Two New iPhone Models to Have Screens Bigger Than 4.5″ and 5″
Apple is planning to launch two new iPhone models this year, both with substantially larger screen sizes than what is currently offered by the company. The news comes from the consistently reliable and well sourced Wall Street Journal.
One of the new iPhone models is said to have “a screen larger than 4.5 inches measured diagonally”, while a secondary iPhone will offer an even larger “display bigger than 5 inches”, according to the WSJ report. The precise screen sizes of the new devices is unknown, though the Wall Street Journal does note a prior Bloomberg article which suggested displays at 4.7″ and 5.5″ were in the works by Apple. Currently, the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have a 4″ display, while the iPhone 4S and prior models had a 3.5″ screen. Whether or not the new phones will be labeled as iPhone 6 or some variation thereof remains unknown.
Both new iPhones will also feature metal casing and enclosures, skipping the plastic enclosure that shipped with the iPhone 5C model, according to the Wall Street Journal. Their report seems to suggest that by ditching the plastic casing, Apple is also scrapping the colorful 5C from it’s lineup. Despite that, there is no indication that Apple will stop offering the iPhones in various colors.
No release date is provided, but the new iPhones are expected to ship in the “second half” of the year. Interestingly, the smaller screened device is apparently further along in development and already being prepared for larger scale production, while the bigger displayed version is apparently still in the early stages of development. That could indicate separate launch dates for both new phones, though it’s really too early to speculate about launch schedules. Apple has had a history of releasing iPhones in the summer. The original iPhone was launched in a June, and last year, the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C launched on September 10.
But there already is bigger-than-5″ iPhone… it’s called iPad mini.
I don’t think we’ll see bigger iPhone this year. 5S is big enough for me, and I can’t imagine it being any bigger without compromising comfort of usage.
Finally! I have been holding onto my iPhone 4S and IOS 6.1.3 because I also have “adult” eyes and I could not see the keypad on my 4S with IOS 7(yup I figured out how to get back to 6 before Apple locked it down). I had considered a droid phone, but now I will be anxiously awaiting the new larger iPhone. It will be a long wait but I do love the Apple products. They always work, their Apps are great and secure. I personally prefer the look of IOS 6.1.3 so maybe one day Apple will give us that option, too.
colorful 5C from it’s lineup. should be “its”.
I remember Apple saying that the iPhone 5 has the perfect size for a phone cos “your thumb goes from here to here” stuff. I wonder if suddenly their thumb got longer or something if they are building a new larger iPhone..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O99m7lebirE
wonderful…
Similar to Samsung.
I will reserve judgement until I see it in my hand.
Good for phablet fans but not for me. I had an S3 for a while and one of the reasons why I always ended up taking my iphone with me was because the S3, for a phone, is waaay too big for my pockets/belt pouch.
Whatever, as long as they continue to offer a compact 4″ phone too else I will be keeping my 5s till it no longer works. The 5s is actually a little big IMHO but I put up with it as I like the phone. And the ipad mini fits perfectly in my bag for anything that needs a big screen.
I have said this many times before on posts, the perfect size phone for me is actaully a Nokia 8310 (still have and use it) but it would only allow a 2.5″ screen or so. Maybe one day somone will come up with a way of seamlessly magnifying an entire screen so you can show a high density layout on a small screen, or an effective way of offloading some of the smart functionaility to say glasses (ordinary looking glasses, not geek-like glasses), or a smart watch/worn device, or an eye implant.
Yes, I’d like my portable phone to be usable with one hand, to fit in my front pocket and still be able to sit down. I guess the temptation to increase the “shiny” factor and reduce the cost of design and implementation by making larger devices is too high.
And what do we get at the end? Still smaller wearable tech like smart watches, wrist bands, and Google glasses.
No thanks!
FINALLY! Can I say finally? I’m going to say finally, and here’s why: I like the iPad 10″ for my couch while watching TV, but it’s not portable. The iPad Mini isn’t big enough to be couch-worthy, but it’s too bulky to bring around with you. Meanwhile, the iPhone screen, even the ‘bigger’ yet still tiny 4″ model is way too small for reading or trying to email on – perhaps because I have adult eyes and they are easily strained, I don’t know – but what I DO know is that my friends with Android phones at 5″ have absolutely spectacular screens that are much easier to read on, and frankly, look fantastic. No the bigger phones are not particularly bulky or intrusive, try one out yourself if you doubt this, though you may ponder switching to Android because they are so nice. For me, I like iOS, it’s what my work uses, and it’s what I know, but if Apple were to not go larger it would be a switch I would consider.
I really think the 5″ iPhone will hit the sweet spot for many of us and be a big seller. Can’t wait! I’m in!
Maybe you should increase the font size and use bold print for your 4″ iPhone.
https://osxdaily.com/2013/10/04/simple-usability-improvements-ios-7/
Yes, she ‘could’ do that. But she’s not disabled. She’s an ADULT. You see, adult eyes are different than twenty year old eyes. You’ll eventually discover that fact, if you’re lucky. The point is that Apple was still pretending it was beholden to Steve Jobs’ edict that a wider screen is taboo. Well, a BILLION people proved that he was totally and completely wrong about that. I’ve not upgraded my 4S because I’m holding out for a larger screen for apps that work better on a wider screen.
Thanks