“The recently rumored, larger-screened ‘iPhone Math,’ or more likely ‘iPhone Plus,’ is plausible as an additional model (not a replacement) alongside the 4” iPhone,” Marco Arment blogs. “And there’s a good chance that it would have a 4.94”, 16:9 screen.”
“The theory is easy to understand: perform John Gruber’s Mini-predicting math backwards. The iPad Mini uses iPhone 3GS-density screens at iPad resolution. What if an iPhone Plus used Retina iPad screens with iPhone 5 resolution, keeping the rest of the design sized like an iPhone 5?” Arment writes. “By keeping the pixel dimensions the same as the iPhone 5, no app changes would be necessary.”
Arment writes, “Its 640 × 1136, 264 DPI screen would measure 4.94” diagonally, and it would look roughly like this next to an iPhone 5:”
Much more in the full article, including the new “iPhone Plus” next to Apple’s other iOS devices and versus Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
I want one. Makes sense. It’ll be a hit and hopefully shut up the android users. Frig them anyways.
The Android customers who like their Android products have a favorite color of potato.
More importantly, this would scare the crap out of Samsung. Samsung would have little room left to diversify in hardware specs and would have to compete with Apple head to head in software. (Samsung would be dead.)
I agree. Apple left this spot wide open for Samsung and Android to take it whole. I will even go so far as to say they have only done as well as they have BECAUSE they had no competition in this space.
disagree,
The RETINA screen is important and the supply is why.
Apple has had issues with supplies for this STANDARD of screen which no other company offers.
Presently no iPad mini RETINA, this helps illustrate why iPHONE 5 was not designed for as a 5″ screen.
But you defeat your own argument. Sure, the retina display is apparently a production problem. But it didn’t stop Apple from producing the iPad mini now did it? No, it did not. Therefore the lack of a retina display shouldn’t have stopped Apple from offering a 5″ iPhone. Simple reasoning. And it has left the door wide open for Samsung and other Android phone makers. And they drove right through it.
Its an idea but why not just make a plug in for the iPad mini that blue-tooths to theiPhone and makes it a cell phone, web surfer???
The idea of a very large cell phone only seems to fly with kids. Why is not the Blackberry coming out with super large phones or the WP8 coming out in the 7″ size??
Just wondering.
Yes! And Apple needs it now not next year.
I agree. A 3.5″ screen was HUGE in 2007. There were no other phones like it. The app ecosystem was almost non existent too. No need for anything bigger really.
that’s changed. And if Apple would have stuck with the 3.5″ screen today would have been like Apple following the lead of then RIM sticking to their physical keyboards and slowly heading into that same relevance.
I would love to have an iPhone that size. As I get older my 4s is getting less useful. I’d gladly have to deal with a larger phone for the more useable screen.
Apple would hardly downscale DPI for this type of device, unless it is going to be cheaper one. So my bet is 2272 x 1280 @ 5″:
http://d-rs.livejournal.com/983.html
It is impossible to shut up the android fans. Believe me, ive had too much debates with too much of them. They are completely unreasonable and way too opinionated. All of a sudden they think Android (Google) invented the tablet, without any evidence, they say Appe is failing on the grounds of a stale OS, but in reality it does not make much sense, business wise, to radically change a successful product… Its just too risky, but they insist without reason… Another sign of their lack of knowledge…
A 5″ iphone would only give them the opportunity to run around and preech Apple copied Android’s screen size.
So, while it would be nice, dont count on the fanboys shutting up anytime soon!
Talking about fanbois …
Nice.
I don’t want to lug a huge phone around. Just add 4G and LTE to mini for those who want bigger screens.
True, my 5 feels good to hold and navigate with just 1 finger. I’d be interested in seeing if it hinders usage.
I’m with you on not wanting one, I’d likely stick the 4 inch model. But I also have an iPad mini, and there’s a big enough gap between the two for Aaple to fill.
You don’t want it so Apple shouldn’t make it but if someone wants a larger iPhone then they should use an iPad mini as a phone.
I suppose the world revolves around you.
A 5″ iPhone with the same pixel dimensions as the iPhone 5 would benefit most of the population over 40. Guess what segment of the population has the most money to spend on apple products?
Well then as I stated in another post, Apple should have lead w larger screen. Now they will be following and copying Samsung. Not a good thing. Someone fell asleep at switch!
What is it with tech pundits and stupid names? iPhone “plus’?!
I have no idea if Apple is really going to release a phone with a bigger screen, but I do not get the logic, which seems to me to be something like this:
Apple’s competitors are doing something which results in lower sales and profits than Apple. Apple must also do those same things.
Don’t get it.
iPhone “Lane Bryant”
iPhone™ Ultimate© Pro Signature Business Edition.
If there is any truth to this, Apple has lost its way and are just copying Samsung now. What a huge disappointment.
Providing a product that consumers want is the essence of good business. If Samsung is selling boatload of these devices Apple should compete.
1.
“Providing a product that consumers want is the essence of good business.”
No. Not as such.
– How many people want it?
– What are the profit margins?
– And the good business principle, “Do not try to be all things to all people.”
According to many, Apple was dying because they didn’t provide a netbook. Instead they provided an updated Air and the iPad. Now there’s no such thing as a netbook!!!
“How many people wanit it.”
Since Samsung is selling millions, I’ll let you guess. .
“What are the profit margins?”
How can anyone predict a profit margin or a product BEFORE is it released? Hmmm, Samsung is selling millions. I reckon there must a profit somewhere. Why do you think Apple’s competitors are selling tablets?.
“Do not try to be all things to all people.”
Well, just give up and die then or sell a product to a niche market, but you sell to niche market don’t expect global demand.
Apple has a great demand for its products in North America. It has a great business there. If the rest of the world wants these same products then great but Apple does not have to sell to every person on earth to be successful. The global demand that you speak of is just a perk that is possible and Apple is doing quite well in selling into the global market. Product market share is nice but profit share is better for Apple.
The problem is that we don’t know how many of the big screen phones Samsung is selling; they don’t break the figures out.
All we know is that Apple makes money than Samsung, even though though Apple doesn’t sell phablets, refrigerators or aircraft engines.
We know fairly well how many (actually, how few) Samsung is selling. While they themselves don’t break out numbers, others are surveying the market and giving us a fairly reliable figures, and those figures are negligible.
According to several large market survey companies out there, large-screen phones (4″ and larger) represent no more than 3% of current sales. In addition, (and this is the important part of these surveys), these large-screen devices are usually the FIRST to get offered at some sort of promotion (BOGO, $100 off, etc). This tells us that they are making too many of them and can’t unload them at the original asking price.
Large-screen phones appeal to fringe groups (such as us here). Mainstream users (half of whom are women) find it rather awkward and grotesque to hold a large brick to their face when on the phone.
Apple should have been the leader with these but seemed to fall asleep at wheel. Playing catch-up is never a good thing!
Two questions: (1) is it cheap? and (2) does it have as many useless features as the competing junk? If the answer to either of these questions is “no” then it won’t make any difference in the way Wall Street sees Apple. In fact, if the answer is no to either of these questions, Wall Street will see it as a confirmation of their belief that Tim Cook is clueless.
Apple needs to be concerned about selling products that consumers want and will buy and not the opinions of a few Wall Street talking heads.
Consumers want LED flashlights and little round oat cereals and razor blades. Do you have a cut off criteria for who else Apple should copy? Should Apple really stop innovating and just copy everyone else? I don’t think that you get Apple at all. Maybe now that Tim Cook is in charge, Apple will start the downhill path that you advocate.
Apple is the business of making money. Only a fool would think that a company cannot be both innovative and make money. Samsung is making millions of dollars “copying” Apple and Apple has adopted outside technologies and borrowed other ideas whenever the ideas and technologies benefited Apple. Take your head out of your ass and see that Apple can’t and won’t be the sole source of intellectual brilliance.
I guess that Apple should make refrigerators now? Samsung does. How about diversifying into areas including food processing, textiles, insurance and securities? Samsung does. Again, you don’t get Apple at all.
No – Apple is in the business of making great products. Money is a by-product of that.
Why would Apple go backwards away from Retina Density? Very un-Apple like.
What if Apple did a 1920 x 1200 pixel screen (16 x 10 aspect ratio) on a 4.2 diagonal screen? It would be stunning and Revolutionary.
Who says Apple cannot make a Retina display larger?
The article called for keeping the same iPhone 5 resolution and making the physical screen bigger. My suggestion says nothing about Apple not making a Retina class display. The exact opposite It suggest a beyond retina display screen.
The mini didn’t have a retina screen. So how can it be “un-apple-like”?
The Mini is not larger than the original iPad. This article suggests Apple making an iPhone with a larger physical screen not a smaller one.
You have heard of the iPad mini haven’t you? Apple produces it in the millions. And they’re selling like hotcakes.
This is dumb……if its true I’m going to dump iPhone because it really shows that it lack of fresh ideas. Hello Android and that awesome BlackBerry!
Don’t let the Apple innovation doors smack you hard on the ass on the way out. So long sucker! BTW Samsung has ZERO ideas and a larger or smaller anything is not innovation, its just larger or smaller and inevitable as mobile products lines go on. Blackberry is DCW so have fun with that. See you back at the Apple ranch later older but wiser!
Im with your sentiments.
Dumber than you?
Hmmm, MacFreek has gone over to the dumb dark side apparently too. Love people like you with little to say and minimal brain power to say it with.
Yo’ momma.
Let’s get this right.
You will leave iPhone because Apple makes a bigger screen phone and you will take your business to Samsung because they…..er….what….”DON’T”(????) make a bigger screen phone?
Thick as a brick!
I love the pocketable current size iP5 for myself and doubtful I would trade up to larger if I didn’t have to. The larger sized iPads fill the bill for a larger mobile device and better in that respect. But yeah anything to shut up the Fandroid out there leaving widgets mostly as their last line of disingenuous weakening defense. Now Apple should beat Samsung to the inevitable cellular phone addition to iPads and tablets. But does anybody use their smart phones for actual calls anymore? 🙂
What would anybody use instead of their smart phones for actual calls? (Just curious.) 🙂
Makes sense, Apple keeps losing so much market share to Android that it was only a matter of time they became a follower in this area and not a leader.
Losing market share? Where have you been lately? Try to keep up.
The problem with my 4S is the buttons are too small to do serious work. It’s fine for Twitter or other short bursts,but writing and scrolling up and down constantly,when trying to write a serious email,with legal implications,it’s a waste of space. A larger iPhone would mean I only need it and not an IPad also. This, I believe is why they have not yet brought one out.
Steve Ballmer said the same thing in 2007. Is Wow your new handle Steve?
Apple has the cash and facilities who can make it and put it out in the market to judge from customer sales wether they keep doing it or not.
I don’t see why Apple wouldn’t have a larger form factor for people who want or need it because of eyesight issues.
I SO want this. I will even predict that sales breakdown of 4″ to 5″ would be about 50/50
How do you price the larger model? I’m sure it would offer longer battery life than the iPhone5.
Love my Iphone 5, but to add a phone with a 4.5-5″ display would be great. Have 3.5″, 4″, and 4.5″ screens should please the majority of customers. Something for everyone!
I’ve upgraded on day 1 ever since the 3GS. Ill keep my 5 till they come with a bigger screen. I can’t see myself leaving iOS ever. But man I’d love a bigger screen.
It’s a fact, Apple doesn’t lead as it used to. Its a different Mojo, with a bad taste. Not trilled with product launches… Am I wrong ?
Yep, you’re wrong. Samsung had few competitive advantages with Apple other than screen size as a perceived advantage so got the jump on Apple in this regard. Once there is parity and screen size is a dead end game, Samsung, Google and Android will be at a distinct disadvantage and would have to sacrifice any profits next in order to compete. 2013 I believe will see some major hardware and software leaps from Apple in terms of competing.
Do you wear sunglasses to hide the color of your BS?
Aww!
Your cries for help are easily decoded in your message… If you need help finding friends, try either a suicide hotline, or a suicide how-to guide (whatever suits your preferences.).
Chin up, bud!
Bad form.
My iPhone 5 slips in my pocket with a couple inches to spare around the sides.
where’s the line at.
How pathetic if this rumour is true.
Is the only “innovation” Cook & Co can deliver merely to chase after other competitors’ screen sizes?
What’s the next major innovation, Apple? The “iPad mini plus”, or the “iPod maxi mini”? Maybe you can flood the market with products in screen h:w ratios ranging from:
– NTSC / 16mm full screen 1:1.33
– VGA/XGA 1:1.50
– W*XGA 1:1.60
– WVGA 1:1.77
– 70mm wideframe 1:1.22
– 35mm Panavision anamorphic widescreen 1:2.35
Giving consumers and developers a new aspect ratio to chase is clearly the next big thing, is that it, Apple?
Those will be Tom M$, not Apple.
I think “Tom” was meant as “from.”
Well, they chased the totally touchscreen phone with text and Internet capabilities….. Why not?
Yeah, because just as many of you said last year, a smaller iPad was a freakin’ dumb idea that Apple would never do…..
P.S. I love my iPad mini!!
I totally enjoy my iPad mini as well.
I WANT !!!!!!!!!!!! I live my iPhone 5 but this one will take what I do , to a whole new level !!!!
yeah baby, and launch the iPhone+ same time as Samsung S4
this late spring or summer.
apple pls pls pls update the old ios. it is too boring. i want more!
What others wish they had you are calling old?
Everyone is still copying it and you want…..what exactly???
Pull-down notification, reject phone calls with text, panoramic photos….
I wish MDN posted the image of the proposed iOS lineup with the iPhone Plus included. Maybe some of you anti-Plus nimrods would come around when you see how much more complete the iOS family looks with a 5 inch device.
You can find posts around here from R2 going back years where I dreamed of Apple covering all their bases with more iOS screen sizes. The iPad mini was a huge step forward and the iPhone Plus could be the final piece of the puzzle.
Just one piece, not the final piece.
Why does everything have to be ‘innovative’ and ‘new’? If consumers want something, and it makes business sense (i.e profits!), and most importantly, it keeps customers in the Apple Ecosystem (remember the halo effect — works both ways), then apple should do it! LOOKING FORWARD TO THE iPhone PLUS!