back to article Why Apple had to craft a pocket-busting 5.5in Plus-sized iPhone 6 (thank LG, Samsung etc)

Apple's two-hour parade, topped off by a performance by ludicrous boy band U2, on Tuesday was a long-winded way of shoring up its size problem. The size of its iPhone touchscreens, specifically. The Cupertino giant opened its presentation by unveiling a pair of iOS 8 smartphones that boast larger screens: the 4.7in iPhone 6 …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Holmes

    It's all about the screen size

    No one but the most rabid fanbois are buying a $350+++ watch that looks like an iPod Nano with limited capability - especially outside the Christmas season, and the watch won't be available for Christmas.

    And pay-bonk is already a crowded field. Doesn't matter how many customers Apple has - Visa and Mastercard have far more customers, and they've had a horrible time getting retailers to switch to pay-bonk.

    This is all about screen size, and trying desperately not to lose more market share to the Android sellers. It's a good move - I was thinking if they continued on the same path as the iPhone 5s, they would end up being the next Blackberry or Nokia - a once dominant phone maker reduced to rubble.

    1. R 11

      Re: It's all about the screen size

      Actually, I welcome the Apple move into payments, by keeping the transaction between you and your card issuer. With Google's wallet, if I make a purchase it goes through Google. Therefore I don't get the 5% cashback my card issuer will give me for shopping in a grocery store/petrol station/chemist etc.

      If I was still receiving my cashback, I'd use my phone for any transaction I could, since it's easier to pull out my pocket then getting my wallet, opening it and pulling out the correct card.

      1. Duke2010

        Re: It's all about the screen size

        "since it's easier to pull out my pocket then getting my wallet"

        Take phone out of pocket and touch on reader.

        Take wallet out of pocket and touch it on reader.

        I don't see any difference!

        The only difference is it means Apple know exactly what you have been buying whereas before only your bank knew. (Plus all the people that hack Apple accounts will know exactly what you have buying!)

        1. SuccessCase

          Re: It's all about the screen size

          "The only difference is it means Apple know exactly what you have been buying whereas before only your bank knew."

          Bit of an assumption there Duke. Actually Apple are making a feature of their payment tech that they know nothing about the transaction. That was a key point made by Tim Cook yesterday. They have targeted privacy as a key axis on which to compete with Google in full knowledge Google can't match them and continue to make money. They also keep your name and contact details away from the merchant also. Which is a step more private than today's credit cards and a hell of a lot more private than Google wallet.

          1. Russell Hancock

            Re: It's all about the screen size @SuccessCase

            Just a question, not looked into at all but you say:

            "They also keep your name and contact details away from the merchant also"

            How does the merchant know how to send you the goods you have ordered (in situations where you order physical goods) if they are not given your name and contact details?

            Colour me confused...

            1. Simon Harris

              Re: It's all about the screen size @SuccessCase @Russell Hancock

              "How does the merchant know how to send you the goods you have ordered (in situations where you order physical goods) if they are not given your name and contact details?"

              You mean the goods you just put on the counter in the shop? I thought pay-by-bonk was designed for small payments (up to about £10/€15/$25-ish) for services or products in-store as an alternative to shoving your card in the slot and entering a PIN. If it's for a larger amount or something to be delivered I'd expect more security than just waving the card over the reader.

              1. Russell Hancock

                Re: It's all about the screen size @SuccessCase @Russell Hancock @Simon Harris

                You are of-course correct - for some reason it was in my mind that it was e-commerce related...

                but the question still stands, when i pay by card (chip and pin) or pay by bonk - what difference does that make to security? in neither circumstance do i hand over any personal details...

                p.s. i have given an up vote for correcting me...

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: of their payment tech that they know nothing about the transaction

            And how exactly do you stop the person in the crowd with their handheld reader from ""accidentally" bonking your phone whilst it's in your pocket?

            Then Apple say "we're not liable for your lost money"

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: of their payment tech that they know nothing about the transaction

              Well, unless you keep your thumb permanently on the home button, you won't have any problems.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: It's all about the screen size

          "Take phone out of pocket and touch on reader.

          Take wallet out of pocket and touch it on reader.

          I don't see any difference!"

          My wallet contains both a credit and debit card, both of which support pay-by-bonk.

          It is necessary to remove the specific card from the wallet unless I want to toss a coin as to which account the transaction is charged.

          Lots of people have more than one card, or keep a separate credit card to divide work expenses from personal spending. Rather than adding up your receipts and doing a whole expenses return, just staple them all to the credit card statement and circle the bottom line. Just swiping your wallet only works if you only have one NFC card.

          1. cambsukguy

            Re: It's all about the screen size

            > Just swiping your wallet only works if you only have one NFC card.

            Which I do now, arrived yesterday. Handy, hope it works through a thickish wallet - I will put the card at the front or back and hope.

        3. Stuart Elliott

          Re: It's all about the screen size

          Close, but no cigar:

          "Take wallet out of pocket and touch it on reader."

          My wallet contains 3 credit cards, and a debit card, all of which have PaybyBonk - which one does it choose?

          "The only difference is it means Apple know exactly what you have been buying "

          "6:51 p.m. : Apple doesn’t know what you bought, where you bought it, or how much you paid for it."

          Source: http://www.apple.com/live/2014-sept-event/

          1. Darryl

            Re: It's all about the screen size

            OK, you have multiple credit and debit cards in your wallet. So you have to add the extra step of pulling out the card you want to use.

            Is your iPhone going to magically know which card you want to use and automatically send the code from that card, or are you going to have to unlock the phone, start up some app, choose which card you want to use, then bonk it.

            I don't see any savings in time or energy.

            "I don't have to carry my wallet." - I guess we're different then, I 'carry' my wallet with me all of the time, in my pocket, because it has other important things in it, like my driver's license. I'm not one of those people who has their phone in hand 24/7 though.

        4. Frank Bough

          Re: It's all about the screen size

          The difference in not needing to carry the wallet at all.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: It's all about the screen size

            "The difference in not needing to carry the wallet at all."

            Colour me cynical but I'd rather not have Apple know my location, messages, emails, photos, calendar, and purchasing. In other words where I've been, where I'm going, what I did, where I did it, what I bought, where I bought it, what I said, and my heartbeat at the time. Sheesh, they'd be able to write your biography. That is an awful lot of information being concentrated in just one company even if it is only metadata. Hate the NSA doing it but freely give it to Apple?

        5. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: It's all about the screen size

          "Take phone out of pocket and touch on reader.

          Take wallet out of pocket and touch it on reader.

          I don't see any difference!"

          ...but that isn't how your (or my, anyway) wallet is - I have both an Amex and Visa card (both NFC enabled), along with a debit card for my personal account and one for our joint account with my other half (again, both NFC enabled) and an Oyster card (NFC).

          There's no way I can hold my wallet up to any reader and have it get anything but a scrambled mess. Well, actually, my wallet is NFC shielded, so the reader wouldn't get anything, but you get my point.

    2. ThomH

      Re: It's all about the screen size

      Unlike Google, Apple isn't attempting to displace Visa or Mastercard. Apple's system works analogously to something like OAuth: your existing Visa or Mastercard account vends a token that is stored in the phone. That token is communicated to the shop. The shop charges your Visa or Mastercard, via your normal bank.

      I think Apple's probably going to be able to drag quite a few shops along through its marketing muscle. It'll be of the same benefit to the rest of us as its previous efforts in bringing unmetered billing via AT&T.

    3. SuccessCase

      Re: It's all about the screen size

      "No one but the most rabid fanbois are buying a $350+++ watch that looks like an iPod Nano with limited capability"

      - I remember you having the same attitude to the iPad.

      "Doesn't matter how many customers Apple has - Visa and Mastercard have far more customers, and they've had a horrible time getting retailers to switch to pay-bonk."

      -Visa and MasterCard are jumping at what Apple are offering because Apple aren't vying to get a cut, they are using it instead as a feature advantage to sell more phones.

      "This is all about screen size, and trying desperately not to lose more market share to the Android sellers."

      - So desperate they have seen off Samsung from the high-end, the only sector of the market where you can make real money, to the extent that Samsung now have falling profits and market share. Apple's share of the high-end of the market continues to grow. What that means is they have users who actually pay for things, so for example developers still earn on average twice from the AppStore for their apps as they will earn from the Google play store across all of the Google Android base. And it's true that as smart phones with touch screens have become embedded in our daily life, the user has been prepared for and in larger numbers wanted something bigger. Though don't forget, average out sales over a device's lifetime and you find the iPhone has always outsold equivalent Samsung's Galaxy range by a factor of between 6:4 and 2:1 with the 5s - also a smaller screened phone - doing even better against Samsung than either the 5 or 4s.

      "I was thinking if they continued on the same path as the iPhone 5s, they would end up being the next Blackberry or Nokia - a once dominant phone maker reduced to rubble."

      - Are you referring to the path that has lead them to be the most valuable company in the world, ahead of Enron ? That path ?

      1. Cliff

        Re: It's all about the screen size

        Screen size - feels a bit like catch-up to me. Jobs was unmoving on what he determined optimal screen sizes to be. So a range including a 6" phone and a 7.9" tablet does show a bit of catch-up hopefulness in a market that's maturing.

        >>7-inch tablets are tweeners: too big to compete with a smartphone and too small to compete with the iPad. ….7-Inch tablets are dead on arrival. While one could increase the resolution to make up some of the difference, it is meaningless unless your tablet also includes sandpaper, so that the user can sand down their fingers to around one-quarter of their present size. Apple has done expensive user testing on touch interfaces over many years, and we really understand this stuff.<<

        That watch looks seriously "me too" as well. Apple used to differentiate themselves in the market by the perception of breaking new ground (and they have certainly encouraged some good competition and stimulated the market), but this seems very catchy-uppy. Maybe their new phone will do something cool and shake up the market again, but recently all the innovation has been coming from Asia.

        1. SuccessCase

          Re: It's all about the screen size

          That's a quote out if context. Not that Steve Jobs said anything else on that, the context being the market had no reply to the iPad for a good two years. Steve Jobs was right. All the 7 inch alternatives (play book HP's touch pad) crashed and burned. The thing that changed, was, due in large part to the influence of the iPhone and the iPad in, mobile devices became so embedded in our lives, we have become so addicted to their presence, we have become akin to drug addicts speaking a shot however we can get it. 7" tablets are a point of tension between two contrary desires. The desire for an effective interface to a virtual online world and the desire (which didn't exist to anything like the extent it does now when Jobs gave that quote) to have it with us the maximum amount of time possible. So 7" tablets are actually evidence of the complete success of Jobs approach to mobile computing and the extent we are prepared to compromise to get it. We are prepared to go as far as possible whilst retaining mobility. Jobs view of the size requirement for the iPad was a snapshot of how at the time we wouldn't have considered using an iPad much outside of a couch setting. It could be carried around but was not thought of as something that would mostly be used on the move. And the iPad was clearly a roaring success. What has happened is users have become addicted enough they want iPad functionality but whilst actually on the move. They aren't prepared to have to wait until they reach the couch or chair setting before they get their next shot.

          1. Afflicted.John

            Re: It's all about the screen size

            Since when was the 10" HP Touchpad a 7" device? Therefore that leaves your "crashed and burned" argument with the BB PlayBook. Fine.

            Just don't mention the Hudl, Galaxy Tab 3/4 and that Nexus 7 thingy....

            The market has clearly spoken despite your fandom, and given a variety of different devices. "Choice" if you will...something that Apple is now only realising it needs to deliver because they cannot dictate to every sector of the market and just expect to shift units because they are "Apple".

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: It's all about the screen size

          "all the innovation has been coming from Asia."

          If you are incapable of seeing the Industrial Engineering innovations in each iteration of the iPhone, then you sir, are what we more gifted and astute persons call a moron.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I think the Swiss are safe...

    Serious people don't want a watch that looks like it came out of a plastic egg.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      Re: I think the Swiss are safe...

      A plastic egg? That's a bit harsh. You could have been a bit kinder

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I think the Swiss are safe...

        The coat in that icon is no where near shabby enough for that pun

    2. Frankee Llonnygog

      Re: Serious people don't want a watch

      There's nothing says 'wanker' quite so well as a bling watch. Unless it's a bling fountain pen.

      Here's a little tip to sales people: when you shoot your cuffs to show off your watch, and slap your Mont Blanc down on the table, you're sending a message that your software is overpriced

    3. Kristian Walsh Silver badge

      Re: I think the Swiss are safe...

      Biggest failure of the "Apple Watch" is that as far as I can see, it has no conspicuous Apple Logo anywhere on it.

      It might sound facetious, but a lot of the attraction of buying an iPhone is often to show people you can afford one (I'm fully aware that this does not apply to everyone, but if you don't think iPhones are a status symbol, you're not living in a place that has a wide spread of incomes). Like those Ralph Lauren shirts with the oversized logo on them, the point is to advertise your income-bracket to people without having to engage them in conversation.

      From a distance, an Apple Watch without conspicuous branding looks just like the Chinese knockoffs that are even now coming off the production lines, so why bother if everyone will assume your real one is a fake.

      1. The_H

        Re: I think the Swiss are safe...

        "-a lot of the attraction of buying an iPhone is often to show people you can afford one"

        Once maybe, not any more. Every shopping centre seems to have its fair share of bottom-end joggie-clad iThing users.

        The kids are a pretty good barometer of these things. Daughter and all her friends have been iAddicts for years now, but they're all migrating cos they think it's old fashioned. Eldest's 14th birthday is in a few weeks and (against better judgment) I suggested an iPhone 6 - she turned it down flat because "nobody wants iPhones any more".

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

    To the contrary, Apple Pay basically destroys the business model of everyone playing in the mobile payments space before today! This is great for consumers, but everyone else is busy throwing out their business plan and figuring out how to survive this.

    I always figured NFC payments would be really hard to make work in the US because everyone wants to take a cut of the transaction. Everyone involved from phone OEMs, carriers, app developers and various others who figured they could insert themselves in the process - all had dreams of making billions off a small cut of the action. Those dreams are now gone.

    Apple doesn't need a cut (or profit down the road via using/selling customer data) since they make their money selling phones/watches. Payment processors and banks didn't want to give anyone a cut of their action. Merchants didn't want to give a bigger cut than they give now to enable more pigs at the trough.

    So the banks, payment processors, and merchants all became logical partners of Apple, and the massive support they've lined up guarantees Apple Pay will gain traction where others have failed. Anyone who wants to play the mobile payments game after today will have to play by the profit-free information-free rules Apple has now set in stone. Brilliant move by Apple, this deals Google's aspirations a crippling blow by taking away their ability to collect data on user purchases and add it to their massive trove of customer data.

    Had Google been able to link purchase behavior all the way back to user searches, the value of that search data and AdWords would have grown immeasurably.

    1. Philip Lewis

      Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

      Exactly DougS.

      Have the first upvote

      1. Kristian Walsh Silver badge

        Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

        Apple have a patchy history when it comes to working with existing technology systems, and their record on online security isn't exactly stellar either.

        I also don't see what this offers above a standard NFC-enabled credit card. I know Apple's most loyal customers have a reputation of being spendthrift, but surely even they won't want to allow authorisation of large transactions with just a tap of a phone?

    2. Rob 44

      Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

      You really think they won't be watching what you buy?

      So naive.

      1. SuccessCase

        Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

        "We are not in the business of collecting your data. So, when you go to a physical location and use Apple Pay, Apple doesn’t know what you bought, where you bought it, or how much you paid for it."

        Eddie Cue, onstage, in front if the world's media, yesterday.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

          Fascinating. I guess that means they'll be turning off geolocation then?

          1. SuccessCase

            Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

            "Fascinating. I guess that means they'll be turning off geolocation then?"

            Clever, if sarcastic. Except...

            1) Apple don't know when you have made a payment and don't know when you are at place x that you have made a payment.

            2) They are extremely explicit that they do not track your location and if you have e.g. find my iPhone or other such services switched on, they purge all cached data and also that any data cached at their servers is encrypted and inaccessible by them in the same way as most good security systems user passwords are inaccessible by employees. This is made completely clear in the security white paper

            available here: http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/docs/iOS_Security_Feb14.pdf

            This security white paper has been hailed by the Security Expert, Steve Gibson as one of the best and most privacy protecting security implementations he has witnessed. They are setting themselves up in contradistinction to Google on security and see it is a differentiating factor where they can establish clear blue water with regards to what user's want.

            1. Geoff332

              Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

              I think you mean security "expert" Steve Gobson. His expertise is mostly self-proclaimed and largely debunked by, wait for it, security experts (no quotes).

              He's best known for emotional manipulation, mis-representing information to make himself look better, and generally favouring style over substance.

              And he thinks Apple's security is good? Quell surprise!

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

                He didn't say Apple's security was good, he said their security policy was better than anyone else's because they try to do right by the customer. You can be skeptical of that if you wish, but Apple has no incentive to screw over their customers. They make a lot of money when I buy an iPhone, it is not in their interest to add a single digit percentage to that profit by trying to steal my privacy by dealing in my personal data.

                Google tries to do right by their customers too, the problem for Google's users are that they are not the customers, they are the product. Google's customers are the advertisers who pay them to help target their ads. Thus Google's privacy policy has a lot more holes than Apple's, because they reserve the right to use just about any information they can possibly collect from you when you search, click or mail.

                Someone else said Apple's online security record was "spotty". I take it you're referring to the nude celeb pics scandal from a few days ago? How is it Apple's fault if celebs didn't realize that answering the "security questions" correctly left them open to attack since the answers to questions like the high school they attended and name of their first pet can be easily found on the internet?

                Some have criticized them for not offering two factor authentication for iCloud (which they now do, or plan to do) but seriously, are celebs who didn't realize they were exposing themselves (literally and figuratively) by answering the security questions correctly really going to know they should be using two factor security, or even what it is if they see a checkbox to enable it? It is only people who read the Reg who know what it is, if you ask a typical smartphone user (iPhone or Android) you'll be met with a blank stare.

    3. Thunderbird 2

      Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

      @DougS

      Best thought out post in this thread. Have an upvote.

    4. dogged
      Meh

      "provided the company plays well with others"

      Because they have such a great history of that.

    5. phil dude
      Pirate

      Re: Apple DOES NOT benefit the mobile payments space

      I would propose that Apple may also have had ulterior motives (shocker!)...

      In other news, did anyone else read that PayPal is now taking bitcoins?

      Since PayPal can interface with banks/CC's, Apple is effectively dealing in bitcoins if you have a CC linked to a bitcoin account.

      Just a thought...

      P.

  4. FarmerBob

    NFC? . . . .

    Is this the same NFC tech that created an industry of "protective" wallets that prevents a person with the right gear from walking past you and capturing all your info? We got issued Chase NFC credit cards when they first came out. Called Chase, shredded the cards and ordered new standard cards. Chase said they understood and it was no problem. Guess they have had a lot of rejection on these cards. Also have noticed a lot of retailers that openly rejected this system to a point I thought it was dead or at least the analysts said it was. Even got a couple of inserts with my bills stating that those retailers would never use NFC, so I wouldn't worry. Hmmm, curious . . . .

    1. Mike Bell

      Re: NFC? . . . .

      No, it's not the same NFC tech, as the user is authenticated by a combination of device and fingerprint.

      Apple have convinced card issuers that this is secure. But what about something like the iPhone replacing an Oyster Card? There would be little joy in having to muck about with fingerprints when going through a busy ticket barrier, for example.

      1. Sid_the_Kid

        Re: NFC? . . . .

        Since you can already use NFC phones in place of an Oyster, it would seem logical that low value transactions can occur without authentication. The fingerprint ID is no less secure than a signature which is all that is required in the US and arguably equal to a PIN.

        1. AMBxx Silver badge
          FAIL

          Re: NFC? . . . .

          Crowded underground station, I drop my Oyster card. Somebody stands on it. I pick it up - it still works,

          Crowded underground station. I drop my iPhone. Sombody stand on it. Oops.

          1. JDX Gold badge

            Re: NFC? . . . .

            Learn not to be so bloody clumsy? Half the people in crowded underground stations already have their phones out already...

        2. Ivan Headache

          Re: NFC? . . . .Sid_the_Kid

          Are you sure about using phones instead of Oysters?

          Only yesterday I was talking to the man at my station barrier and he said that you couldn't and he hadn't heard any news about it coming. card-clash yes, but phone-bonk...?

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: NFC? . . . .

        Apple have convinced card issuers that this is secure. But what about something like the iPhone replacing an Oyster Card? There would be little joy in having to muck about with fingerprints when going through a busy ticket barrier, for example.

        First of all, I simply do not like NFC payments because of their lack of verification, but the mobile phone implementations are at least locked down so they don't broadcast all the time. However, as Android and Apple mobile phones are at the top spot for stolen mobiles it strikes me as folly making people confirm they have one and that credit cards are active on the device - that makes it twice as interesting to steal.

        Add to that that the CCC in Hamburg found the fingerprint reader was easy to defeat and the fact that any shiny object will happily hold the required fingerprint elsewhere on the device and I fear this is simply not a very good idea. About the only thing I like more about Apple's approach is that it is (allegedly) not slurping your purchase habits for resale. Until someone buys a porn mag with it...

        1. Oninoshiko

          Re: NFC? . . . .

          However, as Android and Apple mobile phones are at the top spot for stolen mobiles

          That's because they cover the vast majority of the the smart phones. I mean maybe the thieves REALLY like windows phones, they just can't find them!

      3. Rob 44

        Re: NFC? . . . .

        Fingerprint?

        (Tinfoil hat mode) There's no way on earth I would ever let any corporation to store a copy of my fingerprint. Not gonna happen.

        1. Mike Bell

          Re: NFC? . . . .

          Fingerprint?

          The iPhone, nor any corporation it connects to, stores a 'copy' of a fingerprint. The iPhone stores a hash of the fingerprint in its secure enclave. A bit like good websites never store users' passwords in a database - they store a hash that is only good for verification purposes when a subsequent password is entered. The hash can't be used to reconstruct any particular fingerprint.

        2. Scott Pedigo
          Big Brother

          Not Allowing Fingerprint Storage? Got A Passport?

          Last time I renewed my Swiss passport, they took a digital picture on the spot (which saved me from having to bring in a passport photo for them to glue on) and the fingerprints from both of my forefingers (right and left hands), and that data all goes in their system and - I assume - on the chip embedded in the passport.

          Last time I travelled to the U.S. using my Swiss passport, I had to stick a forefinger on a reader. Don't tell me that the U.S. government isn't permanently storing any fingerprint they come by.

          That's not the same as letting a private corporation store your fingerprints, but the point is, if you want to travel internationally, you're not going to totally avoid having your fingerprints stored.

          Private corporations can't do much to you (apart from the evil ones in films), but the government can. I would think that you'd have more fear of government abuse than of business abuse.

          One of the things I don't like about businesses storing my private information is that I know the NSA is going to have it, along with any law enforcement agency that wants it, and probably a few hackers. So if the government (mine and others) already has it anyway, it's not such a big deal.

          1. Al Jones

            Re: Not Allowing Fingerprint Storage? Got A Passport?

            Unlike the Brazilians, the Europeans don't have the balls to give travelers from the US the same treatment that the US gives travelers from Europe - so most US citizens don't have to be concerned about having their fingerprints stored (rumour has it that, while US travelers to Brazil do have their fingerprints taken, the Brazilians don't bother actually storing them - it's simply a tit-for-tat arrangement).

    2. Fluffy Bunny
      Holmes

      Re: NFC? . . . .

      Strange. In Australia, Asia, etc. NFC is quite popular and widespread. About 75% of Australian retailers have it installed and most cards issued by banks use it. Android phones are quite popular in Asia because they have NFC installed.

  5. stucs201

    Surely there are two sides to the size thing?

    While some won't have been buying Apple phones because they want a big screen, surely others will have been buying them because they prefer a smaller (*) device. Isn't this likely to be a case of swings and roundabouts?

    ((*) relatively speaking, it seemed huge compared to the tiny phones in existence when it first launched)

    1. AMBxx Silver badge

      Re: Surely there are two sides to the size thing?

      It would be interesting to see some comparative pictures of the top phones available when the first iPhone was released. Strange how we've all got used to carrying these huge slabs around.

      1. stucs201

        Re: comparative pictures

        I still actually use a flip phone from that time (considered under-specified at the time, but way better than any current flip phone). Its height is about the same as the width of many current phones.

      2. dogged

        Re: Surely there are two sides to the size thing?

        > It would be interesting to see some comparative pictures of the top phones available when the first iPhone was released. Strange how we've all got used to carrying these huge slabs around.

        I remember I had an HTC Touch at the time (smaller than iPhone) and most of my feature-phone using colleagues thought that was a bit big.

        I saw one of the them the other toting a Galaxy Note.

    2. JDX Gold badge

      Re: Surely there are two sides to the size thing?

      What size is the 5S? It does seem odd not to keep the same size as an option. Maybe the 6C will do so?

      1. hammarbtyp

        Re: Surely there are two sides to the size thing?

        I severely doubt we will ever see a 6C,

        The 5C just failed to raise the interest of the buying public.

        Compared to it's Android competitors it was just too expensive while at the same time did not have the Apple coolness factor that justified the price. The only benefit to the consumer was allowing a cheaper way into the Apple ecosystem, but that in itself could not justify the price when for just a little bit more you could buy the perceived "real" deal.

        It sat painfully between two stools, and I can see Apple quietly shelving it in a few years, instead concentrating on the 5S as its developing market phone.

        1. JDX Gold badge

          Re: The 5C just failed to raise the interest of the buying public.

          That's not really true. IT didn't meet with a clamour of desire but it's sure been selling well.

      2. Bill Fresher

        Re: Surely there are two sides to the size thing?

        "What size is the 5S? It does seem odd not to keep the same size as an option. Maybe the 6C will do so?"

        The 5S is still an option.

        1. D@v3

          Re: 5s is still an option

          for now, but probably only another year or so. Go to the Apple web store, and they have 4 iphones for sale, 5c, 5s, 6, 6+.

          Next year when the 6s and 6s+ (massive speculation here) what's to say that the 5c and 5s won't drop off that list.

          While this might seem like a long time, for people who already own one, it means that their next phone is either going to be larger, or not an iPhone, which for a lot of people (that are deep inside the walled garden) isn't a great choice.

          I have a 5s, and I like the size. I'm not so keen on being 'forced' to upsize, just to stay with apple.

          1. cambsukguy

            Re: 5s is still an option

            > I'm not so keen on being 'forced' to upsize, just to stay with apple.

            That is the choice you made when you selected a device from a company that makes so few devices with so few form factors.

            Android has almost every form factor one can think of, even smallish screens although not chocolate blocks.

            Windows Phone starts very low indeed (although perhaps not *as* low as the lowest Android, it is still a Nokia) and goes up to high-spec and large screen (and both).

            Now is the time to escape your evil ecosystem and choose one where you can just have the music you own, copied into the directory structure you desire (or no structure at all since my phone ignores where the files are and supplies the music as you would expect, Artist, Songs, Playlist, Genre etc.).

            The other upside is that you can remove iTunes from your computer!

            Don't worry too much about the money you spent on apps, apps are freer/cheaper on the other ecosystems from what I can see so replacement (of the apps you actually need and not the games you no longer play anyway) should cost maybe a tenner max.

            1. proud2bgrumpy

              Re: 5s is still an option

              Couldn't agree more iTunes ruins my day every time I have to use it. My wife has an iPhone, I get the miserable task of syncing stuff off her iPhone via iTunes and Inevitably, Holiday pictures get lost, bought music and transferred music gets lost and apps disappear. iTunes is the bane of my life. Why a *device* that probably has more compute power than my laptop requires that laptop is beyond me.

              On the other hand, my £135 Chinese cheap-as-chips-takes-a-better-picture-than-the-iphone-knock-off-of-a-Samsung-Android phone has never lost a thing and it takes minutes to transfer any data on or off it - something an iPhone user just can't begin to comprehend.

  6. Tim Roberts 1

    oooohh SHINY.....

    not

  7. Jason Hindle

    But when will Apple Pay be coming to Blighty?

    Will it ever reach these shores? My Nexus 5 has NFC, and I have a single app that uses it; an app that reads the chip on my passport. It's a mystery to me why, for example, there hasn't been a

    pay by bonk Oyster Card app (for London).

    But what about the phones? Had Apple released a 4.7" phone a couple of years back, they might have tempted me back. Now I'm not so sure. Android has come a long way since then. Apple Pay could be the killer app that tempts me back.

    1. eSeM

      Re: But when will Apple Pay be coming to Blighty?

      Errr .... you don't need a Oyster Card App, I can already use my phone with NFC enabled S4 to pay for buses in the same way and for the same cost as an Oyster card and within the next few weeks I will be able to use it on the underground.

      1. Jason Hindle

        Re: But when will Apple Pay be coming to Blighty?

        So how does that work without an app of some sort? Unique ID of phone associated with Oyster account?

  8. JDX Gold badge

    re:That awkward moment when the #applewatch mockups are cooler than the actual #applewatch

    When the mockups are just pulled out of someone's backside based on looking cool with no need to comply with what's actually possible in 2014, it's not surprising.

    And surely the whole point is it looks rather like a watch, NOT like a futuristic gizmo?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re:That awkward moment when the #applewatch mockups are cooler than the actual #applewatch

      When the mockups are just pulled out of someone's backside based on looking cool with no need to comply with what's actually possible in 2014, it's not surprising.

      And surely the whole point is it looks rather like a watch, NOT like a futuristic gizmo?

      I think some of the designs *are* already possible, but probably not in the volume expected of Apple. As for futuristic design, I saw the bracelet idea before. I recall this clearly because I spent a day looking for someone capable of engraving it as a present (the curved form means it has to be done by hand). This suggests there is maybe an unexplored niche in smart watches, making them actually *look* smart.

      I am personally *not* impressed by Apple's design, sorry, there is really zip reason why I would buy it, but I would not like to put myself forward as a paragon of style (more as an example worth avoiding :) ).

    2. Darryl

      Re: And surely the whole point is it looks rather like a watch, NOT like a futuristic gizmo?

      You've got that right. They went the exact opposite of futuristic. The plastic ones look like Swatches from the 1980's and the metal ones look like Bulovas from the 1970's

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Cheapskate on the screen

    At the 5" and below level 1080p are premium cost.

    That is likely why Apple gave you 720p screen. That ensures maximum profit at lowest cost. (think Moto G)

    1. Frank Bough

      Re: Cheapskate on the screen

      1080p on a sub 5" screen is idiotic. Even 720p is beyond what's needed.

  10. jason 7

    The biggest buzz I've seen re. the Watch...

    ...from the tame tech media is......

    ...you can change the strap!

    (Mindblown!!!!!)

    That's clutching at straws really.

    1. Philip Lewis

      Re: The biggest buzz I've seen re. the Watch...

      Actually, changing straps on a wrist watch is usually a non-trival exercise. Thus it has always been.

      If you look at the design and engineering involved in the method by which Apple have implemented this, seemingly for you trivial feature, what is observed is something both elegant and functional.

      For me, the whole strap and mechanism thing was a classic example of how Apple have actually done their homework, understood the issues and the usability requirements, and then come up with a solution.

      You have clearly failed to understand, that is your failing, not that of the Apple design team.

      1. Paul Hampson 1

        Re: The biggest buzz I've seen re. the Watch...

        "Actually, changing straps on a wrist watch is usually a non-trival exercise. Thus it has always been."

        You're joking right? With the exception of some fitted metal bracelets and swatch watches all you need is a jeweller size screw driver.

        1. jason 7

          Re: The biggest buzz I've seen re. the Watch...

          Yeah takes me around 2 minutes to change a watch strap but I have fingers...probably a different matter...for sheep.

      2. proud2bgrumpy

        Re: The biggest buzz I've seen re. the Watch...

        - So Apple have spent Millions, perhaps Billions of Dollars designing a product with a removable wrist strap - that is this devices Unique Selling Proposition? Because honestly, you'd need to be a pretty devoted fanbois to be enthralled with the test of it...

  11. hammarbtyp

    Now I have had time to mull things over...

    The iWatch is a typical Apple product. Beautifully engineered and seamlessly combining a number of technologies.

    However, the one thing Apple has not managed to do is make a compelling case for owning it. It is another $400 to basically do the same function as the phone in your pocket(which with contract costs has already cost you over $2000)., but does not perform those same functions anywhere neaer as well. I'm sure they will initially sell tons of them, especially to those with more money than sense, but i'm predicting that after a few months they reside next to that old PDA in the desk draw.

    Why? well first issue is that they do not replace the mobile but are paired with it meaning you have to now carry two devices, when you generally only need one. Secondly the battery life means you will now need to take two chargers with you where ever you go. In fact it is a surprise that the iPhone 6 does not use the same charging manner as the iWatch, which would make more sense.

    Of course it will have a few users who will persist with it and may even find it useful. But personally I will stick with my old analog watch. The fact it has a simple interface and long battery life is almost Jobsian in its concept.

    One thing is for certain, the Gnomes of Zurich will not be losing any sleep today

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Now I have had time to mull things over...

      Its also a typical v1 product like the original iPad and iPhone, not something to buy if you aren't planning on upgrading in a year or so.

      1. proud2bgrumpy

        Re: Now I have had time to mull things over...

        No - disagree, the original iPhone and iPad had immediate 'want one' appeal. The iWatch looks like a crappy 1990's digital watch, if someone bought me one for my birthday, I'd feel a bit disappointed.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    NFC payments

    There are practical reasons why having NFC payments tied to your phone aren't a good idea.

    When you reach the till in a supermarket, chances are, you've no idea how much the final bill will be, NFC payments are currently limited to £20 (I think), so, when it comes to paying, you're probably not sure whether you'll be able to pay with a contactless method, or have to enter your pin. Therefore, you're more likely to fish out your card, that can pay either way, than your phone, which won't work for larger values. Unless you're one of those wonderful people who waits until the last possible moment before fishing out your purse from the bottom of a tardis-like handbag.

    The low limit on contactless payments means you will still have to carry a card with you, unless you live your entire life buying less than £20 worth of stuff at a time.

    Then there is the lack of adoption, currently, of contactless terminals. The shops that could afford to replace their terminals (supermarkets, department stores, large retail chains) are those that you are likely to spend too much in one transaction to be able use them. Smaller retailers, independents, corner shops etc can't afford to swap out expensive equipment just to accommodate people who want to buy a paper with their phones.

    Next is convenience. You may say that using a phone to pay is no more inconvenient than a card. I disagree. Not sure how Apple Pay will work, but, with NFC on my Nexus the screen has to be active in order for NFC to work. This is a good thing, as it prevents drive-by payments attacks. Taking a phone out, turning on the phone and then swiping is less convenient than just waving a plastic card. If you have just one contactless card in your wallet, you don't even have to take it out to use it. If you need to use the fingerpint scanner on an iPhone in order to use NFC (which would make sense if you want security) then you will have to master the art of holding your phone, pressing on the scanner and holding your shopping all at the same time (being able to scan your fingerprint with the phone held upside down would make that easier, can the scanner read upside down fingerprints?).

    All in all, the miniscule amount of time saved by waving a card instead of entering a pin is negligible. Compared to the time taken to travel to a shop, find what you want, queue at the tills, wait for your items to be scanned, wait for the terminal to connect to the banks (for those retailers without permanent connections) and for the assistant to ask if you want cashback, those 2 seconds you save are nothing.

    Maybe the reason that NFC payments have failed to take off so far is not down to the technology or the brand on the phone, it's that, in the end, a lack of security of having no authorisation on plastic cards is worrying and adding a layer of security by tying the payment to a phone that needs authorisation removes the very convenience of not using a chip and pin.

    1. Steve Todd

      Re: NFC payments

      The combination of the device plus fingerprint allows you to overcome the £20 limit. You have to trigger the phone to make a payment so you don't get drive-by theft.

      Compare the two payment methods:

      1) Get your wallet out

      2) Select the right card

      3) insert the card into the chip and pin reader

      4) enter your pin

      5) press Enter

      6) wait while pin is verified

      7) wait for authorisation from CC company

      8) remove card from reader

      9) replace in wallet

      10) put wallet back in pocket.

      Vs

      1) get your phone out

      2) touch it to the reader while pressing the fingerprint reader (which activates the screen)

      3) wait for authorisation from CC company.

      4) put phone back in pocket

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: NFC payments

        your shortened list for phone conveniently glosses over one of the steps for cards... 2) Select the right card

        if you go into a supermarket, you can buy a loaf of bread, and would probably want to pay for that with your debit card, whereas, if you decided to pick up a PS4 or an iPad, you'd most likely want to use a credit card,

        I'd take no time at all to choose the right one out of my wallet, they're next to each other. How long to change the account on your phone?

        Just ask yourself this, would you feel confident enough to leave your wallet behind and be sure that, no matter what the day brings, you'll be able to pay for everything with your phone?

        1. Steve Todd

          Re: NFC payments @AC

          Lacking test systems to try it out on we can't say for certain, but I can think of at least one way that card selection is performed by the retailer for you, and another where card selection is done by user defined rules on the phone. Neither require user intervention.

          Short term at least you still need the physical card, but as it is easier and faster to use the NFC solution, and more secure (no need for new cards if it is lost or stolen) then things are likely to move that way. There are still places that only accept cash, does that mean that traditional plastic has failed?

          1. proud2bgrumpy

            Re: NFC payments @AC

            The reason why you shouldn't adopt any form of contactless payments is very simple. The banks hate cash. Once you have cash, the banks can't track your payments and therefore can't add a tiny percentage to every payment you make, so they make contactless (unauthenticated) payment cards available (with terrible security) to hopefully replace cash payments so that you buy your lunch time £1.99 sandwich with a wave of a card, you buy chewing gum for £0.60 with a wave of a card, every transaction (with these contactless cards) will have a tiny fee paid to the banks and of course the retailers will be forced to put the prices up to recover their cost per transaction. Pretty soon, the price of your lunchtime cheese and ham sandwich goes from £1.99 to £2.99 but you don't realise because you're just buying the same old 'cheese and ham' sandwich. DON'T DO CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS on a bank card or a smartphone - use cash.

            1. Steve Todd
              Stop

              Re: NFC payments @AC

              Banks charge businesses a cash handling fee, plus they charge each other for our using their ATM networks, even if they don't charge you directly. Cards are cheaper for shops to process (why do you think Tesco et al ask if you'd like any cash back? It saves them money).

  13. poopypants

    Unfortunate design choice

    Apple's decision to make the 5.5in iPhone nice and slim has forced them to compromise on battery size, which in turn has forced them restrict the screen resolution to 1334 x 750, versus 1920 x 1080 in Android competitors with a similar sized screen.

    That is a perfect example of form triumphing over function, and one of the reasons why I don't buy Apple products.

    1. Steve Todd
      Stop

      Re: Unfortunate design choice

      The 5.5 inch 6+ version has a 1920 x 1080 screen, and it has a longer battery life than the 5S and 6. The 6 has a better battery life than the 5S.

      What was that again?

      1. poopypants

        @Steve Todd Re: Unfortunate design choice

        The larger 1920x1080 Apple phone is competing with the Samsung phablet that has a display resolution of 2560x1440, and has a swappable battery. You were saying?

        1. Paw Bokenfohr

          Re: @Steve Todd Unfortunate design choice

          Why the hell should anyone care if the resolution of a 5.5" display is 1920x1080 or 2560x1440?

          The people who tout having a Full HD display, the same as on your TV, only 10 times smaller (and so 10 times sharper) as a FAILING are falling in to the same trap as many low-end device vendors who still believe that we are in the 80s or 90s where SPECS are the thing which people are looking for rather than FUNCTION.

          Nobody cares whether the device has 401ppi or 426ppi or 550ppi if they actually all look the same when you look at them. Nobody cares if your PHONE has a 2GHZ or 1.8GHz CPU, so long as it runs Angry Birds the same.

          Yes, 30 years ago, it mattered if you had a 386SX at 25MHz or a 386DX at 33MHz, but this is 2014.

        2. Steve Todd

          Re: @Steve Todd Unfortunate design choice

          On a 5.5 inch screen I challenge you to spot the difference between 1920x1080 and 2560x1440. Likewise I don't know anyone with a modern phone who carries spare batteries to overcome issues with life. A portable charger maybe, or an extended battery integrated in a case, but otherwise no. 4 or more years down the road when you want to replace the battery there's a small cost advantage (and a risk of buying dodgy third party/fake batteries) but rarely these days is a battery swap used to extend daily life.

          Neither of these points was claimed in your original post.

    2. proud2bgrumpy

      Re: Unfortunate design choice

      Mmm! My reason for never having another Apple product in my home (under any circumstances ever) having experienced the Apple iPhone eco-system is the reliance on iTunes - which is the worst crapware I have ever suffered. Never again.

      1. Steve Todd
        Stop

        Re: Unfortunate design choice

        You haven't needed iTunes since, IIRC, iOS 6. The iPhone can run stand-alone, register its self, backup to the cloud etc.

  14. spellucci
    Facepalm

    Gaining hardware but losing software = losing market share?

    My teenage sons both have iPhone 4 phones that are just about to be able to replaced for free through my mobile carrier's two year contract renewal plan. I showed them the new iPhone 6s yesterday, and both of them said they wanted to go Samsung. What?!

    My eldest said he uses his phone primarily for music, and he is tired of the loss of more and more of the features he likes due to software bugs. That resonated for me, because the only reason I buy iPods, and I have bought several, is to listen to podcasts. The podcast features I like have slowly disappeared over time due to software bugs. (E.g., I used to be able to sync the podcasts to my iPod and listen to them in order--feature now broken. E.g., the podcasts used to be removed from my smart playlist as I listened to them on the iPod so the most recent unheard podcast was always at the top--feature now broken.)

    Is the technical debt of Apple's software catching up to them in a way that will dampen new sales? In my small market survey,100% of iPhone users' reaction to the new iPhone is not to get a new one--for free--or even an old one, when their contract is up, but to switch to Android.

    1. Steve Todd

      Re: Gaining hardware but losing software = losing market share?

      Eh, what are these music bugs of which you speak? I've had no problems with the Music app, and use Spotify on a daily basis (the only object I've got to which is that it loses track of where you are in a playlist if it is in the background when stopped).

      1. pepper

        Re: Gaining hardware but losing software = losing market share?

        Steve, the Podcast feature from the music player that could update and track podcasts is gone in the 6.18 IOS Software. I was a bit puzzled when I wanted to subscribe to podcasts but the device wouldnt allow me(even though all sorts of guides told me I could). This was on a iPhone 3GS. Turns out that Apple seperated the Podcast software from the Music Player, fair enough... Well no, turns out you can only install that on 4S versions and up(IOS 7+), effectively removing features from older models. I came across a few other instances of this as well. Add to that no good free software for podcasts for IOS 6 and well, it's just looking extremely shoddy.

        1. Steve Todd

          Re: Gaining hardware but losing software = losing market share?

          "Podcasts" is a separate app in iOS 7+. It tracks and downloads podcasts for you (I've just received the latest Speaking In Tech, completely automatically on it),

          Music is dedicated to your music library and is also a separate app.

          Neither is causing me significant trouble. I'm interested to here about this lack of care that Apple is supposedly showing to music.

          1. pepper

            Re: Gaining hardware but losing software = losing market share?

            Steve, yes it works on IOS 7 but that is not available for the iPhone 3GS, sort of frustrating since it's still a working device.

    2. proud2bgrumpy

      Re: Gaining hardware but losing software = losing market share?

      Android gives you choice - thats the only reason to switch. There are no choices with Apple. Honestly, I think iOS is probably a little bit slicker than Android and my wifes £500 iPhone4 seems a little bit more reliable than my £135 Android Samsung Clone, but I can do anything I want with my Android and moving music / video / photos on or off the phone takes minutes whereas moving stuff on/off her iPhone is a day-long event - too much pain.

  15. phil dude
    IT Angle

    accessibility...?

    Any of those in the know hear whether this has adaptations for disabled folks?

    I mean (and I am being serious here) it has a physical control, it can detect heart rate and orientation. It might also be use to remind folks to take their meds...?

    I mean having to buy an iPhone kinda makes it impractical, but I will give Apple their due.

    Their stuff *is* shiny...

    P.

    1. bygjohn

      Re: accessibility...?

      All current iOS devices have very good accessibility features already, especially for visually-impaired people. It's unlikely they'd remove them in iOS 8.

      There are already apps which remind you to take your meds -I use one called Pillboxie.

      The new health sensors just enhance the possibilities in this field.

  16. Velv
    Paris Hilton

    Not everyone wants to carry around a phone that can double as a TV you can hang on your wall.

    It need to fit in your pocket, suit or jeans, and be both comfortable.

    I find the iPhone 5 large enough, and while before yesterday I had no plans to replace it with a 6, I'm now pretty certain I won't be replacing it with a 6. Indeed when the time comes I'll probably be looking elsewhere for something sensibly sized.

    Or am I the odd one out?

    (Paris? She'll never be plus sized)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Too big?

      I dunno - I have a 7" Tablet that fits perfectly into an inside jacket pocket just fine. If you're happy with a 3.5" screen that can fit sideways into the same pocket then I guess that's fine. Personally, I don't like squinting.

  17. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. Darryl

      Re: With a 5.5" screen -

      You could still point out that the company can buy you a nice Android for a lot less than an iPhone.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: With a 5.5" screen -

          "If I get forced, I'll just resign and go somewhere else with a little more imagination and a younger management chain. "

          Just as well yopu don't work for me, that sort of idiotic statement suggests you need to be flipping burgers

      2. td97402

        Re: With a 5.5" screen -

        Sure, and you can pretty much the same money for Sammy's new, OMG, metal bodied Galaxy Alpha.

  18. Scott Pedigo
    Headmaster

    Color Me (Still) Skeptical

    "They have pretty much answered all the objections that have been in the market, they are taking away all the advantages that competitors have."

    So now I'll be able to buy a cheaper model with less memory, and then insert a 64 GB micro-SD card for extra storage? And I'll be able to just stick the USB cable into my PC or laptop and drag pictures and MP3 files between the computer and phone, and dispense with the cumbersome iTunes software?

    1. proud2bgrumpy

      Re: Color Me (Still) Skeptical

      <irony>Really? I'm buying an iPhone</irony>

    2. td97402

      Re: Color Me (Still) Skeptical

      iTunes hasn't been required for a bit now. Go play with Samsung Kies for a while and get back to us.

  19. Fenton

    I may return to Apple

    I used to have a 4S but when it came to renewal, apple did not have the phone I wanted (i.e. a bigger screen) so I did what many did. I went with the HTC one.

    However I've never really got on with Android, I find the whole interface and usability just a bit messy.

    I do however have another year to go on my contract. I'll install IOs 8 and my ipad and see how it goes. 5.5" is however too big for my liking. Pity the 4.7 does not have the optical image stabilization.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    NFC Popular vs. Rejected

    Here in the UK, there is a sensible compromise - NFC can be used for up to 5 x £20 purchases in a day without PIN authentication - this allows for most user scenarios where the convenience of NFC is important (buying lunch, coffee, book etc) but avoids serious liabilities for all parties if the card gets cloned.

    NFC card readers in places where you can use them in the above manner are spreading rapidly in the UK as a result

    1. proud2bgrumpy

      Re: NFC Popular vs. Rejected

      Seriously???? On average most people have 3 cards on them at any one time - so you're stating that is acceptable to lose up to 5 x £20 x 3 = £300 per day? SAY NO TO NFC - USE CASH

  21. cambsukguy

    Definitely a useful app

    Would be one which monitors you heart rate, checking every ten seconds or so.

    Detects murmurs and tells you so.

    Notices you no longer have a heart beat and alerts you noisily, using the watch and the phone if possible.

    If you don't respond, it calls the paramedics.

    That *would* be useful - I doubt the battery could handle it but maybe at some stage.

    Of course, any phone with accelerometers could tell that you may have fallen and take action - the problem being detecting that you have fallen without wishing to (setting down slowly should also be detectable). Still, the battery probably can't handle continuous monitoring.

    There is a trend here, must get better power storage.

  22. The Godfather
    Meh

    Size? who cares?

    This fascination with screen size is a scream...personally, I don't want to hold something the size of a netbook to my ear.

    In any event, the writer of this article needs shooting.... U2 are not a 'ludicrous boy band'

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Out on a limb...

    Ok, I'm opening myself to abuse from the Apple fanbois out there (which BTW includes my wife - hence posting anonymously) but am I alone in thinking that the Apple iWatch (or whatever the heck it's called) looks a bit....

    ...well...

    ...boring.

    I mean, it just looks like a 90's digital watch with more colours on it - I just don't feel enthused or excited - after all the hype over the last few weeks, it's a bit of a wet fart. I don't know how much it costs or even what it can do - it just looks like the kind of watch I don't want to have. Oh well....

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ho hum, what a tedious anti-Apple site this is. How about some analysis of features, how they apply or don't deliver and actual comparisons to Samsung, etc. Then you might have some basis for comments. Otherwise you have nothing, except fodder for the anti-fanboys who still can't get over the fact that IBM is no longer number one because of Apple.

  25. Long John Brass

    May I humbly suggest

    :%s/wristslabs/wristable/g

  26. M. B.

    I'm such a sheep...

    ...since I have a personal HTC One and a work iPhone 5, and when I compare the two I think to myself I do prefer the iPhone 5 in daily use even with it's lower PPI screen, but I like the size of the HTC for reading docs a bit easier. It's basically exactly what I want, even though I'm not excited by it at all. Sigh.

  27. td97402

    iPhone Ketchup?

    "Cupertino is playing catch up, say analysts"

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! ROTFL. Apple does not need to play catch up. They release what works for them as they please. Really, like there is some secret sauce that only Sammy or HTC or LG know about how to slap together a <insert size here> phone and toss it out on the market.

    Could it be that Apple wanted to balance screen size, battery life, performance, quality, etc. and then when the time seemed opportune release a large phone? No, they just couldn't figure out how to make one until now and they're playing catch up. Sure.

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