Here's what iPhone apps and web pages would look like on a 4 inch screen
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The guys over at Overdrivedesign.com have put together some mockups of what an iPhone would look like with a 4 inch screen. In the mock-ups, one can easily see a few examples of how the device will benefit from having a bigger screen: it will display more of the map, more text from the same webpage, and give a significant impression of a larger space from a relatively small increase in actual screen real estate. It'll be interesting to see the perception of the larger screen size if Apple decides to changes it. However, it should be mentioned that increasing the screen size or changing the screen to device ratio could significantly alter the well known identifying look of the iPhone as we have known it, which may not have a desirable effect among iPhone fans.
We've heard from many readers on the subject. Many love the relatively small screen on the iPhone 4S, while others feel that 4 inches really is the minimum requirement for a modern smartphone. Some manufacturers like Samsung have gone very large, releasing mobile phones with screens as large as 5 inches.
What do you think is the sweet spot for screen size? Would you prefer Apple stick with the existing size, or go bigger in the next generation of the iPhone?
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source: Overdrivedesign
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41 Comments
24. jubbing posted on 21 May 2012, 10:53 4 1
That was GENUINELY not sarcasm. People on the internet are retarded these days.
25. SleepingOz posted on 21 May 2012, 11:03 3 3
especially nokia fanboys!
27. jubbing posted on 21 May 2012, 12:49 1 1
Say's the guy who has owned half of the Nokia line up ever? Get lost loser.
40. bbblader posted on 22 May 2012, 01:26 0 0
exuse me for saying this but you my good sir have you ever won anything from your favourite brand? like a shirt,backpack,hat,laptop case and a thermos
when you do call me the retarted nokia fanboy whose phone with only 1.3GHz proccessor can have an over 20Mpx camera and less laggy than android and less pricy as iphone
2. sorcio46 posted on 21 May 2012, 08:50 19 2
They will never change aspect ratio of the iPhone if the want to keep the compatibility for the old apps, next useless rumor !
14. andro. posted on 21 May 2012, 09:19 8 1
That is a valid point,apple has kept with the outdated aspect ratio even with the 'new' ipad,it would be hard to see them changing it. The aspect ratio will be the same but the screen most likely a small bit larger just so that apple can boast they are totally revolutionising the iphone yet again.
18. theoak posted on 21 May 2012, 09:56 0 5
"out dated" ... that is debatable.
When there are so many many many iPhones out there, app developers, web page designers are forced to consider the aspect ratio ... if they like it or not ... and ... they are going to have to deal with it for a good long time.
For better or for worse.
33. WirelessCon posted on 21 May 2012, 14:33 1 1
It's a very dated aspect ratio. 16X9 is the best "in between" ratio.
2.40:1 aspect movies only use about half of the iPad.
the visual scope of the iPad is small compared to the scope of 16x9 tablets or laptops. Say all you want about pixel density, but a small scope is a small scope.
I'm a movie buff, there's no way I could ever consider the iPad's aspect ratio for viewing movies.
16. PackMan posted on 21 May 2012, 09:36 6 0
Fragmentationnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
31. BattleBrat posted on 21 May 2012, 13:42 0 0
I was on an apple fan site, and an apps developer was saying that they can change the ratio to 16 by 9 and it wouldn't be that bad, they just space things out, BUT if they change the resolution of the WIDTH it would mess things up because then they have to change the size of the objects so they don't end up too tiny or too large. So apparently changing the ratio isn't that bad.
39. SeniorEd posted on 21 May 2012, 18:52 0 0
I agree. Apple should keep the 3 to 2 aspect ratio. Interestingly, if they go to a 4 inch diagonal a 720 by 1080 pixel resolution would keep that aspect ratio and yield 324 PPI. The screen width, in inches, would be almost identical to that of the Galaxy S2 while the length would be a little shorter than the GS2. Because the Iphone has a larger vertical bezel than the GS2, the shorter screen length with larger bezel would give the phone overall dimensions almost identical to the GS2. So, if Apple can live with those dimensions they can keep the overall design unchanged and have a spacious 4" screen. Make it so!!!
3. android_hitman posted on 21 May 2012, 08:51 18 3
we already know how it looks. we have big screens since 2007
4. remixfa posted on 21 May 2012, 08:51 15 0
4 inches is the bare minimum. They should go 4.3 if they really want to stay current. release the 4.3 and then keep an "iphone mini" at 3.5. With how much they can shrink bezels now, a 4.3 inch phone isnt that much bigger than the current iphone.
15. andro. posted on 21 May 2012, 09:21 3 3
3.7 at most id say,thats unless they go with the modern standard of widescreen aspect ratios instead of the older dated aspect ratio form. Yet another instance of apple behind the times
17. pixel8or posted on 21 May 2012, 09:49 1 1
4.3" with their current aspect ratio would make for a very wide phone. Even 4" will be pushing is. wonder how awkward it's going to be??
34. Berzerk000 posted on 21 May 2012, 15:02 1 0
They should make the next iPhone have a 4.3 inch screen. 4 inches at the least. And then, they should make a second one, with the 3.5 inch screen and a bit different specs, and market it as the iPhone Classic (or something in that manner). I think that would be a good strategy
38. Berzerk000 posted on 21 May 2012, 17:21 0 0
Like what they did with the iPod, it's genius. And something like what Coca-Cola did. They released a new formula, everyone hated it, so they brought back the old formula re-branded Coca-Cola Classic and it was a huge success, this kind of marketing has been used before, and turned out very well
5. KingKurogiii posted on 21 May 2012, 08:53 2 1
i hope the 5 has that rumored capacitive home screen button because the mock ups like this one here with it just make the iPhone look much more up-to-date if you will. o:
6. bobfreking55 posted on 21 May 2012, 08:53 9 0
i remember when phones used to be so darn big and the industry started making it smaller and smaller. now it's going bigger again, and you know what they say 'history repeats itself'.
I think 5" is the limit and the Galaxy SIV will not go beyond 5"
anyway, back on the iPhone - i think it's a 50% chance. Maybe they'd end up saying:
We maintained the screen size because phones today are getting so big blah blah and everyone listens.
or they go 'we made the screen bigger and it's revolutionary.'
50/50... also making it 4" creates fragmentation, and making a larger than 4" phone makes it an iPad Mini.
8. AppleConspiracy posted on 21 May 2012, 08:54 1 0
As I said before, it will probably utilize 1152x768 resolution because that way they will keep the original 3:2 aspect ratio of the previous iPhones and also equally increase old resolution (960x640) by factor of 1.2, and of course keep the pixel density on the same value, that is 329 PPI.
9. e.wvu (unregistered) posted on 21 May 2012, 08:55 2 0
The next iPhone is going to look nothing like that.
12. shadowcell posted on 21 May 2012, 09:06 5 0
The render wasn't meant for phone design. -___-
21. e.wvu (unregistered) posted on 21 May 2012, 10:25 0 0
Yes, I know. I was just saying it's not going to looking nothing like that.
35. wsucoug13 posted on 21 May 2012, 15:06 0 0
so it will look like that??
11. Robottoe posted on 21 May 2012, 09:01 0 2
I say 4 inches min. Suits almost everybody regardless of age...
anything above 5 is a tad bit much, better get a tablet straight on
13. Captain_Doug posted on 21 May 2012, 09:15 0 0
Not an iPhone guy but man does that reduced bezel do a lot for the phone. I've never understood the draw to a phone that oversized for a 3.5 screen. Having a "frame" around the screen isn't necessary imo.
22. aarongzmn posted on 21 May 2012, 10:28 0 0
It is for touch screen phones, or else there would be a lot of accidental touches.
19. kabukijoe posted on 21 May 2012, 09:58 1 1
Apple coming out with 4"+ screens for their smartphone?!?! How original and innovative!! So Apple does something with their phone that HTC made popular yet Apple takes HTC (and pretty much every other tech company on Earth) to court because they are "copycats"... Perhaps Apple should be taken to court for the things they rip off and have the sale of their products blocked. Give them crybaby f**ks a taste of their own medicine.
26. phonemonkey posted on 21 May 2012, 11:06 0 1
I don't think they will go bigger than 4"
Most people do not choose android because it has a bigger screen.
They choose apple because they don't have to research for hours how to use their phone.
32. hybris posted on 21 May 2012, 14:08 0 0
You don't have to research for hours to figure out to use an Android. You just need to have some patience, general intelligence, and possibly read the manual. It's funny how people line up so fast to pay hundreds of dollars for a piece of technology, but can't take a few extra minutes out of their day to learn the operating system. Like when I bought my first Mac--- I was so confused on how to get around and do things I've always done on PC. But then, I put on my big boy pants and decided to embrace learning how to use my new piece of equipment. Once I got the hang out it, I was ecstatic. Same thing with my first Android phone. For those with the attitude of "it's too difficult," or "I don't wanna spend a few extra minutes learning the basics," Apple will gladly take your money and hold your hand.
41. phonemonkey posted on 30 May 2012, 11:51 0 0
Just like both of my friends that switched to android because they could never figure out how to sync music.
Neither were technical savvy, but that should not matter
28. snowgator posted on 21 May 2012, 12:51 0 0
If what everyone says about the aspect ratio of the screen is that important (which I have really never heard before. I have something new to research, huh?), than 4.0" really makes sense. Throw in the fact that Apple is the most valued company in America, mostly due to the number of loyal users at 3.5" screens, I think 4.3" may be just too large for their fan base.
I think 4.0" is the right size. I like my 4.3" Focus S, but 4.0" would not scare me away. I didn't even consider the iPhone at 3.5".
29. Altair posted on 21 May 2012, 13:03 1 0
4" screen size for a premium phone at the end of 2012... thats way too small.
