iPhone SE might be helping Apple attract more new users from Android compared to previous recent iPhone launches, according to the latest data on sales of the new device from Slice Intelligence. Specifically, Slice points to the higher number of SE buyers coming from Android compared to the iPhone 6S:
Apple CEO Tim Cook took some time to kick off today’s ‘Let us loop you in’ press event with comments on the FBI/encryption controversy, but the company also offered the usual milestones and stats throughout the event.
The “iPhone SE” is now official as Apple today unveiled the device on stage at its ‘Let us loop you in’ press event in Cupertino.
Who will buy the iPhone SE? Data shows that over 35% of iPhone users are still using a 4-inch device…
With Apple’s much rumored upcoming iPhone 5se on the horizon— an upgraded version of the iPhone 5S that retains the 4-inch display size for diehard fans of the model— we want to find out if you plan on upgrading when the new device launches. That’s the question we ask in today’s poll, in addition to what device you’re upgrading from (or downgrading, depending on how you look at it).
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Apple’s iPhone 6c, set to be the first iPhone ever released in the Spring, has got the die-hard 4-inch iPhone fans excited for a return to the smaller form factor smartphone. From what we’ve heard, the iPhone 6c may have new colors that resemble an iPod Touch as much as it’s said to resemble the current crop of iPhones in terms of the physical design. This mockup imagines what the iPhone 6c would look like with iPod and iPhone colors, rounded edges and iPhone 6/s design.
A recent report from KGI anticipates an A9 processor, 16GB of storage, NFC, Touch ID, and 2GB of RAM internally, which will make it extremely fast, especially with the fewer amount of pixels to push compared to Apple’s larger iPhones. Many, including China Times, expected the iPhone 6C to be released last year, but KGI also was the first to suggest a H1 2016 launch.
A series of Chinese reports noted that a larger 1,642mAh battery is in the cards for the 6C– an upgrade from the battery in the 5s– but support for 3D Touch is likely not. That’s a feature Apple will likely want to reserve as a highlight feature of its flagship handsets for some time. And the reports again suggested that the 6c will get Touch ID and an NFC chip to support Apple Pay.
Our Mark Gurman exclusively reported that Apple would be having a March 2015 event where Apple Watch 2 would be revealed and an iPhone 6c would be a likely second billing.
We don’t expect the iPhone 6c to have an OLED display, though it seems like Apple is moving in that direction on its flagships.
(Head below for the full gallery put together built by our friend Ferry Passchier)
Two new reports today from publications with mixed track records claim to share details of Apple’s upcoming iPhone lineup including the much rumored 4-inch iPhone “6c” and plans for the company to bring waterproofing and other new hardware features to future iPhone models.
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More from Apple CEO Tim Cook’s talk at the Goldman and Sachs conference this morning: When asked about the iPhone’s screen size, Cook noted size isn’t always everything and the company is more focused on delivering the best experience.
Cook also said that consumers should think twice before shopping online with a device using an OLED display due to poor color saturation and lack of brightness. However, he didn’t rule out the possibility of a larger screen iPhone.
Cook’s full comment is below:
I don’t want to say whatwhe will do or won’t do. The way companies compete is with two things, specs and price. In the camera business people say, “I have the most megapixels”. Do you know the speed of an AX processor? Does it really matter at the end of the day? You want a fabulous experience when you use the product. If you look at displays, some people are focused on size. There are a few other things about the display that are important. Some people use OLED displays, but the colour saturation is awful. If you buy things online, you should think twice before you depend on the colour of the OLED dislay. The Retina display is twice as bright as an OLED display. I only bring these points up to say there are many attributes of a display. Apple sweats every detail. We want the best display. I think we’ve got it. I’m not going to comment on what we’re going to do in the future.
…That’s the only religion that we have, is that we must do something great. We want to enrich people’s lives. We sweat the details on those.
Digitimes reported today that Apple is working to release two new iPhones in 2013 with 4-inch displays, going against its earlier report that claimed Apple would release a new low-cost, 5-inch iPhone with a new design. Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal also reported Apple is working on a less-expensive iPhone to début sometime in 2013. Today, Digitimes continued to claim Apple has an iPhone with a larger display in development, but it said the smartphone would not launch this year:
Previously it was [WE] said that Apple would release a lower-cost version of its iPhone with a bigger screen in 2013. But the sources claimed that Apple is indeed developing an iPhone with a bigger screen, but that will not be among the models to be lancuhed this year.
That’s Digitimes-speak for “oops, that cheaper/bigger device was an HTC phone, not the iPhone” or “please just forget what we said there.”
Rumors of two 4-inch iPhones launching in 2013—a new 5S and a new low-cost iPhone— is something we’ve heard before, but a second conflicting report from Digitimes claimed Apple would release a low-cost iPhone with a larger, 5-inch display and an all-new design. Other sketchy reports of Apple possibly releasing an iPhone with a 4.8-inch display surfaced this week but didn’t exactly add up. Now it seems Digitimes is agreeing with the Wall Street Journal that two 4-inch devices will launch in 2013 with one being a new low-cost model. The report also said one of the devices will target the “midrange” market:
One of the two versions to be introduced this year will target the midrange market segment, but both will adopt in-cell touch technology…However, the sources noted it is still yet to be determined if Apple will have adequate supply of in-cell touch panels in 2013 for a lower-cost version of the iPhone due to mass production issues from the technology in 2012. The iPhone 5 took a hit in sales during 2012 as a result of poor yields for in-cell technology, but the sources are now saying those yields are improving.
That “midrange” phone is probably the current iPhone 5.
We posted high-resolution images of both the black and white versions of the next-generation iPhone back plate yesterday. Although we could determine many new features of the device, such as the redesigned speaker grills, repositioned earphone jack, and FaceTime camera, the exact display dimensions are still unknown. We noted one of our images depicted what appears to be the next-generation iPhone front glass with enough room for the much-rumored, roughly 4-inch display, but new schematics surfaced today (via Cydia Blog) that show a diagonal opening of just slightly over 4-inches. The designs also shows the repositioned FaceTime camera above the earpiece.
Although calculations of the display show an opening less than 0.1-inch over 4-inches, the display could likely measure a flat 4-inches diagonally as the front panel is typically slightly larger than the display. We noted yesterday that our sources informed us that the next-generation iPhone front glass images we posted feature the same width of the current iPhones, which would comfortably allow for an approximate 16:9 aspect ratio. We cannot confirm the schematic is 100 percent legit, or not just a past prototype, but also all the recent evidence points to a 4-inch next-generation iPhone that we expect to see this October.
With all the rumors that Apple plans to increase the next iPhone’s display to approximately 4-inches, and yesterday’s reports from Wall Street Journal confirming the rumors, there is much speculation regarding the exact dimensions and resolution of the upcoming display. Overdrive Design blog’s Niilo Autio pointed us to the mock-ups he did of how apps might benefit from a 4-inch display using a resolution of 640-by-1,152. The images below are compared to apps on the existing iPhone 4/4S design. The added screen real estate is especially noticeable in the Safari and Mail apps.
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Earlier this year, leading up to the new iPad launch, iLounge editor Jeremy Horwitz claimed to have held the new device, and then he reported a few of the features that would ultimately launch with the third-gen iPad in March (and some that would not). Today, Horwitz claimed to have new details on the next-generation iPhone. He reported the device would sport a longer 4-inch screen, metallic backside, and smaller and rounded dock connector.
The majority of Horwitz’s specs mirror our report from March 2011 about the iPhone 5 prototypes spotted with metal backs, larger displays, and the overall iPhone 4 design.
The first of his claims: As rumored, the new iPhone will be “longer and thinner” than iPhone 4 and 4S, and it will sport the following changes to its physical design:
We know our readers have a love/hate relationship with mockups, but we think these are worth sharing due to all the rumors of a 4-inch iPhone coming this October, It does not seem like a ton of math went into these mockups to ensure an easy transition of existing iOS apps to a larger screen iPhone, but they certainly help us picture what a 4-inch iPhone could look like.
The first three images above come from 9to5Mac reader and design student Daniel Bautista. Like our own 4-inch iPhone mockup, these were inspired by Photo Stream leaks from last summer. The image on the far-right above (and the image below) is another mockup from apfelpage.de that shows a slimmed down next-gen iPhone with a touch-sensitive home button running a widget-enabled iOS 6.
Following the mockups of the 4-inch iPhone 5 this morning, one of our awesome readers, Spencer Caldwell, made this beautiful mockup (above). Spencer took this morning’s idea and added more pixels vertically, while keeping the pixels the same horizontally as the iPhone 4S (640-by-1152 pixels). As for the home button on the device, Spencer took the Photo Stream leak from last summer (below) and implemented it on the device. On a larger iPhone like this, it definitely looks better over the circular version.
The mockup fits the sixth-row of apps nicely. So the question comes 9to5mac readers: What do you think of a larger 4-inch iPhone (keeping in mind most reports point to a redesign)?
Cheers, Spencer!
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A user over on The Verge forums did an interesting mock-up of the 4-inch iPhone. The shorter side’s size remains the same, while the longer side is increased (640-by-1152 pixels). Go over to The Verge for a few more screenshots.
What do you think? I especially like that extra row of apps on the home screen and the ability to better play widescreen videos. Current apps would need a re-write to take advantage of the extra pixels or else letterboxing would occur, so it is a bit far-fetched.
It would also allow current docking stations to work; although, the 30-pin connector is rumored to be a goner.
We reported this morning that Apple has now begun internally seeding a prototype next-gen iPhone with the A5X chip that debuted in the new iPad and 1GB of RAM. Based on his recent trips to China and Taiwan, Topeka Capital Market analyst Brian White, who has Apple’s price target at $1,001 as of this morning, shared some new details of what he described as “the buzz around the new iPhone 5.” According to White (via Barron’s), he expects a “sleek” new iPhone to launch in the December quarter. He also expects the device to sport a new 4-inch display and include 4G LTE capabilities.
White set his price target based on an expected August or September unveiling of the product. He also claimed the launch “could be extraordinary” by dwarfing previous launches and driving the stock closer to our $1,001 price target.” According to the report, Apple is expected to start component production for the “iPhone 5” in June.
White also claimed sales of the new iPad could have been higher if not for a production issue with panel makers related to the new Retina display. Last month, Apple announced its “strongest iPad launch yet” with sales of three million new iPads on its debut weekend…
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