iPhone 5s same screen size?

[pm]

Yep - while there is certainly a market for large screens, there is a market for smaller screens as well, and right now there's really only two flagship devices in the 4.3 and under space - the iPhone 5 and the BlackBerry Z10.

On that note, I saw this:
http://www.gsmarena.com/join_our_quest_for_a_highend_compact_android_smartphone-news-5858.php

 

[lopri]

Why does it have to be the flagship? There are 4.0~4.5 sized Android phones with better than average specs.

 

[pm]

Why does it have to be the flagship? There are 4.0~4.5 sized Android phones with better than average specs.

Ok. Good point. But I like to have a good fast phone with the latest software and a good (or even really good) camera on it. You are right, I could compromise on the CPU, and (usually) the camera... but I'm a "nerdimus maximus" and I want a flagship phone in a small package.

 

[RossMAN]

Ok. Good point. But I like to have a good fast phone with the latest software and a good (or even really good) camera on it. You are right, I could compromise on the CPU, and (usually) the camera... but I'm a "nerdimus maximus" and I want a flagship phone in a small package.

Hi my name is RossMAN and I'm a "bargainimus maximus"

 

[thecapsaicinkid]

All my favourite apps are free.

 

[saratoga172]

It has high pixel density due to the tiny screen size, but even the iP5 falls short of 2012's standard 720p resolution. And its using the kooky 3:2 aspect ratio to maintain backwards compatibility with previous models. Pretty much all tier 1 Android phones in 2013 will be sporting 1080p screens, leaving Apple even further behind in terms of both resolution and pixel density. This is not a good situation for Apple to be in, especially as their stock price has lost half its value in only a year, and as Samsung and Google continue to out-innovate, outspec, and outsell them. Long term, very bad.

Edit - I find it ironic that when the iPhone 4 was released with its 960x640 resolution screen, and the marketing term 'Retina' entered the common lexicon, the word around all the tech blogs and 99% of all MD&G posters here was 'resolution, resolution, resolution, Android needs higher resolutions!'. Now even midrange Android phones have resolutions that outstrip Apple's flagship, with the high end 1080p devices doubling Apple's resolution and PPI. Course now, we hear 'It doesn't matter!' from the Apple camp. Sad really, but not uncommon. Happens whenever an iDevice launches with something.

The colors people always complain about are from SAMOLED tech, the colors are more saturated. This gives them better vibrancy and pop, movies and pictures look better. Annoys people who are used to the older LCD tech though.

I agree and I see your point but at that time the change in display technology and resolution was a massive jump. Now I'd say its more about the PPI of a phone but some of these phones with 440PPI are ridiculous.

I've used a GS3 for a day, played with a DNA for a bit at the store and check out some of the other high end Androids with nice screens. Yes their screens are nice, but I really can't tell a huge difference between the screen on those and my IP5. I can't tell out the pixels between either.

My uses may be different from everyone else. I use my phone for making phone calls, texting, checking/responding to email and lastly reading news and playing games when I've got time. I only watch the occasional YouTube video. So I don't benefit from that aspect.

 

[saratoga172]

Conversely, think of how many Apple customers Samsung could poach if they released a 4-4.3" phone that wasn't mid-low range garbage.

Not saying I would switch but if they released a 4-4.3" phone with quality specs that rivaled its GS4 line I'd have to seriously consider it. Size and form factor are the major reasons I switched back to an iPhone 5.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Not saying I would switch but if they released a 4-4.3" phone with quality specs that rivaled its GS4 line I'd have to seriously consider it. Size and form factor are the major reasons I switched back to an iPhone 5.

Agreed.

 

[ponyo]

If iPhone 5s is wider I will entertain the thought of switching. Apple had it right with 4/4s. iPhone 5 is a mistake. Sooner Apple corrects this mistake the better. Longer is not better. Longer and wider is better.

 

[Red Storm]

I don't see Apple making it wider, not for the next one anyway. It would go against their own ads they made for the 5.

 

[Oyeve]

I don't see Apple making it wider, not for the next one anyway. It would go against their own ads they made for the 5.

That and all the 3rd party licensing companies would be pissed and may stop making stuff. Since the new adapter hit with the ip5 there seems to be less 3rd party crap out there.

 

[dawheat]

As much as I'm a big screen proponent for the way I use phones, the 4" iPhone 5 is a perfectly workable size and fits those who want to use their phone mostly for text/email, music, and surfing on mobile optimized websites.

To that end, I think what Apple needs is not necessarily a larger phone (or even a cheaper one since their one year old model tends to become the budget model), but a significant refresh to the OS.

Even the Apple diehards I know, while they like their phones, haven't been excited for a while. A rethinking of the OS to break beyond their model (only using apps, and one at a time) would go a long way toward making iOS new and exciting for them again (even if some/many of the ideas come from Android).

 

[lothar]

It is in the US at least: http://www.macrumors.com/2013/04/04/apple-continues-to-gain-smartphone-market-share-in-u-s/

This report says otherwise.
http://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Android-Sprint-and-Samsung-Increased-Share-In-Early-2013
Which is why I mentioned earlier "Depends on who you ask".

 

[boomhower]

I can't imagine it being any different than the 5, just like the past S models.

 

[pm]

I saw The Verge had an article about Motorola making smaller flagship phones too:
http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/16/4...id-phones-with-stock-software-just-right-size

 

[Mopetar]

To that end, I think what Apple needs is not necessarily a larger phone (or even a cheaper one since their one year old model tends to become the budget model), but a significant refresh to the OS.

Even the Apple diehards I know, while they like their phones, haven't been excited for a while. A rethinking of the OS to break beyond their model (only using apps, and one at a time) would go a long way toward making iOS new and exciting for them again (even if some/many of the ideas come from Android).

A bigger phone probably isn't necessary, but it would open up more of the market to them. There are some people who want a larger phone and that's their top priority. I don't know if Apple absolutely needs one, but I don't think it would be too hard for them to make one. If they were to cut an iPhone screen out of the same panels that they currently use for their iPads, they would have a 5" phone. They basically did the opposite for the iPad mini where they made it the same dpi as the pre-retina iPhones.

As far as the OS goes, I don't think they need a major overhaul. Getting rid of the unnecessary skeuomorphism is enough to tick off the new and exciting check box for most people. What they really need to improve is inter-app communication. Moving things between two apps is a pain, and I'm not convinced that running multiple apps at the same time really solves any problems.

Other than that, it would probably just be a lot of change for the sake of change, while really only encourages more vapid whining for newness for the sake of newness. If someone wants more customization, either jailbreak or run Android.

I saw The Verge had an article about Motorola making smaller flagship phones too:
http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/16/4...id-phones-with-stock-software-just-right-size

Makes sense. With most of the other companies trending towards making bigger and bigger phones, there is an opportunity to carve out a nice part of the market for themselves. All the better if they avoid stepping on the toes of their partners, who are focused making larger phones, while doing it.

 

[kaerflog]

I don't think anything will change with the 5s and as with the 4s, it will sell but will be losing ground again.
I think the 6 is when Apple will make the big leap.
Double the ip4 resolution from 960x640 to 1920x1280 and make the phone 4.3-4.5 with minimize bezels.
An iphone with 4.5" 1920x1280 minimal bezels and an updated iOS will make me switch back to Apple.

 

[s44]

Double the ip4 resolution from 960x640 to 1920x1280

You think after making everyone recode to 11*6 as primary they'll dump that aspect ratio and move back? Maybe, but that would be admitting error and actually lose grid space.

Apple's hardcoded resolution setup is, I think, the main thing holding them back on the screen size transition.

 

[MrX8503]

What crap. More like constantly improving manufacturing processes since the LCD was invented allowed both Apple and competitors to have better screens. Or did Apple cause PDAs to increase in resolution as time went on (before the iPhone) too? Now, Apple has massive, enormous buying power so they are able to get things first because they'll partially finance the increased operations. But to say they did it single-handedly is ridiculously foolish

Android devices were low res for a while during the iPhone 4's release. Now high res is all the craze. We're getting IPS retina displays in tablets and notebooks when PC manufacturers were fine with feeding customers shitty TN panels.

Apple pushed other manufactures to use higher quality displays. Remember the Moto Xoom's screen? Awful.

 

[Rakehellion]

You think after making everyone recode to 11*6 as primary they'll dump that aspect ratio and move back? Maybe, but that would be admitting error and actually lose grid space.

Apple's hardcoded resolution setup is, I think, the main thing holding them back on the screen size transition.

Aspect ratios aren't hardcoded into iOS. However, some lazy programmers will design their interfaces assuming this is the case.

When the iPhone 5 came out, all I had to do was recompile my apps with the new startup screen and they worked fine in 16:9, 3:2, and 3:4.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

I saw The Verge had an article about Motorola making smaller flagship phones too:
http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/16/4...id-phones-with-stock-software-just-right-size

so sad whats happening to motorola. they already made the best phones. now theyre gonna be making buggy phones with lots of google features instead of the rock solid phones they make now. and soon to be with on screen buttons that take up a bunch of space

 

[poofyhairguy]

so sad whats happening to motorola. they already made the best phones. now theyre gonna be making buggy phones with lots of google features instead of the rock solid phones they make now. and soon to be with on screen buttons that take up a bunch of space

Everything Moto does right < Locked Bootloaders

 

[Chiropteran]

Everything Moto does right < Locked Bootloaders

Are iPhone 5 bootloaders unlocked?

 

[VashHT]

so sad whats happening to motorola. they already made the best phones. now theyre gonna be making buggy phones with lots of google features instead of the rock solid phones they make now. and soon to be with on screen buttons that take up a bunch of space

All of their phones already use on screen buttons, and they use close to stock builds now so I'm not sure what you're going on about.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

All of their phones already use on screen buttons, and they use close to stock builds now so I'm not sure what you're going on about.

yeah i guess thats true with the newest razrs. in any case, on screen buttons take a serious amount of screen space