It appears that Apple will be joining the Phablet trend with the release of its newest iPhone, the so-called iPhone 6. Sources from Bloomberg state that two new models are being designed with screens with dimensions of 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches respectively, closing in on the larger-sized 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 3 that Samsung debuted in September. The new iPhones will also come with curved glass and enhanced sensors that can detect different levels of pressure.There are rumors that Apple is attempting to minimize its competitors’ advantages by releasing these two new smartphones in 2014.
The accepted definition for a “phablet” is a smartphone with a screen size between 5 inches and 6.9 inches. The Galaxy Note phablet has proven that the customer base likes the larger screens, as its latest successor has sold over 5 million units sold in less than a month. Apple’s new rumored designs fits in with the release of the iPad Air, which came out last Friday.
“Screen size is one of the things where Apple has to catch up to the Android camp,” said Dennis Chan, an analyst at Yuanta Financial Holding Co. in Taipei, said, referring to phones using Google Inc.’s operating software. “Innovation in components has been a key for Apple since the first iPhone came out.”
Another analyst, Peter Misek of Jeffries & Co., had this to say in a note published this morning:
“We estimate ~50% of smartphone shipments have >4″ screens and that iPhone 6 will catalyze a large upgrade cycle. The stock is attractive based on the attitude change, FY15 revs >+15%, and valuation.”
An increase in the display screen brings up interesting questions regarding the quality of the resolution. The iPhone has kept the same pixels-per-inch (PPI) density since the release of the iPhone 4 in 2010. If Apple offered an iPhone with a larger display, but maintained the same 1136 x 640 resolution, it would cause the PPI count to drop down from 326 to 272. That would be an improvement from the iPad 4′s pixel density, but the iPad is also a 9.7-inch device that is meant to be held further away than a smartphone. A drop in PPI doesn’t seem likely, but it may keep things more simple for developers.
Check back soon – we will keep you posted as to the developments of the new iPhone 6 or Air or whatever they’ll call it this time.