Let’s do. As usual, I put what I wish/think will be released. There are new rumors coming out every day flip-flopping back and forth on what is going to be released.
The iPhone 4S/5, and what I wish and/or think it will have:
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- Larger screen – I am fine with the 3.5 inch screen of the current phones, but there are many who would like for Apple to bump the size up to 4 inches. If they do this, I think they might keep the same 960 x 640 screen dimensions. Those dimensions have yet to be topped by any phone in the US. Only just now are some Korean phones, in Korea, being released with 1280 x 720 screens. I’m not sure how they would be able to keep the “Retina” name, but they could surprise us with a different screen size. Many supposed iPhone 4S/5 cases have been shown to be larger than the iPhone 4.
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- Different form factor – There have been 3 different form factors for the 4 different iPhone’s. I think this phone will be more in line with Apple’s two other mobile offerings, and have curves like the iPod Touch and iPad 2. Like the larger screen shown on supposed iPhone 4S/5 cases, curves are another thing they are showing.
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- HSDPA+ – I don’t think it gets the full LTE treatment this time around. LTE technology is still too young and it is not in enough places for them to warrant putting it in the newest iPhone. Remember back to when the iPhone first came out. It was only on Edge, not on 3G even though other companies were jumping onto the 3G wagon. This will still be the 21 Mbit/s variety, so it will be faster than the current 7.2 Mbit/s, but still not full 4G on LTE.
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- Camera upgrades – Sony’s CEO talked about their 8MP optics being used for a future iPhone months ago. The 5MP camera in the iPhone 4 was a drastic upgrade from the 3G and 3GS. This along with the increased speed (see below) will allow it to record 1080p video.
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- Increased speed – This was an easy one. The iPad 2 is a speedy device with it’s dual-core A5 chip. This chip will feel even speedier on such a little device.
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- Increased RAM – The iPad 2 has 512MB of RAM and does not ever feel like it’s lacking. They could continue with just 512MB or RAM, or they could increase it to 768MB or 1GB just because RAM prices are so low.
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- Longer battery life – Rarely does an Apple device come out and it not have better battery life. The battery on the iPhone 4 is leaps and bounds better than the 3G and 3GS. If the screen is larger and it is running a dual-core processor, a bump in battery size might be needed to keep things the same or improve.
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- iPod Nano communication – This is more a wish, but how cool would it be if there was low-level Bluetooth connection with that iPod Nano you are wearing as a watch. You get a call on your new iPhone 4S/5 and you look down at your watch to see who’s calling. Just press ignore on your watch, and you don’t even need to get it out of your pocket. Get a text during a meeting? Take a glance at your watch to see if it is worth pulling your phone out of your pocket to answer. The iPod Nano would sky rocket in popularity as a watch, and we would be one step closer to the world Dick Tracy imagined!
- Welcome Sprint – This has been rumored for years. I think this is the time that they finally get it. I was with Sprint for 7 years and left because of the iPhone. I wish them nothing but the best, and hope they keep the unlimited data plans. I think many people would move just because of that.
One more thing…
I believe Apple will release or announce two phones today. The iPhone 4S/5, and an iPhone 4 that is modified and/or neutered. The iPhone 4 will be the phone that will compete with all the Android phones that are on the medium to lower end. This will allow Apple to compete in the high end market and in the mid-to-low end market. Because of economies of scale, the modified iPhone 4 will be able to be very cheap or free with a 2-year agreement. Apple is interested in getting people hooked on the iOS platform and start pulling in money from the App Store, iBook Store, and Music from iTunes.
All or none of the things above could come to fruition. They would still sell tens of millions of iPhones. The competition is increasing. Google’s Android and Windows Phone would love to be your platform of choice. I’ve said this before, but I love competition. Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the ride.
What do you hope to see in the next iPhone?
