Unless Tim Cook wishes to be a full-time guest on CNBC’s Mad Money, it’s a safe bet that Apple will introduce new iPhones at it’s keynote event next week. As usual, there is no great shortage of rumors and posturing.
The invitation to the event simply states: “Hey Siri, give us a hint.”
Given this single clue, I suspect there will be a major emphasis on Siri, with speed and query enhancements comprising only a small bit of the change. I would not be surprised if Siri appears on new products, such as an entirely new Apple TV, and quite possibly on select third-party devices. This may be necessary as Apple continues its slow march toward embracing — and overseeing — smart homes and the Internet of Things.
We also know that this keynote will take place in a unique setting — San Francisco’s Civic Auditorium, which seats 7,000. That’s huge. Toss in the fact that it’s going to be streamed not only to iOS devices but Windows 10 users as well, and I have convinced myself that we are going to witness a rather bold, boisterous Apple, one eager to reveal its intentions to be everywhere we are and with us everywhere we go.
I am less confident there will be any glorious new revolutionary product. Rather, we will see the breadth of Apple. I predict there will be so much revealed, in fact, that there’s a small chance that the world’ most profitable product, iPhone, gets shockingly less time on stage than it deserves. Whether that’s true or not, here is a wishlist of items that I hope Apple makes come true.
1. Size Matters
iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus seem a given, despite the rather unwieldy names. A bit faster, a bit thinner than their predecessors. By now, this has become boring. It doesn’t have to be. I wish for Apple to take us back to the future and introduce a non-phablet device, one about the dimensions of an iPhone 4S, but with the latest specs, Touch ID, better screen, better camera. Phablets are awesome, but they’re not for everyone.
2. Force Touch
The rumor mill strongly suggests that Force Touch, currently available on Apple Watch and select MacBooks, will now be available on the new iPhones. I hope so. Force Touch senses how hard or light the user is touching the screen, enabling an entirely new palette of controls and customizable options. Touch the screen with force to call up a secondary menu, for example, or possibly to access a new weapons cache in your favorite game. Touch the screen with a gentle tap to get an overview of the weather, but hold down on the cloud icon, say, to reveal the hourly forecast.
Clever developers should make great use of Force Touch. Sensing pressure will no doubt lead to groaning UX errors, but it also has the potential to create new modes of interaction. At the very least, Force Touch should save time by reducing the number of taps or swipes to call up an action. In fact, if executed properly, Force Touch just might negate the need for a home button. No home button means much more screen real estate. Dare I wish such an outcome?
3. Battery
This one’s simple: I wish for a longer-lasting battery. Unless you’re rocking an iPhone 6 Plus, with its massive 2,910 mAh battery, at some point during the day you’re scoping out a wall socket. It’s 2015 and this needs to end. As other components get thinner, lighter, and as Apple continues to improve manufacturing, a larger battery should be a given, especially now.
Fact is, while we think we use our iPhones all the time, there are often sleeping. That’s no longer the case. Streaming music and soon steaming television, plus the numerous social media and messaging platforms, the growing use of ambient apps which sense sounds around us, will keep our iPhone in near-constant use. More battery power is critical. Otherwise, it’s like the world’s best off-road vehicle, but with a tiny gas tank. Lots of places you could take it, but you better not.
4. Design
Confession: the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus always struck me as rather lazy designs. They were Apple’s response to the rapid rise of the phablet. Bigger, yes, but forgettable. Look at the iPhone 4S, for example. It’s beautiful. The 6 series, not so much.
I wish Apple would get rid of the rounded casing, the obtrusive sleep button on the right side, the bulging camera lens. I wish for the new iPhones to be the most beautiful ever.
I also wish that Apple makes them stronger. It’s been rumored that the new iPhones will be constructed with a stronger aluminum body. Let’s hope. Not only would we get to hear Sir Jony Ive say “aluminum” many more times, we can once again place the device in our back pocket without any fears, unfounded or not, of the return of Bendgate.
5. Need For Speed
If the new iPhone isn’t appreciably faster, I’m not sure of the point. I wish — and no doubt so do you — that the new iPhones are more responsive, offer faster downloads, better gameplay, improved graphics, and no lag, even if I’m running Pandora in the background. A new A9 processor is practically a given, as is more RAM, so this wish is not at all far-fetched.
Somewhat less likely is that the new iPhones also include an improved wireless chip, enabling much faster LTE download speeds. A 9to5Mac post is convinced this is going to happen, certain that Apple will incorporate a new Qualcomm chip, thereby increasing download speeds from 150 Mbps to 300 Mbps — a noticeable improvement.
6. Camera
Sure, it’s called iPhone, but it’s much more an iComputer, iMedia Player and, most especially, a always-with-you camera. It’s time for the latest iPhones to have the very best camera on the smartphone market. This is what I wish for. Assume this wish comes true.
Multiple sites have all but confirmed that the new iPhones will include a 12mp camera — a nice leap in resolution over the iPhone 6’s 8mp offering. More megapixels means a sharper image, one that’s easier to zoom in on and edit. Optical zoom would also be nice. I’m not entirely sure how this could be done inside a smartphone, but it’s my wishlist, after all. No harm in asking.
There are also multiple sources stating that the front — FaceTime — camera will get a much-deserved boost. An improved camera, slo-mo video and possibly a flash. If so, expect an entirely new selfie revolution — and assume that Facebook and Instagram will need to buy many more servers.
As for video, I wish the new iPhone will record in 4K quality, a sharp boost over the current 1080p recording quality. This isn’t a must-have, however.
7. Screen
I have no complaints about the screen on my iPhone 6 Plus. At least, I had none till I saw a giant, beautiful Samsung Galaxy (OLED) screen. I wish for that — or better.
8. Fun
The iPhone is more than just a small, mobile supercomputer. It’s a fun device. I wish for it to be even more fun: Offer split screen. Include new ways of editing and enhancing images, possibly using Apple Music clips, free stickers.
The few people I know who have an Apple Watch seem utterly enamored with the “motion wallpapers” that ebb and flow on screen. I wish for these for the new iPhones.
I want there to be more sharing options and for AirDrop to work every time and be just as easy to use as taking a quick snapshot. Make it water resistant so I can take it with me on the beach, maybe even forget it when I wade into the water. Also, the device should come in many more colors.
9. Junk Drawer
I do not want Apple News. I don’t want most of Apple’s stock apps, in fact. I wish these to be vanished from my device forever. Why do I even have to waste a wish on this?
10. Fight The Power
I’m a long-time Nokia and Lumia user and love “wireless” Qi charging. It’s essentially a plate you set your device on and it begins charging. No reaching for the cord, no fighting to plug it in, no shredding an expensive accessory by pulling it out at the wrong spot. I wish for wireless charging.
I also wish to stick it to the wireless carriers. An Apple SIM card that can automatically determine the best service provider and the best price and use that for my calling, text and data in real-time, wherever I go, would be a godsend. I wish for this even though I don’t think it’s a terribly smart business move for Apple.
What do you wish for?
Hurry! You only have a week.
My iPhone Wish List originally published by Gigaom, © copyright 2015.
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