[BuddhistGirafe]

Well. I was thinking about this and I want your opinion on it. People are starting to guess and scheme about what the next iPhone will be and a few times the idea of a differant form factor has been brought up.

Now this is where I pose this question. If a drastic change to the appearance was made, can Apple still tout it the iPhone? Something along the lines of a slide out qwerty or something.

I just feel that the iPhone is known because of it's looks to the majority of people. I think a apperance change could lose mindshare and it would no longer be "the iPhone" because when you here the name iPhone, you think of a giant screen with one button.

Opinions on this matter?

[whmurray]

Well. I was thinking about this and I want your opinion on it. People are starting to guess and scheme about what the next iPhone will be and a few times the idea of a differant form factor has been brought up.

Now this is where I pose this question. If a drastic change to the appearance was made, can Apple still tout it the iPhone? Something along the lines of a slide out qwerty or something.

I just feel that the iPhone is known because of it's looks to the majority of people. I think a apperance change could lose mindshare and it would no longer be "the iPhone" because when you here the name iPhone, you think of a giant screen with one button.

Opinions on this matter?

An iPhone is that which iTunes identifies as an iPhone. It is that which runs iPhone Apps. This gives Apple a lot of scope.

[lungho]

Just my opinion......which is not necessarily right 99.9% of the time

Look at the evolution of the iPod. The 1st gen iPod looked like a brick with an actual scroll wheel. The iPod Touches look nothing like that 1st generation iPods but they are still called iPods.

I think name recognition is more important to Apple than form-factor recognition. They have spent millions making iPod and iPhone household names. I don't see them changing that anytime soon.

I would like to see some radical changes in form-factor and GUI wise for the iPhone but I don't think it's going to happen this next year.

[BuddhistGirafe]

Really Lungho, I would hate to see a form factor change, I think they have spent to many years defining the look to change it now, but I would love a drastic UI change, primarily app management.

[lungho]

My bad, I overstated when I said drastic form-factor changes. Really all I want as far as form-factor changes is a matte finish or something that's easier to hold on to and doesn't scratch up so easily. But I agree with the changes you want. I'd like to see them as well.

[BuddhistGirafe]

My bad, I overstated when I said drastic form-factor changes. Really all I want as far as form-factor changes is a matte finish or something that's easier to hold on to and doesn't scratch up so easily. But I agree with the changes you want. I'd like to see them as well.

Well in that case I agree with you, the metal back was so much better than this plastic crap. I would like to see metal back as well as metal buttons on the side. Also, if they keep the back, matte with oleophobic would be nice. I say they just coat the whole damn phone in oleophobic-ness.

[whmurray]

Well in that case I agree with you, the metal back was so much better than this plastic crap. I would like to see metal back as well as metal buttons on the side. Also, if they keep the back, matte with oleophobic would be nice. I say they just coat the whole damn phone in oleophobic-ness.

I did like the matte silver on the original iPhone. It is both scratch and finger-print resistant. I like the black plastic well enough after I put the little piece of soft velcro on it. I do not like the shiny silver on the Touch. It is enough to take the finger prints off the screen without also having to polish the back.

Still all have been relatively scratch resistant. That is the most important thing.