It is getting nearer and if rumours are to be believed, Apple is prepping invitations for the launch of its latest iteration of the iPhone and so now is the time for me to share with you my thoughts for the new device(s).
Name
It won’t be called the iPhone 5. This is a very obvious one. There have already been 5 iPhones (Original, 3G, 3GS, 4 & 4S), so to call it the iPhone 5 doesn’t make mathematical sense. Also, one of the big focal points of last years device was that it was the same design that launched in 2010. So Apple has an opportunity here to make it clear that this isn’t the same old iPhone, this is a “New iPhone”. New Product, New Design, New OS, New Features, New iPhone. This would also bring it in to line with the rest of Apples product range. Nobody calls the current iMac model the “iMac 12” even though that is a correct identifier. Apple applied this naming process to the “New iPad” and I fully expect they’ll continue it with the “New iPhone” as its much cleaner and to the point.
Design
A lot has been said about the supposed new design. I personally love the design of my iPhone 4S and I’ve no issue with this new design either. Apple doesn’t revamp the design of each product every few years because they spend so much time on the original design in the first place. Look at the current iMac its very similar in overall design and appearance to the all white model before it and before that design was the CRT which was also around for a long time. The current iPod Classic looks very similar to the first clickwheel iPod. The list goes on. The new design isn’t radical, its building on the excellent work Apple did before. Having said that, I will drop this tweet I sent earlier in the week just to cover my bases.
Still can’t shake the feeling that these iPhone leaks are all fake and that Apple have orchestrated this whole thing. Easily done
— Jamie Ryan (@ChunkyGeek) September 2, 2012
A bigger screen
This one is blatantly obvious. The new iPhone will come with a bigger screen. It’ll differ from other devices though, in the sense that it wont just be the same graphics spread out over a larger number of pixels. Instead the New iPhone will show more information on the top/bottom. For eg, when scrolling through a list of tweets, the New iPhone will be able to fit more tweets on the screen rather than just blowing them up. Certain pockets of the community have stated that Apple “needs” to make a phone with a bigger screen. Apple doesn’t respond to competitors in that manner, they add features they believe will benefit users. Of course, the screen will retain that “retina” resolution.
Features
We know it’ll have iOS 6 but what we don’t know is, what will be the unique feature this phone has over the ones that have gone before? The iPhone 4 had FaceTime, the 4S had Siri but what will the New iPhone have? The smart money is on something that leverages the extra screen real estate but what? Some sort of permenant notification area? Widgets? I don’t have anywhere near enough info on this to even begin guessing but I look forward to finding out what it is.
The current line-up
The 3GS launched in 2009 and still being supported and sold in decent volume. That is quite an achievement in todays market. I predict that Apple will make it even cheaper, particuarly in emerging markets and keep it around for another year. I also predict the iPhone 4 will cease to exist and the 4S (with 8gb capacity) will drop down and take its place. There is no reason to keep the 4 around as none of the components are used in anything else and the iPod touch will also be updated)
Accessories
It looks like Apples bundled earbuds will be updated and I’ve no doubt that the iPod line up will be updated also. I’ve long wished that Apple would allow the iPhone to speak to the iPod nano as a kind of SmartWatch and display notifications etc but I’ve never liked the idea of having to buy an iPod to achieve that. So I’d like to see something with those functions, like a watch for eg but not as ugly as the nano.
Added 04/09 @ 19:26: Also, since there is rumoured to be a new dock connector there will obviously be a new dock etc. Which renders the old one semi useless. This could easily be solved with a wireless adapter that would connect to the existing dock and send audio wirelessly. You wouldn’t be able to charge but its better than nothing. For the record, I don’t think changing the dock connector is that much of a problem. Whenever I’ve changed (non Apple) phones in the past I’ve had to change all my accessories anyway so this wouldn’t be any different.
Reaction
It really doesn’t matter what Apple launches, there will be a vocal group who will completely disregard the entire launch, who will find numerous negatives in the product and will proclaim that their particular flavour of mobile OS is better. I don’t mean those who have no interest, I mean the people who will pay close attention to a company they don’t like and a product they have no intention of ever buying but feel the need to tell anyone who’ll listen why they won’t be buying the “New iPhone”. This is normally followed up by insults against the people who have chosen to purchase the “New iPhone” Sheep, iDiot, Hipster will all be uttered within minutes of Tim Cook leaving the stage. On that note here is a little experiment you can do at home. Pay close attention to the reactions to what Nokia announces next week and then pay attention to what Apple announces the week after that. I can almost guarantee the results of the Nokia launch will not be anywhere near as polarising amongst your social group.
What do you think? Am I way off? Spot on? Or just a jibbering lunatic? I’d love to hear your thoughts and your own predictions so why not let me know in the comments below?
TBH, I am fed up with all this hoopla surrounding Apple launches. It’ll be like any manufacturers new devices, bigger and faster but in reality a bit meh. Bazzillions of people will buy it though.
There’s so much hype on these launches they are bound to disappoint fan boys when they find out the new product doesn’t turn invisible, doesn’t wipe your **** or make you want to throw away your current device.
Siri although revolutionary at the time, is a novelty that soon wore thin. Does anyone actually use it? I never use the Voice Control feature on the 4, nor the compass which were the “new” features in previous launches.
Personally, I think things are slowing down. A bigger price tag, larger screen, quad core processor, better camera, a new connector and some clever AirPlay stuff that’ll render your current docks, speakers, accessories redundant and make you shell out more money.
Purely speculation, as are all “new iphone” articles until Apple reveals all on the day.
I’ll give it a week, perhaps a day, or more likely an hour after the
12th Sept before articles similar to this one are written along the
lines of “Why the launch disappointed me?”, “Why I won’t be buying one”
or “What would you like to see in the iPhone 6?”. Basically the same
articles every year after every Apple product launch.
“…larger screen, quad core processor, better camera, a new connector and some clever AirPlay stuff that’ll render your current docks, speakers, accessories redundant and make you shell out more money”
Just out of curiosity, what more is it you would like to see? I think Apple can be allowed a pass on the dock connector given they have kept it around for over 5 years on the iPhone and 10 on the iPod
“…What more is it you would like to see?”
Nothing, they were my predictions (or to be more precise what I’d read) for the next iPhone, which is what the author of this article more or less requested. No game changing features to speak of which is why I think too much is expected at these launches.
I have to agree here in that it’s slowing down. I used to change to the newest model after every launch, from the original to 3G, 3GS then the 4. There I stopped. The 3G was 2009? Networks in the UK still do not have full 3G coverage in all areas, so the appeal of a device that has 4G to me is not there, not yet anyway.
I stick with the 4 because is quick enough for what I use it for, the camera and video camera are fine, and it has retina display which is still better than most competitors.
Whatever innovative, or revolutionary features the new iPhone promises (4G, Near Field Tech) I’ll put money on the fact this country will not have the infrastructure in place just yet for us to benefit.
Samsung is going to sue Apple as soon as they launch a 4G phone
Apple sucks! People are starting to hate them.
Starting to?
think you find android is the least popular at present as Apple and windows are getting more stream lined product ….
Android still dosent know what it wants to be.
Have to agree there. At least with iOS it’s consistent, updates are made available for everyone at the same time. I’ve been waiting over a year for ICS on my Galaxy Tab 8.9, and still waiting, even though now Jelly Bean is out. Ok, not entirely Android’s fault, more the device manufacturer, but fragmentation is annoying nonetheless. I can’t comment on Windows, although I did have the same problem years ago with Windows Mobile updates.
No, we’re all just starting to hate the ever present fanDroid trolls.
Maybe Apple will come with one or two new features that other manofacturers currently dont have. Other features that they claim as original just because they name them different. I like to personalize my devices and i cant do that with iphone. Thats why Apple isnt interesting for me. My second reason to avoid Apple is because they sues everything and everybody.
Ar the fanbois queueing outside the apple temples yet???
In terms of your nano wish, check out the pebble on kick starter – kind of the companion device you are looking for I think.