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Tim Cook Dismisses Larger iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 Screen Sizes

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Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed rumors of an iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 with a larger screen during the Apple Q1 2013 earnings call, telling investors Apple picked the right screen size when upgrading to a 4-inch Retina Display.

In typical Apple fashion Cook carefully dodged directly talking about rumors and upcoming products when answering a question about the growing screen sizes on Android smartphones from Goldman Sachs Analyst Bill Shope.

Shope packed a number of questions into his time talking to Cook, but the biggest question was, “Do you think there is a long-term case for a larger screen size or at least the larger variety of screen sizes for iPhones and for the smartphone category in general?”

Tim Cook responded, affirming Apple’s 4-inch screen size choice.

The iPhone 5 offers as you know a new 4-inch Retina display, which is the most advanced display in the industry and no one comes close to matching the level of quality as the Retina display. It also provides a larger screen size for iPhone customers without sacrificing the one headed ease-of-use that our customers love. So, we put a lot of thinking into screen size and believe we’ve picked the right one.

Cook’s answer highlights Apple’s continual claim that screens larger than 4-inches make one-handed use difficult and is likely also aimed at appeasing developers who would need to accommodate yet another screen size if Apple made a larger iPhone 5S or iPhone 6.

Even though Tim Cook believes Apple, “picked the right one”, when going with a 4-inch display on the iPhone 5, that doesn’t mean the company will never increase the iPhone screen size, but Apple has shown it is willing to stick with a screen size for longer than the competition.

Larger Android smartphone screens of 4 to 4.3-inches undoubtedly played a part in Apple’s decision to shift to a larger 4-inch Retina Display for the iPhone 5.The competition in 2013 is rumored to bring larger smartphone screens across the board. We’ve found that larger screens don’t always mean sacrificing one-handed use.

iPhone 5 Galaxy Note 2 Nexus 4 Screen size

Can competition push Apple to a larger screen iPhone 5S or iPhone 6?

The following smartphones will go up against the iPhone 5 and either the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 later this year, all with larger screens.

The question, and Cook’s answer didn’t address the growing screen resolution and pixel density trends. We expect flagship smartphones from Samsung and HTC will use 1080P HD displays with up to 440 pixels-per-inch, delivering sharper, better looking displays.

If Apple remains tied to the 4-inch screen size for the long-term we may see the company compete on resolution, though this would likely need additional action from developers.

iPhone 5S Rumors

The next iPhone may carry the iPhone 5S name, and rumors are already swirling about what users might expect from Apple later this year.

The iPhone 5S release is rumored for this summer on multiple occasions. If true, this would likely take place at Apple’s WWDC 2013 event in June, along with iOS 7.

iPhone 5S rumors

iPhone 5S rumors point to color options and a similar design.

The iPhone 5S is rumored to arrive with color options, and while we’ve heard rumors of a larger screen, it’s more likely that those rumors are based on prototypes for the iPhone 6 or beyond.

On a security front, iPhone 5S rumors say the new iPhone will feature a fingerprint reader capable of securing the smartphone.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo with KGI Securities, an analyst with a good track record on Apple moves, believes Apple will announce the iPhone 5S in June with a new Apple A7 processor and a better rear camera.

14 Comments

14 Comments

  1. George

    01/24/2013 at 9:29 am

    apple are finally being punished by their refusal to give consumers what they want.

    to claim that the ip5 screen is the best available is a nonsense. even compared to the 720p screens its inferior. when all the android phones have 1080p screens in 6 months time and apple bring out ip5s with this sad excuse for a screen it will look all the more ridiculous.

    then again, there are a lot of sheep willing to pay them double for an inferior product – so they havent done everything wrong i suppose.

    • DoYourResearch

      01/25/2013 at 4:27 am

      iP5 screen is the best screen on a mobile phone compared to any other available in the market today. Go and watch some of the reviews on youtube comparing phone displays on color, saturation and true representation. The latest one was a review I saw on Uoobe (on Youtube) where Lumia 920 has been compared to S3 and iPhone 5 under all conditions and iP5 destroys them all. So rather than spewing your hate and be a sheep, go and do your own research.

    • steve jobs

      01/25/2013 at 12:00 pm

      wtf punished? they sold 10millions iPhone’s more than last Quarter.

      • benny

        01/25/2013 at 12:29 pm

        Yes apple has been punished! There stocks went from 700 down to as low as 445 in less than a year.

  2. DJ

    01/24/2013 at 4:10 pm

    440ppi is nonsense. Your eye can’t tell the difference beyond 300.

  3. Trapple James

    01/24/2013 at 6:35 pm

    Who said 440 ppi is nonsense? Unless you’re color blind!

    • steve jobs

      01/25/2013 at 12:02 pm

      440ppi is saying your mom has 6 holes. Ony three are really useful. Kapish?

  4. arjun limbu

    01/24/2013 at 8:44 pm

    i guess, when you zoom pic or using multimedia, PPI things matter most.

  5. James

    01/25/2013 at 3:23 am

    When you are on the move, size does matters more than resolution. Do you use your mobile only when you are not mobile?

  6. JL

    01/25/2013 at 1:28 pm

    I am not a developer, so I can’t tell how hard it is program sw for a larger screen size, but I wish Apple would offer a larger version of iphone. Couldn’t they just make it larger diagonally?

    Stocks would shoot up if such news hits. The stock market is concerned about future growth. It’s not a huge innovation but clearly something that would capture the demand out there, in this case, for a larger screen. Apple didn’t invent things but they selected old products and made them to something that we as consumers really want.

    I love the iphone and its screen and, yes, it works well using one hand. But, I also wish I could type without always having to flip it on side.

    As with a cheaper iphone version, I wouldn’t go there. Apple is not about cheaper version of anything.

  7. james braselton

    02/18/2013 at 2:40 pm

    hi there when will there be a 3d iphone 3d popular netflix has 3d netflix streaming movies

  8. Chris

    03/08/2013 at 5:29 am

    Apple should check up on how many customers really use their phone one handed,to do anything other than dial or scroll. I know I don’t. Ignoring a larger screen is a mistake that will leave them behind. Sadly I will be looking to the s4 not the 5s.

  9. Jhon

    04/08/2013 at 11:42 pm

    iPhone made for all Human Beings but other extra large screen size cellphone’s cover up minority people at start, then company waiting for demands, if demands come then they start production again. Think from the technical mind. Amoled screen is not perfect 1080p because the Metrics Algorithm of AMOLED is not stronger than IPS LCD screen. and APPLE never think want people want. Apple do what APPLE want. Concepts come from APPLE not from consumers.

  10. Bijan

    06/11/2013 at 10:47 am

    I picked iphone 5 over other android devices because I found them too big. Blackberry Z10 size of 4.2″ is not bad too.
    I hope Apple do not increase the size of the screen, people who wants big size phones have lot of options.

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