Dwight Silverman recently provided a large number of “improvements” he feels are necessary for the next version of the iPhone. Here are my opinions on his thoughts:
A better camera: A 3 megapixel to 5 upgraded seems a minimal upgrade that should be expected. If it does include a better camera, it should also provide better programatic access to it. Allowing apps that use it to throttle the quality, especially those that use video, particularly streaming video. If you could stream low-res and save high-res at the same time, that would be ideal. It’s likely that cameras will appear in future iPod Touches as well, perhaps lower end versions.
Bigger and/or Better screen: The two aren’t the same thing obviously. Apple has been resisting the resolution “upgrade” because the one-size-fits-all has served their developers, and therefore their app breadth, well. Other platforms are already stratifying, and it’s not ideal. They will definitely need to provide the simulator support months in advance of hardwired availability, so that developers can confirm their products. They should also provide a way to run lower/original resolution applications, or risk minimizing available applications.
More customization: With each major release of the iPhone OS there are minor customization increases. There will be minor changes on this version and Dashboard-style widgets, custom backgrounds, or any other “skinning”-type functionality is unlikely. And in my opinion, unneeded.
A faster processor: Each hardware upgrade has included a processor improvement. Apple has no need or desire to be the fastest possible processor. More speed = more battery use. Apple will continue to err on the batter life improvement side.
Voice recognition throughout: Apple aims at the larger, non-technical market, and I think voice recognition and in particular voice dictation is a bleeding edge technology. This is still not available broadly on computers and mobile CPUs can’t handle it. The Nexus One offloads, necessarily, processing onto servers. This bandwidth increase would be undesirable, particularly to an AT&T already straining from the needs of the iPhone.
Multi-tasking: This is most yearned for feature that is the most unneeded. Apps can currently remember their states if they care about their users. Having Apple “sleep” an app also leaves an ambiguity of when the user really wants to quit the app. There are definitely some functionalities Apple should open up to developers that happen to be background ones. (Audio Streaming a la NPR app – The stream should be on par with the Apple Music app.)
Greater Durability: I disagree with Dwight, iPhones are strong enough. Their screens are considerably larger than most which naturally makes them more vulnerable. And insurance is usually available for those unable to handle the iPhone safely.
Thinner and lighter: a competing design variable to Greater Durability.
Relaxed App Approvals: Apple did recently “stream line” its app approval process and items are getting through the pipeline much faster this month than two months ago. A few more months are needed to see if this change is everything is needed. This general heading in Dwight’s list is there only for a specific argument: Google Voice. I would love to have that app, but any arguments are hard to make for lack of real information on why it hasn’t been green lighted. Lots of rumors and speculation.
End Its AT&T Exclusivity: Apple chose AT&T on technological reasons. There are two (different, and not quite equal) 3G technologies. Apple chose the one that can provide more technically and the one that blankets Europe and Japan. There were also technical modifications made to AT&Ts infrastructure to allow the “audio voice mail” that would need to be made by other carriers. Cingular has the same type of network; Verizon would require the manufacture of a different type of phone. I don’t think the growth spurred by non-exclusivity would be large enough to bother production.
Bill,
Some points re: your points:
– The processor did not change from the original iPhone to the 3G; both had a 412 Mhz ARM processor. The 3GS did have a faster chip. From what I have read, the faster processors in newer Android phones DO have an experiential impact. My Nexus One just arrived, so we’ll see….
— You really wouldn’t appreciate the option of seeing calendar items, e-mail headers & other notifications on the lock screen? Seriously?? I certainly would.
— Voice recognition is coming into its own. It WAS bleeding edge; it’s not really that now. Try the Dragon Dictation app – it shows the potential. I am very interested in trying that on the Nexus One – it’s supposed to work quite well. Also, note that a faster processor helps with voice recognition. Finally, I think phones are a BETTER platform for VR because they are voice devices by nature. It’s a perfect fit.
— I don’t think you can get Apple or AT&T insurance on the iPhone. Apple Care is all that’s available, I think… There ARE some third-party insurers, but I’m not sure I’d use them. http://theappleblog.com/2009/12/15/finally-iphone-insurance-sort-of/ But really, they’re NOT that durable. I know literally dozens of people who’ve had shattered screens, and in drops that weren’t that hard (and not done cavalierly).
— Disagree that you can’t have thinner/lighter and still be more durable. There are stronger materials out there.
— Yes, the approval process has gotten better, based purely on anecdotal evidence, but we still see odd decisions, such as the recent decision to disapprove a photo viewer because it “might” be used to view porn. Uh, Safari can view pr0n, too … There have been no formal statements because opacity is the approval process’ most prominent “feature”.
— Re: Verizon not being “big enough to bother production”. Verizon’s a pretty big carrier, so that’s not really a valid statement. However, I am not sure Verizon would be the target, but maybe T-Mobile . . . Still, I’m not convinced this will happen. But I wish it would.
Thanks for playing, but you SHOULD have posted these to the TechBlog comments. They’re not too long.
Alerts over a lock screen could be useful, but not widgets.
I agree that mobile phones and voice recognition will wed well some day. I don’t think it’s a high percentage of the market need right now.
Insurance: that’s unfortunate.
Opacity of approval process borders on evil, I totally agree. But not important to a next release, and I think Apple’s process will continue to produce better results. I expect a major worm/virus on another device in 2010.
My wording may have been unfortunate. My intent re: Verizon was not “it’s not big enough to be bothered with”, but “the growth caused by [theoretically] adding Verizon would not bother the production schedule”. I think there are plenty of people who aren’t righteous about carriers that have jumped to the iPhone, and many of those who claim to be non-iPhone because of carrier will stay non-iPhone if it becomes available.
The camera needs a flash. Rumor is that there will be a LED flash in the next version.
Haptics would provide feedback when typing.
One of the biggest requests I have for 4.0 is parental controls. I would like to prevent my son from deleting apps! Multi-user would be good too with fast user switching.