“The release of the larger screen iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models has proven to be hugely popular with some of Apple’s customers,” Jim Lynch writes for CIO. “But not everyone wants a bigger screen iPhone that they can’t use comfortably with one hand.”
MacDailyNews Take: We use our iPhone 6 Plus units with one hand very easily with iOS’ Reachability features. We simply double touch the Home button and the entire screen shifts down closer to our thumbs. And to easily navigate Safari or Mail, we just swipe to go backward or forward. All done one-handed.
Lynch writes, “I’ve been keeping track of the media coverage of the possible iPhone 6C, and it’s crystal clear from the comments being posted in articles that there is a big demand still for a 4-inch iPhone.”
MacDailyNews Take: No. Need more data. It’s crystal clear that there are some comments in favor of a 4-inch iPhone (mainly from those who’ve never used an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, in our opinion) which could easily be coming from a vocal minority, not necessarily proof of “big demand.”
“Based on the comments I’ve seen across the Web on many different sites, I have no doubt whatsoever that an iPhone 6C will be a huge hit if it’s released,” Lynch writes. “There seems to be a significant subset of iPhone users who have stubbornly refused to buy the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. These customers have money burning in their pockets, but Apple has not given them the new 4-inch iPhone that they desperately crave.”
MacDailyNews Take: Again: Baseless speculation. We require data.
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Reports lately say that there will be no new 4-inch iPhone. While the reports could be wrong, as we wrote in July:
If they’re going to make a 4-inch iPhone, it should be on par (as much as possible) with the flagship iPhones – same processor, same amount of RAM, same storage options, very similar camera capabilities, etc. In other words, a high-margin premium device designed specifically for premium customers who are looking for a world-class 4-inch smartphone. Still:
“In general, the only people who still think they want a 4-inch iPhone are those who do not yet own a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 or 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. After iPhone 5s and 5c go the way of the dodo, the 4.7-inch display should, and likely will, be Apple’s smallest iPhone display going forward.” — MacDailyNews Take, December 5, 2014
That said, there certainly are times now, with Apple Watches on our wrists, where we’d appreciate a smaller iPhone that we could just tuck away in a pocket and forget — at least while Watch is so dependent on iPhone. But, watch OS 2, coming soon, will begin to lessen the dependence, so whatever desire we had developed over the past months months for a small iPhone to support Apple Watch has diminished since watchOS 2 was unveiled. It’s likely Apple is thinking this way, too. Even with Apple Watch and watch OS 1.0, we almost always want a larger iPhone* for the times when we actually use the iPhone anyway. So, we’re back to thinking the 4.7-inch display is the smallest iPhone Apple should make.
*The one major exception would be toting around an iPhone on a run for GPS mapping, but, even then, the iPhone 6 is plenty small and light enough to suffice.
SEE ALSO:
Should Apple make a state-of-the-art 4-inch iPhone? – July 31, 2015
No new 4-inch iPhone? Is Apple making a mistake? – July 29, 2015
Analyst: Apple has scrapped plans for a 4-inch iPhone 6c – July 27, 2015
Analyst: No 4-inch iPhone coming – May 12, 2015
KGI: 4-inch iPhone ‘unlikely’ this fall – April 22, 2015
Five reasons Apple won’t make any more 4-inch iPhones – December 9, 2014
I’m so annoyed with the 6+ size I’m ready to forego a more powerful phone for a smaller one. I can always use an iPad if I need a fast compute engine.
Until Apple builds and sells a 4″ phone that is as capable as the 4.7″ and 5.5″, we really won’t get “more data”, will we?
I’ve got the 6 and while it does work great if a 6C came out with a 4 inch I might actually switch back to the smaller format. I actually like the additional pocket space as I’ve always carried mine in my front right pocket and the smaller one fit better than the larger one does now. That is providing I would get the upgraded camera and at least the a8 processor inside
I found a seamstress who extended all my left breast pockets to accommodate the 6 Plus @$5. Fits great with an extra inch of material added to the button down flap.😃
not True MDN, I am a long term iPhone user who is currently using iPhone 6 However I would go back to a 4″ screen if it were on par with the latest iPhones (not sure touch ID can be done) I just find the lateral reach too far in many cases, especially when using the keyboard and I am not a small hand man. So although I think a 4″iPhone would sell well and there is a demand for it How big a demand probably only Apple knows
The 4-inch iPhone 5 had Touch ID, so not sure what you meant by that.
But you are right on calling out MDN. They have been re-running the same schtick about 4-inch phones since the the 6 came out. With the same lack of data they accuse Lynch of in this article, MDN claims that people who don’t want the 4.7-inch or bigger phone simply haven’t used it. And after every claim, numerous readers report how false this is.
Speaking as one of the many who has tried the iPhone 6 (twice, for multiple weeks each time), you can add my voice to the anecdotal evidence that does exist and does show that some segment of the market still prefers smaller phones. And even if Apple chooses not to make a new 4-inch phone, that doesn’t make them or MDN right, nor will it mean that all the rest of us will just decide to like the larger models.
If no new 4-inch phone appears this year, I plan to use my Apple Care to return my 2 year old 5s (which has a crack in the screen) for a new 5s and wait to see what happens next year. Did you hear that Tim and MDN, I’d rather spend $75 on the “old” 5s than have the newest big phone. I bet I am not alone.
Finally, I would add, this controversy is stupid anyway. It couldn’t possibly hurt Apple or their product lineup to have a 4-inch model, but it may hurt them to not.
> But you are right on calling out MDN. They have been
> re-running the same schtick about 4-inch phones
> since the the 6 came out. With the same lack of data
> they accuse Lynch of in this article, MDN claims that
> people who don’t want the 4.7-inch or bigger
> phone simply haven’t used it. And after every
> claim, numerous readers report how false this is.
Personally I’m getting seriously sick of the MDN editor’s unabashed fellatio of all things Apple, particularly with relation to iPhone sizes. Any more and his head would be seriously rammed up some dark place….
Not only are there plenty of people that HAVE tried the larger sizes of the 6 (including myself, I seriously do not like the 4.7″ I upgraded to), but there is a significant market for 4″ sized iPhones.
I believe that the refresh of the iPod Touch to A8 CPU and innards is an indication that the likelihood of a 4″ iPhone is a high possibility (albeit using A8 specs, and not next generation A9 specs) – and that, if released, it will look pretty much exactly like the iPod Touch (despite me actually liking the iPhone 5c plastic form factor a lot).
Either way, I really wish that MDN would STFU about there dumb ad nauseam meme.
Thx Jason your right about the 5s I don’t know what I was thinking about the ID.
The only way it hurts Apple is they don’t gain the economics of scale if they have three different sizes
Oh and 64 gigs as I’ve really become accustomed to having that additional space on my phone
Good point I love touch ID thanks for reminding me it’s become second nature now so I don’t even notice it
I am one of those who have not upgraded to the iPhone 6 (never mind the 6 Plus!) because I do not like the larger screen format. So far, I have stuck with my iPhone 5. I will be very, very interested to see if the prediction of a possible 4 inch iPhone model comes true. That would be a blessing for me.
I need an iPhone that I can keep in my shirt pocket. Large screen phones are far too big for that, a 4″ iPhone would be perfect – so long as it’s fully featured.
As I normally have a cellular iPad close by, I prefer to use that for things where a larger screen is desirable, but for most of the time, my phone is kept in my shirt pocket and primarily used for calls, text, emails and as a camera.
My wife has exactly the same issue with larger sized iPhones and has now abandoned iPhones altogether in favour of a small, cheap dumb phone that she uses just for voice and text. She also has a cellular iPad always nearby, so doesn’t need the phone for data orientated purposes. A small iPhone that she can keep in her bag would serve her perfectly.
If Apple were to introduce a 4″ iPhone, it would need to be a fully featured iPhone with all the current features, so wouldn’t be significantly cheaper than it’s larger siblings.
Just sayin’…..
I agree with others who are looking for a FOUR INCH phone. I am using an old iPhone 5 because I detest the larger screen size. Actually bought an iPhone 6 and used it for several weeks before returning it and going back to iPhone 5.
Given the same level of specifications on processor/RAM/storage, etc., I would LOVE to get a 4 inch phone over a larger size. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make another one.
~~~~
I think the author doesn’t get it. Not everybody wants the same or the same size phone. For some people a 4 inch phone is ideal, for others it may be a 4.7, 5, 5.5, 8, 14 or whatever inch phone…. For me, a 4 inch phone is large enough to do everything I need, small enough to one hand and small enough to be in my pocket without worrying about it. I want to “have” a phone, no “be” a phone.
Some people prefer a 11 inch laptop, some 13, some 15 and some even 17. I suppose the author wants us to eliminate the 11 inch laptops because their ideal size is a 15 inch screen.
Maybe the 21.5 inch iMac is too small… Since they don’t make a 24 inch model any longer, I guess a 27 inch screen is the only one they should make?
Maybe a 38mm watch display it too small for them and the 42mm is the right size. I guess we should only make a 42mm now. After all, they think we don’t need a 38mm any longer…
I know I have been going a little overboard here, but I am trying to make a point. Not every person likes or wants the same thing. The author should embrace that fact.
I chose a 5S over the 6/6+ because of the 4 inch screen. I still find it a bit big at times trying to reach the top left corner while single-handing it.
So where does MDN carry their iPhones? A 6 will not fit comfortably on my belt. I do not sit in an office, btw.
I’ve said it here a few times: 4″ (or even 3.7″) is the right size for a phone. Full stop, end of story. What MDN wants in the 6+ size is a hybrid phone / media tablet, which obviously suits a lot of folk (like Galaxy Tab owners). I own and love the new iP6 but don’t really want or need the extra real estate over the old iP5. If the iP6 had offered the smaller screen and lighter weight as an option (same camera etc.), I’d have taken it.
Why do people assume the 6c will be a 4″ iPhone? When the 5c came out, one of the main motives was help differentiate it from the 5s. So in the same spirit, a true 6c would basically be an iPhone 6 with a colorful, plastic body. There’s a couple of ways I see Apple’s 2015 iPhone lineup going;
iPhone 6s / 6s Plus
iPhone 6c (4.7″)
iPhone 5s
iPhone 5c
OR
iPhone 6s / 6s Plus
iPhone 5s+ (5s with A8, TouchID, NFC, Apple Pay)
iPhone 5c
I think MDN’s view is a minority opinion here. Like most commenters I want 4″ iPhone. I’ve kept by 4s, as slow as it is with the new iOS, because I like the size.
Yes, a 4 inch please. Many like their big ass 6+ iPhones not to use as phones but to access the web and use advanced apps that work best with a lot of screen real estate. But if you actually use you iPhone as a phone more often that not, a 4 inch iPhone is a lot more pocketable and easier to handle.
I’ll buy a smaller iphone. I bought and returned by 6. It’s the footprint for me more than the screen size, I am constantly on the move and also use my 5s for gym and jogging and hiking. I have it in my pocket at all times. Of course i could fit the 6 in my pocket but it’s too big for me. I also keep my wallet and key ring to a bare minimum and wear no jewelry. What I am saying is we are not all the same, and some of us like to be out and about with the least amount of bulge or jiggle in our pockets much less have to worry that if we move a certain we might bend it or break it.
I’ve used a 6. Didn’t like it. It was too big. Great if you use public transport a lot and want to play games on it. Not so great if you essentially want a pocket device.
A new 4″ screen would see me part with my money very quickly. I’m absolutely certain I’m not alone in this sentiment.
I love my iPhone 6 and wouldn’t want to go back to a smaller screen. I turned Reachability off. It’s annoying and rather bothering than helpful. I do understand the people that want a smaller iPhone. And I think that there is still a lucrative marked for it. Needs same features as the bigger iPhones but could also be priced equally.
Apple just replaced my battery damaged 5 with a another 5, and I’m glad. While they were making their warranty replacement inspection I inspected the 6 and 6+. Though I liked the speed and bright screen, it just felt a tad big for my hands. Though I could probably get use to it I can guarantee my wife would hate it (and does). As TBBTs Wolowitz would say, her freakishly small hands makes everything look big, in which case the 6+ is a full size tablet for her.
I want a four inch iPhone too. I’ll stick with my 5s, foregoing the pleasures of ApplePay, until Apple make one, or the 5s dies and I have to switch to a system that gives me what I want.
I did upgrade to the iPhone 6, but I didn’t like the size, so I switched back to my iPhone 5s. I really hope for a 4 inch iPhone in the future.
“We use our iPhone 6 Plus units with one hand very easily with iOS’ Reachability features.”
Get a grip, MDN.
Well congrats, Gigantor. Those of us with normal sized hands find it annoying as all get out. The 4.7″ 6 is basically on the cusp of one-handed use. You can do it, but you’re having to manage the phone in a more deliberate way than the 4″ phones. Just admit it, the 6 Plus only exists because it sells to folks who somehow equate a bigger screen as making for a better phone. Well, that and it probably works for anyone who can palm a full sized basketball. Hey, why not carry around a 13″ iPhone Mega if it’s so much better? It could come with a Jony Ive designed hip mounted arm to make for ease of use! Reachability is an effort to make the obvious awkwardness of the 6 Plus device somewhat less awkward. Bottom line, it’s still awkward to handle with one hand, reachability and all. As noted, even the 6 stretches your hands (sometimes awkwardly) to make certain functions work with one hand. It’s a tradeoff, yes, you read it correctly, I said that Apple compromised on design. I like the 6 because it is still somewhat manageable with one hand and the larger screen makes for a less claustrophobic reading experience. e.g., With the 4″ screen I would find myself wanting to switch to my iPad or MBP to read lengthier articles. Simply put, even the 6 requires that we make compromises in how we handle the device. You’re deluded if you think the 6 Plus doesn’t as well.
Never wanted bigger phone. My 6 is too big. Will switch if the smaller screen iPhone is released
My iPhone 6 screen is about the same size as the face of my iPod Touch (4th gen), which has a 3.5 inch screen. So the obvious solution is to use much more of the face area of the iPhone as screen.
The iPhone 6 is really bigger than one can comfortably carry in one’s jeans; my husband refuses to do it. The old ‘Touch is very easy on the pockets.
No, I don’t want to give up memory or battery life–I want it all. That’s Apple’s bread and butter. We just have to wait for them to work out the details.