Apple iOS 6 feature 'Auto Layout' points to a larger iPhone

The speculation surrounding a larger iPhone has been doing the rounds since last year, and many expected the brand to release a larger handset after the iPhone 4, but Apple instead launched the iPhone 4S, which was virtually identical to its predecessor. Since then, there has been a lot of talk surrounding the possibility of the next iPhone coming out with a larger display, and a feature shown off at the WWDC keynote indicates that Apple may indeed launch the smartphone with a bigger display.

The unspoken about iOS6 feature

The feature in question was picked up in an article by TechCrunch, where they state that an iOS 6 feature, Auto Layout, was briefly shown on one of the slides portraying the upcoming updates to the operating system. The website also shares some insight on how this feature works: “Auto Layout allows developers to create a set of constraints that define how UI elements are displayed on-screen. Instead of using the standard “springs and struts” positioning method, Auto Layout allows those elements to shift and move depending on a prioritized list of rules — think “the left side of one button should always be 30 away from the right side of another button.”

The website also got in touch with various developers and they have shared their thoughts on how the Auto Layout feature would serve Apple devices. The website states, “One developer I spoke with went on to say that in order for Apple to release mobile devices with multiple resolutions, Auto Layout is “certainly something [they] need to have in place before that’s feasible”. Another developer added that this feature would allow developers to easily transition between form factors." By this, they mean that by merely adding the right constraints in place, “updating an app that used Auto Layout to display properly on a larger screen wouldn’t take too much additional time and effort. What’s more, the inclusion of the feature also means that developers who have taken shortcuts and made certain assumptions about the device’s screen size when crafting their apps’ UIs will more easily be able to get their products up to par ahead of an impending iPhone launch”.

Another developer speaking to the site about whether Apple would launch an iPhone with a larger screen, said, “Auto Layout “is neither a sufficient or necessary condition for a different device… but if Apple is bringing out a 4-inch iPhone they would be crazy not to provide [it]”.

Let us know your thoughts on Apple adding this feature to the upcoming iOS update.