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Comment by bane | Hacker News Reader

If this comes out, the sound of all those years of just I cations and excuses (perfect screen size, perfect jeans pocket size, etc.) Will only be drowned out by the new justifications and excuses (perfect purse size, etc.)

Sigh.

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Nobody stands up and says, "boy, that phone is just the perfect size for my hand" at random. The reason size became an issue at all is because the competition made it an issue.

With that in mind, saying "perfect jeans pocket size" and later saying "perfect purse size" is not a contradiction. Each device manages to satisfy the user's needs and is perfect for them at that given time. That doesn't mean other screen sizes cannot also be perfect, but it is not reason enough to just dump what you have.

We've always been at war with Eastasia

I think the justification is: "if you're going to have only one size of phone, you'll appeal to the most people by going with a smaller size" not "the smaller size screen is the only one anyone could ever want."

Based on my family's reaction to my Lumia 920 (skepticism from my parents, outright ridicule from my wife), I think Apple put smart money on their choice of screen size.

Who said it was perfect? I think most agree that about 4 inches is the one-size-fits-all. That means it's best on average, not best for everyone.

It's completely OK to introduce new form factors if there's clear demand.

Not many said perfect, but there is the classic example of Dustin Curtis' article which claimed the original iPhone size was "one of the things that makes Apple products Apple products" and got a hell of a lot of traction here and elsewhere. Even this article cops to insulting the Note.

I read Curtis's article as saying "one of the things that makes Apple products Apple products" is that the screen size was chosen to appeal to the maximum number of people, not that it was the perfect screen size for everyone.

> Who said it was perfect?

Gruber, for one:

"Apple seems very confident about the precise size and dimensions of the iPhone display: 3.5 inches, with a 3:2 aspect ratio. Not 3 inches. Not 4 inches. [...]

The iPhone 4 feels like a major step toward an idealized iPhone form factor. What defines the iPhone, physically, is the 3.5-inch diagonal screen." [1]

"On These Rumors of a 4.6-Inch iPhone Display [...]

Sure, developers would get on board and support the new size. But why would Apple want to add another vector of fragmentation? For this reason and others, I say it’s bullshit." [2]

"Regarding a Smaller iPhone With the Same Pixel Count [...]

It’s a physical artifact, and the size of the display is what’s important. [...] I really don’t think we’ll see screen sizes other than 3.5 inches" [3]

"Color me skeptical that Apple would introduce another new screen size of any sort." [4]

[1] http://daringfireball.net/2010/06/4

[2] http://daringfireball.net/linked/2012/03/22/46-inch-iphone

[3] http://daringfireball.net/linked/2011/02/20/jin-kim-iphone

[4] http://daringfireball.net/linked/2013/01/08/pixels

Exactly and thanks. If I had the time and inclination I'd take a dive through HN's comments the last few years to find similar.

Truth be told, I welcome this change, Apple blew it with the iPhone 5, this is the bigger phone people want...but the user and pundit community absolutely drives me up a wall.

I actually feel the opposite about this whole phone size thing. I wish Apple would go back to the previous size. Also I've tried out other, larger, phones and they're just not as convenient for me to use.

> This is an example of one of those design decisions that you don’t usually notice until you see someone doing it wrong. It’s one of the things that makes Apple products Apple products.

http://dcurt.is/3-point-5-inches

which of course is made even more fun since the thumb coverage area isn't even the same in the two diagrams.

I don't understand why, even in the face of justifications, it's wrong for Apple to admit they made a competitive mistake...and correct it.

It would be madness not to correct it.

Strong opinions, loosely held.

You're not exactly setting a high bar for meaningful discussion.

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