Samsung Galaxy S4 due in February

I want to know how people are fitting them in pockets. 5 inches IS far too big for a phone. That's a tiny tablet, and apparently is quite good at that...

I worried about 4.7 inch display being too big too, but it turned up to be a perfect size for me.

A colleague moved from the HTC Desire to Galaxy S3, and was worried 4.8" would be too large, but very rapidly adjusted to it.

He's now fairly sure 5" wouldn't feel any different

I think it's hard to determine before you let some people own one & see. I remember when iphones first came out and there was a lot of attention on the size of the phone.

Mobile phones started big & awkward & for a long time (10-15 years) size was the number one feature & differentiator. There were no inherent advantages to size. It fits in your car, it fits in your bag, it fits in your pocket, its comfortable in your pocket... It became a habit to think of smaller sleeker phones as advanced.

But, they got a lot smaller then they needed to be for us to carry them everywhere. There was just no tradeoff to size (other than price) so we kept going. We (or at least I) carried around walkmans that were much bigger.

It would be interesting if the standard size becomes >5". That implies it took us a fairly long time to figure out the optimal size.

Depends what the overall size of the phone is like. If the screen increased by 0.2" and that extra size came out of the bezel, that'd be okay.

From 4.8 (Galaxy S3) to 5 inches, the phone most probably will have the same size, but the screen may be closer to the edges (specially top and bottom), just like Motorola is doing now with its new devices.

I have a Galaxy S3 and I wish it were a little larger.

With 1280x720 pixels I use it a lot now instead of my iPad and laptops. A 5" device would cut even more into pad and laptop use time.

BTW, the 1280x720 pixel display is so very useful. That should be the minimum for a smart phone.

Same way as in Note 2, they better be decreasing the bezel area.

I'm inclined to agree. I really like my S3 but it's big enough already. I don't think making their flagship phone so huge is a good idea. Leave that for things like the Note.

This is commonly referred to as the Osborne effect. Apple have a similar issue when the rumours of the next iPhone start making the rounds.

With Apple it's likely less of an issue considering they have an impressive profit margin on their products and a strong lock on their target market. If the recently announced iPhone doesn't sound too impressive the customers are still likely to buy it as they're unlikely to consider other alternatives as an interim.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_effect

Yes, with Apple, arleast you know you've got their 'latest and greatest' for an entire year (and it will take Apple two years to launch a new model). To already see the Galaxy 3 now makes the 2 feel like yesterday's toy. The timing of this news suggests they're trying to attrack iphone buyers, but the overall feeling I get is they envy Apple. (Also because Samsung feels the need to compare their phone with the new iphone).

Don't the Galaxy and the iPhone have a very similar product life cycle (one device each year)?

If you're a Hacker News user who wants an Android phone, you probably shouldn't be buying anything that isn't Nexus-branded. The Galaxy Nexus is great, but there's usually a new Nexus each winter.

Being announced in February, I believe. Availability will be somewhat later, if it follows the Galaxy S3 pattern.

If I remember correctly, the original iPhone went from a plastic screen surface to glass a month before the announcement because Steve Jobs was unhappy with it. Hardware specs are always subject to change based on feedback until the company is satisfied with the result.

Which just goes to show you how ridiculous the patent suits have been because the S3 looks nothing like an iPhone.

My thought exactly. I found this sentence causing extreme concern.

5 inches is too big. That's phablet territory. Smartphones should be limited to 4.8 and under.

Moving from 4.8 to 5 the phone may have the same size, just having the screen closer to the edges, just like Motorola is doing now.

I'm in America, an American, and not Asian. I find what apple is doing repulsive. - They are using highly questionable patents to discourage competition, are ruling their ecosystem like a fascist regime, - forcing you to swallow their whole stack to work with any part of their ecosystem (e.g. you can only build ios apps on mac) - their bundled applications suck (damn the "rainbow wait wheel" - making disposable laptops, ipods, and iphones which is counter to the environment and very anti-consumer but pro apple pocketbook.

And all this is especially funny when you look back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYecfV3ubP8

Although that article is definitely not substantiating their bias it's just a shame that brand marketing here has so clearly pulled the proverbial wool over the American public's eyes.

Home team advantage. Apple gets good reviews in the US (once you ignore the tech blogs), Samsung gets favorable press throughout Asia, and Nokia might having a fighting chance with Windows Phone 8 in Europe. I've seen lots of ads for the N920.

Man, what a bunch of copycats! Who do they think they are, making phones with screens larger than 3.5"?

Dell Streak (Android) had a 5 inch screen and was released in early 2010. You are a perfect example of what strong brand soundbites have done to the public.