Other Reactions to the rumoured killing off of the 5.8” iPhone

[JPack]

Not a surprise that Apple is moving back to the iPhone 6 form factor. If you read interviews with Jony Ive, his team spent a lot of time to conclude the iPhone 6 form factor was ideal.

The 5.4" display suggests Apple is able to maximize display area by using the iPhone 6 form factor with even thinner bezels and erasing the notch.

 

[tt061282]

I’m a forward thinker.



What are you saying - you’d go from the XS Max to the 5.4”, but not a 5.8”? If so, why isn’t the XS suitable?
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Hmm, this is what I feared - Apple thinking the cheapest (yet non-flagship specced) iPhone which sold well in its first year is the one they don’t want to tweak, form factor-wise.

Do we have any stats pointing to the 6.1” being the most widespread Face ID model since 2017? Now I’m curious.

The only thing I have seen is analytics. I agree with you lol. I just fear Apple does not

 

[Ralfi]

Not a surprise that Apple is moving back to the iPhone 6 form factor. If you read interviews with Jony Ive, his team spent a lot of time to conclude the iPhone 6 form factor was ideal.

The 5.4" display suggests Apple is able to maximize display area by using the iPhone 6 form factor with even thinner bezels and erasing the notch.

Isn't the iPhone X the same form factor* as the 6?

*Size

 

[aakshey]

I'm up for the 5.4" iPhone OLED 5G. I just hope it doesn't cross $1199 in USA pretax.
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Isn't the iPhone X the same form factor as the 6?

Nope!
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Kuo even predicted the exact resolution of the iPhone X display.

Kuo isn't infallible. But he ain't a nobody either. I would bet from Kuo's side.

 

[JPack]

Isn't the iPhone X the same form factor* as the 6?

*Size

I would say no.

 

[Steve121178]

I'd be really annoyed if it's true. The 5'8" is absolutely perfect and the 'sweet spot'. It's also the size I am familiar with after buying the X then Xs over the last couple of years.

Getting rid of the 5.8" and going for 5.4" or 6.7" is idiotic. 5.4" would be more cramped and I would need to adjust to having an inferior product as the display is how I consume everything (obviously). 6.7" is just insanity and I wouldn't want to go up to that size as it's just too big. That leaves the 6.1" XR replacement that won't even have 5G in 2020.

I hope these rumours are baseless, but it really is the sort of crap Apple would go through with. Obviously they can save a few pennies with 5.4" screens, so who cares what the user wants?

With Apple's clout with manufactures they should be able to offer premium phones of all sizes. The 5.4" would be the new SE which would please a huge number of people, they should keep the 5.8" or replace with 6" & keep the large phablet sized >6.5" model. Would 3 premium models really be an issue? They can still have the gimped non-5G Xr replacement in the line-up as a *cough* budget phone.

 

[Ralfi]

I would say no.

I thought my 6S was the same as the 6 & when placed against the X, it was much closer in size than that photo shows. Guess not.
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5.4" would be more cramped and I would need to adjust to having an inferior product as the display is how I consume everything (obviously).

Exactly.

People suggesting it’s not much difference...it’s a whole centimetre less diagonally. That’s huge when it comes to the overall screen.

 

[Hicksmat1976]

fine as long as all support 5G, if they have a model that doesn't then that is an own goal I think. especially if its the 6.1" that doesn't.

 

[Ralfi]

fine as long as all support 5G, if they have a model that doesn't then that is an own goal I think. especially if its the 6.1" that doesn't.

If all 3 were equal, I could live with it - I’d just grab the 6.1”, reluctantly.

But no, we’re forced to go for a smaller screen or an impractical phablet. At least it’s just a rumour...

 

[44267547]

fine as long as all support 5G, if they have a model that doesn't then that is an own goal I think. especially if its the 6.1" that doesn't.

And what you mentioned, is a major caveat. I don’t suspect every iPhone in 2020 will support 5G, likely a specific (More expensive) model that Apple will target to make it a selling point, because that’s how Apple can use certain features like 5G as leverage for those who want to upgrade with a faster speeds.

 

[Falhófnir]

Yep I'm a little disappointed if it's what it sounds like on the surface - the 5.8" displays have an approximately 5" 16:9 area for content like videos which is a real sweet spot. I assume 5.4" might reduce this back towards 4.7" and I think it would be a shame to lose that little extra screen space on a device that's already nearly the size of an 8.

I have opted for the plus models since the start, primarily due to the better battery life, but also because I was already on a 5" phone (Lumia 930) previously and didn't want to go smaller or lower resolution. I was hoping to drop down from an 8+ to a 5.8" when TouchID returned, as it would be nice to have less phone to carry with still a decent sized display. The X/XS have closed the gap in battery life enough over the 4.7" phones that my primary reason for going with the plus models is no longer relevant.

I assume the next best option - the 6.1" OLED will remain a more budget oriented model, so that raises further issues, such as will it get TouchID if this is reintroduced as a premium feature? Is it unlikely to get the better triple camera system that the 2019 and on phones are likely to use? The XR is still pretty close in size to an 8 plus (particularly in width; and of course it's even thicker) will going OLED allow this model to be significantly smaller?

I guess it will be for me to weigh the options between a premium phone that's probably a little smaller than I want, and a larger one that's likely to be missing key features when they arrive.

 

[Patriks7]

As long as the 6.1" will also have flagship internals, I won't mind. But I will not be a big fan of moving down to 5.4'.

 

[Wide opeN]

I'd be really annoyed if it's true. The 5'8" is absolutely perfect and the 'sweet spot'. It's also the size I am familiar with after buying the X then Xs over the last couple of years.

Getting rid of the 5.8" and going for 5.4" or 6.7" is idiotic. 5.4" would be more cramped and I would need to adjust to having an inferior product as the display is how I consume everything (obviously). 6.7" is just insanity and I wouldn't want to go up to that size as it's just too big. That leaves the 6.1" XR replacement that won't even have 5G in 2020.

I hope these rumours are baseless, but it really is the sort of crap Apple would go through with. Obviously they can save a few pennies with 5.4" screens, so who cares what the user wants?

With Apple's clout with manufactures they should be able to offer premium phones of all sizes. The 5.4" would be the new SE which would please a huge number of people, they should keep the 5.8" or replace with 6" & keep the large phablet sized >6.5" model. Would 3 premium models really be an issue? They can still have the gimped non-5G Xr replacement in the line-up as a *cough* budget phone.

I see this as a play by Apple to give the appearance of lowering prices, while maintaining margins. I'm fairly certain that the Xs is the poorest selling of the current lineup, thus they can afford to take a hit with that particular model. Meanwhile, they'll maintain the price of the current Max or more than likely raise it "justified" by the increase in screen size.

In other words the increase on the Max, will offset the discount or lack of popularity on the Xs. It'll be "classic" Apple pricing strategy.

 

[Traverse]

As long as it’s not crippled in some major way from the 6.7” devices, I’m all for it. I miss my iPhone SE size though it was a bit small. The 5.8” is eighth in the edge of too large for me so a 5.4-5.6” devices sounds great.

 

[craigio85]

I see this as a play by Apple to give the appearance of lowering prices, while maintaining margins. I'm fairly certain that the Xs is the poorest selling of the current lineup, thus they can afford to take a hit with that particular model. Meanwhile, they'll maintain the price of the current Max or more than likely raise it "justified" by the increase in screen size.

In other words the increase on the Max, will offset the discount or lack of popularity on the Xs. It'll be "classic" Apple pricing strategy.

Purely based on what I see on a daily basis and my wider social group, I would say the XS Max is the poorest selling generally. It’s got a strong following from those who want the largest screen regardless (a group that’s overrepresented in this forum compared to the wider public) but there’s two things that make it different from the old Plus models - it has a vastly cheaper and not much smaller sibling in the XR and it doesn’t have differentiating features (bar screen size) over the XS in the way the Plus models did over their counterparts. Total speculation but my hunch is that both the XS and XR outsell the Max.

Re: the rumour - for me, it would depend how it plays out. If we end up with a premium 5.4”, a premium 6.7” and a mid-range 6.1”, I’d be very surprised and probably a little reluctant to upgrade my XS as one option is too small, one is too big and the other would probably lack features that matter to me.

If all are created equal (i.e they all have the same finishes, internals, camera capabilities, screen tech etc) and there’s a logical price progression across the three models, then great.

 

[ksec]

5.4 isn’t that much smaller than 5.8. Just as long as they don’t cheap out on the display and internals.

Well, it will still cost $999...

One thing I forgot to mention, Ming didn't say anything about Face ID 2.0

Because for the 5.4" / 5.5" version to work, FaceID / Notch will need to shrink by 30%, other wise you don't have any space on the side to Display information.

P.S - I also think this year or next year's iPhone will all have 128GB starting point, and I think that means XR will start at $799.

 

[Wide opeN]

Purely based on what I see on a daily basis and my wider social group, I would say the XS Max is the poorest selling generally. It’s got a strong following from those who want the largest screen regardless (a group that’s overrepresented in this forum compared to the wider public) but there’s two things that make it different from the old Plus models - it has a vastly cheaper and not much smaller sibling in the XR and it doesn’t have differentiating features (bar screen size) over the XS in the way the Plus models did over their counterparts. Total speculation but my hunch is that both the XS and XR outsell the Max.

Re: the rumour - for me, it would depend how it plays out. If we end up with a premium 5.4”, a premium 6.7” and a mid-range 6.1”, I’d be very surprised and probably a little reluctant to upgrade my XS as one option is too small, one is too big and the other would probably lack features that matter to me.

If all are created equal (i.e they all have the same finishes, internals, camera capabilities, screen tech etc) and there’s a logical price progression across the three models, then great.

As I suspected, and I maintain the Xs is the poorest selling of the 3: https://www.macrumors.com/2019/04/24/cirp-iph/

No way on earth, will all 3 be created equal. They'll go back to their old iPhone 8 ways and differentiate the Xs model from the Xs Max in 2020 at the latest. I think even apple knows/suspects that iPhone 2019 is DOA; so they're saving all the "special sauce" for the 2020 iPhone.

If these dimensions hold true, so will my previous post about the varying prices across the lineup.
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P.S - I also think this year or next year's iPhone will all have 128GB starting point, and I think that means XR will start at $799.

Along with the Camera, this we be the only saving grace for the 2019 iPhones. Then it'll be back to their old ways in 2020.

I see it now at the keynote for 2019 "128 GB starting storage, as the slide drops down with a plume of dust" LMAO!!!

 

[Anthony T]

I'm glad they are shrinking it a bit. I've always felt like something larger than the 4.7" phones but smaller than the current 5.8" would be perfect. 5.4" is just about in the middle, so I'm excited for it. Not too big, not too small.

 

[Ralfi]

I assume 5.4" might reduce this back towards 4.7" and I think it would be a shame to lose that little extra screen space on a device that's already nearly the size of an 8.

They’re going backwards. The whole appeal of the X maintaining a similar footprint as the 6S-8 but with a bigger screen has been thrown out the window.

5.4 isn’t that much smaller than 5.8.

I was with you on this until I converted the sizes to cm (my language) & renders starting popping up.

5.4” is way smaller than 5.8”...(size comparison on the right)...


If this rumour’s true, then plans to upgrade in 2020 are off, because for the first time, none of the iPhone line-up - form factor wise - appeal to me...
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With Apple's clout with manufactures they should be able to offer premium phones of all sizes. The 5.4" would be the new SE which would please a huge number of people, they should keep the 5.8" or replace with 6" & keep the large phablet sized >6.5" model. Would 3 premium models really be an issue? They can still have the gimped non-5G Xr replacement in the line-up as a *cough* budget phone.

Yeah, have a 5.4”, 6” & 6.6” (or bigger, as the Max owners seem to not be fussed with any jumbo size). But with a clean “0.6 inch” difference in sizes, & full spec in each model, it caters to everyone!

 

[ksec]

I'm glad they are shrinking it a bit. I've always felt like something larger than the 4.7" phones but smaller than the current 5.8" would be perfect. 5.4" is just about in the middle, so I'm excited for it. Not too big, not too small.

Again, the 5.4" would be the same physical size as the current 4.7".

 

[Jimpilot]

So I’m going to hope that the notch may disappear making 5.4 edge to edge close to current 5.8 In screen size. Close enough that it will be acceptable

Hey it could happen ...

 

[supergt]

I don't understand the hype for 5G aside from using the phone as a blazing fast hotspot. But even then it would likely eat up most hotspot data caps almost instantaneously. LTE is plenty fast and gets the job done.

 

[Ralfi]

I don't understand the hype for 5G aside from using the phone as a blazing fast hotspot. But even then it would likely eat up most hotspot data caps almost instantaneously. LTE is plenty fast and gets the job done.

For people (mainly those who live near major cities) who hold onto phones for 2-3 years, it's an investment not only for 2020, but also for when 5G really starts to take off over the following years.
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So I’m going to hope that the notch may disappear making 5.4 edge to edge close to current 5.8 In screen size. Close enough that it will be acceptable

Hey it could happen ...

Unlikely, Jim. Smaller notch is most likely, which I'd be ok with on a 5.8" screen...

 

[supergt]

For people (mainly those who live near major cities) who hold onto phones for 2-3 years, it's an investment not only for 2020, but also for when 5G really starts to take off over the following years.

Sure but that doesn't really answer my question of the true advantage of 5G. I can see the benefits of streaming extremely high quality video quickly to a television that supports it but since phones are capped resolution wise, what's the advantage besides downloading large files extremely quickly?

 

[Ralfi]

Sure but that doesn't really answer my question of the true advantage of 5G. I can see the benefits of streaming extremely high quality video quickly to a television that supports it but since phones are capped resolution wise, what's the advantage besides downloading large files extremely quickly?

I think it's similar to modern fixed cable broadband networks - the improved backhaul bandwidth allows people with a higher 'starting point' 5G speed to fall back onto faster slowdown speeds.

So when congestion starts to happen, their speed will only drop to say 4G speeds as opposed to now, where in many 4G areas, congestion impacts the network & reduces connections to 3G speeds or worse.