iPhone, iPad, iPod Forums at iMore.com

[xintelinsanex]

Let the speculation begin. What is the next iteration of the iPhone going to have. My thoughts:

1. Better battery, more memory (obviously)
2. Speech-to-text for SMS and Voice dial (although this could probably be done through a software update, not necessarily hardware related
3. Upgraded processor chips (upgraded chips all around, maybe from their acquisition of PA Semi

This is all I can come up with right now. I will update and post more once I get more wild ideas.

[marcol]

I wouldn't be surprised if there were an interim, memory bump model like there was with the first gen model. After that, higher resolution screen, HSUPA, 802.11n, faster and more efficient chips, probably a higher resolution camera and a second camera for video calling, possibly the voice stuff you suggest. I think the form factor will basically stay the same but a second, smaller model isn't completely impossible I suppose.

On nomenclature: let's not confuse iPhone generations with cellular network generations. The generation of cellular network used will not always be n+1, where n=the iPhone generation. The next (3rd) generation iPhone will undoubtedly still use 3G network technology:

The international telecommunications regulatory and standardization bodies are working for commercial deployment of 4G networks roughly in the 2012-2015 time scale.

4G - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[xintelinsanex]

Originally Posted by marcol

I wouldn't be surprised if there were an interim, memory bump model like there was with the first gen model. After that, higher resolution screen, HSUPA, 802.11n, faster and more efficient chips, probably a higher resolution camera and a second camera for video calling, possibly the voice stuff you suggest. I think the form factor will basically stay the same but a second, smaller model isn't completely impossible I suppose.

On nomenclature: let's not confuse iPhone generations with cellular network generations. The generation of cellular network used will not always be n+1, where n=the iPhone generation. The next (3rd) generation iPhone will undoubtedly still use 3G network technology:


4G - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Makes sense. I would like to see a better screen and definitely an upgraded camera. These however seem like refreshes more than anything. Whereas GPS and 3G were more significant of an edition.

[marcol]

I agree the things I listed lack wow factor. This probably just reflects my lack of imagination, but what could the 'wow' things be? Perhaps faster, more efficient chips (and more RAM) might translate into multiple apps (including third party apps) running at the same time? Faster HSDPA might allow for better streaming to the iPhone and complete syncing of all data (including media) over the cellular network. HSUPA might translate into streaming media from an iPhone (to another iPhone?) I guess, or at least MobileMe syncing of videos shot on the iPhone (this supposes there would be video recording on the iPhone of course!)

Struggling a bit here...

[xintelinsanex]

We are just two people. Apple and AT&T probably have hundreds of people working on "the next big thing" in the wireless industry. Whether it be some miraculous cell feature or whatever. There are things people want that we probably couldn't even think of. Syncing with our car?

[marcol]

Those hundreds of people are probably all doing what Steve Jobs tells them to do. I have a little faith though that it will probably be the right thing.

Perhaps there will be more of a focus on web apps, all your data in the cloud etc. I do have the feeling that this might have been the original intention (remember the original idea, as stated at least, was for third party apps to be web apps only). Perhaps SproutCore and the like just came a little too late. That's software rather than hardware speculation of course, and obviously doesn't address your 3rd gen iPhone question. Maybe no hardware 'wow', just evolution?

[xintelinsanex]

Yeah probably not a wow for a while. I'm thinking just baby step evolutions and then one day... "WOW!"

[edcar]

If the new Blackberry "Thunder" trumps the iphone, the next iphone will have to copy some Blackberry features.

[xintelinsanex]

Well ok let's see. The Thunder is suppose to only have 4 buttons on the front and it is a full touchscreen. Remind me what the original iPhone was... right full touchscreen and 1 button on the front. Blackberry couldn't innovate to save its life. So I guess the trumping iphone is never going to happen and we have nothing to worry about.

[igneous]

the next camera better be a MUCH better one