Will iPhone 5 Have a 4-Inch Screen?

Rumors of a larger screen for the iPhone — perhaps a 4-inch monitor — are prompting big buz among the chattering classes. Michelle Megna reports.

Forget white iPhone 4 rumors and speculation about a smaller, entry-level “nano iPhone,” today the buzz is all about the iPhone 5, which is expected to sport a 4-inch screen, according to leaks from parts makers abroad.

With so many super-smartphones and mini-tablet PCs entering the mobile market over the past year, the lines are blurring between what is categorized as a handset and what is considered a slate-style mobile computer.

Many of the smartphones running the mobile OS Android, backed by the Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), such as the Nexus S and Samsung Galaxy S have 4-inch screens, and some vendors, such as Sharp and Dell, are now prepping mobile devices with 5-inch displays that are either marketed as compact tablets or smartphones with huge screens. For example, Dell’s 5-inch Streak straddles this line.

If reports are true, it appears Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) wants to be sure to get a bit of the action in this murky 4- to 7-inch mobile device space. Apple also likely wants to keep the Android OS in its rearview mirror, as the number of Android smartphones being sold continues to grow at a rapid clip.

Read the rest about iPhone 5 screen size at Enterprise Mobile Today.