The Wide, Wide World of Apple

[Monoriu]

I really don't understand why it is so difficult for Apple to make phones with bigger screens.  Others have big screens for years now.

[CountDeMoney]

I like the screen size for the 4s, one of the reasons why I didn't go for a 5.  Things are too damned big these days.
I need a bigger screen, I use the iPad.

[MadBurgerMaker]

iPhones are hilariously puny when it comes to screen size.  Just an increase to "normal" size, just another .5-.7 inch or so, would help them out a lot.  Just have that as another, more expensive, option.  People who want a smaller phone can get one.  People who want more screen real estate can have that.  Hooray!

[Barrister]

iPhones are hilariously puny when it comes to screen size.  Just an increase to "normal" size, just another .5-.7 inch or so, would help them out a lot.  Just have that as another, more expensive, option.  People who want a smaller phone can get one.  People who want more screen real estate can have that.  Hooray!

Apple has been very strict about wanting to avoid fragmentation - that app writers do not need to re-write their apps for each new version.

When they went to a "retina" screen they doubled the pixel density.  Old apps could still run, they just doubled each pixel.

When they expanded to a new longer screen old apps could still run - they just had a black bar at the top and bottom.

So the problem is there is no easy way to make a marginal screen increase backwards compatible.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Hm.  Sounds like Apple bullshit to me.  Like when that Apple marketing guy tried to say wireless charging is more complicated than using a standard charger.  It isn't.  Ever.  What kind of fucking moron finds it more complicated to set a phone on something vs. plugging it in?  Neither is a particularly complex task, but one involves setting it down and walking away.

[Barrister]

Hm.  Sounds like Apple bullshit to me.  Like when that Apple marketing guy tried to say wireless charging is more complicated than using a standard charger.  What kind of fucking moron finds it more complicated to set a phone on something vs. plugging it in?  Neither is a particularly complex task, but one involves setting it down and walking away.

Nah - Apple bullshit was when they tried to tell people 'we designed this so you can reach the entire width of the screen using your thumb' as a reason why they wouldn't build a bigger phone.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Nah - Apple bullshit was when they tried to tell people 'we designed this so you can reach the entire width of the screen using your thumb' as a reason why they wouldn't build a bigger phone.

Those were the best commercials ever. 

[DGuller]

I actually like the screen size the way it is on 5s, which is noticeably smaller than the screen size on Droid Bionic.  There is a balance to be struck there, it's not a race towards the biggest size.

[Monoriu]

Some people like bigger screens and some people don't.  Samsung offers all sorts of screen sizes for consumers to choose.  Apple doesn't, and I think that's not very sensible. 

[DGuller]

Some people like bigger screens and some people don't.  Samsung offers all sorts of screen sizes for consumers to choose.  Apple doesn't, and I think that's not very sensible.

There are advantages and disadvantages to uniformity.  Given Apple's business model, uniformity makes sense.  Choice is not the unambiguous good that it's made out to be.

[garbon]

Is that why they have many different versions of mp3/touchpad devices?

[Barrister]

Is that why they have many different versions of mp3/touchpad devices?

iPod:

iPod shuffle
iPod nano
iPod touch
iPod classic

iPhone:

iPhone 5s
iPhone 5c
iPhone 4s

iPad:

iPad air
iPad mini

Nine items.  Now try comparing Samsung's product line.

[MadBurgerMaker]

So why is it that they can't make a large size iPhone again?

E: Again, that's large, not gigantic.  I'm not talking about Note/G Pro size.  I mean 4.5 - 4.7."  Somewhere in there.

[Tamas]

One of the specific reasons for me to buy the 5S was that I did not want a bigger screen.

[garbon]

Is that why they have many different versions of mp3/touchpad devices?

iPod:

iPod shuffle
iPod nano
iPod touch
iPod classic

iPhone:

iPhone 5s
iPhone 5c
iPhone 4s

iPad:

iPad air
iPad mini

Nine items.  Now try comparing Samsung's product line.

Ah, you're right. Against strategy to make products in the same line with different size screens.