Apple Testing Prototype iPhones With Six-Inch Screens, Not Expected This Year

Apple is testing prototype iPhones with significantly larger screens than current models, according to The Wall Street Journal. The report claims Apple has tested models with screens as large as six inches, a significant increase from the 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5, but they are not expected to be released this year.

galaxy note ii iphone 5
5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note II vs. iPhone 5 (Source: phoneArena.com)

The electronics giant has begun evaluating a plan to offer iPhones with screens ranging from 4.8 inches to as high as six inches, people familiar with the matter say. That would be a sizable leap from the 4-inch screen of the iPhone 5 released last year, and, at the upper end, would be one of the largest on the market.

But people familiar with the company's internal deliberations and plans indicate it appears more willing to move ahead than in years past. Component suppliers say Apple already began testing larger screens for iPhones in recent months. Apple has been particularly interested in recent tests for a 4.8-inch screen, these people say.

Apple is routinely testing prototype devices and these models might never be released, but this is not the first time that we've heard this rumor. Back in July, the paper reported that Apple was testing larger screens on both the iPad and the iPhone.

MacRumors released a printable papercraft version of a 5-inch iPhone back in February of this year after other rumors of a larger iPhone surfaced.

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Top Rated Comments

bassfingers Avatar
150 months ago
Article should read

"Apple testing voice call capabilities on an iPad Mini"
Score: 72 Votes (Like | Disagree)
penajmz Avatar
150 months ago
Now THIS I want.
Score: 66 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Anonymous Freak Avatar
150 months ago
No, no, no.

People have it all wrong. They're going to continue with the route they took with the iPhone 5. It will be a six-inch screen, alright, but it will be the same width.

(Sorry for the crappy quick-and-dirty Photoshopping.)
Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yojimbo007 Avatar
150 months ago
6" no way!
4.5 to 4.8 is my bet.. And it will be awesome !
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
acfusion29 Avatar
150 months ago
now everyone is going to cry that they don't want a screen this large even though no one is putting a gun to their head to buy one.

options are good!!

bring on the bigger screen.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ryansimmons323 Avatar
150 months ago
Not really much of a surprise. You'd expect them to be prototyping all sorts of things.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)