Apple’s iPhone 5 may sport a 4-inch screen

In addition to releasing a smaller version of the iPhone, Apple is also looking to expand the screen on its full-size phone to 4 inches, according to the site Digitimes.

The news, while unconfirmed, doesn’t come as a big surprise. Even with the iPhone 4, Apple’s adherence to a 3.5-inch screen was beginning to seem dated — although Apple’s high-resolution Retina Display made up for the size deficiency. Since the iPhone 4’s launch, Samsung has made 4-inch displays the new standard for Android phones with its Galaxy S line.

Digitimes cites component suppliers who say Apple has begun testing the production lines for the iPhone 5, and that it has expressed interest in bumping up the screen size to 4 inches.

There’s no valid reason why Apple would stick to its current 3.5-inch screens. With competing devices moving to 4 inches and beyond (Samsung’s upcoming Infuse 4G will sport a massive 4.5-inch display, while Dell is now positioning the 5-inch Streak as a smartphone), Apple simply has to bump up its screen size to compete.

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