Summer time will be here before we know it, and with it will come a new iPhone for all of us to enjoy. Well, that’s the assumption anyways, since Apple has released a new iPhone every summer since 2007. This year the 3GS will have a successor, so what will it be and what will it have? I’m not psychic, nor do I have any kind of fancy superhero costume. But I can make some requests to what I do want on the next model, and that’s what I’ll do here.
Change the Unlock Screen
The unlock screen on my iPhone is functional. It shows me any current text messages, the time, and my fancy wallpaper, but that’s it. If I get a text and an appointment comes up, it displays them both in a truncated format, meaning that I have to open the phone, and open up both the Text and Calendar apps. It’s annoying, but there’s an easy fix: make the unlock screen customizable. Maybe include the calendar so you can see upcoming appointments. A text box for upcoming texts. Listings for push notifications. All that could be on the unlock screen and more, it just would take a little tweaking. I just hope it’s doable.
Switch out the Back Surface Material
The first thing I did when I bought my 3GS was buy a case. Was that because I wanted to protect my iPhone? Sure, but I really wanted to make sure that I could have something to hold on to. My iPhone 3G was slicker that a greased pig, and the 3GS isn’t much better. I do like the glossy plastic look, but there’s no texture to it at all, which makes it difficult to hold on to, particularly in hotter climates.
Front Facing Camera
I’m tired of hearing people complain about this. I don’t know anyone who would video conference over AT&T’s 3G network, but by just putting a camera on the front as well as the back you could eliminate all of those stupid mirror pics everyone puts up on their Facebook and MySpace pages. Yes, video conferencing could be done too, but maybe limit the framerate so it doesn’t screw up my reception.
Higher Quality Camera
While we’re talking about camera, let’s get into something a bit more high quality. There are plenty of phones with 5 mega-pixel cameras, let’s get one in the iPhone.
More Memory
Currently you can buy an iPhone 3GS with 32 gb of storage. Let’s double that to at least match the iPod Touch.
Better Screen
It’s completely possible to get high def video out of the current iPhone, so why not take it up a notch? I’d love to be able to watch Star Trek in HD on the go. OLED anyone?
Give Me My Tethering
I’ve all but given up on getting tethering on my iPhone in this century, but if it does happen, I have a feeling it’s not going to be cheap. Here’s an idea: make it affordable, then you get more customers. They probably won’t use it all the time, so you collect money for something you don’t use. Otherwise, people like me will go to Verizon for their portable internet needs.
Clean up the Apps
I’ve got 10 pages of apps. It’s difficult to organize, to find things, and tough to move around. iTunes has made that nicer for sure, but let’s try some new ideas. Think of something out of the box.
Do you have any ideas? Let us know in the comments.
2 thoughts on “What I Want in the Next-Gen iPhone”
A better camera, yes, but it has to be “better” in the right way. More megapixels would be a waste of effort. Better to put it into a bigger sensor and higher ISO sensitivity. That will do loads more for image quality than squeezing even tinier pixels onto the same tiny sensor with the same terrible low-light performance (with or without an LED flash). Forget megapixels. Chasing that dragon is more about quantity than quality.
First thing I want, is the shiny, alu look that will match the iPad and the unibody MacBooks – that might improve your grip scenario. a much better camera – yes please! when will apple finally put something like a 8-10 mp in? front facing vid camera would be great aswell.
maybe the rumor’d 4.0 software will give us a re-designed lockscreen / app sorting / be able to change the wallpaper behind the icons like the iPad.
HD viewing is def needed and perhaps projector technology? im sure one of their patents mentioned this. Apart from that, really – what else can go in the hardware?? that we havn’t already got? maybe the new processor they are putting in the iPad will find its way into the new iPhone which will make it even more faster but hugely improve battery performance?? Did’nt Steve Jobs say it would be a “A+ update” cant wait!