Owning a 5s (A7), I was hoping they%u2019d update the 4" form factor for people that want both a compact phone & the speed of the latest HW. For prior upgrades I waited 3 years to get a full 2 technology generations & to maximize TCO (~$20/month w/64GB). But if this is true, then the update would only be .6 generation ahead of my current model, and the next (2017 4" model) would only be 1.2 following their pattern. So, I hope this is wrong, and they put in an A9 in this next phone and the an A10 in the next.
While not %u201Coutraged%u201D like some people would be, I would be disappointed they think that size & capability were tied together rather than look at catering to a full spectrum of users. At this point, given how many they sell, a CTO (configure-to-order) option might be viable considering Macs offer it and they sell far fewer Macs. Then people could pick a processor, RAM & even other things like battery, & camera. But perhaps I%u2019m thinking a bit too differently than current Apple Execs.
I just purchased an iPod 160 GB Classic for $340. I love it. It holds so much stuff. I plan on converting and putting all my family photos and videos on it. The smaller video format (480 x 320) allows for squeezing more video than the iPhone or the iPod touches. Its only short coming is it doesn't have any internet capabilities at all. It would have been great if it could directly download podcasts off the net. Some day Apple will make a 256 GB iphone and it will likely take the Classic's place but until then the Classic will remain an expense buy.
I just purchased an iPod 160 GB Classic for $340. I love it. It holds so much stuff. I plan on converting and putting all my family photos and videos on it. The smaller video format (480 x 320) allows for squeezing more video than the iPhone or the iPod touches. Its only short coming is it doesn't have any internet capabilities at all. It would have been great if it could directly download podcasts off the net. Some day Apple will make a 256 GB iphone and it will likely take the Classic's place but until then the Classic will remain an expense buy.
I got the 160GB iPod in about 2007(?) and I still have it because my music library is many times the size. So, I too am hoping Apple makes a 256GB or even 512GB pocket-sized portable something at some point (I have to enable 256Kbps AAC down-conversion to fit half of it). Maybe in the next 3 years I’ll be able to retire my iPod 160?
I am still surprised that Apple has seemingly abandoned the 3.5/4" market. It's in Apple's DNA to make things smaller. I obviously know nothing, but I still expect a top end 4" that will be the thinnest and smallest ever. Just like the Plus has OIS, there may be somethings less capable then the other premium iPhones but it's form factor will be the key feature. Maybe the home button will be in the screen eliminating most of the chin.
In the 4-inch iPhone with A8 CPU I would also include the Apple SIM and sell it at a very low price, subsidized by Apple itself to sustain the launch of a telco-free model
I heard a rumor that it's unhealthy to spend time worrying about rumors. Of course, I heard another rumor that the previous rumor was incorrect, but the latest rumor is that the second rumor is incorrect, so I should go with the first one.
I am still surprised that Apple has seemingly abandoned the 3.5/4" market. It's in Apple's DNA to make things smaller. I obviously know nothing, but I still expect a top end 4" that will be the thinnest and smallest ever. Just like the Plus has OIS, there may be somethings less capable then the other premium iPhones but it's form factor will be the key feature. Maybe the home button will be in the screen eliminating most of the chin.
They still sell the 5s. So not abandoned. (and they typically sold a form factor for 4 years, so my question would be if the 6c isn't the same form factor as the 5s, then i'd be curious if the 5s wouldn't still be sold under some hidden SKUs for product support/replacement units).
I see the 6c as the replacement of that SKU. and using an A8 and delivering in the spring still makes it '1 generation' old (until next September). Using a 6 camera, and touchID, and apple Watch integration capabilities, it will be a very functional 'cheap' (discountable) entry level phone.
The 3.5 form factor (which I gave up a month ago) is likely dead. I liked the 4" form factor (my wife had it), and I think that's about as small as you can get with current interface underpinnings (the new top nav to go 'back' to calling apps eats up enough real estate to drop the 3.5 inch model. Remember, we may like a million form factors, but it makes development suck. They have to evolve away from some form factors to keep it sane in terms of tuning application layouts. (3.5, 4, 4.7, 5.5, 8, 10, 12 is a lot of 'tweaks')
I was recently in an Apple Store and held a black iPod touch. I couldn't help but think that it would make a great looking and feeling phone. A new 4 inch phone that looked and felt (likely somewhat thicker) like that would be a hit. If it looks like an old 5S, not so much.
People haven't just paid top dollar for 4" iPhones, they've done it for 3.5" ones as well.
Some people are complaining that the iPhone 6 line is slightly too big for them.
Why are 4" users being put into this "cost conscious" box/label?
It's not all about real estate. Portability and one handed use are features.
We don't have ANY data for people choosing to upgrade to these bigger iPhones based on screen size alone because there has never been an option to have an up-to-date 4" iPhone alongside these slightly too big (for some) phones.
why does a 4" have to mean a lower end phone?
have the same guts as a 6s and price it $50 lower
i have a 5s and a 6s
i much prefer the 5s size to the 6s
i can't use the 6s with one hand anymore
on my 5s i can hold it in my right hand and touch any part of the screen with my thumb
on the 6s i can reach almost everywhere except the left hand side of the screen
which means i need to use both hands to use it
which in a phone is rather pointless
unfortunately i think most phone makers now design their phones for people who consume media all the time
i don't watch video on my iphone, if i wanted to watch video why would i choose a 4.7" or 5.5" screeen when i have a great 10" screen on my ipad air 2?
i use my phone for texting, searching for stuff on the internet, navigation, and music
all done perfectly on a 4" screen
Same here. But I do think that much of the one handed use could be recovered on a bigger screen by making the UI more "bottom right centric". While it probably would not save you from two-handed typing on the keyboard, many other things might be accomplished one handed again.
Same here. But I do think that much of the one handed use could be recovered on a bigger screen by making the UI more "bottom right centric". While it probably would not save you from two-handed typing on the keyboard, many other things might be accomplished one handed again.
The rare times I find it necessary a double tap of the home button to slide the screen down does the trick. And a rearrangement of the movable app icons to bring the favorites closer to the right (or left) would assist in that as well.
The rare times I find it necessary a double tap of the home button to slide the screen down does the trick. And a rearrangement of the movable app icons to bring the favorites closer to the right (or left) would assist in that as well.
You're referring to reachability?
As in safari's "tap-tap home button - tap address bar- tap tap home button - tap address bar again - tap tap home button - tap copy" for copying an url?
Theb there is the triangle on the top left of the big cover display in the music app...
Now compare that to the "new email" button on the bottom right of mail.
And yes, arranging your icons on the homescreen from the bottom up would be nice as well, but not only when your array is full.
they won't do this because very few people will pay top dollar for a 4 inch phone.
Look at Android. There isn't a single top end 4 inch phone.
No one? Nonsense. For example, two members of my family will gladly pay top dollar for a 4-inch iPhone for the form factor and capabilities of the 6 (let alone the 6s). There are many many like them, I'll bet.
In any event, Apple would not be stupid enough to do something like that unless they're reasonably confident of its success.
Add: If it looks anything like the new iPod Touch (which I love, btw), it will fly off the shelves.
Look at Android. There isn't a single top end 4 inch phone.
Sony is one of the very few I can think of who still try to sell "premium" 4" display smartphones and they may be giving up on it. The company most likely to jump in if there's a proven market is Huawei IMHO. They've come on pretty strong lately.
As older components price go down, it is easier for Apple to phase out iphone 5s and replace with equivalent form factor but with relatively newer technology like A8,modem,wifi,touch id. Also, intel modem chip will be test bed for iphone mini which later can go into iphone 7S, embedded in A10 processor.. Apple have to keep refreshing 4" er to bit older tech but relatively newer when comparing to existing model like 5s so people wanting to stay with smaller iphone can upgrade between 1-3 years and stay with Apple ecosystem.
Comments
No one on this thread could give you an authoritative answer to that question.
While not %u201Coutraged%u201D like some people would be, I would be disappointed they think that size & capability were tied together rather than look at catering to a full spectrum of users. At this point, given how many they sell, a CTO (configure-to-order) option might be viable considering Macs offer it and they sell far fewer Macs. Then people could pick a processor, RAM & even other things like battery, & camera. But perhaps I%u2019m thinking a bit too differently than current Apple Execs.
I just purchased an iPod 160 GB Classic for $340. I love it. It holds so much stuff. I plan on converting and putting all my family photos and videos on it. The smaller video format (480 x 320) allows for squeezing more video than the iPhone or the iPod touches. Its only short coming is it doesn't have any internet capabilities at all. It would have been great if it could directly download podcasts off the net. Some day Apple will make a 256 GB iphone and it will likely take the Classic's place but until then the Classic will remain an expense buy.
I just purchased an iPod 160 GB Classic for $340. I love it. It holds so much stuff. I plan on converting and putting all my family photos and videos on it. The smaller video format (480 x 320) allows for squeezing more video than the iPhone or the iPod touches. Its only short coming is it doesn't have any internet capabilities at all. It would have been great if it could directly download podcasts off the net. Some day Apple will make a 256 GB iphone and it will likely take the Classic's place but until then the Classic will remain an expense buy.
I got the 160GB iPod in about 2007(?) and I still have it because my music library is many times the size. So, I too am hoping Apple makes a 256GB or even 512GB pocket-sized portable something at some point (I have to enable 256Kbps AAC down-conversion to fit half of it). Maybe in the next 3 years I’ll be able to retire my iPod 160?
This makes sense.
$450 for an iPhone6 would be too dangerous
why would that be dangerous?
I am still surprised that Apple has seemingly abandoned the 3.5/4" market. It's in Apple's DNA to make things smaller. I obviously know nothing, but I still expect a top end 4" that will be the thinnest and smallest ever. Just like the Plus has OIS, there may be somethings less capable then the other premium iPhones but it's form factor will be the key feature. Maybe the home button will be in the screen eliminating most of the chin.
They still sell the 5s. So not abandoned. (and they typically sold a form factor for 4 years, so my question would be if the 6c isn't the same form factor as the 5s, then i'd be curious if the 5s wouldn't still be sold under some hidden SKUs for product support/replacement units).
I see the 6c as the replacement of that SKU. and using an A8 and delivering in the spring still makes it '1 generation' old (until next September). Using a 6 camera, and touchID, and apple Watch integration capabilities, it will be a very functional 'cheap' (discountable) entry level phone.
The 3.5 form factor (which I gave up a month ago) is likely dead. I liked the 4" form factor (my wife had it), and I think that's about as small as you can get with current interface underpinnings (the new top nav to go 'back' to calling apps eats up enough real estate to drop the 3.5 inch model. Remember, we may like a million form factors, but it makes development suck. They have to evolve away from some form factors to keep it sane in terms of tuning application layouts. (3.5, 4, 4.7, 5.5, 8, 10, 12 is a lot of 'tweaks')
With the smaller volume maintaining battery life is going to involve that sort of tweaking I expect.
People haven't just paid top dollar for 4" iPhones, they've done it for 3.5" ones as well.
Some people are complaining that the iPhone 6 line is slightly too big for them.
Why are 4" users being put into this "cost conscious" box/label?
It's not all about real estate. Portability and one handed use are features.
We don't have ANY data for people choosing to upgrade to these bigger iPhones based on screen size alone because there has never been an option to have an up-to-date 4" iPhone alongside these slightly too big (for some) phones.
Same here. But I do think that much of the one handed use could be recovered on a bigger screen by making the UI more "bottom right centric". While it probably would not save you from two-handed typing on the keyboard, many other things might be accomplished one handed again.
Same here. But I do think that much of the one handed use could be recovered on a bigger screen by making the UI more "bottom right centric". While it probably would not save you from two-handed typing on the keyboard, many other things might be accomplished one handed again.
The rare times I find it necessary a double tap of the home button to slide the screen down does the trick. And a rearrangement of the movable app icons to bring the favorites closer to the right (or left) would assist in that as well.
You're referring to reachability?
As in safari's "tap-tap home button - tap address bar- tap tap home button - tap address bar again - tap tap home button - tap copy" for copying an url?
Theb there is the triangle on the top left of the big cover display in the music app...
Now compare that to the "new email" button on the bottom right of mail.
And yes, arranging your icons on the homescreen from the bottom up would be nice as well, but not only when your array is full.
No one? Nonsense. For example, two members of my family will gladly pay top dollar for a 4-inch iPhone for the form factor and capabilities of the 6 (let alone the 6s). There are many many like them, I'll bet.
In any event, Apple would not be stupid enough to do something like that unless they're reasonably confident of its success.
Add: If it looks anything like the new iPod Touch (which I love, btw), it will fly off the shelves.
Apple have to keep refreshing 4" er to bit older tech but relatively newer when comparing to existing model like 5s so people wanting to stay with smaller iphone can upgrade between 1-3 years and stay with Apple ecosystem.