12 inches - Bigger the Better?

New Economy screens

Do you see what I see?

Yes those are humongous IFE screens, 12.1 inches to be exact, with new control handsets beneath. 

Emirates have installed these on the Economy seats of their new B777s and new A380s from next year.

The current screens are just 10.9 inches, 0.3 more than other airlines'. 

Current Economy screens

Not only will IFE screens get bigger across all three classes, they will also feature HD resolution, with content increasing from 1200 to 1300 choices. A new interface system developed by Panasonic and Emirates will also make navigation easier.

New Business Class screens

New Business Class screens will increase to 20 inches, and First Class seats will feature 27-inch screens.

Emirates' ICE system is still the world's best inflight entertainment system, but the same cannot be said for its onboard service, which is often hit-or-miss, or at times simply unacceptable. 

Do note that the economy class layout on their B777-300ERs is 3-4-3 or 10 in a row, can be quite a squeeze if the flight is full. Other airlines using the same aircraft typically install only 9 seats or 3-3-3 per row.

Emirates B773ER's 3-4-3 layout 

While some continuously upgrade their IFE hardware, others like Cathay Pacific recently said it has plans to remove IFE systems to save one or two tonnes of weight per plane. Instead, it would install power sockets at every seat so passengers could plug in their tablets. 

Cathay Pacific's new Economy seats with 9-inch (only) screens

For LCCs like Scoot, this concept is a no-brainer. But for premium carriers such as Cathay, it seems odd that they are even considering scrimping on passenger experience and comfort, given the state of competition and yes, high fuel prices.

Emirates president Tim Rice once said airlines that don't offer IFE "are fools". 

Oh one disadvantage I foresee from the big screens is that, the flickering "light" from your neighbouring screens could be a nuisance if you're trying to sleep on an overnight flight. Then again there's always the complimentary eye-shade.