iPad Screen Resolution vs. iPhone 4
So was reading about how newspaper fonts don't display well on an ipad (at least if you just dump your print pages over as images) and it occurred to me: The ipad screen dimensions are barely more than the new iphone 4!
So that's .78 megapixels for ipad and "only" .61 megapixels for the new iphone.
This (iphone 4) really does have an insane resolution for any electronic display: over 300 dpi. It truly is incredible tech-wise but I'm not sure how much it will matter (meaning I think it's overkill).
If anything it will simply undercut the comparative utility of the iPad. Another weird design decision by Apple, in my opinion. I wonder if consumers wouldn't give up some of those pixels on the iPhone to save $50, or if they would be willing to spend $100 or so more on the iPad to get a better (HD maybe?) resolution.
I guess this is just another example of why people were shocked at the under $1,000 sticker price for the iPad but then generally underwhelmed in so many ways with it's technical specs.
ipad: 1024 x 768 iphone4: 960 x 640
So that's .78 megapixels for ipad and "only" .61 megapixels for the new iphone.
This (iphone 4) really does have an insane resolution for any electronic display: over 300 dpi. It truly is incredible tech-wise but I'm not sure how much it will matter (meaning I think it's overkill).
If anything it will simply undercut the comparative utility of the iPad. Another weird design decision by Apple, in my opinion. I wonder if consumers wouldn't give up some of those pixels on the iPhone to save $50, or if they would be willing to spend $100 or so more on the iPad to get a better (HD maybe?) resolution.
I guess this is just another example of why people were shocked at the under $1,000 sticker price for the iPad but then generally underwhelmed in so many ways with it's technical specs.
posted by David Board at
9:48 PM
2 Comments:
The comparison is meaningless. It's not overkill if it works: try reading a pdf (of, say, a paper published in Nature) on the iPhone4 vs. a 3GS. The iPhone 4 is actually tolerably legible, without as much pinching and manipulation. (And the color display is better, too.)
The iPad, being a larger device to begin with, doesn't require the same pixel density, though I've no doubt the resolution of the iPad will increase in time.
But for the first iteration of the product? Meh.
Those who were underwhelmed with the technical specifications of embedded devices such as these have failed to grasp their utility in the first place. Nobody cares what the technical specs of an iPad or iPhone are. iOS and apps is what one uses, not the hardware specifications.
Not looking for a fight on this issue, but I'll just say I don't think it's fair to say comparing the devices is meaningless. Many folks are already deciding they don't need an iPad and are sticking with iPhones. My point was that giving the new iPhone nearly the same screen res as the iPad provides one more reason for iPhone users not to buy an iPad too.
This was a technical choice by apple, but it's also a marketing choice. Usually companies look for ways to differentiate products so the higher priced items also come with a higher feature set. Many people feel (myself included) that the iPad is not much more than a larger iPhone (without the phone function). Now the iPhone 4 takes away some of the benefits of a larger screen (more pixels). Imo it's a strange marketing decision.
In regards to technical specs vs software, I think a successful device requires both. A lot of people do consider tech specs. They also consider software. Obviously Apple found a good mix because the device is flying off the shelves. But that doesn't mean iPhone 4 might not undercut sales in the long run.
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