Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) could soon launch an iPhone with a larger screen. Some analysts believe it could be as early as next year.
Screen size a big factor for consumers
Gene Munster and Douglas Clinton from Piper Jaffray explained, “We believe that screen size is becoming a more important feature to mobile devices given the inherent advantages for media and content consumption. We believe that screen size is one of the top two factors in consumers opting for Android devices over an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) device in the U.S. If you look at the 21 non-iPhone smartphones that AT&T offers, only two of them have a 4-inch screen or smaller. We think that screen size is one of the biggest factors in people choosing a non-iPhone aside from price and we believe that screen size is the main draw on the high-end of the market that [manufacturers] can use to entice consumers away from iPhone.”
This is particularly true about Asia’s market, where customers prefer phones with larger screens. And customers aren’t the only ones benefiting from larger screens. Advertisers would benefit from more mobile media real estate, something a larger phone could supply. Since everyone is going mobile these days, it’s crucial for advertisers to optimize their mobile websites.
Advertisers want larger screens, too
Strikelron’s Bob Brauer told Market Watch, “More mobile apps has caused the need for more APIs to be created, which in turn has caused even more opportunity to develop mobile apps from this increased API availability, as mobile applications are often just a user interface fed by a mix of APIs on the back-end. As these mobile applications increase in size, scope, diversity, and reach, the demand for a richer mobile experience will also increase to serve these requirements.”
Why larger screen is important for Apple
He further elaborated why a larger screen is so important: Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) needs to put their focus on customer needs and wants. Most customers want a phone that’s larger. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s profile is not reactive, though, so consumer wants are only part of the equation. The current consumer wants definitely include a larger screen, which is driving the size wars between other smartphone makers. How long Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) sits that one out, though, remains to be seen.
