Steve Wozniak calls Apple “arrogant” over iPhone 5 design; wants something wider
edibleapple.com
edibleapple.com
But! The thumb thing is one of a few things that they are justly considering in design process. It's not like I don't like big screens, but there is no one-size-fits-all, sorry. If I want to read book or comics, check some article on the net without powering on my desktop computer, etc. I can use my GoTab ION 7" tablet (I've chosen it over 10", because 10" are too big, 7" really looks like optimal size for book reading and such purposes). But my cell, i.e. mobile phone, is, as the name implies, meant to be phone mostly, thus I want it to be mobile. As a mobile thing I want to be able to operate it one-handedly, because it's damn easier and more convenient if I can pull it off from the packet, do comfortably a few taps to check this or that or make a call and put it back in the pocket. Am I a cripple? No, but my second hand is often bothered, e.g. keeping to some grip in the bus or tram. That's why I have Galaxy Ace 2, which is considered small nowadays (compared to oversized phones), having "only" 3.8" screen with quite good density (480x800 gives ~246 ppi). I sometimes do read stuff on the net using phone, but it's not its main purpose, so I wouldn't change my phone for something bigger than 4". Actually I really don't understand this trend of making ~5" and bigger phones. Yet people buy them...
So once in a while Apple do things right and limiting the phone size is definitely a good example.
I wouldn't mind so much if only some phones were giant ones, but the last time I looked, there were like 30 different "giganto-phone" models, and only a few older models still left with more reasonable screen sizes. I'm in Japan, and there are a lot of phone manufacturers, but unfortunately they tend to move as a herd (you get a lot of variation in the details, but the overall form-factors tend to be pretty consistent amongst them). :(
Indeed, it's Apple's thoughtfulness on very this matter that have made me think about buying an iphone for the first time. I want a phone that (1) I can use with one hand, (2) fits in my pocket, and (3) weighs very little. Although the original iphone seemed kinda chunky compared to other phones at the time, now even the larger iphone5 is looking very svelte compared to the competition! Unfortunately other iphone5 issues, like the whole maps thing and the camera problems, have put a bit of a damper on that idea...
Wozniak's a good guy, but you go to him for crazy hacks that drastically reduce your chip count, not form-factor and usability advice...
What?? Their entire existence has been to cater to the minority.