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Why Apple Refuses To Get A Bigger Screen

Like many others, I had ‘bigger screen’ on my wishlist of iPhone 4S features, but realistically, I knew that the chances of an 4.0” iPhone were slim to none. This is because the screen size has been an integral part of the App Store’s overwhelming success. 

If you’ve paid attention, you’ll have noticed that every iPhone since it’s inception has always rocked a 3.5 screen. This was done intentionally, and purposefully. This has been Apple’s promise to developers: make an app with us, focus on awesome UI, and we’ll make it worth your while.

Their competitors Windows 7, Android, and BlackBerry OS, don’t have the same promise. I’ve seen developers struggle first hand to make 4 different interfaces work for the Pearl, Curve, Torch, and Bold. Essentially, the developer makes four versions of one app for one operating system. No wonder BlackBerry apps cost more. 

But for an iPhone Developer, there is a realistic chance that the same app they built for the original iPhone is still very much relevant today and they have had 4 years to improve usability on the same screen. 

Instead of changing screen sizes, they doubled the resolution using Retina Display and I can’t emphasize how big of a deal it was. I am writing this on a 13” Macbook Air, and while it’s the same screen size as my old Macbook, I can tell you that the change from 1280x800 to 1440x900 has made an incredible difference in how I use the computer (I now rarely use my external monitor). It’s like using a 15” laptop without the weight. 

Doubling the resolution is a lot smoother transition for developers than changing the size of the screen. Everyone raves about the beauty of retina display, but few have talked about the amount of work it’s saved for developers. 

Apple recognized early on that unlike computer software where applications are not handicapped by screen size, most mobile applications are run fullscreen. Since the App Store is a billion dollar business, that makes changing the screen size a billion dollar decision.

This is not to say that every iPhone will remain the same size from now until forever. Apple has never been a company that’s afraid of change, and the iPad screen has already forced iOS apps to require a second interface if they hope to serve both audiences. But with the iPhone4 form factor getting unprecedented sales numbers in the last year, there’s simply no reason to make a billion dollar decision just to show up devices like the Sony Xperia Arc.

Image by Apple.com