Over the past several years, the size of Apple’s iPhones has gotten increasingly large. The first generation iPhone or as it is fondly dubbed — iPhone 2G, featured a display size that was 3.5-inches. Till the iPhone 4S, Apple maintained this screen size. Then will the iPhone 5, Apple increased the size of the display but only just slightly; thereby making it a handset that was still comfortable to use. A decade on since the first iPhone, the proportions of Apple’s smartphones has gone literally out of hand (pun intended). With the iPhone XS Max, Apple has introduced a smartphone that’s 6.5-inches across diagonally and according to Apple, and a vast amount of smartphone users, the phrase ‘the bigger the better’ seems to ring true.
However, a vast amount of consumers do not appreciate such big smartphones. There are a lot of people out there who feel that the large size of the handsets is difficult to manage. And when Apple did launch a smaller iPhone in the form of the iPhone SE, there were some major trade-offs that did sit well with tech enthusiasts the world over.
The wait for the compromise may finally be over as fresh reports claim that starting in 2020, Apple will be launching a 5.4-inch OLED iPhone with premium specifications and absolutely no trade-offs. This handset will be launched to replace the 5.8-inch iPhone that Apple introduced with the iPhone X. This bit of information comes from reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who has a stellar track record when it comes to predicting Apple’s plans. If these predictions do come true, then this will be the smallest iPhone Apple will launch since the iPhone 8, which has a display size of 4.8-inches but an overall size that matches up with the iPhone X.
One of the primary reasons that Apple will launch a 5.4-inch handset is because now they have the technology to add the best of features in a smaller form factor. Something that was not possible in years gone by. If Apple’s plans do bear fruition then we could get a smartphone with a 5.4-inch display that’s the size of the iPhone SE. Which we feel will have a lot of takers as it will come with a compact form factor but a vast amount of display.
While Apple may be finally going in for a smaller iPhone, it actually bucks the trend that the smartphone industry is currently following. Smartphones with display sizes over 5.5-inches are currently dominating the market with several Chinese brands offering handsets that are unmanageable. According to a study done by the International Data Corporation, large-screened mobiles are expected to outsell smaller phones by the end of 2019. With this push for large handsets by brands, they are forcing users to upgrade to smartphones that aren’t that comfortable to hold.
As per a report by The Telegraph, British activist and journalist Carline Criado Perez says she suffered from repetitive strain injury (RSI) which is a hand tendon inflammation that arises when performing repetitive tasks such as typing, clicking a mouse or writing until she changed her phone from an iPhone 6 to an iPhone SE.
Zeynep Tufekci, A Turkish writer said that she prefers iPhones for their privacy features but the company’s newest smartphones are too big for her hands. Tufekci tweeted, “Welcome to the big screens’ says Apple and women like me with small hands who need the most secure phone for safety reasons are stuck with something they can’t hold and constantly risk dropping.”
With the 5.4-inch iPhone, Apple will be able to tackle a consumer base that feels left out in the smartphone phablet race. Also, by coming with all the latest technologies, consumers won’t feel that their iPhones have any compromises where specifications are concerned.
