Apple iPhone 6 Resolution Increase: Apple Testing 1704x960 Resolution, Still Not 1080p

If the rumor mill is to be believed, Apple is preparing to launch two larger iPhone models in the next year. The iPhone 6 will come in two sizes at two different times; a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will release first sometime around September, while a 5.5-inch version will launch in early 2015. With Apple moving its iPhone to larger formats, the question of resolution comes up. According to 9to5mac, Apple is testing a resolution of 1704x960.

The first iPhone had a meager resolution, even for 2007. The screen came in at 480x320, or a 163 pixels per inch (ppi). Although competitors didn’t have a full screen smartphone at the time, the pixel density of competitors like the Blackberry and PalmOne Treo were close to one and a half times as dense.

When Apple released the iPhone 4 and the first “Retina” display, the Cupertino, California, company doubled the original resolution, bringing the iPhone to 960x640, or 326 ppi. Then CEO Steve Jobs stated that the human retina had a pixel density of 300 ppi. When the iPhone 5 debuted, the screen resolution jumped to 1136x640, while maintaining the same 326 ppi and increasing vertically.

The proposed new resolution for the iPhone 6 would be a tripling of the original iPhone resolution at the base size of the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5/5s/5c resolution is at its base 568x320. So Apple and its developers would have the same easy fix for current apps, when the new iPhone 6 debuts. Basically, instead of having to redesign apps for a new resolution, developers can just use the iPhone 5 base resolution and triple it, creating a smoother look while designing new versions.

As Apple increases the screen resolution, the tech giant is still not making its flagship device 1080p. Why they hesitate to get to that resolution is unclear, but it is known that Apple wants to maintain a 16x9 aspect ratio. Issues with developing a screen to manage that many pixels and still maintain Apple’s rigorous screen standards may be one reason the company is staying away from 1080p.

Unfortunately, consumers won’t see the new resolution, and the new phone size, until later this year when the iPhone 6 launches. While some reports have suggested that the iPhone 6 may launch a month earlier than expected -- in August instead of September -- a recent report of blacked-out vacation days begs to differ.

Apple store employees in Germany have apparently been halted when trying to request days off in September. Last year, Apple blacked out day-off requests from Sept. 15 through Sept. 28. This was perfectly in line with the launch of iOS 7 and the iPhone 5s/5c. Most likely, Apple will make this a worldwide policy, but that has yet to be confirmed.