AppleInsider Staff
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the next iPhone is "expected" to feature a screen larger than the 3.5-inch display that has been found on the iPhone since it first launched in 2007. Production of the screens is reportedly set to begin in the next few months, and it will measure "at least 4 inches diagonally."
Apple is said to be working with a number of screen manufacturers for the larger display on the next iPhone, including LG Display, Sharp, and a new company, Japan Display Inc., that was created last month by three Japanese companies and the government. Wednesday's report made no mention of Samsung as a display partner.
Rumors have suggested for some time that the next iPhone will be a major redesign, overhauling the look of the handset that has remained since the launch of the iPhone 4 in mid-2010. A larger screen would be a major change for the device, and could require developers to update their applications to take advantage of the larger display.
Apple's rumored shift comes as competitors continue to offer smartphones with larger screens. In particular, the Samsung Galaxy S II, which features a 4.8-inch display, is the new flagship device for the company.
Samsung's Galaxy Note also features a massive 5.3-inch stylus-driven display that the company has advertised offers both the best of a smartphone and of a tablet. The device was cited by the company in its quarterly earnings in April as a strong seller.
Mockup of a sixth-gen iPhone with a taller 4-inch screen, via MacRumors.
As rumors of an iPhone with a larger screen have continued to crop up, various renderings have been put together online by enthusiasts who have speculated that a larger screen would result in a slightly taller iPhone adding more pixels to the top and bottom of the screen. One report from earlier this month claimed the next iPhone will be the same width as the current iPhone 4S, meaning the new screen would have a different aspect ratio than previous generation models.
With a 4-inch display, the iOS home screen could theoretically fit another row of icons on the home screen, bringing the total number to six. Applications written for the iPhone 4S and earlier handsets could simply feature black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, using the same aspect ratio and screen space as it would on the earlier devices.
-m.jpg)
Mike Wuerthele
William Gallagher
Amber Neely
Malcolm Owen
Andrew Orr
Andrew O'Hara
84 Comments
WELL DUH!!!!!!
The current 3.5" screen is WAAAYYY too tiny, and apple has been shown the way forward by Android manufacturers who are reducing bezels and wasted space on the faces of their phones to give consumers what they want.....bigger screens.
Its about time the iphone gets a screen that is a more usable size
Interesting situation though, that will now leave developers with the following
3.5" iphone (still in use)
3.5" iphone 3g (still in use)
3.5" iphone 3gs (still on sale and in use, and quite a bargain at 1 cent :)
3.5" iphone 4 retina a4 (still on sale and in use)
3.5" iphone 4s retina a5 (still in sale and in use)
4" iphone 5 retina a5x (if rumours are true)
That is 2 screen sizes, three resolutions, 6 processors, not sure how many diff GPUs, 2 varying RAM capacities (3 if they put a gig in the iphone 5).
Seems like the work for developers just keeps increasing. Although it is nowhere NEAR as bad as the android situation. Don't wanna use the f word but..........
For continuity sake Apple may very well ditch the 4" and stay at 3.5. Hope not though.
[quote name="AppleInsider" url="/t/150109/apple-ordering-screens-sized-at-least-4-for-next-iphone-wsj#post_2110927"]With a 4-inch display, the iOS home screen could theoretically fit another row of icons on the home screen, bringing the total number to six. Applications written for the iPhone 4S and earlier handsets could simply feature black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, using the same aspect ratio and screen space as it would on the earlier devices.[/quote] What a stupid idea. They're not going to release a new format simply to add a row of icons. If Apple releases a 4" phone, they will almost certainly keep the same resolution and screen ratio as the 4S. [quote name="sleepy3" url="/t/150109/apple-ordering-screens-sized-at-least-4-for-next-iphone-wsj#post_2110930"]WELL DUH!!!!!! The current 3.5" screen is WAAAYYY too tiny, and apple has been shown the way forward by Android manufacturers who are reducing bezels and wasted space on the faces of their phones to give consumers what they want.....bigger screens. [/quote] Yeah. That's why no one buys the 3.5" iPhone. /s Is it possible that Apple will release a 4" phone? Sure - maybe even likely. But the difference between 3.5" and 4" is insignificant for most people. The physical dimensions of the phone are more important. If they could put an even larger screen into the phone without changing the phone's dimensions, that would be OK with most people (but not likely, of course). Heck, a lot of people wouldn't even notice the difference unless you have the phones right next to each other. The key is to not release a monstrosity like a 5.3" phone with a stylus and which requires two hands.
Interesting situation though, that will now leave developers with the following
3.5" iphone (still in use)
3.5" iphone 3g (still in use)
3.5" iphone 3gs (still on sale and in use, and quite a bargain at 1 cent :)
3.5" iphone 4 retina a4 (still on sale and in use)
3.5" iphone 4s retina a5 (still in sale and in use)
4" iphone 5 retina a5x (if rumours are true)
I would be surprised if they changed the aspect ratio, if it stayed the same it would be no issue to developers.
God I hate these stupid mockups. Does anyone seriously think Jony Ive's shop is going to produce a phone like that? No way Apple changes the aspect ratio.
Interesting situation though, that will now leave developers with the following
3.5" iphone (still in use)
3.5" iphone 3g (still in use)
3.5" iphone 3gs (still on sale and in use, and quite a bargain at 1 cent :)
3.5" iphone 4 retina a4 (still on sale and in use)
3.5" iphone 4s retina a5 (still in sale and in use)
4" iphone 6 retina a5x (if rumours are true)
Fixed that for you.
If the iPhone is WAAAYYY to small then an iPad or a 80" television should be about right.