellent camera and I hope that Apple makes it even better.
+1
This is what I expect will happen - iPod event in September with the iPhone 5 being the "one more thing..."
I'd love the iPhone 5 to be released in September but my gut-feeling is early October
As for the camera - I hope for a better quality lens and faster shutter. Not too bothered about Mega-pixel resolution...
I just can't wait to upgrade my iPhone 3G
+1
This is what I expect will happen - iPod event in September with the iPhone 5 being the "one more thing..."
I'd love the iPhone 5 to be released in September but my gut-feeling is early October
As for the camera - I hope for a better quality lens and faster shutter. Not too bothered about Mega-pixel resolution...
I just can't wait to upgrade my iPhone 3G
ATT vacation calendars have been pretty good predictors of new iPhones in the past.
I doubt things like the phone or iPod apps would be any different but most other "smart" things you do on a smartphone (like web browsing, messaging, email, games etc) are easier and/or more immersive on a larger screen.
Of course the design-based reason for not increasing the screen size is battery life and the fact the damn thing might not fit in your pocket.
I guess it's just a balancing act between functionality and practicality.
Being immersed in internet services is what my Mac is for. I want my phone to be a quick, convenient, and portable access point to my information while I am not home, and for the hardware and UI to look great. I do not expect, want or need to be immersed in the internet on my phone.
Being immersed in internet services is what my Mac is for. I want my phone to be a quick, convenient, and portable access point to my information while I am not home, and for the hardware and UI to look great. I do not expect, want or need to be immersed in the internet on my phone.
In that case, may I recommend a Blackberry Bold? It's a very effective device and totally un-immersive.
Given the fact that this sentiment seems to be basically the only reason for making the screen bigger, it's also the main reason why it probably won't happen. When was the last time Apple changed a product of theirs (a flagship product in fact), to match the competition or because "everyone is doing (X) now." Oh that's right ... never!
Unless there is a valid, *design-based* reason for changing the screen size, I don't see Apple doing it, (and I've yet to hear anyone elucidate that reason).
I agree that Apple won't chase a buzzword but having a bit more screen real estate (hopefully without changing the overall size) could increase usability without decreasing portability. There are also many constraints that dictate design. Component cost, battery life, physical size of other components. As these are reduced they no longer constrain your design(or less so anyway).
I like the overall size of the iPhone right now and if they can squeeze a bit more screen out of it, the benefits seem obvious.
(the link leads to the 9to5mac site where this picture was posted, not to the iCloud.com site)
Being immersed in internet services is what my Mac is for. I want my phone to be a quick, convenient, and portable access point to my information while I am not home, and for the hardware and UI to look great. I do not expect, want or need to be immersed in the internet on my phone.
I suppose that's one area where Apple's one-size-fits-all iPhone policy is a failure.
Some people want a compact phone and maximum battery life, others are willing to trade off on those two in order to get a larger screen that is easier to read.
Apple cater to different markets with the iPod. People that just want a compact music player buy a Nano, and people that want more functionality go for a Touch.
Maybe they will do the same thing with the iPhone.
The necessary LTE chipset for Apple (Qualcomm 9615) wont be in mass production until the end of the year. So the new phone wont be LTE.
What I worry about is Apple waiting until next Sept. (of 2012) to bring LTE to the iPhone, even though there will be a capable chip available much earlier (and there will be a ton of LTE devices on the market that have good battery life using this same chip). On the flip side, Apple could release the iPhone 6 as early as May or June of 2012, so whats the purpose of getting the iPhone 5 if the LTE phone is just 8 months away? Its a weird situation they're in with their product release cycles.
1) The Moto Droid 3/Milestone 3 has a true "world mode" or LTE option and appears to get good battery life. It's larger than the iPhone but it's impressive for Moto so maybe Apple will something up their sleeve for this later-than-average iPhone release.
2) If Apple has to wait well past their competitors to use a cellular technology I don't think that is a big deal. The first iPhone was called a failure because it was only GPRS and EDGE for data yet it sold faster than other phone on the market making its way around the world. I even sold mine after a year of usage for more than I bought it for.
3) What is the size and specs of the MDM9615? (edit: It looks like it will be a true "world mode" device supporting all the bands Apple needs to create one device again. If that is what they are doing I could see a non-LTE "world mode" device being launched this year. Those with Verizon and other CDMA-based carriers wouldn't benefit from faster speeds, but those on AT&T and other HS*PA-based networks would get the faster speeds of HSPA+.0
Whoa... you're like, a total seer! Amazing! Where did you get those prices? That's so brilliant, the way you segmented the market. you should totally call Apple and suggest it!
And the style prediction of the 5! Amazing! It's like you know what all the rumors said, AFTER they said it! Wow!
A man makes a reasonable prediction and you dog him for it?! Maybe if we gave more value to balanced predictions and not to woefully absurd predictions our expectations would actually be met.
In that case, may I recommend a Blackberry Bold? It's a very effective device and totally un-immersive.
While I am sure this Blackberry you recommend is not immersive in any way (or enjoyable), I am just fine with my iPhone. It's the perfect size and filled with Apple-y goodness.
And I should now return the favor and make a suggestion for you. Since the iPhone isn't going to deliver the 4+ inch screen you seem to want, then you should check out an iPad. They are very big, immersive, and quite cool. My wife loves hers.
I suppose that's one area where Apple's one-size-fits-all iPhone policy is a failure.
Some people want a compact phone and maximum battery life, others are willing to trade off on those two in order to get a larger screen that is easier to read.
Apple cater to different markets with the iPod. People that just want a compact music player buy a Nano, and people that want more functionality go for a Touch.
Maybe they will do the same thing with the iPhone.
I wouldn't say the one phone model has been a failure, rather, it has not been quite as successful and dominant as it could have been to this point. Definitely not a failure though.
You are correct though in that having two or more differing models would satisfy even more users. I suppose they could do this at some point, it's just hard to imagine since they have embraced the one phone model since the beginning. Who knows though, maybe they are gearing up for a product transition.
While I am sure this Blackberry you recommend is not immersive in any way (or enjoyable), I am just fine with my iPhone. It's the perfect size and filled with Apple-y goodness.
And I should now return the favor and make a suggestion for you. Since the iPhone isn't going to deliver the 4+ inch screen you seem to want, then you should check out an iPad. They are very big, immersive, and quite cool. My wife loves hers.
You might want to make note of who you are replying to - not everyone that you reply to embodies each of the comments that have been posted in this thread.
You said you wanted a phone where the web was not immersive. Sorry, going from 3.8 inches to 4 inches, while not changing the size of the frame, would not make such a large difference. The web experience on the iPhone is immersive, and it will remain so with a whopping increase of 5%.
If they can do it while retaining one day battery life, I'm perfectly happy. If they don't change the screen size, I'll remain perfectly happy, and will buy my 5th iPhone.
Already have an iPad, but thanks.
+1
This is what I expect will happen - iPod event in September with the iPhone 5 being the "one more thing..."
I'd love the iPhone 5 to be released in September but my gut-feeling is early October
As for the camera - I hope for a better quality lens and faster shutter. Not too bothered about Mega-pixel resolution...
I just can't wait to upgrade my iPhone 3G
I think the iPhone is too important to Apple to make it a "one more thing". I think Apple will start with the usual stats, then move into the iPods but at much faster pace than before.
I think that only the iPod Touch will change it's design around, outside of color changes that may affect the Nano and Shuffles.
Then we get a very long session for the iPhone. I think they will also focus on its reception since they had to do a special event just to talk about the antenna last year and don't want any bad press that will cost them millions in free cases.
If there is a "one more thing" product I think it could be about the AppleTV but I'm not holding my breath.
last year when Apple said they made a 3 or 4 billion dollar super secret strategic investment, people tended to assume that it was for screens or building the next A# processor. But what if it was to fund early development of an LTE chipset that meets their power needs?
Completely meaningless when there aren't any meaningful LTE networks anywhere in the world right now. So no, that probably wasn't it.
Completely meaningless when there aren't any meaningful LTE networks anywhere in the world right now. So no, that probably wasn't it.
I don't think it's completely meaningless if the 6th iPhone won't arrive until Autumn 2012, but I think a better strategic move is to get an efficient true "world mode" chip with the new SIM design that could make their economics of scale effective in squeezing an even higher percentage of profit from the handset market.
You might want to make note of who you are replying to - not everyone that you reply to embodies each of the comments that have been posted in this thread.
You said you wanted a phone where the web was not immersive. Sorry, going from 3.8 inches to 4 inches, while not changing the size of the frame, would not make such a large difference. The web experience on the iPhone is immersive, and it will remain so with a whopping increase of 5%.
If they can do it while retaining one day battery life, I'm perfectly happy. If they don't change the screen size, I'll remain perfectly happy, and will buy my 5th iPhone.
Already have an iPad, but thanks.
You might be taking my remarks too seriously. I thought we were just making smart-ass remarks to give each other a hard time. If my remark incorrectly labeled you as someone who wants a much larger device and this brings you distress, then I apologize. I thought it was all in good fun. With that said, if we are now returning to an intelligent debate of screen size, then by all means, let's do that.
Above you mention "going from 3.8 inches to 4 inches, while not changing the size of the frame, would not make such a large difference." Obviously the iPhone is currently 3.5 inches as opposed to 3.8. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple found a way to increase to 3.8 without increasing the overall phone size. But I can't imagine how they could keep the same frame size if they put in a 4 inch screen. If they can do it, then that is amazing. It just seems unlikely.
As for immersive...you and I likely just have different ideas of the word.
I don't see the current iPhone as being immersive, nor do I think gaining a small amount of screen size (to 4 inches) would suddenly make me feel immersed either. However, if any screen size increase causes the device to be less portable, and not fit as well in my pocket, then I am definitely against this move.
Of course, Apple will make this decision for all of us. So we'll just have to wait and see what they deliver. My biggest pet peeve in this whole screen size discussion is that many of those here who want a larger screen/device, seem to operate under the thinking that all users want what they want, but of course this is not at all the case.
To give someone a reason to upgrade.
Otherwise, what's the point? My iPhone 4 is plenty fast enough for my tastes, so if all they do is slap a better CPU in it then I'll just skip this generation and wait for the 6.
This is really pretty much the plan from Apple's perspective anyway. The contracts on phones are all 2 years, so they expect the majority of users to upgrade every other generation anyway. My wife will skip this generation as she has an iPhone 4, but I'm chomping at the bit because I have a 3GS and it's feeling rather long in the tooth.
Personally, I don't think I would ever upgrade annually unless Apple happens to seriously drop the ball and release a true iPhone lemon. This could possibly frustrate me enough to pop for one the following year if Apple really made up for the bad model with a fantastic next unit. IMHO the vast majority of users simply upgrade when they are contract eligible for an upgrade so I don't think you are going to be seeing loads of iPhone 4 users rushing to upgrade. I think however you are going to see hordes of folks like myself or those still suffering along with a 3G springing for the new model this fall.
So many of these "Analyst" rumors are caught in a self-affirming feedback loop between themselves and the rumor sites.
I'd rather have fewer articles written, than a colorful rehashing of what I've already read here, on MacRumors, and everywhere else...