Connect with us

Apple

iPhone 6 Screen Sizes Visualized (Video)

Published

on

The iPhone 6 is a mystery in many areas, but one thing that rumors agree on is that Apple is planning an iPhone 6 with a larger screen. In fact, the most recent rumors suggest Apple is working on two iPhone 6 models with larger screen sizes.

The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5 offer a 4-inch screen to users, which Apple boosted by half an inch in 2012. While Apple stuck with 4-inches for the last two iPhones competitors like Motorola, HTC, LG and Samsung pushed screen sizes ranging from 4.5-inch screens to 5.9-inch screens.

We still don’t know what the iPhone 6 design looks like, so this iPhone 6 screen size comparison won’t show what the iPhone 6 size will be with a larger screen, but it is a good way to see what iOS 7 looks like on a larger screen.

Showing what iOS looks like on rumored iPhone 6 screen sizes.

Showing what iOS looks like on rumored iPhone 6 screen sizes.

While Gotta Be Mobile cannot install iOS 7 on these devices, this demonstration shows what an iPhone 6 with a 4.5-inch display, 4.7-inch display, 5-inch display or 5.7-inch display might look like.

We visualize the iPhone 6 screen sizes based on rumors from reputable sources these represent plausible screen sizes for a new iPhone. Many analysts and reports agree that Apple is working on two iPhone 6 screen sizes so in the video below we highlight the smaller iPhone 6 screen size and the larger iPhone 6 screen size options that might come later in 2014. Apple’s expanded push into China adds to the reasons to explore a larger iPhone 6 as Asian markets skew towards phones with large screens.

iPhone 6 Screen Options Video

The nine minute video below shows iOS on several devices with screens that are half-an-inch to nearly two inches larger than the iPhone 5s. This video shows what the iOS 7 home screen looks like on  screens of various sizes.

In the video we see the following devices and screen sizes with the iOS home screen shown and an illustration of how easy or hard it is to use the device one-handed.

  • Motorola G – 4.5-inch screen
  • Motorola X – 4.7-inch screen
  • HTC One –  4.7-inch screen
  • Galaxy S4 – 5-inch screen
  • Nexus 5 – 5-inch screen
  • Galaxy Note 3 – 5.7-inch screen
What iOS looks like on the many rumored iPhone 6 screen sizes.

What iOS looks like on the many rumored iPhone 6 screen sizes.

These iPhone 6 rumors come from The Wall Street JournalNPD DisplaySearch and Ming-Chi Kuo. There are many other rumors and analysts, but these sources are the most believable. The WSJ is not batting 100 on Apple rumors, but it is selective about what it shares. NPD DisplaySearch predicted the iPad 3’s Retina display months in advance and Ming-Chi Kuo delivered iPhone 5s predictions with better accuracy than most other analysts.

An iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch display may not be much larger than an iPhone 5s.

An iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch display may not be much larger than an iPhone 5s.

Here’s what each of these sources is saying about possible iPhone 6 screen sizes. These iPhone 6 screen size predictions are moving targets as NPD DisplaySearch and The Wall Street Journal  adjusted display size predictions in the past month as more data and sources came forward.

  • 4.5-inch iPhone 6 display – WSJ
  • 4.7-inch iPhone 6 display – NPD
  • 4.5-inch to 5-inch iPhone 6 display – Kuo
  • 5+ inch iPhone 6 display – WSJ
  • 5.5-inch iPhone 6 display – NPD

The resolution of the iPhone 6 display is also up in the air with a 1280 x 720 resolution rumored for the smaller iPhone 6 and a 1920 x 1080 resolution for the larger iPhone 6. These resolutions would make sense and offer a high pixel per inch count that translates into a better looking screen, but it is worth noting that Apple is very specific about resolutions on mobile devices and may go with something that is different to help with app and iOS scaling.

We could soon see a new iOS 8 on a variety of screen sizes.

We could soon see a new iOS 8 on a variety of screen sizes.

We could see the first example of a new look for a larger iPhone 6 display at WWDC 2014 which we expect to take place in June. Apple normally announces a new version of iOS at this event and after using iOS 7 to deliver a brand new look the company may build in support for new screen sizes and add other features to enhance the user experience instead of continuing to tweak the visual style.

As the image below shows, running iOS 7 on a 5.7-inch display is a challenge for one-handed operation even with the new swipe anywhere control style Apple implemented in iOS 7. If Apple is planning an iPhone 6 with a larger screen iOS 8 may include features designed specifically to ease the transition.

An iPhone 6 with a 5.5-inch or 5.7-inch display would push Apple to figure out a better way to deliver one-handed use in iOS 8.

An iPhone 6 with a 5.5-inch or 5.7-inch display would push Apple to figure out a better way to deliver one-handed use in iOS 8.

It would be surprising to see Apple go to the extremes Samsung does on the Galaxy note 3, which can shrink the entire on-screen area that the phone uses to a smaller size. Instead we could see Apple position the larger iPhone 6 as a device that needs two hands most of the time, but through voice control, intelligent gestures and a shifting keyboard is usable with one hand while on the go. This of course would require Siri and dictation that work more often than the current version.

One feature that would be a surprise is the ability to run two apps on-screen at once. This is a user favorite feature on the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy S4, but Apple still keeps the focus on one app for the iPad mini and iPad Air, so a larger iPhone 6 screen alone would not likely bring this feature.  

A larger screen iPhone 6 is one of the most repeated rumors of 2013 and 2014.

A larger screen iPhone 6 is one of the most repeated rumors of 2013 and 2014.

In addition to screen size, the rest of the iPhone 6 rumors suggest a metal body, but no real details on the design Apple might use. Touch ID will likely re-appear according to an analyst report. Another rumor suggests Apple is working on the Apple A8 processor, lining up suppliers who can deliver the new processor which reportedly is also a 64-bit processor. Little is known about the specifics of the likely iPhone 6 processor, but like the Apple A7 processor it will likely enable many of the new features Apple adds to the iPhone 6.

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. Adan Alaniz (@xFenixA2x)

    01/29/2014 at 7:55 pm

    Good stuff. I’m hoping they don’t just make the icons bigger myself. Instead keep them the same size but space them out more. To show more wallpaper. Speaking if wallpaper could you please tell me which one you have here it is beautiful. Would like it for my white moto x.

  2. Geoff

    01/29/2014 at 8:42 pm

    I will be VERY VERY disappointed again if Apple does not come out with a 5.7″ to a 6.2 inch screen size. I have been disappointed too long and will go to a Samsung Note 2/3 or HTX MAX or Nokia 6″ phone.

    No wonder Apple stock is falling….they are loosing market share to the middle age population who is NOT happy with the zoom feature to read the screen.

    PS: Front facing speakers with more base is a great idea ! and hopefully the larger phone will have a longer lasting battery too :-)

  3. Jo

    01/29/2014 at 11:46 pm

    bigger screens are what tablets are for so if they decide to go big like every other idiot then I’m just getting an old flip phone.

    • Geoff

      01/30/2014 at 6:02 am

      Trust me, I tried 7 inch tablets and they are too large to carry on my waist. But the 6″ Samsung Note and HTC MAX and Nokia 6″ are just fine. Seems like the 6 to 7 inch delta makes a big difference. (Especially when combined with the thinner border that phones seem to have.

      I do not care if Apple calls a 6 inch iPhone6 a phone, phablet or tablet….
      I just want a 5.7 – 6 inch phone which I can carry on my waist.

      I have friends who have larger phones and LOVE them.

      Easy to see for middle age people and I HATE the zoom function….Zoom is too inconvenient.

  4. Anna

    01/30/2014 at 9:23 am

    I kinda really like the smaller scree size as I’m a female with rather small hands. If they made different sizes such as one 4.7 which would be for me and one over 5 inch for those who want it, that’ll be more convenient

  5. Anthony Nguyen

    03/08/2014 at 2:00 pm

    Plz someone give me a link to the wallpaper shown in the pics of the phones?

  6. expertmagcian

    03/08/2014 at 4:59 pm

    I really want a 6 inch screen. But, will settle for a 5.7 inch screen if necessary.
    However, if the new iPhone is only 5.5 inches. I will but a Samsung Note 2/3 or HTC MAX or Nokia Windows phone.

    I hope Apple does not come up short again…otherwise, I may have to buy a Droid and short Apple stock too !

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.