iPhone to copy Galaxy S2? – Korean media say yes, meanwhile new iPad is hot topic

According to an un named industry source quoted in a South Korean newspaper today the next iPhone is to have a 4.6 inch retina screen.

The iPhone

Apples biggest Android rival, Samsung, use this exact size in their Galaxy S2 smartphone and while it makes sense to use a bigger screen it’s something that the late Steve Jobs refused to do, and something that could cause a back lash from some iPhone fans used to the smaller screen it has had since its first release back in 2007.

According to Reuters Apple are already placing orders for the new 4.6 inch screens but Reuters say this is again based on a Korean report and with no named sources it’s simply rumour. The iPhone could get a larger screen, in fact if it doesn’t I would say it’s going to be causing problems for itself as many new phones use larger screens and people are finding that larger screens can be a good thing, but whether Apple would jump to the exact size of their nearest rivals flagship product is something I doubt not least because it would garner yet more accusations of copying (after they allegedly “borrowed” Androids notification bar for iOS 5) and the current iPhone apps would look awful on a much larger screen.

On the plus side though it would allow the use of larger more powerful processors and gpu’s, the smaller form factor currently used restricting the iPhone a little, but again there is a downside and that is battery life which would suffer. Will the new iPhone really have a 4.65 inch screen?

Unlikely, but a four inch screen is a more probable option and one which would be easier for die hard fans of the traditional iPhone form to accept, although once Apple do release a large screen iPhone you can be sure that those fans who currently criticise larger screens will be the first to extol their virtues.

Meanwhile after a noticeable lack of queues for the new iPads (most people bought them online this time round) a mini debate has begun over the popular tablet.

The new iPad

The new iPad has a 70% more powerful battery but, conversely, uses 150% more power than before thanks primarily to its new screen and as a result a large number of users have complained about the fact that it gets uncomfortably warm. US consumer site “consumer reports” found that in their tests it reached a temperature of 116 degrees Fahrenheit when plugged in and 113 degrees when unplugged and this has led to a number of technology sites (and even some newspapers) claiming it’s a big problem.

While not a fan of Apple I think personally that people buying the new iPad should cut Apple a little slack. The screen is a lot better than before and with such a high resolution (and of course with an excellent quad core gpu) it was never going to have the same battery life as its predecessor did.

It’s not uncommon for phones, tablets etcetera to heat up when charging, in general the more powerful a device is the more heat it will generate which is why laptops will always be physically warmer than tablets for example. The truth is that yes it gets warm, but those who aren’t out to scare potential buyers or simply bash Apple at every opportunity freely admit its warm – but not hot. It will not burn you, it will not cook your hands or legs or help you fry eggs on a camping trip should you forget your stove…it may get warm after a while but that is all.

Built in obsolescence – phone makers phase out replaceable batteries, and storage cards

When the iPhone debuted critics rightly pointed to its lack of a removable battery being a concern.  Its lack of a memory card has also earned it some criticism, so it comes as quite a surprise to see many of 2012’s top phones following Apples lead and getting rid of one or both of these features.

Want some examples? Let’s take a look at some of this years hottest mobile phones.

The Motorola Razr, Razr Maxx and Droid 4 all have batteries you cannot remove. Want to keep a spare, maybe for a long trip so you can play games while away from a charger? Well sorry, but you can’t.

The Xperia P has no removable battery

The HTC one X, One S and Titan II also have non removable batteries. Sony’s Xperia S, Xperia P and Xperia Ion, Panasonics Eluga, Nokias Lumia 800 and Lumia 900 phones also have batteries that you cannot replace.

More than half of these phones also have another feature, or lack of it, in common. They do not support memory cards.

For example none of the Nokia  or HTC models mentioned earlier will allow you to use a micro SD card. If your phone dies for any reason and you can’t access its built in memory then you are simply out of luck, anything you had will be lost (photographs, music, etcetera)….unless you can get it repaired by the manufacturer, for a fee. And even then because repairs often involve flashing a new rom onto the phone the repair itself has the potential to erase your data.

Battery dead, not charging? Again, send it to the manufacturer and they will replace it under the phones guarantee. Or, if out of warranty, for a fee. You won’t have a phone for at least a week or so but you could always buy or rent a replacement while you’re waiting. For a fee, of course.

So why is this trend emerging? Well the companies responsible claim it allows for slightly thinner phones and as a result better looking designs. And yet you get some phones (such as the Xperia range) where the low end model (Xperia U) still supports an sd card or removable battery (or both) and yet manages to look the same or better (in fact the Xperia U is smaller and yet has a more powerful battery than the higher model Xperia P which has no removable battery).

Sony's Xperia U, despite a smaller size but identical look, has a removable battery unlike the higher end Xperia P

The real reason is, at least in part, to build in obsolesence. To make it so that you can’t just buy a new battery off of ebay or from your local shop but instead have to pay the manufacturer.

The manufacturer can of course then say they will only support your phone for a preset period, for example twelve months, after which time they could class your phone as obsolete and, with no way to replace your battery when it goes, you will (sooner or later) have no choice but to replace the entire phone.

This ensures that even customers who like to keep their phones for years will, at some point, have to purchase a new one and keeps much needed income reaching the manufacturers but is that a good thing for the customer who, without being forced into it, would gladly stick with one phone for a few years or more and just change the battery if need be?

Not all phone manufacturers are doing this, and not with all models, but it is a trend that many of this years high end phones are following and to my mind it is a bad idea for the end user.

I have with various phones took my memory card out to share a large file, rather than wait a long time to send it using Bluetooth, and on a few long journeys by bus or train have also taken a second battery with me so I could play games and listen to music even if one battery ran low and needed charging (unfortunately you can’t charge your phone on most trains or buses).

With many newer phones this just is not possible. Thankfully the company who make my most recent phones haven’t yet jumped on this annoying bandwagon but with Nokia, HTC, Sony and Motorola now doing so with many of their newer models it seems likely they and others will inevitably do so.

As it stands it is increasingly the lower end models in a manufacturers range (for example Xperia U) that have a removable battery, or an sd card (or both), and if more companies take this approach we will have a situation where you are forced to compromise by having the lower end model just to get certain features, a bizarre turn of events but one already being found.