A new smaller-screen iPhone doesn’t seem a likely bet …
Japanese site Feng, seemingly citing DigiTimes as a source, is reporting an unlikely claim that Apple will next year replace the iPhone 5c with a new 4-inch model.
While it’s likely that Apple would want to drop the 5c, it’s hard to see any rationale for a return to a smaller-screened model – and I speak as someone who liked the 3.5-inch screen of my 4S until upgrading to the iPhone 6 this year. The reality is that the iPhone 6 fits into pockets and doesn’t feel like a large phone, something Jony Ive said was a key reason for the rounded edges: making it feel smaller than it is. People like me have gotten over it.
Update: So it appears that a lot of commenters are sticking to their 4-inch guns. Who knows, maybe Apple will adopt a Small/Medium/Large approach to iPhones as well as iPads?
Feng references one-handed use as a reason for the change, but while Apple may have once made a feature of the small screen, the company addressed the issue with reachability. A double-tap (not press) on the home button brings everything within reach of your thumb.
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Yes, if he support Apple Pay.
And if it has sapphire which should yield more than larger screens.
Sapphire screens aren’t going to happen.
I’d welcome this…. It’s true that the 6 fits in a pocket just fine, but it’s NOT true that one-handed operation with a 6 is anywhere near as convenient as it is with a 5S…
So that’s a no-no for me and many others. I use my iPhone 5S with one handmost of the time and love it that way.
Forget going backwards – how about ditching the bezels and putting 5″+ in the iPhone 6 and 6″ in the iPhone 6 Plus?
I agree with this, how awesome would it be if the display used up the entire front with no bezels, that damn bezel takes up half and inch on the top and bottom section of the screen.
That would require them to change their stance on symmetry, which is even harder :)
I hope so too, but I don’t think it’s likely. The only way they’d do that is if there was a way to integrate TouchID into the screen or on the edge or something. Then they’d consider removing everything from the front, except the screen.
Ditching the bezel would mean that you would see a lot of inadvertent touching of the screen with your hand as you hold the phone.
The authors opinion is not everyone’s opinion. To me, the biggest drawback to the iPhone 6 is that it is too large. I find the extra size doesn’t dramatically change how I see things on the phone, but it does make it dramatically more difficult to use with a single hand. I would much prefer a 4″ iPhone 6.
I second that.
I third that!
Fourth
Fifth
The 6 does feel like a big phone, you are not the center of the world.
I still miss the 3.5′ screens…but I’m never going above the 4″ of my 5.
I am considering giving my 6 to my daughter and going with the 5s. I welcome an upgrade to that form factor.
they’d be dumb not to have a 4in model. It’ll sell really well. I had a friend who upgraded just recently to a 5s because the 6 was too big for her hands… just make it:
iPhone Mini – 4in
iPhone – 4.7in
iPhone Plus – 5.5in
I did the same thing, bought the 6, then returned it. I love the larger screen, but it is not for me. Not as my primary phone anyway. I use my 5s as an iPod to take to gym, I could not imagine being comfortable taking the 6 to the gym or out hiking or whatever. I love that we have a 6 and 6+, but some of us also love a smaller form factor. Let’s not forget that the 5s is Apple’s second best selling phone right now. The 4.7″ iPhone 6 is Apple’s best seller, but the 4″ 5s and 5c are #2 and 3, with the plus at #4
That is exactly what I have been thinking recently. Having read an article on why Apple pulled off the 6/6+ to compete with Samsung at any screen size, this seems a very logical step. Why leave a market they have dominated so far (4inch) to now target a whole other market. I personally don’t like the bigger screen of my 6 and know no one who does. My wife is still using her 5 instead of unwrapping the 6 that is sitting on our shelve. Whenever I use her phone I think it is way better in terms of usability.
Would be happy with a 4in phone.
I don’t mind it but the larger screen in the 6 hasn’t changed anything for me honestly.
I have a tablet for larger things, and a laptop for actually doing things.
And can we all be honest and say the iPhone 6 is just not as nice looking device as the 4 or even the 5. Doesn’t feel at all upscale to me.
Very partial to the design of the 4 in particular.
man, the 4 is so classy. I wasn’t really happy with my phone until I got the 4. The design and retina display was such a game changer. Every time I see someone on the train with a naked 4s I’m always impressed at how handsome it still looks. It still looks like a new high end device. The 5s is next. The black 5 looked bad and when I see them now they look like scrap metal. The 6 design is kind of meh. It just looks too large aesthetically. It even looks thick because you can’t see the defined lines of the edges so seeing it at the wrong prospective makes it look terrible.
Don’t have a 6 yet, but love the shape, look and feel of the 4x and 5x series – the 4 just makes me want to bite a chunk out of it, a delightful techno-chocolate bar, while the 5x comes across like a mini version of the mysterious, smooth black monolith in “2001 – A Space Odyssey”. Can the 6 live up to that, shape-and-feel-wise?
I’ll probably find out in a year’s time when I rock the 6S or 6S Plus…
I don’t Know anybody using reachability.
I use it pretty frequently actually… there are many times where instead of stretching my hand to reach the top right corner, I’ll just double tap the home button
Every body knows home buttons are the first part on an iPhone which gets damaged, so adding more pressure on it not a good idea.
Double tapping doesn’t wear out the home buttons like double pressing it would.
With a still functioning 3G, a 3GS, a 4, a 5 and 5S, I have had no Home button issues whatsoever since 2008, so please, @Robert, count me out of “everybody”…
The home button wore out on my 4 and taking many screenshots wore out the wake button on my 5.
I’ll echo the sentiments in favor of a 4″ model. I’ve switched to iPhone 6 and it feels large when typing (I cannot quite reach the numeric/symbols switch in the lower-left). That said, it’s great for reading. I’d have a hard time deciding between a 4″ model and a 4.7″ model all other capabilities being equal (but I’m guessing that would not be the case, with the large model likely having better battery life and/or camera quality).
With their stellar sales numbers for the latest gen iPhones it is impossible to know if a 4″ iPhone FF will be popular. But it was viewed as a sorry missed size this year with the latest internals. I for one agree with that: I would buy a latest gen iPhone in a smaller FF in a heartbeat. Heck, the 3.5″ was the perfect size for me. A view not shared by many though, so I get why Apple changed the size.
Unlike most, I talk on the phone more than interacting with an app, so the smaller size benefits me most. But since people are moving away from communicating over a phone call and prefer to use an app I can understand the growing wish for larger phones.
still loving my 4s and I do use apps. The problem of a small screen was solved with the first iPhone –smooth inertial scrolling. Making the screen larger has only introduced new problems. Functionally I can do anything with a 3.5″ that the 4″ screens or larger can do. I only have to work a little hard to scroll but work less to reach important UI.
The 4″ seems like a reasonable compromise since it’s widescreen so I’d move to that if a new model came out : ]
Agreed, One good thing about the 4″ form factor is seen when using AirPlay in screen mirroring mode – rotate the iPhone 5 / 5S to Landscape mode and the screen completely fills out a 1080p widescreen TV with no thick black side bars on either side, which I find annoying when using my iPad 3 or my 3.5″ iPhone 4 (the latter has no screen mirroring airplay) in the same mode.
Only with the use of a third party app called AirWeb does the iPad or iPhone 4 play videos in full widescreen. The app also enables the iPad screen to display in full widescreen when mirroring is on.
How about addressing the plan pricing? I still don’t have an iPhone—or any cell phone—because they’re too @#$% expensive. :-p
Apple isn’t a service provider, maybe you should be directing your concern to the cellular providers in your area.
Agree with everyone here. I upgraded to the iPhone 6 when it first came out and haven’t seen any advantage to the larger screen, much less one that makes up for it being cumbersome to use. If Apple releases a smaller form factor that’s reasonably close to the flagship on performance and battery life, it’d definitely be my next phone.
How small are your hands? I have a 6+ and I see no issues whatsoever. It’s not like it’s the size of an iPad mini.
I personally LOVE having the extra viewing space.
Although, I do welcome the 4″ screen just so I can upgrade my son’s phone before the new iOS starts to slow it down LOL.
Unlikely or not… I can see them keeping the 4 inch model around on a 2 year upgrade cycle for people who just can’t do bigger phones. I know a lot of folks who love their 5/5s and refuse to move to anything bigger.
Sollte Apple dich erhört haben?
Guten Morgen mein Engel
>
Just keep the 5S. Give it a little performance bump and add NFC. That’s it!
I would be more than happy to pay $100 extra for an iPhone with same specs but 4″ display.
I really hope they will make some sort of iPhone 6S mini (hopefully with a less stupid name that the one I came up with).
Hence the iPhone Mini.
The return of the wall chargers
This seems quite possible. There are still lots of people who would prefer a smaller phone, and that’s a segment of the market Apple continues to fill with continued sales of the 5S. Once the 5S is phased out, why not introduce another 4″ phone, but with Apple Pay included? Seems like a no-brainer actually.
I had predicted Apple would release a small phone a year following the 6, we will see if it’s true.
I can’t even begin to predict the specs accurately tho. I’m thinking… A8 chip, nfc, Touch ID, hopefully in a METAL case
I don’t think they could have made the 6 in 4″ size. I think 1 year from now they could shrink those internals down to the smaller size. Wouldn’t it have the new A9 though? Don’t the new chips get more power efficient?
It would be awesome if it had same chips in it as its bigger siblings. It could be true, since we don’t know what the smaller phone would be priced at. I’d pay 199 on contract for this if it was specced close enough to the larger ones
@rettun, I’d pay that for 32gb size. I’d even pay $249 for 32gb if it was close enough in specs and the body wasn’t old.
To me, an iphone 6 design on the dimensios of the 5, with the same specs as the larger model, would be perfect.
And let’s all pray that 2015 is the year that apple makes 32 gb standard
So…
3 iPhone sizes
3 iPad sizes
I think we can see where this is going….
WELCOME TO THE RETURN OF THE 17 IN MACBOOK PRO
Would greatly welcome a 17″ Retina Display MacBook Pro any day!
1. There are only 2 iPad sizes. That rumored “iPad Pro” isn’t going to be released.
2. The 17″ MBP isn’t coming back. Get over it.
It makes me happy reading the comments here. People want a smaller iPhone. Even Gruber wants a smaller iPhone. All the big phone people were so loud before because a big phone didn’t exist. Now that multiple sizes are established I want a new normal sized phone.
The 6 is too large for a lot of people. While Everyone loves it for its features, the screen size is not better for everyone. A new 4″ model with the same intervals as the iPhone 6 would be very welcome.
I’d like to see them push it a little further but that’s probably unreasonable. I’d really like to see a 4″ screen in the height of the 4s body. The only crazy idea I have is that maybe removing the headphone jack could free up enough internal space to do that. Something to really differentiate this model from the rest of the line. With the announcement of Bluetooth 4.2 and the fact the apple watch won’t have a headphone jack I think it’s really likely Apple will make their own branded wireless earbuds.
While I think this would be a really interesting device, I’d also be happy with a 5s with apple pay.
iPhone 6 –
This actually makes some sense. Why make a smaller phone that competes with the existing phone? Next year the 5s will be two years old and those like me will be out of warranty and will need a new phone. If you didn’t buy a 6 this year, it’s because you are waiting for the next s or you are waiting to see what Apple replaces your 5s with. Next year would be golden to re-release the smaller phone.
Trouble is, mines old enough now, but I don’t want a monster 6, nor do I want a 5 which will be out of date quickly
I would love to see iPhone Mini next year as well.
It’s not unlikely at all, and I doubt it’s to replace the 5c, or only the 5c. The 5s is right now appropriately sized and prices for the market, and next year they will need something else to fill the 4″ $99 slot. There will still absolutely be a market for it.
Demand for certain sizes doesn’t change just because Apple says so.
The 4″ size is still very popular. Certain people still want that size, but better and faster.
I have always believed in the future of an iPhone Nano. While I didn’t see it in the 4-inch format, I have always believed there is an audience for a smaller form factor, easy-to-use, cell phone. Frankly, I don’t see the need for four sizes of full-service smart phones. But a slim, small screen, somewhat-smart cell phone that can perform many of the landmark features of a full-size iPhone would sell, IMHO.
How large are the pockets in your shirt if the 6 fits in it? Even the 5s sticks out some. I hope for a new one the same size as the 5s.
I would buy it if it will have the new Sharp 4K Display!
One minor collection. Feng is not written in Japanese. It is written in Chinese
This article deeply misunderstands the situation. *Many* people have returned their iPhone 6’s in favor of an iPhone 5S. I’m one of them, and by the comments I’ve seen on various posts (such as this one: http://www.mcelhearn.com/why-i-returned-my-iphone-6/), there are many, many others who will not use an iPhone 6 because of its too-large screen. Keeping a 4-inch screen in their lineup is not only a good idea for Apple, it’s darn near a necessity. And no, Reachability does not fix the problem.
“Many” people is a subjective term. I have doubts about it being “Many”, but, some people, perhaps. As I already commented below, I would have preferred 4.3″, but, I do like my 4.7″ iPhone 6, I just think I would have liked 4.3″ even better as I could have one-handed it. I don’t get why anyone would want a PHONE larger than 5″ screen, it’s not a phone anymore, and the 4.7″ iPhone 6 is a bit big in my pocket, and that’s without a case.
I would like to see Apple make a 4.3″ iPhone, it would be just a bit bigger, easier to read small type, bigger maps, etc, but, not too big for a phone you can one-hand and fit in your pocket. I wouldn’t care if it was thicker than 4.7″ iPhone 6 either, as long as it has long battery life, this is preferred over absolute thinness. If only Apple would have asked us what we wanted instead of listening to the too-loud voices of the few people that wanted “phablets”.
Personally I think they should have gone 4.3′ & 4.9″ not 4.7″ & 5.5″ with iPhone 6/6+. …I don’t see any reason for apple not to offer another smaller phone for those of us that prefer to one-hand a phone (reachability is lame), I would have preferred a 4.3″ iPhone, but, it didn’t happen.
OK, so, probably not a whole new iPhone, but, if they follow old patterns, they will drop the 5c next year…and a possibility (emphasis on possibility) could be they will put the 5s in the 5c case, make it the entry level iPhone, but, with the new lineup, they could keep the iPhone 6 as middle model, drop 6+, introduce 6s & 6s+.
Maybe next time (2016) they could offer another 4″ or 4.3″ model, but, I don’t see a whole new 4″ iPhone, not mid-cycle (Apple always produces a form factor for 2 years minimum, typically 3 years).
I do think a 4 inch phone is a good idea, if for no other reason that no one else is making a decent phone in that size and I think there is some demand for it.
now for something actually “unlikely”.
I’d love to see a new design like a mix of 4 and 6. Curved glass (or sapphire) on front and back with flat metal sides.
functionally and aesthetically I think the height of the iPhone 4 is ideal but I see the draw of a 4″ screen. Would be so cool to fit the 4″ in the 3.5″ body. Throw in that fancy auto rotate drop protection so people don’t complain the glass cracking.
That’s basically my dream iPhone. All the class of the 4 with more comfortable edges. If I ever have time I’d mock this up in 3d.
I got a 6 because my two-year contract was up and I felt like not getting an upgrade was like just giving money away to AT&T, but I do miss my 5 sorely. More than “one-handedness”—which I do miss—I just keep finding that there are a lot of nooks—in my house, in my car, in my clothes, in my gym bag, in my travel bag—where the older phones fit just fine and the new one does not. I don’t care so much for thinness (or volume) as much as I do for surface area. Although I’d prefer a phone the size of the pre-5 models, I doubt they would do that to try and keep the number of screen ratios at a minimum.
most nooks and pockets where not optimized for poptarts.
The only thing I care about the iPhone 6/Plus is NFC. If not for NFC, I would have no reason to upgrade from my beautiful iPhone 5. It does everything I need and text is totally legible. The 6 Plus comes in handy if someone doesn’t want to spend money on an iPad. I do lots of reading and could never do that on any iPhone for any extended time.
I think this is accurate. I believe Apple will keep making an iPhone with the iPhone 5 screen size. Makes sense imo. If they release an iPad Plus, Apple could have a Mini, “regular”, and Plus version of both iPhone and iPad. I like the size of 6 and 6 Plus, but they aren’t for everyone.
I for one, hope this is true and not just 8gig with limited abilities. oh and the iPhone 6 doesn’t comfortably fit in my pockets, i’ve tried it. But I am afraid you are right, they won’t do it, even if people like me, want it.
Oh and I find that the 6 does not remain in my hand long, it just slips out. Also the positioning of the on/off switch ensures that i switch it off most times I use the volume controls.
It’s a matter of taste. Don’t label it as unlikely based only on your taste and a handful of reviews.
I’d go for this option, even the 5s feels to tall for my thumbs
i loved my 4s. i don’t like the 6.