When is apple coming out with a phablet?

[Wingznut]

Speak for yourself... The g3 is a phablet as far as I'm concerned

Fair enough... What size is the defining line between phone and phablet for you? (And is that in screen size or device size?)

 

[gorcorps]

Fair enough... What size is the defining line between phone and phablet for you? (And is that in screen size or device size?)

Anything greater than 5" is on the threshold IMO, and 5.5" is definitely a phablet. The original Note which seems to have kickstarted the whole phablet thing had only 5.3" screen, so anything bigger would fall into the same category in my eyes. IMO the test is a simple one... how easy is it to reach the top of the screen and open the notification panel with one hand? Some people have less of a problem because of longer fingers, but a 5.5" screen will often require two hands to do everything.

 

[bearxor]

I don't think overall device size, especially now, is a real consideration. Just about all the flagship devices have thin enough bezels. The bottom bezel is adjustable depending on configuration, like Apple and Samsung that have physical buttons. The top bezel could, IMO, be trimmed down on an iPhone. It seems it is as large as it is so that Apple can have some kind of symmetry, but I don't really have a need for that. But I don't think a larger top bezel hinders usability either.

So having said all that about the consideration I use, anything hitting 5" is a phablet for me. Take the GS3 to GS4. Only a .2 increase in screen size with only a .08" increase in width. Still a phablet. Because now, for me, the bezels are so small that one-handed operation is very hard because the base of my thumb will now touch the screen.

4.7" iphone? Almost a phablet. Probably PRETTY close.
5.5" iphone? Oh hell yeah that's a phablet. I don't care if the bezels were non-existent on the sides and the LCD actually made up the side of the device. Phablet.

 

[Commodus]

I'm in Gorcorps' camp -- as a rule, anything that's too big to use one-handed most of the time is a phablet. There's been some fuzziness in the criteria as phones get more efficient with screen space, but even a super-compact device like the G3 is a phablet. These days, I'd say that anything significantly larger the G2 (which is stretching the limit) is in that territory.

Apple's approach is potentially interesting, if accurate. It'd be doing both a normal phone and a phablet, but both would be on the relatively small side of what's considered acceptable. That's partly due to the bezels it needs. However, I suspect that Apple also is rebelling against Samsung's "every new model must be bigger, always" approach, where actual comfort and usability take a backseat to marketing. If you want an iPhone phablet, fine -- but we're not going to give you a 6-inch behemoth that might not even fit in your pocket.

 

[Eug]

4.7" iphone? Almost a phablet. Probably PRETTY close.
5.5" iphone? Oh hell yeah that's a phablet. I don't care if the bezels were non-existent on the sides and the LCD actually made up the side of the device. Phablet.

I consider a 4.7"+ 16:9 phone a phone, but awkward to use one-handed.

I consider anything above 5" a phablet.

 

[Bateluer]

Anything greater than 5" is on the threshold IMO, and 5.5" is definitely a phablet. The original Note which seems to have kickstarted the whole phablet thing had only 5.3" screen, so anything bigger would fall into the same category in my eyes. IMO the test is a simple one... how easy is it to reach the top of the screen and open the notification panel with one hand? Some people have less of a problem because of longer fingers, but a 5.5" screen will often require two hands to do everything.

Keep in mind, the G3's tiny bezels make it about the same size as an m8 or GS5. Its really not that big.

 

[zerocool84]

Keep in mind, the G3's tiny bezels make it about the same size as an m8 or GS5. Its really not that big.

Yup which is why a larger size iPhone is going to be huge compared to competition. They can't get rid of the bezels. Plus iPhones are not rounded, they all have sharp corners which makes them feel larger as well. Rounded edges on larger phones makes them feel smaller and easier to hold in the hand.

 

[s44]

However, I suspect that Apple also is rebelling against Samsung's "every new model must be bigger, always" approach, where actual comfort and usability take a backseat to marketing.

It's hilarious how you attempt to spin everything, even this admission that Samsung was right and St. Jobs wrong about phone sizes, as a win for Apple.

If you want an iPhone phablet, fine -- but we're not going to give you a 6-inch behemoth that might not even fit in your pocket.

That's Sony or HTC. The Note 4 is going to be smaller than the 5.5" iPhone... *and* have a bigger screen.

 

[gorcorps]

Keep in mind, the G3's tiny bezels make it about the same size as an m8 or GS5. Its really not that big.

That's all well and good, but the large screen size still means I'm reaching to get to the top of the screen. All the bezel cutting in the world can't change how tall that screen is. I don't have big enough hands to use it comfortably.

 

[Wingznut]

IMO the test is a simple one... how easy is it to reach the top of the screen and open the notification panel with one hand? Some people have less of a problem because of longer fingers, but a 5.5" screen will often require two hands to do everything.

That's probably the best definition I've ever heard. Although I still think the term "phablet" is awful.

 

[gorcorps]

That's probably the best definition I've ever heard. Although I still think the term "phablet" is awful.

We can both agree on that. I've only said it out loud once and I regretted it immediately.