My bad, should have said smartphones.
WSJ: Apple to increase iPhone screen size to 'at least' 4-inches
- Thread starter Good Job Bob
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My bad, should have said smartphones.
I don't understand why you* think this is the case. What do people have to gain by 'defending' a smaller screen when it's clear that they will not be keeping the 3.5" in the next model?
Surely if people were intent on 'defending' the iPhone, they'd just say something like "the best just got better". When people are actively expressing a preference for a smaller form-factor it's not because they're 'defending' anything, it's because they prefer a smaller form-factor.
The motive that you are speculating would only make sense if they were keeping the 3.5" screen.
*I don't just mean you either, I mean everyone that says stuff like "you can admit it's better / awesome". Well no shit I could, if I actually felt that way.
Still want a source on that. The US market isn't the only one in the world
Deadly Cyclone
Pride of Iowa State
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I'll be switching from my current Droid X. It's 4.3" and I couldn't go back to a smaller screen. It's really not hard to get used to either.
Actually on this side of the atlantic the market has spoken and it's clearly not in favour of 3" phones.
Not entirely the case. Android is still a more complex and customisable OS, call it more mature and flexible if you will. Whereas the iPhone's is more simplistic and easy to use. I thought I'd prefer the latter, but feel like I'm having my hand held through the UI, with aesthetics that look way too over simplistic and archaic. That coupled with, believe it or not, the screen size, is exactly why I'm moving over.
But different strokes for different folks. Some of my friends are ardent iPhone lovers and don't consider a switch to one of the other OS's. The simplistic approach of iOS is why they stick with it.
But yea, I bet no one could have predicted the Note would sell as well as it did either. That's verging on tablet size right there.
Point taken. Still, three best selling phones for 2011 and two best for Europe.
http://www.appleinsider.com/article..._of_2011s_best_selling_smartphones_in_us.html
I'm actually personally waiting until the iPhone 5 is announced, then going to take a look at it and whatever the Nokia flagship is at the time. The (admittedly small) number of times I've used my friends' Androids, I've just been confused, and whenever I get hands-on with W7 I'm just incredibly impressed with it. It's gorgeous. I wish Microsoft would bring it up to feature parity, though.
Also, I know they'd never do it, but if they gave some kind of swapping-over subsidy where you could get W7 versions of iOS apps at reduced prices I think that would help a lot.
freenudemacusers
Member
you really want to go down this dumb road?
'all'?
There are plenty of people who either have experience with larger screens or would like one on the iPhone. It's just not a major factor for everyone.
That's still not representative of the world. Asia is just as big a market as the US and EU5 combined. Any more stats?
I honestly see/read it every time a new one of Apple's devices get's released. Even some of my mates do it. I find it quite amusing myself. Obviously not all do it, but the most enthusiastic of Apple fans certainly do.
I think Steve Jobs said it best.
Steve Jobs said:
For France it's actually rather unreliable as the mobile market has got a huge punch in the stomach with a new plan provider basically changed the whole deal (unlimited call/text + 3Go fair use for 20max while being free to resign at any time but with no phone).
So the market for a mobile plan + phone is starting to look extremely unfair to people here.
I'd wait and see to see what the market wants because what the market wanted before now was merely what the providers chosed to subsidize more.
planar1280
Banned
Ever since I started using iPad for the first time in march, I also think iPhone needs to be 4 inches+ because I just can't enjoy reading/browsing/chatting/anything with text/pics anymore on a 3.5 inch screen
Good Job Bob
Member
Well I know the iPhone was the best selling smartphone in Japan for 2011, not sure about Korea/China/whatever.
Probably not in China because it's still widely unavailable over there.
freenudemacusers
Member
How is this not true for, say, floppy disks, touchscreen smartphones, and tablet computers? Doesn't really serve much purpose, fanboys do it for everything.
It's been the best selling phone in Korea for a the last three years or so. I'm looking for a report with actually figures and description of their methodology. Not really seeing any so far. Wikipedia lists figures but gives a different story.
The only source I can find says the Galaxy Note was the best-selling, which is frankly kinda surprising. iPhone 4S was #2, Galaxy Ace #3. So two 3.5" phones still. And not even explicable via those hordes of rabid Apple fans who'll buy anything with an Apple symbol on it.
http://www.china.org.cn/top10/2012-03/09/content_24841469.htm
Apparently Asia can't make up its mind about screen size.
[edit]Although nib did say 'high end pressure'. So I guess there's 'high end pressure' for both enormous screens and tiny screens.
I think that a lot of people who, for example, switch from a GS2 to an iPhone do so because they prefer the iOS over Android rather than iPhones size over Android sizes. 0.5" has been shown repeatedly (in this thread) to fit into the current form factor and adjusting the way to hold the phone to be able to reach that 0.5" diagonal (even one handedly) won't take long.
Sure it could be that Apple fucks up the form factor, but I don't see that happening.
Good Job Bob
Member
I hope he took the design out to dinner first.
It looks like since I chimed in yesterday this point was covered, but I was thinking about aspect ratios and such in my GAF downtime yesterday.. I think a big advantage of why I like 16:9 ratio on my EVO is that I have more room in portrait to see what has been typed by the keyboard while it's still up. I'm seeing significantly more than if it were in a 3:2 ratio or something like that.
And while some of the mockups look odd being in 16:9 or 16:10, I think a lot of that would be alleviated either with the right design choices (and they'll be good, I'm sure), or by introducing widgets to the next OS revision. Everyone knows they're coming, it's a matter of when, and what the Apple implementation will look like.
In fact, for next OS (what is it, 6?), I'd expect them to improve the notification system some and to implement widgets in their own way. Which is why I think it's a great time for me to make the change to iOS.
Probably. A lot of things have been said over the course of the past 6 pages. Most of them will be forgotten when the design is unveiled, it's all good. Change is something that's hard to deal with, especially when a device has had roughly the same design for several years now and when they're very attached to it.
And while some of the mockups look odd being in 16:9 or 16:10, I think a lot of that would be alleviated either with the right design choices (and they'll be good, I'm sure), or by introducing widgets to the next OS revision. Everyone knows they're coming, it's a matter of when, and what the Apple implementation will look like.
In fact, for next OS (what is it, 6?), I'd expect them to improve the notification system some and to implement widgets in their own way. Which is why I think it's a great time for me to make the change to iOS.
Zeth said:
Probably. A lot of things have been said over the course of the past 6 pages. Most of them will be forgotten when the design is unveiled, it's all good. Change is something that's hard to deal with, especially when a device has had roughly the same design for several years now and when they're very attached to it.
Widgets already exist in iOS. We know how they will implement them because they already did.
Do we think it's possible that they would make a super-retina 1920x1280 display in a 4.3"? It seems impossible in a 4", but maybe 4.3.... And in that case, could they fit a 4.3" in whatever this case holds;
I love this side shot, and you have to keep in mind that the case snaps to the edges so the real thing would be even thinner than this (thinnest iDevice ever);
I think the 'I don't want a bigger phone' and 'won't fit in my pocket' arguments would ago away if it's that thin. Question is, would it be a 4" 960x640 or a 4.3" 1920x1280?
I love this side shot, and you have to keep in mind that the case snaps to the edges so the real thing would be even thinner than this (thinnest iDevice ever);
I think the 'I don't want a bigger phone' and 'won't fit in my pocket' arguments would ago away if it's that thin. Question is, would it be a 4" 960x640 or a 4.3" 1920x1280?
I obviously don't have one, can you provide a screen to show how it operate?
Put me in the camp who loves the form-factor of the 4/4S as well. Think they did an amazing job with it.
Not completely against a bigger screen if they can manage to not increase the overall size too much, but will have to wait and see what they do with it. The mock-ups with the taller screens all look nearly uniformly terrible, reminds me of the fat Nano.
Not completely against a bigger screen if they can manage to not increase the overall size too much, but will have to wait and see what they do with it. The mock-ups with the taller screens all look nearly uniformly terrible, reminds me of the fat Nano.
They do? Which "widgets" are you referring to?
either jailbreaking, or perhaps notifications like weather and stocks?
I know my wife liked an email inbox widget on her previous phone, so I put notifications for email in the lockscreen, works quite well. I hope they expand on that in future ios updates.
Stocks widget, weather widget, etc;
Yeah, I think they need to be taken out of the notification center, though. When you start jumbling up a bunch of widgets in there, side-by-side the notifications, it's a bit messy. You open NC up and you can barely see one or two notifications since the widgets would take up a lot of space. I would really want them to finally make use of that POS spotlight page and turn it into a widget screen, leaving NC pure and clean..
It's not an argument, it's a fallacy. Any phone under 9mm slips to regular sized pockets.
Good Job Bob
Member
Sorry Tobor, but those widgets in NC are a total stop-gap.
Stocks and weather have their full-blown app forms and their widget forms. Siri has Stocks, Weather, Yelp, Calendar, Clock, Reminder, Messages, etc. widgets.
I'm not sure I would class those as widgets, and obviously jail-breaking is a totally different kettle of fish. But can you have live weather/calendar on the iPhone without jail breaking? How do I get it on the lock screen or home page, because I'd really love to do this!
I'm so confused. How do I activate these things in widget mode? Feel like I'm potentially missing a whole chunk of iPhone functionality.
Doesn't matter, that's how Apple has implemented them and if they do extend further support, perhaps for 3rd party, it's more than likely that that's how they will function/look.
Not on the lock screen, only via notification center.
Duane Cunningham
Member
It's when you pull down the "tray" from the top. Widgets are on top, notifications below that.
Tobor was answering a question about how third-party support will work. I think they can extend it in two directions, persistent widgets in NC, and contextual widgets in Siri.
Gotcha. Not exactly what I had in mind when he said widgets, but it's certainly better than nothing. Got all excited then and thought the iPhone had proper animated lock screen widgets or something.
Good Job Bob
Member
I'm expecting them to unveil their real spin on widgets/live icon with iOS 6.
This widgets in NC thing can't be serious.
Weather, stocks, and current calendar items.
They are proper widgets. They don't have to be on the lock screen to be widgets.
Oppo
Member
I'm with SmokyDave. I like the current size. I'd rather they just extended the screen very slightly in the existing form factor to go right to the edge.
Edit - upon considering it I could see how Apple might combine a tiny/edge less screen frame with a slight screen size increase to 4", if they can keep the form factor small. Remember that the aspect ratio they're using is 3:2.
Edit - upon considering it I could see how Apple might combine a tiny/edge less screen frame with a slight screen size increase to 4", if they can keep the form factor small. Remember that the aspect ratio they're using is 3:2.
MarkMclovin
Member
They are confusing you because you're probably thinking of the Android style widgets, i.e widgets on your phones desktop.
These widgets are not displayed like that, they are displayed in the Notification Centre, which you have to pull down to view. I might be wrong, but I think there are only 2 of them.
Oh okay, so when my wife gets her iPhone tonight we can setup widgets on the homescreens for weather and such?
Sentry said:
Okay, that's what I thought. And reading over the other posts, yeah, this is a stop gap and not what I'm talking about when I say widgets. Proper widgets meaning something on my desktop, or on a phone, on the homescreen. "Widgets" on the notification bar are more like an enhanced notification, IMO.
I'm talking about that I expect them to build out their existing widgets into proper ones, like already exist in jailbroken iPhones.
I think the future of Siri is a non-screen version. Just think of how they'll implement it on iPad, will it really take up that entire screen just to read your conversation log with Siri? I wish Siri would be more 'eyes free' in the sense of keeping the screen un-cluttered while still providing the relevant information, either through a switcher-style cut-out or just purely audio. I imagine it'll be something like that on iPad.
I found this old 9to5 poll interesting;
They're located in Notification Center. Pull down from the top to see them.
MarkMclovin
Member
No.
Weather, stocks, and current calendar items.
They are proper widgets. They don't have to be on the lock screen to be widgets.
I always assumed widgets were things that were on your desktop and worked with immediate non use affect. I.e, the same as on Windows. Then again, on OS X you do have a separate Widget's pane, so it's not that far off.
Hopefully in future Apple make them look a bit more fancy, and perhaps allow you to have them on the lock screen too. For viewing without touch. Annoying to have to unlock your phone to access the widgets, but not a huge issue.
With all those options what the hell doe other even mean?
Good Job Bob
Member
Android.
Galaxy Note weirdos.
Ah yes, that .3" is crazy bigger than 5".
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