Written by Kid Noble, Tech Dude, The Cubicle Chick.com Contributor
Every year since the original iPhone came out, the rumor mill has run rampant about what each version of the phone would feature. Unlike Android, Apple is very closed off when it comes to what their new releases of products will feature. When it comes down to it, no one outside of Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California knows what the phone will truly feature. That’s what makes this time of year so fun!
So here is my best guess as to what some of the features will be on the next version of the iPhone.
When Can I Get It?
Apple typically has released their new iPhone models between June and October. Most of the early models came out in June, while the latest model, the iPhone 4S, was released in October. In addition to that, recent reports that Qualcomm, is having some supply shortages, alludes to an October release as well. The microchip that Qualcomm is developing is reportedly supposed to enable the next iPhone to have 4G LTE capabilities. This leads me to…
Finally some 4G?
As I just stated, it’s being reported that one reason the release date is being pushed back because Qualcomm is experiencing some shortages in materials needed for a processor that would allow for 4G LTE connectivity. This has long been a sticking point for many with regards to the iPhone. To date, the iPhone has not been able to offer 4G connectivity, so upgrading to that would be huge for Apple (although also a bit behind the curve, as Android offered 4G over a year ago).
On April 19, Reuters reported that Qualcomm wouldn’t be able to meet the demand due to manufacturing restraints the would increase company operating costs.
In addition, the new iPad offers 4G connectivity. It would only make sense for the next version of the iPhone to also offer that same connectivity.
Will the Screen Be Bigger?
Another sticking point for iPhone enthusiasts is the size of the actual screen. To date, iPhone has stuck with a 3.5 inch screen, while other (Android) phones have been released with screens as large as 5.3 inches (the AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note). That’s almost two inches bigger!
In this day and age where users are able to stream movies to their mobile phones, and Youtube video watching is a popular past-time, mobile phones definitely benefit from not only the size of the display but the clarity.
There are also some rumors of a redesign to the chassis of the phone as well, moving towards a more rounded back design, similar to the iPad. If the iPhone was to move to an edge to edge design with the screen, I’m sure many of it’s users would be happy, and they might even be able to convert a few more Android users to iPhones.
Rumors will continue to run at a dizzying pace until the next version of the iPhone is released, but we can all speculate right? I think that in order to stay current with the competition, Apple MUST have 4G capabilities, at least offer a larger screen size, and possibly offer more RAM memory/a faster processor (not that the processor in the 4S is slow!). If Apple really wants to captivate a new audience, they’ll redesign the phone. This is likely to gain even more interest from non-iPhone users.
What do you think Cubicle Chicks and Tech Guys? For you iPhone users, what is most important for you in the next iPhone release? Android users, what could Apple do with the iPhone 5 to entice you to switch to the “dark side”?
I’m hardcore Android. Me switching over is highly unlikely.
Can Apple make a phone that has everything that iPhone has blended with everything that Android has (including flash, 4g, complete customization, etc.)
I think this is the mistake that a lot of people make though Elise. What I’ve noticed is that Apple does not even make an attempt to (publicly) compete with Android phones. The iPhone serves a specific niche market, and they serve that market well.
All Apple products thrive off of being simple and clean interfaces. I think this makes the iPhone marketable to a broader spectrum of consumer. For instance, the 60 year old woman who needs a smart phone, but is not tech savvy is likely to choose the iPhone over Android. In this way, complete customization may be too much for that consumer.
Also, the rumor is that 4G will be on the new iPhone because the new iPad has 4G connectivity. Slowly but surely, Flash is becoming obsolete because of the advent of HTML 5.
It will be interesting to see what is on the horizon for both Apple and Android though! Thanks for commenting!
Ditto Elise. Until iPhone is as usable and tricked out as Android, I can’t even consider buying an iPhone.
I do hope they stay away from a giant screen, though. The size of the new Android phones is what keeps me from upgrading. Anything larger that 4″ is just too big, IMO.
Angeline,
I doubt that iPhone would go to the complete opposite end of the spectrum and jump from a 3.5 inch screen to that of a 4.5 inch screen. I also agree that a 4-4.3 inch screen is perfect size. It’s large enough to be visually stimulating, but not too big such that it’s cumbersome.
Thanks for your input!
I do hope for one that the new iPhone besides 4G will also have a bigger screen. The Samsung Galaxy has a pretty neat one and I just love it! Just 10 years ago we were all hunting for the smallest possible mobile (remember Ericsson’s T20?,)now phones are getting bigger again.
I agree with you Daisy! The Galaxy has become somewhat the standard for Android phones with it’s super amoled plus screen and it’s size. I think it’s inevitable that at some point the iPhone will have to get bigger.
It is interesting how the dynamic has changed with regards to the size of our phones. I think the advent and popularity of media being able to be streamed to phones has had a great impact on that.
Thank you for commenting Daisy!