WSJ goes on record with rumors saying bigger iPhones coming this year (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

I've assumed there'd be a larger iPad since the original's launch. No one argues we should only use 11" laptops. Why would tablets max out at 10"? It's a matter if when, not if

 

[Sam Posten]

Yeah except for that whole ergonomics thing. Laptops are designed to rest on your body or table. Tablets are not. Making them heavier and bulkier and bigger real estate increases fatigue dramatically. The 10" is arguably too big for many people already,

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I am very happy with the size of the current iPad.

For me, it could never replace a laptop.

 

[DaveF]

Yeah except for that whole ergonomics thing. Laptops are designed to rest on your body or table. Tablets are not. Making them heavier and bulkier and bigger real estate increases fatigue dramatically. The 10" is arguably too big for many people already,

And it's arguably too small for others... A 12" iPad would weight about 50% more than the 10" iPad Air ... Which would be the same as the original iPad. I'm told by so e that was a tolerable design with manageable weight and ergonomics. If Apple can keep weight from scaling slower than area, a 13" might be made to weigh no more than the original iPad as well. I'm surprised you're dismissing out of hand even the potential for larger tablets.

 

[DaveF]

I am very happy with the size of the current iPad. For me, it could never replace a laptop.

I'm intrigued by a larger iPad. Sites like HTF can get cramped on a 10" screen. And the iPad replaced my laptop, and substantially my desktop too.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

By the way....

Should we expect new iPads to be announced with the iPhone on the 9th or no?

 

[Sam Posten]

No. Late October is my guess.

 

[Sam Posten]

I'm surprised you're dismissing out of hand even the potential for larger tablets.

Well, assuming the 5.5 is real, my track record on size changes isn't great. =)At least I'm honest about my biases and skepticism for the latest and greatest (as opposed to jubilant excitedness over new shinies that often don't live up to their hype).... Try not to think of it as dismissing out of hand but just that, skepticism tinged with a willingness to actually try it if it materializes and make my own decisions.Your point about sites being cramped is valid. I think the 10" strikes a nice balance here. But think of all the downsides that come with a bigger iPad just to get that much more real estate: Longer swipes, less ability to one hand hold and operate, potential weight factors (tho I'd suspect it would have to be even thinner than the air to get much traction, which is possible if you make the battery thinner while also bigger in the other two dimensions).The surface is clearly designed to work on top of a table, not in your hands, so comparisons to that aren't really valid. Locking the iPad down to a table and you might as well go all the way and get a laptop. Is that the intention? Making it more Laptop like and less hand held? Maybe! We don't know. I remain skeptical that I would value that tradeoff but I'm willing to see what Apple intends, IF any of this is real, which I'm already skeptical of.

 

[DaveF]

I don't dispute personal preference for device size. But that's separate from whether it will exist or not

Tablets are a portable computer and I have no doubt that, just like laptops, they will be released in multiple sizes. If the rumors and supposed leaks are true about split-screen multi-tasking, I'm more sure there will be a larger iPad and it will be sooner than later (say, Fall of next year at the latest). A 10" screen is a pretty great compromise for single app use. But split it in half I think people will feel a bit squeeze, and wish for more room to watch their The Good Wife while Twitter-ing about it.

There are tradeoffs. But my iPad isn't used handheld mostly. It's on my lap, or on a table. Or an airplane tray. I don't know that a larger iPad is for me, but I won't rule it out.

Is there a 12.9" iPad Pro coming out in two months. No idea. Maybe not. But will there be a larger iPad in a year or two? Unless the market for tablets collapses, yes.

 

[Sam Posten]

Personally I think that locking tablets to single apps at a time was one of the most brilliant decisions in the history of computing and I am wary of all attempts to go past that. I'm not saying it can't be done, I am saying that anything that DOES attempt it has to be better than perfect because compromises weaken the core strength. You risk the baby with the bath water.

 

[Sam Posten]

We are officially on for 9/9!http://www.loopinsight.com/2014/08/28/apple-announces-special-event-for-sept-9/

 

[Sam Posten]

Ohhhhhhh..... Hmmm, maybe nothing but this could be a big clue. Apple has made history at the Flint Center before...The original Macintosh unveiling in 1984. 30 year anniversary Mac????

 

[Sam Posten]

I am VERY skeptical about this:http://www.wired.com/2014/08/iphone-6-to-use-nfc/NFC has gone nowhere in the last 2 years since it was rumored to be in the iPhone 5. They've even removed it from the stadium services where I saw it in the wild.Unless Apple is completely co-opting or reinventing NFC along with their iBeacons (which is NOT what most people think of wrt traditional NFC) then this is a non starter.

 

[Sam Posten]

Ron's got the official post ready for 9/9. Keeping it going here!

Jim Dalrymple ‏@jdalrymple 2mHoly shit people, hang on to your hats, this is going to be a wild ride.

THAT is how you get Sam excited!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

...and I am on vacation in Canada that week.

I am taking one of those vacation days, hanging out at the B&B with my
laptop and WiFi to run the event.

 

[Sam Posten]

Woah!http://www.loopinsight.com/2014/08/28/pictures-apple-constructs-its-own-building-at-flint-center-for-sept-event/?utm_source=loopinsight.com&utm_campaign=loopinsight.com&utm_medium=referralhttp://9to5mac.com/2014/08/28/apple-building-multi-story-structure-at-flint-center-ahead-of-iphone-event/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+9To5Mac-MacAllDay+%289+to+5+Mac+-+Apple+Intelligence%29

 

[Sam Posten]

Boom.http://www.loopinsight.com/2014/08/28/apple-has-held-three-previous-events-at-flint-center/?utm_source=loopinsight.com&utm_campaign=loopinsight.com&utm_medium=referral

 

[DaveF]

Personally I think that locking tablets to single apps at a time was one of the most brilliant decisions in the history of computing and I am wary of all attempts to go past that. I'm not saying it can't be done, I am saying that anything that DOES attempt it has to be better than perfect because compromises weaken the core strength. You risk the baby with the bath water.

I think it was a great design decision for iOS. But now that iOS is old hat to me, I'm beginning to notice it. If Apple can make it good, it will be nice. I really notice it using the TiVo app: transferring shows takes over my iPad for an entire day. Because of the single app, no background operation design, I can't use my iPad for the afternoon when I'm moving shows onto it. Full background multitasking would solve this.Split-screen multitasking would assuage it: give me a web browser on half the screen while the other half runs the TiVo app.I can think of other regular use cases I bump into. The iPad continues to take over my home computer use. I look forward to it becoming more robust and making my desktop ever more obsolete.

 

[Sam Posten]

Why wouldn't it continue to transfer in the background? That's poor programming, not Apples fault.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

WHA-WHA-WHAAAT?

http://www.cultofmac.com/293178/apple-wont-introduce-5-5-inch-iphone-6-sept-9th-event