Apple reportedly will change the screen size of the iPhone from 3.5 to four inches for its fifth generation iPhone to compete with the Google Android platform in the 4- to 7-inch smartphone market, reports "DigiTimes" (http://macte.ch/pxwkh), quoting unnamed "upstream component suppliers."

The component suppliers noted that the production lines for Apple's next generation iPhone have begun testing, and Apple is interesting in expanding the screen size to four inches to support the tablet market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market, the article adds. Smartphones that adopt the Google Android platform are mainly four inches and larger. Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S and Google's Nexus S adopt 4-inch panels, Sharp adopts 5.5-inch panels for its smartphone, and Acer plans to launch a 4.8-inch smartphone.

In other iPhone rumors, "Engadget" (http://macte.ch/Sh6re) says Apple may be planning a future iPhone with a slide-out keyboard. A four-inch screen? Maybe. An iPhone with a slide-out keyboard? I'm dubious.

-- Dennis Sellers
dsellers@applecentral.com