Rumor: Next-gen iPhone to feature 4.6-inch Retina Display
An unverified report claims Apple has begun placing orders for a 4.6-inch Retina Display bound for the next-generation iPhone that could launch as early as "around the second quarter."
Reuters issued the report on Wednesday, citing South Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper. An unnamed industry source reportedly told the Korean publication that Apple has chosen the larger display and has already begun ordering the part from suppliers.
The rumor suggested that domestic Korean suppliers have received the orders, making Samsung and LG likely candidates as suppliers. Both companies have supplied displays for Apple's mobile products in the past.
The original report also claimed that the new display would be a Retina Display, which Apple specifies as having a pixel density of 300 pixels per inch when used at a distance of 10-12 inches.
If accurate, Wednesday's report signals a break by Apple from its past practice, as the company has elected not to change the 3.5-inch screen size of the iPhone since it launched in 2007. However, the likelihood that the rumor is indeed accurate appears to be relatively low. Rumors of a 4-inch iPhone screen have persisted for some time now, but claims of a 4.6-inch screen size are some of the largest yet.
Samsung's Galaxy Nexus smartphone has a 4.65-inch screen
In addition, the rumored second quarter launch is highly questionable, as it would mean a new iPhone arriving between six to nine months after the iPhone 4S. A of the original report has the article claiming the new handset will come out "this summer" with no mention of the second quarter. The astronomical definition of summer most closely aligns with the third quarter of the calendar year. Multiple reports have pointed to a September or October launch for the next-generation iPhone.
A number of Wall Street analysts expect the sixth-generation iPhone to incorporate 4G LTE. Investment firm Barclays said on Wednesday that Apple is reviewing components for the next iPhone and is likely to utilize the Qualcomm "MDM9615" chip that supports voice and data connections over LTE. Speculation has also arisen that Apple will revert to a simpler naming scheme for the iPhone as it has recently done with the iPad.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
If the rumor is true, either Apple will change the aspect ratio on the new iPhone and wreck havoc on how developers design their apps, or it keeps the 3:2 ratio and end up with a monstrosity that doesn't fit in your palm. I highly doubt this will happen.
...
Also, this is so unbelievably false I can't even believe AI is reporting this.
My Galaxy Nexus already has a 4.65 inch display (as shown in the article), though it's of the much more vibrant, power-efficient AMOLED variety.
Of course this article is based upon a 'rumor' so we'll likely never see anything remotely close on the 'new iPhone'.
Keep in mind that iPhones have always used 3:2 aspect ratio displays. A 4.6" with a 3:2 aspect ratio will be quite huge. The 4+ inch phones currently on the market are mostly 16:9, which is long and narrow (relatively speaking).
If the rumor is true, either Apple will change the aspect ratio on the new iPhone and wreck havoc on how developers design their apps, or it keeps the 3:2 ratio and end up with a monstrosity that doesn't fit in your palm. I highly doubt this will happen.
That size of screen would warrant a change to aspect ratio and letter boxing current apps. Some apps may be able to just grow depending on the controls they are using...
I'd like a larger iPhone but at the same resolution the size needed to maintain both the user experience and Retina Display label falls around 4". That's only 1/2" but that's 31% larger.
That size of screen would warrant a change to aspect ratio and letter boxing current apps. Some apps may be able to just grow depending on the controls they are using...
While I think it's too large if using other such phones as a gauge regardless of aspect ratio would Apple really have developers add a 2nd resolution to their iOS apps in the same year, especially one that doesn't scale like with their previous solutions? At this point such a rumour sounds very fabricated for the next iPhone.
Well isn't that interesting...
My Galaxy Nexus already has a 4.65 inch display (as shown in the article), though it's of the much more vibrant, power-efficient AMOLED variety.
Of course this article is based upon a 'rumor' so we'll likely never see anything remotely close on the 'new iPhone'.
Super troll
Only Fandroids think a huge screen is a good idea, mostly because they only care about boastable tech specs & not practical functionality. If I want a large screen that's what the iPad is for, let a phone be a phone for crying out loud.
A slightly bigger screen with same resolution and aspect ratio would be nice. Maybe a 4.0" but nothing bigger. I still want it to fit comfortably in my shirt pocket.
Well isn't that interesting...
My Galaxy Nexus already has a 4.65 inch display (as shown in the article), though it's of the much more vibrant, power-efficient AMOLED variety.
Of course this article is based upon a 'rumor' so we'll likely never see anything remotely close on the 'new iPhone'.
I totally agree with this rumor, supplied by an unknown source, that is most likely a Korean competitor, with very little morals, probably involved in a high level of litigation against said company that they also supply parts for.
Apple have decided to heavily invest in A. I. for their phones, hence negating any type of size requirement, while ALSO increasing the screen size so that the incredibly intelligent bastard can't fit in your pocket.
That so utterly, utterly, utterly makes sense.
Utterly.
I can see now how some people are so stupid that they buy cheap-ass Android devices.
My Galaxy Nexus already has a 4.65 inch display (as shown in the article), though it's of the much more vibrant, power-efficient AMOLED variety.
give us a break, we want a good read so stay at engadget you troll
I think there's plenty of room in the market for two different iPhone models. It seems that Jobs was dead set on 3.5" being the perfect size for everyone but I'm not sure Tim Cook is as idealistic about these things.
I don't get this Jobs v. Cook mentality or why people expect things to change drastically this quickly. You didn't say this but plenty of comments floating around how Apple under Jobs would never released the iPad with x issue. Now we have talk that because Cook is in charge we'll see a huge phone that will be wider than the Galaxy Nexus less than a year after Jobs' death? It's simply not possible.
If there is a larger iPhone it's because it was decided under Jobs rule that there should be a larger iPhone in 2012. Sure, Cook has overall control and a few things could have been tweaked but you can't jump to a new display size, casing, internal layout, component sizing, manufacturing, packaging, etc. 6 months before you launch without having this on the ready for well over a year before Jobs passed.
For Apple's bottom line an iPhone Pro at 4.6" is sure to carry a bigger margin -- certainly they do fine selling half a dozen different types of Macs, so I don't see why there shouldn't be different size iPhones at some point. Developers will have to do a little extra work to support another screen resolution but re-working a GUI for 3.5" vs. 4.6" is not a huge deal.
What's the resolution of this phone? Is the aspect ratio different? What about App Store apps? Have you noticed that even with the same size and aspect ratio there are plenty of apps that simply don't work right on the new iPad? Do you see how a new display size, resolutions AND aspect ratio would reset the App Store for this device to zero and be a 5th device developers would have to test for?
4" maximum for a screen.