http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/ Engadget Mobile Comments for The widescreen iPhone -- not so widescreen http://mobile.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://mobile.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/Jan 17th 2007 9:24AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/Jan 17th 2007 9:32AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/
Good to see Apple's at least catching up. :-D]]>Jan 17th 2007 1:24PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/Jan 17th 2007 10:22AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/
Cinema widescreen is not the same as HDTV widescreen, but most widescreen digital content is in 16x9 ratio anyway.

1.33:1 - most PDA/phone displays
1.50:1 - iPhone
1.77:1 - HDTV (16 x 9)
1.85:1 - true cinema widescreen

It's true that the iPhone is not "full" widescreen, but the screen is still significantly wider than any competing device.

Here's what typical widescreen content looks like on the iPhone - the letterboxing is minimal:

http://www.richbrome.com/misc/iphone_16x9.jpg]]>Jan 17th 2007 10:24AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/
http://www.richbrome.com/misc/iphone_16x9.jpg"

You do notice that the whole right side of that scene is cut out... right? Compare the pics in the original post. You linked to the first pic - the movie's proper aspect ratio is the second pic.]]>Jan 17th 2007 10:43AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/
So there is no "standard" LCD widescreen. Whether 1.5 qualifies as "widescreen" or not is a semantic question, but it's wrong to call Apple deceptive on this count. I find that the iPhone resolution is a great compromise, allowing useful applications in both portrait and landscape mode.
]]>Jan 17th 2007 11:31AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/Jan 17th 2007 11:29AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/
Turns out Pirates is filmed in anamorphic widescreen, which is in fact 2.35:1 ratio. Although not standard cinema aspect ratio, it isn't uncommon, either. My bad. Sorry Engadget!

However, anamorphic widescreen is REALLY wide, and it would still be letterboxed on ANY digital widescreen display I've ever seen, so I'm not sure it's a totally fair criticism.]]>Jan 17th 2007 12:43PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/Jan 18th 2007 1:54AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/17/the-widescreen-iphone-not-so-widescreen/Jan 18th 2007 1:39PM