Why does the iPhone get bigger with each new model?
Why Apple has stopped making small phones—and why it should start again | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/04/why-apple-has-stopped-making-small-phones-and-why-it-should-start-again/
The bigger the iPhone, the more profits you make
The smartphone market is saturated, and sales of iPhones and Android smartphones are slowing down. Therefore, it is less economical to sell low-priced smartphones than before.
Still, Apple needs to announce its financial results to investors and show that it is doing well. 'Apple is increasing the unit price of smartphones to show that it is making some profit,' Ars Technica points out. Even if sales of the new smartphone are not so good, if the price per unit is high, it will not be a problem for profits.
The larger the phone, the more expensive materials and parts are used. Conversely, the smaller the phone, the fewer expensive materials and parts are required. Ars Technica claims that Apple is gradually increasing the size of the iPhone because the unit price per unit increases as the smartphone gets larger. In addition, not only iPhones, but Android smartphones also tend to get larger every year.
◆ Content and services are designed for large screens
To offset the slowing growth in iPhone sales, Apple is offering not only iPhones, but also devices like
If you want to watch dramas distributed on Apple TV+ or play games distributed on Apple Arcade, you will have a better experience with the iPhone 11 with a 6.1-inch display or the iPhone 11 Pro Max with a 6.5-inch display than with the original iPhone SE with a 4-inch display.
In addition, the emergence of video streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video has created a demand for larger screens that provide a more immersive experience, which is why iPhones are becoming larger, Ars Technica explains.
◆ Technical reasons
The reason iPhones are getting so big isn't just business-related, it's also for technical and design reasons: With each new iPhone, smartphone makers need more space inside the phone to add new features and components.
In
In order to develop smartphones that meet market demand, it is necessary to install larger batteries and more powerful camera modules, which requires more space inside the smartphone, and as a result, newly developed smartphones become larger as their functions evolve.
The display size and body size of the iPhone have gradually increased compared to the original iPhone SE, but the reason for this is that 'Apple has been actively conducting market research since Tim Cook became CEO and has been designing iPhones to meet consumer demand,' Ars Technica points out. In addition, Apple has lost the idea that 'one iPhone is enough,' and has adopted a strategy of selling not only iPhones but also other Apple devices such as Macs, iPads, and Apple Watches, and trying to incorporate users into Apple's large ecosystem.
However, as smartphones, including iPhones, get larger, some people cannot use both hands to operate the smartphone, and accessibility clearly decreases. Since it is difficult for people with small hands, especially women's hands, to hold the smartphone safely, goods that prevent the smartphone from being dropped while operating it by attaching rings or protrusions have also appeared.
Ars Technica said, 'Offering a smaller iPhone to users would be a simple solution for Apple to gain more market share. However, with the second-generation iPhone SE now boasting a 4.7-inch display, it's unlikely that a smaller iPhone will be released anytime soon.'
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