“Apple is rumored to release a 5.5-inch and a 4.7-inch iPhone in 2014 with Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) said to be manufacturing both models,” Ninelu Tu and Joseph Tsai report for DigiTimes, “while Pegatron has landed 30% of the 4.7-inch model’s orders, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.”
“Orders for the existing 4-inch iPhone will be outsourced to Wistron,” Tu and Tsai report. “Foxconn will supply 70% of the 4.7-inch iPhone shipments for 2015.”
Read more in the full article here.
DigiTimes is in its typical tabloid mode because it totally forgets the elephant in the room: regular-sized iPhone 6. As always, this device is going to be the main product, not bigger versions, which will have giant demand, but still much less than normal-sized device — the most popular form-factor in the world.
It’s not really clear that apple will have an iphone-6 with a 4″ screen using internals with the highest specs.
It’s possible that the 4.7″ iphone-6 will become the new “regular sized” high-end model in the same way that the 4″ iPhone-5 superseded the older 3.5″ iPhone-4S.
Apple will no doubt have an something in the 4″ screen size, but just as the current lineup has 5C (with less than top of the line specs) and a 4s with even older specs, it’s possible that the 4″ size will be used only for less than top of the line phones going forward.
Theoretically, everything is possible.
But practically, such approach would make no sense as ~4″ it is the most popular size-format in the world and this is where Apple have overwhelming advantage over competitors.
The only company that could somewhat compete with iPhone is Sony — they released normal-sized device with high specifications. Everyone else can only make big high-tech smartphones.
There is no sense to cede unique competitive advantage, there is no way Apple will do it.
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When apple introduced the iPhone 5 the most popular smartphone in the world was the iPhone 4S with a 3.5″ screen. Apple totally replaced that most popular size in all their subsequent high end phones. They decided the market was moving and a larger size would work as their new standard.
The shift from 4″ to 4.7″ as the new standard size makes as much sense as the last shift from 3.5″ to 4″
IMO there are pros and cons in both approaches.
Apple will also probably have a 5.5″ phone, so having a true high end phone at 4″ means they’d have high end phones in THREE sizes at one time. They’ve never had top-end specs in more than one phone at a time in the past. This seems like a greater spread in the top of the line, than apple would have.
Also, most the manufacturers HAVE competed with phones at the 4″ size. But customers have gravitated to larger sizes when available. IMO Apple’s biggest advantages are things very much other than the 4 inch form factor.
IMO there’s no question that some variant of the iPhone 5S will be in the mix. But I’m betting [with very low certainty 🙂 ] that the top-of-the-line specs will be reserved for 4.7 and 5.5 inch formats.
There is common statistics for smartphones, and the most popular form factor is below 4.5″. There is not a single reason why Apple would stop making new models of normal-sized iPhone.
And there will be no 4->4.7 size change as bigger device will not be one-hand-use already, it is separate model. Notice that perimeter of iPhone 5 versus iPhone 4/S became smaller so it would partially compensate for taller screen and allow one-hand operation.
With 4.7″ device it will not be possible any more, it is two-hand use device.
It makes sense to offer 4.7/5.5″ devices, but they can not replace 4″ device. Conceptually different beasts in terms of ergonomics.
Ah, well — “sources”. There you have it then. Good to know for sure. /s
China is critical for Apple’s revenue stream with the iPhone. Samsung releases a new larger phablet every week just so they can have another useless feature. Apple has to address the demands of the BRIC countries and like it or not, the giant cereal box phones appear to be what these markets require. I know Jobs is rolling in his grave about this, but markets change and the best companies address those changes. Apple has not choice here, and the “6” will be a big hit.
The nice thing about iPhones is that they last a long time and while there will be a big rush at first for the iPhone 6, I doubt that existing owners are going to upgrade en mass.
Agreed jobs felt he could impose what he decided was best on the world and though mostly right (and even more successful in getting his way) there were times when he refused to see realities especially towards the end. Poor old Cook has taken a lot of stick for some of those lapses and delays but this year there is no excuse for that as there have been plenty of time to be his own man on such matters take advice as required and get the results into production. Fingers crossed.