Steve Jobs famously ordained that the iPhone's current 3.5-inch touchscreen was the perfect size for consumers, and Apple had been reluctant to veer from its celebrated founder's vision since the smartphone's unveiling in 2007. But now, The Wall Street Journal reports that Asian factories where the phone is manufactured have started placing orders for a new 4-inch display, and will soon begin production for a fall launch. (Reuters confirmed the report.) Androids, especially those in Samsung's Galaxy line, continue to push phones with screens four inches and larger, and sales seem to indicate that users are largely pleased with the added viewing space. Is it time for Apple to go big?
Bigger isn't better: Apple has been wisely hesitant to increase the gadget's screen size "to avoid one of Android's biggest problems: Fragmentation," says Salvador Rodriguez at the Los Angeles Times. Thanks to the iPhone's consistent screen size, third-party developers haven't had to continually redesign their apps to accommodate varying display sizes, which, as Android has demonstrated with its vast array of screen sizes, often leads to buggy interfaces. Apple already maintains "some of the best smartphone apps available." Why change?
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