There are tablets and there are phones. And there are phablets, but consumers aren’t yet convinced that phablets are phabulous. The rumored size of one version of Apple’s new iPhone 6 has some people wondering if the iPhone will come with a holster. A 5.5″ screen will allow users to see more, yes–a new report out of 9to5Mac says even the apps will run differently on the bigger screen “with more productive iPad-like interface.” But is that what people want? Steve Jobs was famous for not running any focus groups to test the market for his new products. Jobs believed that people couldn’t possibly know that they wanted, needed, the latest thing out of Apple until you gave it to them–then they’d know, not before.
But despite all the video-watching taking place on phones, will people really want to carry this thing? Looking at it next to the sleek 4.7″ iPhone may make the big 5’5″ iPhone 6 phablet model less attractive, especially for those who already own and carry an iPad. (The iPad mini already has a 7.9 inch screen.) Apple apparently believes that what people have been waiting for is to view their calendar apps in landscape view, rather than portrait. Evidence of that is scant, but Apple hasn’t missed yet on what people will like. Or at least it hasn’t missed in a long time. With the debut scheduled this week, we’ll soon see if the trend is iPhones that keep getting bigger–or if people still want to use their pockets on occasion.
