Opinion: size does matter, Apple

by Stephen Graves | Thursday 6 October 2011

Is a 3.5in screen big enough in an age of plus-size smartphones? Not likely

It's a bit small, isn't it? As the dust settles on the iPhone 4S launch, that's our overarching complaint. Despite bringing its flagship iDevice in line with the top brass of the smartphone army with an 8MP cam, dual-core processor and a smattering of potentially killer features (we're looking at you, iMessage, iCloud and Siri), Apple's missed the memo on screen sizes.

The company's stuck with the iPhone 4's stark (and beautiful) form factor for the 4S, but that 3.5in screen just doesn't measure up to its next-gen rivals – even if its Retina Display still leads the pack at 326ppi resolution.

Samsung's Nexus Prime is rumoured to get a 4.6in, 320ppi Super AMOLED display, while its forthcoming Galaxy Note has a whopping 5.3in screen. HTC's Sensation has a 4.3in stretch of glass on it, while LG's forthcoming Optimus LTE is expected to put up 4.5in of front. In that company, the iPhone 4S is starting to look awkwardly dwarfish, chinless. Weak, even.

It's got girth, we'll give the iPhone 4S that. But when did we start wanting fat phones? Next to the Weight Watcher of the week, Samsung's 8.49mm thin Galaxy S II, the iPhone 4S must be stroking its 9.3mm gut and wondering whether it should cut down on the biscuits. It's no dealbreaker – the extra heft gives the iPhone a satisfying solidity – but that pot belly's certainly no turn on.

Figure and face aside, the iPhone 4S features everything we could've wanted: an 8MP camera, 1080p video recording and a massive speed boost courtesy of that dual-core A5 processor mean the iPhone 4S is a powerhouse to be reckoned with. Siri has the potential to be life-changing. And let's not forget those millions of apps, still the best reason to stand by your iPhone. Even if she has let herself go a bit.

See more about: apple | iphone | phones

Readers of this article also read...

New Apple Mac Pro is insanely powerful and looks insane too

amcmo 6 October 2011	Another rubbish piece. I don't have an issue with the screen size. If they could have made it a little larger within the same case size, fine, however I'm beginning to feel phones are getting too large. A 5"screen phone - forget it! Side by side on a table, the S2 looks just a little on the large side and a little 'weaker'. That's all personal opinion on both our parts. Strange, you complain about the thickness, but not about the length and width, and even then the thickness one's misleading. The S2 is thicker top and bottom (9.9mm vs 9.3mm), so where's the pork? Since you have to get the top and bottom in your pocket, not just the middle, the S2 is the porker to use your logic. When I was in engineering, you gave dimensions that reflected the MAXIMUMS, not the slimmest point. Selective dimension reporting one thinks... Dwarf, Chinless, weak? The iPhone seems a little more rugged, compact, strong. Either would be great phones I'm sure. Your opinion piece is yet another poorly considered/researched piece of useless 'fill a hole in the page with any rubbish', we've come to expect. Comment made about the PC & Tech Authority article: Opinion: size does matter, Apple? Is a 3.5in screen big enough in an age of plus-size smartphones? Not likely What do you think? Join the discussion. Edited by amcmo: 6/10/2011 12:00:42 PM
j876 6 October 2011	When phones start getting too big and can't fit in your pocket they are not good phones. It also doesn't help if they are heavy. The current screen sizes are fine. Any bigger and they will be tablets.
ory_zm 6 October 2011	If I may chime in, I would not get any phone under 4" this day and age (probably no more than 4.5" either). I was very worried about phones getting bigger, but I think some newer models (SGS II I'm looking at you) really use the space well - the phone is absolutely the smallest it can be with that screen size. It also does not feel large at all, and is certainly much lighter than an iP4 (which feels better is a matter of opinion of course - I like the lightness but I also like the sturdy feeling of the iP4). With an iPhone 4 (and now 4S) you don't get the feeling that the size has been maximised screen wise. Of course a lot of people would now say: I'm fine with it as it is. But if Apple came out with a 4" screen on the 4S, all the Apple people would marvel at how awesome it is no doubt.
photohounds 6 October 2011	Some people of course want larger phones. That's fine, as long as BIG isn't the only choice of flaghip phone :) An aside: I like having a spare battery in case I know I'll be away from convenient charging for a while - like on a photo shoot in the bush. Galaxy procedure? . Buy a battery wherever and whenever you like . Remove phone back . Swap batteries . clip on phone back . Restart phone Cost: about $20 - less for OEM. Downtime: a minute or two Phone Data kept? YES Iphone procedure? (similar for ipOd, ipAd) Cost? $80 Downtime? Days to a week Phone Data kept? NO --> . Restore data, reinstall apps and recustomise http://www.apple.com/batteries/replacements.html We will all have our perceptions regarding the value/convenience equation of this.
photohounds 6 October 2011	That 'Sammy lump' isn't as thick the whole width (it is rounded a bit at the corners). After using the original Galaxy for a bit (it has 'the lump' too), I realised that it makes the bloody thing VERY EASY to shove into and pull OUT of your pocket. Also try this: Grab both in the shop with a slightly loose grip, the Sammy by the bulge the iphone wherever you like, guess which feels like you won't drop it? It also supposedly houses the antenna, out of hand's and brain's way. Good design? Probably. The effect I see is that it handles well. Edited by photohounds: 6/10/2011 05:08:16 PM
ory_zm 6 October 2011	I actually think that the lightness of the SGS II caused me to drop it a couple of times, if that makes sense.
photohounds 6 October 2011	I'm probably a bit clumsier than average ... so it sort of does make sense, o-z. I always have those silicone snap-on cases if I can find them - millions on eBay. Every colour/pattern imaginable for Galaxies - makes phones bounce, yep I've tested it once or twice - no ill effects :) I think the galaxies are very light indeed for their size too (I know all that plastic) - quite deceptive until you get used to them. Metal isn't really needed in a phone case unless you want to use it as a hammer. Is there an app for that? Edited by photohounds: 6/10/2011 10:29:22 PM
petergaskin 6 October 2011	If you want a big and heavy phonee, then go back to the early days of analogue mobile phones. Then along came digital phones and they got progressively smaller. now with smartphones, they get progressively bigger! maybe calling a 7" tablet a big phoen has more truth to it than we can imagine!
amcmo 7 October 2011	Petergaskin, I was thinking just that late last night. The first mobile I had was the size of a brick almost. As you say, we got smaller and smaller, and now we're getting bigger. It will soon be cool to be carrying a brick again. I could not imagine using a 5" phone, regardless of manufacturer, as for 7". Photo, My comment on the Galaxy bump was not that it somehow made it a worse phone or any of that, just that, as seems typical in this mag, the journo (if you could call him that) made statements about the iPhone 'pork' based on one dimension, the thickness, when parts of the Galaxy were thicker, not to mention longer and wider. Other comments, 'weak' whereas the iPhone to my quick observation has a more solid feel. My point was that, regardless of the relative merits of the phones, his opinion piece was not worthy of toilet paper. This mag needs to seriously evaluate it's editorial integrity and accuracy. Apart from a great forum, which greatness one can put down to mostly informed (and not so informed) comment by members, not the supposed journo's who are paid for their tripe, not a lot to recommend the mag for much else that the above mentioned toilet paper - but then the ink would probably smear...
ory_zm 7 October 2011	@amcmo Totally agree with you in regards to the quality of the articles in this magazine, I sometimes wonder if someone has even bothered trying to read through them before posting. In regards to the phones, iP4 feels more solid, but those two pieces of glass (back and front) are in my opinion a very silly design decision. It may look good, but it is totally useless when dropping your phone (a mate of mine smashed both when he dropped his phone from the height of a low coffee - I have dropped my SGS II a few times from much higher and except for a scratch to the screen protector, the phone isn't showing that at all).
photohounds 7 October 2011	There's the sammy g2 vs ip4 article today, apples with oranges to some degree.
welshdog 10 October 2011	petergaskin wrote: If you want a big and heavy phonee, then go back to the early days of analogue mobile phones. Then along came digital phones and they got progressively smaller. now with smartphones, they get progressively bigger! maybe calling a 7" tablet a big phoen has more truth to it than we can imagine! This has been my problem is selecting a tablet for my personal use. My Desire is capable of doing everything I want regards browsing etc etc but the screen is slightly too small... so I went off to test out the 7" format tablet and found the size was ideal to cover all my internet needs away from my desktop/laptops, with the caveat that I was then forced to carry two devices! Yes the large screen phones such as the Samsung note might look 'strange' because their screens are so large compared to a phone, but conversely they are clearly 'small' compared to a 10" tablet! At the end of the day the answer to which size phone is the most practical and whether a 3.5" screen is acceptable depends entirely on user preference and the purpose to which it is going to be put. I rarely make phone calls. I prefer text or email (paper trails never offend! :-" ) and I am usually carrying a Fuji HS20 in my shoulder bag along with my papers, and both phone and tablet. However, there are times when the bag looks out of place and at those times a 'phone' the size of the Samsung Note would be ideal because it would give me the best (or worst?) of both worlds! Basically just like this post of mine, the original article is opinion... and from the tone I'd suggest that Stephen is of the opinion that carting around two devices constantly is one too many and the screen of the i4s is just too small for his needs. I wonder if he'd feel the same way if Apple released a 7" (or similarly sized) version of the iPad? :) Edited by welshdog: 10/10/2011 08:02:04 AM