iPhone 6 with bigger screen - Strong rumors suggest Apple pushing screen size to 4.8 inches

While the iPhone 5s brought along the same 4-inch Retina Display found on the iPhone 5, Apple’s next iPhone is heavily rumored to be coming with a much larger display with rumors suggesting that Apple is testing a variety of different sizes, some as large as 6-inches. A new note from an analyst though suggests that Apple may install a 4.8-inch display on an iPhone 6, a size that would put it on par with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4, Nexus 4 and HTC One.

In the months before the iPhone 5s launch, there were rumors suggesting that 2013 might be the year that Apple delivers a large screen iPhone to compete against the big screen Android devices on the market and satisfy consumers who have been looking for more screen real estate. A rumor from analyst Brian White in particular suggested that Apple might debut three different iPhones in different sizes. Of course, that rumor did not pan out and the company instead delivered two new iPhones, an iPhone 5s and an iPhone 5c, both of which tout 4-inch Retina Displays.

The release of those devices does not rule out a larger iPhone in the future however and reports suggest that Apple is still thinking about releasing an iPhone with a larger display. All signs at the moment point to next year’s iPhone 6, a numbered iPhone, coming with a large display. Recently, the company was rumored to be testing displays up to 6-inches in size and today, according to BGR, Jefferies & Co. analyst Peter Misek issued a note to investors claiming that the company would be releasing a 4.8-inch iPhone 6 next year.

Misek is a well-respected analyst and while that doesn’t mean that a 4.8-inch iPhone 6 is set in stone, it does align with what we’ve heard from other reports, a sign that Apple could very well introduce a large-screened iPhone as soon as next year. Misek doesn’t mention any other features on board the iPhone 6 though rumors have suggested that it will come with a handful of upgrades including an A8 processor.

If Apple continues with is current iPhone release cycle, we should see a ton of iPhone 6 rumors emerge over the course of 2014 with an arrival in the fall season ahead of the holidays. The iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5s all arrived in the fall and it could be that Apple releases an iPhone 6 a little less than a year from now.

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Apple iPhone 6: Rumours swirl about mid-year launch?

The US technology giant Apple Inc . is reported to have started preliminary builds of the next iPhone, dubbed iPhone 6 or iPhone 5S. The new iPhone is likely to be launched in June or July, said a report.

The report on macworld.com.au said: "Apple is currently testing two new iPhone prototypes, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek told investors in a note this week. One of the prototypes is the 'iPhone 5S', said Misek, while the other is likely to be the widely speculated cheaper iPhone."

The analyst has reportedly predicted that the next iPhone will be 0.8 inches bigger than the iPhone 5 's at 4.8 inches diagonally, adding "Similar to the iPad mini, we expect a concentrated low-cost iPhone rather than a 'cheap' one. Likely specs: polycarbonate case with 4in non-Retina display and no LTE."

Recently, Apple overtook Samsung to become the largest mobile phone vendor in the US in the fourth quarter of 2012.

In its latest report, research firm Strategy Analytics estimated that Apple shipped 17.7 million mobile phones in the US for a record 34 percent share of the market in the fourth quarter of 2012, making the tech giant the No.1 mobile phone vendor by volume in the US for the first time ever.

Samsung, Apple's arch-rival, shipped 16.8 million handsets for a 32 percent market share in the country, reported Xinhua.

The report said Apple's success has been driven by its popular ecosystem of iPhones and App Store, generous carrier subsidies and extensive marketing around the new iPhone 5 model.

However, Apple's hard-won victory is expected to be short-lived. Samsung had been the No.1 mobile phone vendor in the US since 2008 and it will surely be keen to recapture the title this year by launching improved new models such as the rumored Galaxy S4, Strategy Analytics said.

Meanwhile, the report pointed out that despite a solid fourth-quarter performance, the US mobile phone market had contracted for the first three quarters of 2012, making annual mobile phone shipments fall by 11 percent in 2012 from the year of 2011.

Earlier the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple had halved its orders for the iPhone 5. The report led Apple's share price to dip below $500 per share on Monday, but some suggest that the WSJ report was flawed, and that there may have been some stock manipulation involved.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/apple-iphone-6-rumours-swirl-about-mid-year-launch/1/248877.html

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Prominent Apple developer on why a 4.94-inch 'iPhone Plus' makes sense

Big screen phones have become wildly popular over the last couple of years. The likes of Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X started the trend with displays around the 4-inch mark, and Samsung pushed the envelope further with the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Note II, with screens in the 5-inch territory. Other manufacturers have followed suit, and many have cited screen size as a big reason for picking Android-powered phones over the iPhone.

Apple responded to clamouring for a bigger iPhone with what seemed like a half-hearted attempt of increasing the screen size with the iPhone 5. While the phone has gone on to become the best-selling iPhone till date, it hasn't quite managed to stop the exodus of people moving away looking for large screen phones. It is clear Apple needs an even-bigger sized phone to cater to the demands of an ever-growing segment, and if a prominent Apple developer is to be believed, Apple recognises this demand and is likely working on an answer in the form of 'iPhone Plus'.

Marco Arment, creator of Instapaper and a prominent voice in the Apple developer community, has penned his thoughts on the subject and come to the conclusion that a 4.94-inch iPhone Plus with 16:9 aspect ratio makes a lot of sense. Arment further states that the screen will likely have a 640×1136 resolution, and a pixel density of 264ppi.

Arment goes on to the state that the said iPhone Plus will not replace the existing iPhone, instead will lineup alongside the iPhone 5 as an additional option for buyers.

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