Last September we saw Apple release the iPhone 5. It has proved to be a successful product. While Apple generally releases new iPhones after an entire year, there already are rumours that Apple may be releasing two new iPhones this summer. One of these new iPhones is said to tout a large 4.8 inch screen. As is the norm with Apple, the company is remaining tight lipped about its future product plans.

Apple's expected product line-up for 2013 includes three new iPhones. One is reportedly going to be the much talked about cheaper iPhone. Second is going to be the iPhone with larger screen, possibly 4.8 inches, with an insane iPhone Math moniker. Both of these are expected to be announced in the summer. Whereas the third iPhone will be released in fall and is expected to be the iPhone 6. On the face of it these rumours sound preposterous, it doesn't sound like Apple to release three new iPhones in one calendar year.

Yesterday, during the earnings call, Bill Shope of Goldman Sachs asked Tim Cook whether or not there existed a possibility of Apple releasing an iPhone with larger screen? The premise of this question was based upon the ever increasing popularity of Android smartphones which have huge displays. His question was:

Many of your smartphone competitors are now focused on differentiating themselves with larger screen sizes than that of the iPhone 5 and your predecessor product. How do you think about the competitive dynamics of the market right now in that respect. Do you think that's a valid point of differentiation and do you think that there is a long term case for a larger screen size or at least a larger variety of screen sizes for iPhones and the smartphone category in general.

Apple CEO Tim Cook did not outright reject the possibility of an iPhone with larger screen. Though he did not say whether or not the company has any plans of ever making an iPhone with larger screen. His reply can definitely be termed as diplomatic:

Bill, It's Tim. The iPhone 5 offers as you know a new 4-inch Retina display which is the most advanced display in the industry. No one comes close to matching the level of quality in the Retina display. It also provides a larger screen size for iPhone customers without sacrificing the one handed ease of use that our customers love. We put a lot of thinking into screen size and believe me, we picked the right one.

Will Apple ever succumb to market pressure? Many believe that it will, seeing as how the company recently released iPad Mini which caters to the mid-range tablet market dominated at large by Android tablets. Imagine what an iPhone with larger screen, like 4.8 inches, would look like!