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iPhone 5 to stick with smaller screen size?

While some rumors hold that the next iPhone might adopt a 4-inch screen, sources tell DigiTimes that Apple will stick with a smaller size--anywhere from 3.5 to 3.7 inches.

Lance Whitney Contributing Writer
Lance Whitney is a freelance technology writer and trainer and a former IT professional. He's written for Time, CNET, PCMag, and several other publications. He's the author of two tech books--one on Windows and another on LinkedIn.
Lance Whitney
2 min read

Recent rumors about the iPhone 5 have claimed that Apple would bump up the screen size to at least 4 inches, but a story from DigiTimes offers a contrary take.

Will the iPhone 5 sport the same screen size as its predecessor?
Will the iPhone 5 sport the same screen size as its predecessor? Apple

Citing sources from "upstream panel suppliers," DigiTimes rebuts the claims that the iPhone would sport a 4.2-inch screen size, which it says sprang from a leak from Apple's Web site in Switzerland early this month. Alleged design specs for iPhone 5 cases even prompted MacRumors to create some mockups of the new phone showing off a 4-inch screen.

But DigiTimes' sources say the iPhone 5 won't be the recipient of a 4-inch or larger screen and will instead stay either with the current 3.5-incher or grow slightly to 3.7 inches. In sticking with the smaller screen size, Apple is adopting a design that will lead to a thinner bezel for the display panel, making the screen appear to be larger, according to the sources.

The iPhone 5 has been the subject of a variety of rumors over the past several months, most notably about what new features it might offer. Some sources have claimed the new phone would sport a host of enhancements, including a larger screen, an 8-megapixel camera, full HD video recording, an A5 dual-core processor, and a new ultrathin design. Other sources believe the new phone will be just a minor upgrade to the iPhone 4 with a few tweaks but the same basic features.

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DigiTimes' sources claim the leaked enhancements are "the market's expectations" for the iPhone 5 and say the new phone won't offer too many differences compared with its predecessor.

Splitting such rumors and reports down the middle, still other sources say that Apple will release two new phones in October--one an all-new and improved iPhone 5; the other a new low-cost iPhone 4 for budget-conscious consumers.

At this point, of course, all these claims are going to stay in the realm of speculation until Apple actually releases its new flagship phone or phones, which reportedly will happen in early October.