Apple’s big-screen iPhone... coming to a store near you

Apple suppliers in China will begin mass production of its largest iPhones ever next month, according to people familiar with the plans, as the smartphone maker faces increased competition.

Apple is working on two bigger devices: one model will have a 4.7-inch display, compared to the 4-inch screen of the current iPhone 5s, that may be available to ship to retailers around September, said two of the people. A 5.5- inch version is also being prepared for manufacturing and may be available at the same time.

Apple is getting ready for its annual unveiling of new iPhones after rivals, including Samsung and HTC, released smartphones with displays that are as large as 5.7 inches. Consumers have been gravitating toward larger-screen devices — in China, 40% of mobile gadgets based on Google’s Android operating system that were sold in 2014 had display sizes of more than five inches, according to an estimate from Forrester Research.

Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook is under pressure to reignite Apple’s sales growth and the iPhone remains his chief weapon. Last year, the smartphone produced $91bn (€66bn) in revenue alone, more than the total sales of Oracle, Yahoo, Facebook and Twitter combined.

The new iPhones will also be rounder and thinner than previous models. Production of the 5.5- inch model is more complicated than the smaller version, resulting in lower production efficiency that must be overcome before volume can be increased.

Apple is developing new phones with bigger screens, curved glass and enhanced sensors that can detect different levels of pressure. Called 2.5-dimension glass, the material lets manufacturers taper the edges of the screen.

Earlier this month, Apple introduced new features for the software powering the iPhone and iPad in a bid to add more functions and utility to the devices. The company’s new iOS 8 mobile software has capabilities that enable use of the gadgets to monitor health and remotely control locks and lights in people’s home.

Smart move

Imagine a home where, if you asked your thermostat to change temperature, it would, or one that would text your neighbours if an alarm went off while you were on holiday, and knew when you were on your way home from work so would set the temperature accordingly.

These scenarios are all now a reality due to a move by Google-owned thermostat company Nest, which has opened up its software for third-party developers to use for the first time.

The move means that other companies will now be able to take advantage of the smart thermostat’s software — which can be controlled remotely.

Nest Labs was only formed in 2011, but earlier this year was purchased by Google for €3.2bn (€2.3bn).

Co-founders Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers had both worked at Apple, including on the iPod and original iPhone.

The company has two central products so far — a smart thermostat that can be controlled via a mobile device, and an alarm system that also monitors carbon monoxide levels.

The announcement confirmed the first partners to have linked up with Nest, including using Google voice recognition and the phrase “Ok Google” in order to verbally change temperature.

Mr Rogers, vice president of engineering at Nest, said: “The Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Protect alarm are already helping people save energy, stay comfortable and improve home safety – but that’s only the beginning.

“Our goal has always been to bring this kind of thoughtfulness to the rest of your home and life – and that’s what the Nest Developer Programme is all about.

“To kick off the programme, we’ve worked with iconic brands like Mercedes-Benz and Whirlpool, as well as new industry leaders like Jawbone and LIFX, to build seamless, secure and practical ’Works with Nest’ experiences for the home.”

The Mercedes-Benz set-up will see your car send a message when you begin the journey home so your thermostat can start heating or cooling accordingly.

The connection with the Jawbone activity monitor wristband is another interesting new partnership, with the wristband communicating with Nest to set the temperature for you as you wake up – the Jawbone UP24 wristband tracks your sleep.

“We’re trying to invent experiences you’ll use everyday with products that you’ll use everyday”, said Mr Rogers. “We want to build an experience, not something just for the sake of it.”

Nest said that more than 5,000 developers have already registered an interest in working with the software, including light bulb manufacturer LIFX, which has developed a system to turn the internal lighting of your home red should the Nest carbon monoxide monitor detect a leak.

Technology giant Samsung has confirmed in the past that the company believes that this trend will be the key development of the next decade in the technology sector, with UK president Andy Griffiths saying he believes the future is all about the “connected home”.