Apple is reportedly conducting in-house testing of larger iPhone and iPad screens, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Citing officials at Apple's Asian suppliers, the newspaper said that Cupertino has been requesting prototype smartphone screens larger than 4 inches, as well as screen designs for a tablet measuring slightly less than 13 inches diagonally.
It is unclear whether the designs will make it to public consumption; Apple routinely tests different concepts before refining them for development, the Journal said.
Apple did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.
The current lineup of iDevices got a size makeover last year, when Apple released the 4-inch iPhone 55 and smaller iPad mini, which stands at 7.9 inches.
Recently, Taiwan's Commercial Times reported that the next-gen iPhone would be delayed in order to boost the screen size to a 4.3-inch Retina display. Sources claimed Cupertino was originally planning to release the iPhone 5S in September or October ? the usual timeframe for new Apple devices in recent years ? but the phone may launch closer to the end of the year.
Most rumors, however, suggest that the next iteration of the iPhone will retain that 4-inch frame, while reports about the iPad have primarily focused on whether or not the mini will get a Retina display.
Apple has not officially released any details about upcoming smartphones or tablets. CEO Tim Cook recently acknowledged that some people are hankering for larger screens, but said that many of the "phablets" on the market sacrifice resolution, color quality, and other features for their massive displays.
"We would not ship a larger display iPhone while these trade-offs exist," Cook said. "My view continues to be that the iPhone 5 has the absolute best display in the industry."
Still, Cupertino is competing against the larger Samsung Galaxy S lineup, as well as phablets from Sony and Huawei.
Other firms have experimented with 13-inch tablets, including the 13.3-inch Toshiba Excite. But PCMag found that size to be unwieldy. There have also been some hybrid tablet/laptops with 13-inch screens, like the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13, but PCMag also found that to be "too large and heavy for comfort as a tablet."
For more, see PCMag's reviews of the iPhone 5, fourth-generation iPad, and iPad mini.
Source: http://feeds.ziffdavis.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/breakingnews/~3/F274PZM78Vc/0,2817,2422079,00.asp
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