Another analyst says the next iPhone will sport a 4.8-inch display

Please note that I approach this latest report with the weariness of Robyn Doolittle walking into a Rob Ford media scrum: another Wall Street analyst claims to know the screen size of the next iPhone.

In a note issued to investors Wednesday, Timothy Arcuri of Cowen and Company claimed that Apple has “locked down” the design of its next iPhone instalment, which will include a 4.8-inch display and 802.11ac Wi-Fi radio. Arcuri also stated that the device will feature further integration of Touch ID, Passbook, and iBeacon, as Apple makes a push into mobile payments.

Arcuri’s musings are in-line with previous iPhone 6 analyst predictions, which we’ve been reporting as far back as October. Of course, consistency does not necessarily lend credence. The logistics of smartphone manufacturing necessitate that Apple or any other manufacturer “lock down” key specifications well prior to device launch, and it is an industry-wide pastime to insist that Apple must a some point release a device more in-line with competitor offerings. Just this week, a ‘report’ was released that stated a larger iPhone 6 would only be a summer precursor to a 5.7-inch phablet slated for the fall; both devices would come with requisite new screen resolutions.

While the tweet above quickly deflates one of the more ridiculous examples of the Apple rumour mill, I defer to my colleague’s more detailed argument as to the realities of future iPhones. The 4-inch screen size of the iPhone 5c and 5s isn’t going anywhere soon, which will most likely lead Apple to be very deliberate in the introduction of any new form factors this year, especially when they pair so well with the hot selling 7.9-inch iPad Mini. This is to be expected: Apple doesn’t do anything until its good and ready, no matter how many people clamour at change for change’s sake.

[source]Apple Insider[/source]