An iPhone with a 4 inch screen could be the same size as the iPhone 4S

We’re going to see the Galaxy S3 introduced quite a while before the next iPhone, but that hasn’t slowed down the iPhone rumors any. Hot on the wish-list are a quad-core A6 CPU, LTE, and perhaps most intriguingly a 4” screen.

A 4” screen might seem like a no-brainer, but it presents problems of its own. Apple has long said that they like the form factor of the iPhone, and they have steadfastly refused to increase the size of the iPhone even as American’s shifted in preference to 4.3” devices. Another reason Apple has resisted increasing screen size is that it would create imaging problems – do they keep the same resolution and just add pixels (forcing developers to revamp all of their apps) or would they simply reduce the pixel density to make it easier on developers (at the expense of image quality)?

A new mockup shows that this may not have to be an either-or proposition. A programmer named Will Hains has mocked up an idea that would allow the next iPhone to retain the same size despite its 4” screen, while also solving the dual problems of resolution and app compatibility. The solution would be for Apple to change the aspect ratio of the screen, adopting a taller screen while preserving the same width.

The resulting screen would be 1152 x 640 pixels, and could actually fit within the current iPhone size, although the home button would have to either shrink or change size. The result would be one more row of icons on the home screen, although it would open up quite a lot more room for watching movies or playing games. The aspect ratio wouldn't quite match up with the 16:9 format that many movies and most HD TV programs adopt, but it would be very close - much closer than the current iPhone screen.

It would also allow the UIs of most apps to stay the same in terms of pixel density; perhaps by default and app could float above the four bottom buttons with no change at all until a developer made the minor changes to allow for a longer full-screen app experience.

Is this what Apple will do? Time will tell, but we have to admit that this feels like a very “Appley” solution to the problem. We have no idea whether or not the mockup’s styling has any bearing on the final product – and really that isn’t important here; the key is that all the rumors pointing to a 4” screen on the next iPhone may not require a radical overhaul of existing apps, nor a change in size of the phone itself.

What do you guys think – do you hope Apple adopts this screen solution in their next device?


source: Good Will Blogging via Paris Lemon