Next iPhone?

[kyteflyer]

Seeing everyones prefs here and considering what I do with my phone (and what I want to do) I think that, instead of 5.5, unless theres some compelling reason to go ahead, I'll get the 4.7 after all. I do most of my reading in bed, laying down, and as it is have to fight off my cat who thinks I should be paying attention to him instead. I need to be able to hold it in one hand comfortably and with my thumb, turn pages. Won't be able to do that with 5.5, I dont think. 4.7 could be pushing it as well. Oh dear. I may have to just go second hand 5S!!

[eschwartz]

I think everyone is getting a little ahead of themselves.

RUMORS!

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I think everyone is getting a little ahead of themselves.

RUMORS!

I've been following Apple rumors for a long time now, so I can assure you this kind of rumor pretty much always turns out to be true. Apple's supply chains are just too big to keep such highly sought after information a secret. And it's further supported by a document released during the Samsung trial (which AFV posted on the previous page).

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by afv011

Much simpler than any of that ergonomic stuff. People want large screen phones, 4" was OK 4 years ago, but not now, not last year, not the year before that - they're 3 years late to the party.

This is from apple, it was released in the trial with Samsung. It shows people do not want 4" screen or lower anymore.

Source

Apple in the past tends to take the approach that as long as they focus on the ergonomics, everything else takes care of itself. The current iPhone is about as big as you can have and use it one handed. The original iPhone, was smaller of course.

Given how incredibly profitable the iPhone has been and continues to be, I don't think one can say that they are late to the party. They tend to test out everything rather than just throw a bunch of stuff up on the wall and sees what sticks. From what I read, Apple has had larger screen prototypes for a number of years, so they have been testing it. One could say that the iPod was "late to the party" since it wasn't the absolute very first mp3 music player. They took their time and did it right. That approach has been very successful for them.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Apple in the past tends to take the approach that as long as they focus on the ergonomics, everything else takes care of itself. The current iPhone is about as big as you can have and use it one handed. The original iPhone, was smaller of course.

Given how incredibly profitable the iPhone has been and continues to be, I don't think one can say that they are late to the party. They tend to test out everything rather than just throw a bunch of stuff up on the wall and sees what sticks. From what I read, Apple has had larger screen prototypes for a number of years, so they have been testing it. One could say that the iPod was "late to the party" since it wasn't the absolute very first mp3 music player. They took their time and did it right. That approach has been very successful for them.

Translation: Android does it second: they're copying Apple. Apple does it second: they're taking their time and doing it right.

[AlbertaCowboy]

I've still got about 7 months on my contract before I can get a new phone for free (or cheaper anyways). I'm planning on waiting to see what actually happens after the release.
I've been toying with the idea of going to an Android phone, simply because I'm not willing to pay a premium for storage space on an Apple device when an SD card is a fraction of the cost, but I'm still more satisfied on the whole with the IOS ecosystem than with Android.
I suppose we'll see what comes down the pipe, and I'll make a decision later. I do love my iPhone 4S though, and it runs just fine on the newest 7. whatever it is system.
I'm fairly sure I'll stick with Apple, but I'd probably like the smaller screen still. Again, I guess we'll just wait and see.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Apple in the past tends to take the approach that as long as they focus on the ergonomics, everything else takes care of itself. The current iPhone is about as big as you can have and use it one handed. The original iPhone, was smaller of course.

The problem I see, ergonomic side with the iphone, is that they've made the home button a hallmark (especially now with the touch id) and, for aesthetic reasons, the bezel above the screen is as large as the bezel below (where the button is housed), so this makes for a lot of bezel. When you go past 4 inches, that starts to stretch a lot; a 4.7 iphone might be as tall as some 5.2" or even 5.5" android phones that use on screen buttons and have minimal bezels, like the G3. A large number of android phones have a screen ratio in excess of 70% (with the LG G3, missing from the picture below, topping it at 76.4%) whereas the iphone is barely over 60%. That means that android manufacturers can offer larger screen while keeping the overall phone size within reason.

Of course, apple could change the button (make it a lozenge, a la Samsung - but that won't happen), or make the bezels asymmetric, but I don't see that happening either, the OCD crowd would go berserk.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by afv011

The problem I see, ergonomic side with the iphone, is that they've made the home button a hallmark (especially now with the touch id) and, for aesthetic reasons, the bezel above the screen is as large as the bezel below (where the button is housed), so this makes for a lot of bezel. When you go past 4 inches, that starts to stretch a lot; a 4.7 iphone might be as tall as some 5.2" or even 5.5" android phones that use on screen buttons and have minimal bezels, like the G3. A large number of android phones have a screen ratio in excess of 70% (with the LG G3, missing from the picture below, topping it at 76.4%) whereas the iphone is barely over 60%. That means that android manufacturers can offer larger screen while keeping the overall phone size within reason.

Of course, apple could change the button (make it a lozenge, a la Samsung - but that won't happen), or make the bezels asymmetric, but I don't see that happening either, the OCD crowd would go berserk.

Now that they've incorporated touch ID, the chances of them changing the shape of the home button are pretty much nil. (yeah Samsung has a fingerprint sensor in their latest devices, but it's a less straight-forward [and apparently less reliable] swipe style sensor)

[pwalker8]

No, translation, Apple tends to do a lot of ergonomic studies, market research and usability studies. I made no comments at all about Android.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

No, translation, Apple tends to do a lot of ergonomic studies, market research and usability studies. I made no comments at all about Android.

And it was a loud silence.

In a conversation about how the iPhone measures up to Android phones re: screen size/overall size, you said: " [...] don't think one can say that they are late to the party. They tend to test out everything rather than just throw a bunch of stuff up on the wall and sees what sticks".

You carefully did not say the word "Android", but that hardly means you "made no comments".

[pwalker8]

Actually, it does mean that I made no comment. One of the problems with trying to read between the lines of someone you don't know is that you don't know where they are coming from. The phrase you highlighted comes from web development rather than Android phones. There is a web development philosophy that says you should try a bunch of things and see what sticks rather than carefully plan and test a design.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Actually, it does mean that I made no comment. One of the problems with trying to read between the lines of someone you don't know is that you don't know where they are coming from. The phrase you highlighted comes from web development rather than Android phones. There is a web development philosophy that says you should try a bunch of things and see what sticks rather than carefully plan and test a design.

That hardly precludes you from using it to validate your Apple bias.

Again, read my post to see why I drew that conclusion from your words.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

That hardly precludes you from using it to validate your Apple bias.

Again, read my post to see why I drew that conclusion from your words.

Well, it is the Apple forum, not the Android forum. I don't have a bias against Android. I used a droid for several years. It was a good phone for the time and had at least a couple of apps that I wish were available on the iPhone, like a really nice app that gives the cell towers in the area and signal strength of each tower. But I find the Apple ecosystem richer and more polished.

To go with the thread, I find that I like the current iPhone form factor better than the current Galaxy form factor. It will be interesting to see what Apple announces in a month or so. If it's two phones with the same basic specs but with different form factors, I prefer the current form factors. If it's different specs, then I'll just have to see. One of the biggest thing I'm looking for (other than speed boost) is more memory.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Well, it is the Apple forum, not the Android forum. I don't have a bias against Android. I used a droid for several years. It was a good phone for the time and had at least a couple of apps that I wish were available on the iPhone, like a really nice app that gives the cell towers in the area and signal strength of each tower. But I find the Apple ecosystem richer and more polished.

Thank you for discovering that it is the Apple forum for me.
Android is a related issue anytime people want to compare Apple vs. Android in either forum.

While it is nice and all that you used and liked an Android phone, that does not magically cause your (current) Apple bias to disappear.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

If it's two phones with the same basic specs but with different form factors, I prefer the current form factors. If it's different specs, then I'll just have to see. One of the biggest thing I'm looking for (other than speed boost) is more memory.

Interesting point. I hadn't really thought about it from this perspective. I prefer to buy higher spec models since I keep them longer. However I really prefer the smaller size. That would be a difficult decision!