“Though Apple isn’t expected to introduce a new iPhone model for months, one Wall Street analyst claims that the company has already internally ‘locked down’ the design for its next flagship handset, sporting a 4.8-inch display and speedy 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity,” AppleInsider reports.
“The details come from analyst Timothy Arcuri of Cowen and Company, who issued a note to investors on Wednesday in which he claimed that much of the design of Apple’s next iPhone has been finalized,” AppleInsider reports. “Citing checks within the company’s supply chain, he believes the handset will feature a larger 4.8-inch display, matching the trend of larger smartphones elsewhere in the market.”
“Arcuri isn’t the first to suspect that Apple will launch a larger iPhone model this year, with various earlier rumors suggesting the company has been toying with screen sizes just under 5 inches,” AppleInsider reports. “One of the most respected Apple analysts, Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, said last September that the company is likely to launch a larger iPhone this year, but that the device will not exceed 5 inches due to Apple’s ‘unwavering principle of one hand use.'”
Read more in the full article here.
“The unanswered question waiting to be asked of the supply chain is the exact pixel dimension of the new 4.8 inch screen,” Anthony Wing Kosner writes for Forbes.
“Will it maintain the iPhone 5′s 1136-by-640 proportion just with a slightly lower pixels per inch resolution? Or will Apple follow the guesswork of 9to5Mac’s Ben Lovejoy and go for 1420 by 800 at the current 326 ppi density?” Kosner wonders. “Keeping that 640 width would sure make developers happy in app land, but having their flagship go backwards in terms of resolution would be a very un-Apple-like thing to do.”
Kosner writes, “I’m betting that Apple will go for a new width and introduce a more responsive method of app scaling in iOS 8.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews readers too numerous to mention individually for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Will Apple increase display resolution or just use bigger pixels to deliver larger-screen iPhone 6? – January 17, 2014
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek claims Apple’s iPhone 6 will offer a 4.8-inch Retina display – October 7, 2013
Analyst: Apple’s next-gen smartphone ‘iPhone 6′ will have a larger screen – November 20, 2013
Oh yeah, baby!!!
But I thought that 4.94″ was the optimal size for the next iPhone? Which clueless prognosticator should I believe?
I heard it was going to be 4.7. Whom do you believe?
Don’t forget the 5.9″ model.
The iPhone 6 next NEW feature is called ‘Chameleon’ where it changes to fit your expectations, be it a screen size of 4.7″, 4.8″, 4.94″, 5.9″, etc.
Besides, as I wrote, bigger version is not going to be iPhone 6, it is going to be separate parallel model. And yes, the optimal size for that bigger model is 4.99″.
Why Apple would abandon size of the biggest selling phone on the planet? Expanding to parallel makes sense, but not replacing the most popular size with bigger less popular. “Pundits” and “analysts” are as dumb as brick, they can not grasp this idea.
Puhlease, don’t insult bricks that way, they serve a useful purpose and lay the foundation for a many great things. Pundits and analysts on the other hand have hardly any redeeming qualities, although many can thank their lucky stars that they are not Anustralians.
Looks like I’ll have my iPhone 5s for a while. Don’t want or need a bigger iPhone!!
A want the clamshell design back. Make it foldable! Some of these big phones look ridiculous to me. Big screen is nice but I still trade some of it for a better and ergonomic size.
I want the next iPhone to be like the wrist coach quarterbacks wear, that flips open to have more screen size, and so everyone can look ridiculous walking down the street talking to their forearms.
Looking forward to a larger iPhone. I know of at least one person who switched from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy phone because he couldn’t wait for Apple to release a larger phone. He prefers a larger screen. He is aware though that Apple will be releasing a larger iPhone later this year and is watching with interest. He’s an Apple fanboy through and through but Apple just wasn’t meeting his needs.
I know of another person, a BlackBerry user, who has switched to Samsung because she wanted a larger iPhone and felt 4″ didn’t suit her needs.
There’s a huge demographic out there waiting for a larger iPhone. I am one of them. I didn’t switch to another brand of phone but didn’t upgrade to the 5S either. Didn’t see the point of a tiny 4″ screen and didn’t want to waste my hard earned cash on a phone with marginal hardware improvements at best.
Yes, and my youngest daughter switched to a Galaxy S4 because all her close friends switched. So guess what? They all switched back and got the 5S. They loved the bigger screen, but didn’t like Android’s functionality compared to iOS.
Most phone users are not tied down to just one feature. So back and forth they go…
I agree. But it’s hard to argue against a person’s preference for a larger screen. Wouldn’t it be better for Apple to serve them instead of switching back & forth?
I don’t think making a phone with a bigger screen is all that hard. You can squeeze out the bezel on either side and the top and bottom, making it edge to edge glass, or increase the physical dimensions slightly to accommodate a larger screen, either or both of which are feasible options.
The only question is pixel density because you want the apps to scale up to the resolution.
And i have to admit, I like the bigger screen on the Samsung.
I wonder why Apple offered the downsized iPad option so quickly, but has waited this long to even hint at a bigger iPhone? Pixel density issue aside of course.
People buy iPhones because they are iPhones. Those of us used to quality and the Apple ecosystem do not want to venture out into the jungle by purchasing a non-Apple phone. Until there is a larger iPhone we will continue to buy the current models available. Currently there are no larger iPhones available. I have two iPhone 5S’s. Buought them in October. They are fine but I would simply like a larger iPhone. As would millions and millions and millions of people. Including millions who currently own non-Apple phones. Comparing large iPhones to large non-iPhones makes no sense. None at all. Comparing the sales of current large non-iPhones to the sales of a yet released larger iPhone is stupid. Apples and oranges. That makes no sense. None at all. When they make it, and that will be soon, they will come. They will come by the millions and buy them as fast as Apple can make them. And they will sell like hotcakes! It’s really as simple as that. And just like the iPad mini naysayers, the larger iPhone naysayers will never be heard from again.
Those who prefer small iPhones will continue to drown out the numbers of those who want big ones, when, or if, a larger size is released. Go ahead and iCal me.
Not bothering with the Ical thing,, I just know every single poster here will buy the bigger screen Iphone.
How is it hard to believe that Many people only have the budget for ONE device. Since the Iphone makes calls and has internet connectivity, that’s the one. Why is it so hard to believe that people do a lot more on their phones now than they did in ’07? That the bigger screen helps? Everyone will buy the bigger phone. iCal that.
But it’s not about drowning out anyone, it’s about using common sense. Why would it bother you if Apple makes a larger iPhone? Well? Why? If you don’t want it don’t buy it. Did it bother you when Apple decided to make a variety of iPod sizes? Does it bother you that Apple makes a full-size iPad and an iPad mini? Does it bother you that Apple makes the Mac Pro and the Mac mini? Well? Does it? If you don’t want a large Coke you have the option of a medium or a small size Coke when you visit McDonald’s. Does it bother you that McDonald’s has a variety of sizes? Well? Does it? You and some of the other fanboys here with small hands seem to think that it’s cool to act like it’s you against the world. Wow! Cool! Actually it’s just foolish. And embarrassing to watch. And what will you say later this year when that larger, if not two, size iPhone goes on sale? Will you call the folks in Cupertino stupid? Well? Will you? Apple will, at least for the immediate future, continue to make the current size iPhone available. Perhaps in the future they will market the larger iPhones for men and the smaller current size iPhone for women? Seems like a good solution to me. Seems appropriate.
Guys what he is saying is that the “jumbo-phone” segment of the market is only ~7% .
In addition to that there is a large percentage of bigphone buyers who go to a regular sized smartphone for their next phone.
This indicates two things; It really isn’t a big enough market for a manufacturer like apple (who typically produces very few discrete models) to chase.
Second, that many who buy the big-phones did so because of marketing (re the high big phone “churn”) and really don’t like them after they buy them (and trade for a different model next phone.) Again not a great segment for apple to enter (splinter market segment with high customer dis-satisfaction)
Your argument is flawed. Simply put, you cannot use statistics regarding the sale of larger non-Apple iPhones to make your argument about the sale of yet to be built future larger iPhones. It’s like using the sales figures of Yugo’s to base your argument about the future sales of a yet to be introduced Mercedes-Benz. One has nothing at all to do with the other. Same goes for the statistics you use regarding the number of people who return to the iPhone after purchasing a large Samsung phone. It’s because it’s not an iPhone. That’s the reason! Has nothing to do with size. Since the HP tablet failed miserably I guess Apple should quit manufacturing iPads? Logic. Logic people.
I switched from 4s to an S4 because I needed a bigger screen so I would not have to carry my iPad everywhere just to reasonably read attachments. As a long time shareholder, I regret Apple not giving me a choice to stay but as soon as a bigger iPhone comes out, bellow 5″ so it still fits in my pocket, I’m back… If no sooner. I dislike the Android experience, iOS on the S4 sized hardware is the perfect phone for me.
Appreciate your point of view and thank you for your comment.
*FIIIIIVE IIIIIINCHESS!!!!* …Ja?
NEIN!
I switched from a 4S to an S4 not because I wanted to but because I am dyslexic.
It’s a small, but noisy, demographic that wants a larger iPhone. If Apple wants to make those six people happy, fine, but the rest of us want the flagship iPhone to be a practical size.
Small demographic? “The rest of us?” Boy are you delusional! The only people you represent would be the male small hands segment of society.
Under 5″ is probably where Apple will wind up.
I’m sure it’s been basically locked down for a while now. Each iteration is years in the making.
Love all the complainers. Bigger screen I guess I’ll keep my old phone a bit longer. Good who 3 fuk needs u anyways. You’s r the 1%. Leaves room for me 2 get 1 instead if waiting for months. Even though u hypocritical fukrs will be the first online.
not too difficult to figure out! apple buys on one software and uses genuine fractals to auto resize images on the fly . lossless pixel free, resolution free, digital graphics solution
I’ve often pointed out that until Apple introduces a resolution-independent version of IOS, they will always be reluctant to introduce a new screen resolution unless it’s a simple multiple of an existing screen’s resolution.
If Apple do release a resolution-independent version of IOS, then screens can be increased in small increments if they wish to, but until then, screen resolutions will follow the pattern that we’ve seen so far.
The 6C (or equivalent) will have a 4 inch screen and much like the retina mini, have the same internals. It may, however, sport a plastic case. It will move into the $99 price point and the new larger display model into the $199 price point. The 5C will be $0 with subsidy.
The 5s will go the 5C route and go plastic for next year. I think it was a great strategy this year, don’t see why the would want to continue to sell with the more expensive at a discount.
Currently, we have the 5s at the high end, 5c (based on last year’s iPhone 5 tech) in the middle, and 4s at the low end. There is good differentiation between the choices.
For the next lineup, I think 5c continues “as is” and becomes the low end model. The design gets used for two years. The 5s becomes the middle model. The “new look” iPhone 6 (big screen or not) enters as the high-end model. Again, good differentiation between the models.
The following year, the 5s becomes the low-end model (like the 4s is now). That design continues for three years (like the 4s). A new plastic iPhone 6c, based on iPhone 6 tech enters as the middle model (like the 5c is now).
And so on… The “new look” iPhone model lasts for only one year, but its technical design gets used for two more years in the plastic “c” model. The “s” model continues in the line-up for a full three years (like the 3gs and 4s).
I think you are right. Sounds logical to me,
Like that “tear-drop” profile “iPhone 5” with larger screen was a sure thing, and Apple released the iPhone 4S instead. That was supposedly “locked down” enough for some third-party case production to start up.
The pixel density issue is not really an issue. The iPad mini Retina display has higher pixel density compared to the flagship iPad Air Retina display.
My contract ends in a month, I wonder if it is worth it to wait until September or to just get a 5S now…..