Katie Marsal
The latest alleged "iPhone 6" parts leak claims to show the device's front glass panel, with a video showcasing its larger 4.7-inch size and how much of the display can be reached by holding it with one hand.
One-handed use was a key focus for Apple when the company introduced the larger 4-inch display on the iPhone 5 in 2012, but it may now be willing to eschew those principles to follow the trend of larger display sizes, if the new part obtained by Chinese website iFanr is legitimate. In the video below, the part is compared to a genuine iPhone 5 glass panel, and the site noted that both seem to be similarly designed.
The site noted that the edges of the glass have an "arc" to them, sporting curved edges as opposed to the rounded off corners on the iPhone 5 class. The alleged "iPhone 6" front glass is also noticeably thinner than its predecessor.
The glass part also suggests the forward facing FaceTime camera may have been moved to the left of the call speaker. Starting with the iPhone 5 and carrying over to the iPhone 5s, Apple had moved the camera to a centered position above the ear speaker.
And in one-handed use in the included video, the user is able to reach the sides of the larger 4.7-inch display, but it appears that reaching the bottom and top of the screen with one-handed use would be extremely difficult for most users.
For months, rumors have claimed that Apple's next-generation handset will come in two screen sizes: A 4.7-inch display claimed to be pictured above, and a larger 5.5-inch screen that would cater to the growing "phablet" market. One questionable report from earlier Thursday suggested the 5.5-inch variant could be dubbed the "iPhone Air."
In addition to having a larger screen, the "iPhone 6" is also expected to be completely redesigned, with a thinner design and curved sides making it distinct from its predecessors. Mockups claiming to show the design of Apple's "iPhone 6" also suggest that the lock button on the device has been moved to the upper right side of the handset, while the volume buttons are expected to be "pill" shaped instead of circles.
The next iPhone is expected to be about as thick as a current iPod touch, which measures just 6.1 millimeters, making it much thinner than the 7.6-millimeter frame of the current iPhone 5s. If Apple follows its recent release pattern, as is expected, then the next iPhone should be unveiled sometime in September and would launch the following Friday.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
138 Comments
Rather than confirming one-handed use, this video demonstrates the opposite. While it shows that the thumb can reach from side to side of the screen, it cannot reach the top, where an entire row of app icons would be unreachable.
It's just so large...I really hope we get a 4" iPhone 6.
I am a 34yr old guy who (like the guys i hang around with) do NOT want a bigger phone. One of my friends still has his 4s because he hates a big phone. Due to some of my job requirements that can be (slightly) physical at times, i keep a slim case on my phone at work. I have a lot of friends who are plumbers, contractors, electricians etc that have to use lifeproof or otterbox cases while they are working. Add the bulk of that to a larger phone and you now have a brick like the old days. If theres a "phablet" market for those with purses, murses & huge pockets then build/offer one for them. But dont kill a pocketable phone. The samsung flip i traded in for my 1st iphone took up less pocket space than my 5s does. Keep the PHONE in iPHONE. RANT OVER.
A few thoughts:
1. one-handed use is nice, but there are clearly tradeoffs. I can understand that some users might want to sacrifice one handed use for the benefits of a larger device. I think it's fine that those users are able to buy an iPhone that better suits their needs.
2. I also hope we get a 4" iPhone 6, and I hope it's not crippled somehow. Apple should not impose artificial tradeoffs between devices.
3. I recognize that there may legitimately be some features that can be added to a big iPhone that can't be added to a small iPhone. For example, the thermals are probably different on the big iPhone (so maybe the CPU can run a little faster) and the big iPhone has more room for the battery (meaning it could be thinner, or have longer battery life).
My thoughts exactly... 4" screen is about as big as i'd like to have a new iPhone... Hopefully they'll have an 4" version of the iPhone 6 for people who don't want a monster phone you can't fit in a pocket!