Below is a comprehensive list of every single thing people want to see from the next iPhone and is easily the most comprehensive such list here. Here it is starting with all the reasonable software wishes people have...
A filesystem is the biggest want for the next iOS. Not like on a Mac where you see system files and other stuff, but just a users home folder. A place that all apps can access and load and save files from/to. That way if I have a document it doesn't have to exist inside of each app in order to access it. (1 copy in DropBox, 1 in Pages, 1 in DocsToGo, etc.) Also it means that Apples apps would be able to share files with DropBox or any other file syncing service. Then get rid of the file sharing in iTunes and instead just have the disk show up as an external drive. And please let us drag and drop videos and photos from any PC directly into the iPhone's video/photos folder without having to go through iTunes and syncing everything. It sucks that we can't just simply drag and drop a photo from a friend's computer into the Phone. When plugged in, allow W7/OSX to recognize and use the iPhone as a 32GB/64GB Mass/USB Storage Device with access to the file system.
Improved notifications, notifications that don't disappear immediately, let the notifications show up somewhere and have a dismiss all button or something like that. Example: http://vimeo.com/18568684
Updated Lock Screen That Displays Number of Missed Calls, Texts, Voicemails, Emails & Custom Widgets of our choice
Dynamic Weather, Temp, Stocks and Clock Icons (or Widgets)
OTA/Wireless iTunes and Syncing - file-soup solution allowing apps to push and pull files from a cloud-synced file-collection
Output iPhone to HDTVs/Apple TV at 640p scaled/upconverted to display at 720p either OTA/Wirelessly or via a mini-HDMI port or a Dock Connector to VGA adapter
Wireless Hotspots without Jailbreaking
Improved/More Voice Commands - Siri Assistant/Voice controls across the board: Turn off Bluetooth, Turn off Wifi, Launch Safari, Open a Website, Create Notes and Type/Dictate Emails with our voice (system-wide voice to text input).
Full use of Bluetooth. It sucks that we can't BT a photo or anything else to non-iPhones.
Lock Landscape Mode (not just the current Portrait Mode Lock)
Let us Add (via Bluetooth, iTunes apps, Dropbox and other Apps), Delete and Rename Music, Videos from our iPhones directly. Also let us delete individual text messages and phone calls.
Let us download files from Safari(or other apps) and store them on the phone in a centralized location, then be able to access them without Safari on my Mac/PC for easy file sharing/swapping.
Apple, let us organize the 100+ photos and videos on our iPhones into separate folders/albums. Add a file system for organizing videos, music, photos (into albums), and documents (PDF, DOC, PAGES), and other files for email attachments directly on the phone itself without having to sync it. Adding a file system would allow us to attach any filetype to emails we are sending out. They could also improve the controls over podcasts so that we could delete podcasts or rearrange the order of podcasts and make iTunes collect them by topic, or mark podcasts for deletion upon syncing and make notes on podcasts. These features should be combined with and enabled in a Network File Browser.
More Email Functionality - Simple things like flagging emails for follow up or by category are still missing, auto-categorizing emails based on where they are sent from, and other business class email functionality would be nice. The option to let us download all of the text in our emails off the email client onto the phone permanently would also be a welcome change. Currently, searching through your emails in the iPhone is broken and really does not work. If you're looking for a specific email you sent out or received more than a week ago, you have no choice but to use your computer to find it. I still can’t view only unread emails. I still can’t configure a unique email signature for each different email account.
The option to schedule your emails so that they can be sent/delivered at a specific time in the future would be very useful and very welcome. I would love to be able to write up an email at 1 am and schedule it to be sent out at 9AM the next morning. Likewise, I would love to schedule an email to myself to be sent a week from now reminding myself that I need to contact someone at that specific date.
The ability to download themes from the app store. Users who are tired of the stale look of iOS and who want to customize the device with a theme that has been tested for functionality will be happy as will theme makers, and Apple makes some money from the sales.
Improved Calender Functionality - Syncing with Google calendars, Yahoo calendars, Facebook, or whatever you want to sync it with. Ability to see each calendar together and separated, to be able to turn on a countdown on certain events and to have a way to text appointments or some other method of sharing things you intend to do with other people. Also, features such as a week view, showing appt names in the month view, ability to copy appts to other dates, a good todo list (Shows blocks of time on a list of days of your schedule), being able to see, in month view, colored dots representing my different calendars so that users don't have to click on a day to see that I have *something* for work or church or any other specific calendar scheduled that day, a landscape week agenda view, tasks, ability to remind you of tasks, and location abilities that if it senses you are near a task/appt it can remind you.
Automatically downclock the phone during menial tasks and preserve battery life
Ability to use it like a Magic Trackpad or 10/GUI device with other apple devices
Allow us to connect our iPhone to a PC/TV to function as an external hard drive to store and move content
Letting us rename apps, remove app names entirely, and more customizations to how the UI, home screen, lock screen, dock, slider, icons, dynamic wallpapers etc all look
Multiple Profiles based on gps location (at work vs. home), time, what BT device connected etc.
More Carriers (Sprint, T-Mobile etc.)
A Competitor to BlackBerry Enterprise Server Software Suite
A Button to kill all multitasking apps at once to instantly free up RAM. It’s ridiculous that there is no way to close an app without saving its state. The iPhone is easily the worst when it comes to clutter in the app manager, and the solution would be all too simple. How about a long-tap on the home button to close an app, fellas?
Let us delete/hide the built in stocks and youtube (and other) apps, so that we can replace youtube app with m.youtube.com web app (looks and works a lot better).
Integrate a way to interact with a printer to print out emails, photos, pdfs and other documents, and integrate a built in business card scanner, bar code scanner . You simply take a photograph of the business card (or bar code) and press add to contact list and it will fill in the contact info. Also, integrate Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) support.
GPS comparable to Andriod phones at least
Refined folders that hold 16 apps or side-scrolling folders that allow an unlimited number of apps, having 9 apps is too few and it looks ugly when you open a folder only to have it be assymetric
Smarter OS (ex: if you type an email and can't send it because you're not connected to the internet, instead of the message "Cannot send mail," etc. it should say "Will send message in background once internet connection is reestablished,' better file management and connectivity with the cloud, better autocorrect, faster code execution via the new xCode 4 and other similar functions. And most importantly, stop deleting new contacts I added to my phone and the changes I made to my notes on my phone just because I sync them with Gmail. Likewise, Safari should let us set it to open new tabs in the background. The OS should be smart enough to keep the most recent version of the contacts and notes, not automatically delete all new contacts and replace the notes on the phone with the ones in gmail even though the file on the notes was modified and changed more recently. These issue absolutely need to be fixed before wireless iTunes syncing is implemented or it's going to lead to a lot of frustrated iPhone users.
Better Autocorrect + Customizable Dictionary - The iPhone has the worst auto-correct system ever devised by man. It doesn’t learn from habits, which means I have to reject the same changes repeatedly, forever. I also can’t add words. And speaking of the address book, I better not have any contacts prefaced with “Mr.” If I do, I need to be prepared to constantly reject an unwanted change every time I type the word “me”.
Scheduled on/off. I love this feature on BB. It would also be very nice if your phone was off, it would still wake you in the morning with an alarm.
Better Youtube - The quality is horrendous and slow, especially over 3G.
Support in the native iPhone video player for all the codecs that VLC supports
Additional buttons on the multitasking launch bar and revamped UI to switch between apps that provide a quicker way to shut off bluetooth, wifi, brightness and enable/disable airplane mode. If I want to save some precious battery life and disable Bluetooth when I’m not using it, it takes five taps. Compare that to Android, where disabling Bluetooth takes a single tap on a widget.
Custom SMS, MMS, email and other custom alert sounds
Protect or hide apps (for privacy without having to lock my entire phone)
Below covers ALL of the reasonable hardware wishes people have...
Dual Core Cortex A9 CPU + SGX543 Dual Core GPU powering the iPhone 5 (rebranded the A5) for the iPhone 5 followed up with Cortex-A15 MPCore CPU powering the iPhone 6
64GB and the option to use iPhone as a mass storage device in a pinch
LPDDR2 RAM - Much faster than the LPDDR1 ram currently being used. Preferably 1GB.
4" inch Super AMOLED 960x640 screen with full RGB subpixels
A bigger screen makes routine tasks much more plesant, browsing the web, reading ebooks, watching videos, playing games, everything looks much nicer on a bigger screen.
I get not wanting the phone to be larger. But it actually wouldn't have to be...
Originally Posted by Sedrick:
I worked some mock-ups in my cad program and a 4" screen will fit (in the iPhone, without making it bigger):
If Apple cuts down on the amount of room the bezel takes, the screen could be made 4 inches without making the phone any bigger. There is no rational reason why someone wouldn't atleast want a 4" screen if the phone remains roughly the same size and shape.
The advantages of a 4 inch screen are numerous. Typing, websites, ebooks, emails, videos, games would all look and be much easier to use with a 4 inch screen. The iPhone, once cutting edge, currently has the smallest screen of any popular smartphone. I suggest playing around with smartphones with 4 inch screens to see just how much more pleasant a bigger screen can make browsing, book reading, gaming and video playback. The current iPhone has a large bezel that could be done away with to accommodate a 4 inch screen without increasing the overall size of the phone much at all. The Galaxy S has a much smaller bezel and is perfectly comfortable to hold inspite of this.
4G/LTE Antenna
Proximity Sensor and Antenna Fix
Anti-Glare Matte Gorilla Glass (This is why... http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/29/dell-streaks-gorilla-glass-screen-torture-tested-for-your-amus/)
Nvidia's Tegra SOC + Mini HDMI port with an SGX543 serving as an intermediary GPU in the iPhone 5 until the Tegra 3/4 SOC that come paired with the Cortex A-15 CPU is released. Combined with either an official Apple Controller Shell with dual analog sticks or the iControlPad, the iPhone would become the one and only handheld gaming device you would ever need. Imagine being able to play Bungie's next FPS on the iPhone with dual analog sticks, and being able to output it wirelessly to your hdtv at 640p resolution (the exact same resolution that Halo 3 runs at), whenever you're home.
An official Apple Controller Shell that adds dual analog sticks, a dpad, buttons and triggers to the iPhone to go along with the beefed up CPU, GPU. iPhone gaming desperately needs better controls. Games like NOVA, Modern Warfare and Nazi Zombies are fantastic, but made near unplayable due to how slippery glass is to try to use as a control interface, and how hard it is to control a joystick with a touch screen. A simple optional controller shell would singlehandedly help the iPhone dominate the portable gaming market. The Call of Duty franchise on consoles alone generated 3 BILLION in revenue so far, the dual analog shooter market is a huge market to tap into.
I think a Controller Shell is a necessary accessory that Apple should support fully because it is a fact that the iPhone in terms of polygon pushing can in fact go toe to toe with the best gaming handhelds out there. So given such an accessory to appeal to hardcore gamers that love dual analog stick shooters, it would take iPhone gaming to a whole another level of awesome. The DS has sold 150 million plus copies, and hundreds of millions of $30 games, think about how big a market that is to be able to tap into. Update: Turns out that such a device is already being worked on by fans the http://controllerorbust.com/ and also the iControlPad. Unfortunately, Controller or Bust/icontrolpad needs Apple's approval. Apple should fully support them. It's all that stands between the iPhone and a real full blown gaming system.
Here is controllerorbust's excellent mockup...
Here's another way to implement gaming controls (replace the keyboard in the awesome "Keyboard Buddy Case" with gaming controls and dual analog sticks)...
Xenon flash to improve low light performance of the camera (I was in Miami this weekend and couldn't get a single visible photo after 7pm to save my life),
Liquidmetal (New tech purchased by Apple that would allow for lighter, thinner, stronger, cheaper material),
HD/FM Radio Tuner/Receiver and Transmitter - "I'd like to see a FM receiver because I run on a treadmill at the gym and they transmit the audio for the TVs over FM. I'd also like to see a FM transmitter so when I'm in my car or someone else's car I can just use the radio to play iTunes." -BigQid
Bigger Camera Lens and possibly a CCD sensor to allow better low light performance,
Even Better Cameras (8MP, 1080P Video etc) featuring options such as ISO and night vision mode.
Bigger Battery
IR remote functionality to integrate it with other devices, such as Apple TV and Google TV, use it as a universal remote controller, play games on your TV and use you iPod/iPhone as a controller, as a trackpad mouse or a 10/Gui Keyboard and such
Dual speakers with the ability to emulate 3D surround sound as well as a higher volume and vibrate (the current max volume and max vibrate are way too low)
Dedicated Camera Button - This will let users take photos quickly, and would also allow them to take self portraits with far more ease. It currently takes way too long to snap a quick picture.
More efficient Bluetooth 4.0 with file sharing and either Lightpeak or USB 3.0 for faster syncing/charging,
Smaller Bezel (to help accommodate a bigger screen),
Multiple Phone Colors,
Either remove the home button entirely and switch to a three/four finger pinch in gesture to exit apps or add a LED Notification Light under the home button (preferably multicolored),
Inductive Charging like Palm Pre and if viable touch sensitive back for gestures and gaming functions, a Solar panel to extend battery life, or even a 3D Screen akin to the Nintendo 3DS.
RFID aka. Near Field Communication to let us use it as a credit card, pay toll machines, to let employers use it as an id badge etc. RFID is a really cool tech. I'm sure app developers, given the api, could think of much cooler ways to use it as well.
Going back to the screen size...
Take a look at this picture, comparing the iPhone to the Galaxy S which offers a 4" screen, and yet manages to be approximately the same size and weight as the iPhone 4.
Compare the screen size and display of the Galaxy S (4") and the iPhone 4 (3.5").
Externally, both phones are almost identical in size. The Galaxy S has a bigger screen but a smaller bezel.
"From my experience, it's far easier to use the on screen keyboard, browse online, read pdfs, emails and e-books, and watch movies with an extra inch of diagonal real estate. Everything just looks nicer, especially games, websites read easier when the text isn't quite so tiny, and movies feel more immersive. It's shocking how big a difference..." -iPhonedHome
Here is a picture of a mock iPhone that maintains the same identical height as the iPhone 4 (it is wider though) while managing to pack a whopping 4.5" screen...
Examine how the design maximizes the screen size by reducing the bezel. The current home button is starting to look a little stale, let's hope the recent rumor that Apple is doing away with the home button completely in favor of multitouch gestures, pans out.[/B]
It's not only tech geeks that enjoy watching videos on the iPhone, browsing the web , reading ebooks, reading maps , looking at and showing off pics, all tasks that are made substantially easier with a bigger screen. I am willing to bet that a general sample of all iPhone owners would show similar stats, with most wanting a bigger screen that makes these tasks easier and more pleasent.
If you're curious where the iPhone could go once Apple delivers on the above wishes, this seems like a great concept to try and make a reality...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG3tLxEQEdg
If you like the list. Email it to Apple.
A filesystem is the biggest want for the next iOS. Not like on a Mac where you see system files and other stuff, but just a users home folder. A place that all apps can access and load and save files from/to. That way if I have a document it doesn't have to exist inside of each app in order to access it. (1 copy in DropBox, 1 in Pages, 1 in DocsToGo, etc.) Also it means that Apples apps would be able to share files with DropBox or any other file syncing service. Then get rid of the file sharing in iTunes and instead just have the disk show up as an external drive. And please let us drag and drop videos and photos from any PC directly into the iPhone's video/photos folder without having to go through iTunes and syncing everything. It sucks that we can't just simply drag and drop a photo from a friend's computer into the Phone. When plugged in, allow W7/OSX to recognize and use the iPhone as a 32GB/64GB Mass/USB Storage Device with access to the file system.
Improved notifications, notifications that don't disappear immediately, let the notifications show up somewhere and have a dismiss all button or something like that. Example: http://vimeo.com/18568684
Updated Lock Screen That Displays Number of Missed Calls, Texts, Voicemails, Emails & Custom Widgets of our choice
Dynamic Weather, Temp, Stocks and Clock Icons (or Widgets)
OTA/Wireless iTunes and Syncing - file-soup solution allowing apps to push and pull files from a cloud-synced file-collection
Output iPhone to HDTVs/Apple TV at 640p scaled/upconverted to display at 720p either OTA/Wirelessly or via a mini-HDMI port or a Dock Connector to VGA adapter
Wireless Hotspots without Jailbreaking
Improved/More Voice Commands - Siri Assistant/Voice controls across the board: Turn off Bluetooth, Turn off Wifi, Launch Safari, Open a Website, Create Notes and Type/Dictate Emails with our voice (system-wide voice to text input).
Full use of Bluetooth. It sucks that we can't BT a photo or anything else to non-iPhones.
Lock Landscape Mode (not just the current Portrait Mode Lock)
Let us Add (via Bluetooth, iTunes apps, Dropbox and other Apps), Delete and Rename Music, Videos from our iPhones directly. Also let us delete individual text messages and phone calls.
Let us download files from Safari(or other apps) and store them on the phone in a centralized location, then be able to access them without Safari on my Mac/PC for easy file sharing/swapping.
Apple, let us organize the 100+ photos and videos on our iPhones into separate folders/albums. Add a file system for organizing videos, music, photos (into albums), and documents (PDF, DOC, PAGES), and other files for email attachments directly on the phone itself without having to sync it. Adding a file system would allow us to attach any filetype to emails we are sending out. They could also improve the controls over podcasts so that we could delete podcasts or rearrange the order of podcasts and make iTunes collect them by topic, or mark podcasts for deletion upon syncing and make notes on podcasts. These features should be combined with and enabled in a Network File Browser.
More Email Functionality - Simple things like flagging emails for follow up or by category are still missing, auto-categorizing emails based on where they are sent from, and other business class email functionality would be nice. The option to let us download all of the text in our emails off the email client onto the phone permanently would also be a welcome change. Currently, searching through your emails in the iPhone is broken and really does not work. If you're looking for a specific email you sent out or received more than a week ago, you have no choice but to use your computer to find it. I still can’t view only unread emails. I still can’t configure a unique email signature for each different email account.
The option to schedule your emails so that they can be sent/delivered at a specific time in the future would be very useful and very welcome. I would love to be able to write up an email at 1 am and schedule it to be sent out at 9AM the next morning. Likewise, I would love to schedule an email to myself to be sent a week from now reminding myself that I need to contact someone at that specific date.
The ability to download themes from the app store. Users who are tired of the stale look of iOS and who want to customize the device with a theme that has been tested for functionality will be happy as will theme makers, and Apple makes some money from the sales.
Improved Calender Functionality - Syncing with Google calendars, Yahoo calendars, Facebook, or whatever you want to sync it with. Ability to see each calendar together and separated, to be able to turn on a countdown on certain events and to have a way to text appointments or some other method of sharing things you intend to do with other people. Also, features such as a week view, showing appt names in the month view, ability to copy appts to other dates, a good todo list (Shows blocks of time on a list of days of your schedule), being able to see, in month view, colored dots representing my different calendars so that users don't have to click on a day to see that I have *something* for work or church or any other specific calendar scheduled that day, a landscape week agenda view, tasks, ability to remind you of tasks, and location abilities that if it senses you are near a task/appt it can remind you.
Automatically downclock the phone during menial tasks and preserve battery life
Ability to use it like a Magic Trackpad or 10/GUI device with other apple devices
Allow us to connect our iPhone to a PC/TV to function as an external hard drive to store and move content
Letting us rename apps, remove app names entirely, and more customizations to how the UI, home screen, lock screen, dock, slider, icons, dynamic wallpapers etc all look
Multiple Profiles based on gps location (at work vs. home), time, what BT device connected etc.
More Carriers (Sprint, T-Mobile etc.)
A Competitor to BlackBerry Enterprise Server Software Suite
A Button to kill all multitasking apps at once to instantly free up RAM. It’s ridiculous that there is no way to close an app without saving its state. The iPhone is easily the worst when it comes to clutter in the app manager, and the solution would be all too simple. How about a long-tap on the home button to close an app, fellas?
Let us delete/hide the built in stocks and youtube (and other) apps, so that we can replace youtube app with m.youtube.com web app (looks and works a lot better).
Integrate a way to interact with a printer to print out emails, photos, pdfs and other documents, and integrate a built in business card scanner, bar code scanner . You simply take a photograph of the business card (or bar code) and press add to contact list and it will fill in the contact info. Also, integrate Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) support.
GPS comparable to Andriod phones at least
Refined folders that hold 16 apps or side-scrolling folders that allow an unlimited number of apps, having 9 apps is too few and it looks ugly when you open a folder only to have it be assymetric
Smarter OS (ex: if you type an email and can't send it because you're not connected to the internet, instead of the message "Cannot send mail," etc. it should say "Will send message in background once internet connection is reestablished,' better file management and connectivity with the cloud, better autocorrect, faster code execution via the new xCode 4 and other similar functions. And most importantly, stop deleting new contacts I added to my phone and the changes I made to my notes on my phone just because I sync them with Gmail. Likewise, Safari should let us set it to open new tabs in the background. The OS should be smart enough to keep the most recent version of the contacts and notes, not automatically delete all new contacts and replace the notes on the phone with the ones in gmail even though the file on the notes was modified and changed more recently. These issue absolutely need to be fixed before wireless iTunes syncing is implemented or it's going to lead to a lot of frustrated iPhone users.
Better Autocorrect + Customizable Dictionary - The iPhone has the worst auto-correct system ever devised by man. It doesn’t learn from habits, which means I have to reject the same changes repeatedly, forever. I also can’t add words. And speaking of the address book, I better not have any contacts prefaced with “Mr.” If I do, I need to be prepared to constantly reject an unwanted change every time I type the word “me”.
Scheduled on/off. I love this feature on BB. It would also be very nice if your phone was off, it would still wake you in the morning with an alarm.
Better Youtube - The quality is horrendous and slow, especially over 3G.
Support in the native iPhone video player for all the codecs that VLC supports
Additional buttons on the multitasking launch bar and revamped UI to switch between apps that provide a quicker way to shut off bluetooth, wifi, brightness and enable/disable airplane mode. If I want to save some precious battery life and disable Bluetooth when I’m not using it, it takes five taps. Compare that to Android, where disabling Bluetooth takes a single tap on a widget.
Custom SMS, MMS, email and other custom alert sounds
Protect or hide apps (for privacy without having to lock my entire phone)
Below covers ALL of the reasonable hardware wishes people have...
Dual Core Cortex A9 CPU + SGX543 Dual Core GPU powering the iPhone 5 (rebranded the A5) for the iPhone 5 followed up with Cortex-A15 MPCore CPU powering the iPhone 6
64GB and the option to use iPhone as a mass storage device in a pinch
LPDDR2 RAM - Much faster than the LPDDR1 ram currently being used. Preferably 1GB.
4" inch Super AMOLED 960x640 screen with full RGB subpixels
A bigger screen makes routine tasks much more plesant, browsing the web, reading ebooks, watching videos, playing games, everything looks much nicer on a bigger screen.
I get not wanting the phone to be larger. But it actually wouldn't have to be...
Originally Posted by Sedrick:
I worked some mock-ups in my cad program and a 4" screen will fit (in the iPhone, without making it bigger):
If Apple cuts down on the amount of room the bezel takes, the screen could be made 4 inches without making the phone any bigger. There is no rational reason why someone wouldn't atleast want a 4" screen if the phone remains roughly the same size and shape.
The advantages of a 4 inch screen are numerous. Typing, websites, ebooks, emails, videos, games would all look and be much easier to use with a 4 inch screen. The iPhone, once cutting edge, currently has the smallest screen of any popular smartphone. I suggest playing around with smartphones with 4 inch screens to see just how much more pleasant a bigger screen can make browsing, book reading, gaming and video playback. The current iPhone has a large bezel that could be done away with to accommodate a 4 inch screen without increasing the overall size of the phone much at all. The Galaxy S has a much smaller bezel and is perfectly comfortable to hold inspite of this.
4G/LTE Antenna
Proximity Sensor and Antenna Fix
Anti-Glare Matte Gorilla Glass (This is why... http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/29/dell-streaks-gorilla-glass-screen-torture-tested-for-your-amus/)
Nvidia's Tegra SOC + Mini HDMI port with an SGX543 serving as an intermediary GPU in the iPhone 5 until the Tegra 3/4 SOC that come paired with the Cortex A-15 CPU is released. Combined with either an official Apple Controller Shell with dual analog sticks or the iControlPad, the iPhone would become the one and only handheld gaming device you would ever need. Imagine being able to play Bungie's next FPS on the iPhone with dual analog sticks, and being able to output it wirelessly to your hdtv at 640p resolution (the exact same resolution that Halo 3 runs at), whenever you're home.
An official Apple Controller Shell that adds dual analog sticks, a dpad, buttons and triggers to the iPhone to go along with the beefed up CPU, GPU. iPhone gaming desperately needs better controls. Games like NOVA, Modern Warfare and Nazi Zombies are fantastic, but made near unplayable due to how slippery glass is to try to use as a control interface, and how hard it is to control a joystick with a touch screen. A simple optional controller shell would singlehandedly help the iPhone dominate the portable gaming market. The Call of Duty franchise on consoles alone generated 3 BILLION in revenue so far, the dual analog shooter market is a huge market to tap into.
I think a Controller Shell is a necessary accessory that Apple should support fully because it is a fact that the iPhone in terms of polygon pushing can in fact go toe to toe with the best gaming handhelds out there. So given such an accessory to appeal to hardcore gamers that love dual analog stick shooters, it would take iPhone gaming to a whole another level of awesome. The DS has sold 150 million plus copies, and hundreds of millions of $30 games, think about how big a market that is to be able to tap into. Update: Turns out that such a device is already being worked on by fans the http://controllerorbust.com/ and also the iControlPad. Unfortunately, Controller or Bust/icontrolpad needs Apple's approval. Apple should fully support them. It's all that stands between the iPhone and a real full blown gaming system.
Here is controllerorbust's excellent mockup...
Here's another way to implement gaming controls (replace the keyboard in the awesome "Keyboard Buddy Case" with gaming controls and dual analog sticks)...
Xenon flash to improve low light performance of the camera (I was in Miami this weekend and couldn't get a single visible photo after 7pm to save my life),
Liquidmetal (New tech purchased by Apple that would allow for lighter, thinner, stronger, cheaper material),
HD/FM Radio Tuner/Receiver and Transmitter - "I'd like to see a FM receiver because I run on a treadmill at the gym and they transmit the audio for the TVs over FM. I'd also like to see a FM transmitter so when I'm in my car or someone else's car I can just use the radio to play iTunes." -BigQid
Bigger Camera Lens and possibly a CCD sensor to allow better low light performance,
Even Better Cameras (8MP, 1080P Video etc) featuring options such as ISO and night vision mode.
Bigger Battery
IR remote functionality to integrate it with other devices, such as Apple TV and Google TV, use it as a universal remote controller, play games on your TV and use you iPod/iPhone as a controller, as a trackpad mouse or a 10/Gui Keyboard and such
Dual speakers with the ability to emulate 3D surround sound as well as a higher volume and vibrate (the current max volume and max vibrate are way too low)
Dedicated Camera Button - This will let users take photos quickly, and would also allow them to take self portraits with far more ease. It currently takes way too long to snap a quick picture.
More efficient Bluetooth 4.0 with file sharing and either Lightpeak or USB 3.0 for faster syncing/charging,
Smaller Bezel (to help accommodate a bigger screen),
Multiple Phone Colors,
Either remove the home button entirely and switch to a three/four finger pinch in gesture to exit apps or add a LED Notification Light under the home button (preferably multicolored),
Inductive Charging like Palm Pre and if viable touch sensitive back for gestures and gaming functions, a Solar panel to extend battery life, or even a 3D Screen akin to the Nintendo 3DS.
RFID aka. Near Field Communication to let us use it as a credit card, pay toll machines, to let employers use it as an id badge etc. RFID is a really cool tech. I'm sure app developers, given the api, could think of much cooler ways to use it as well.
Going back to the screen size...
Take a look at this picture, comparing the iPhone to the Galaxy S which offers a 4" screen, and yet manages to be approximately the same size and weight as the iPhone 4.
Compare the screen size and display of the Galaxy S (4") and the iPhone 4 (3.5").
Externally, both phones are almost identical in size. The Galaxy S has a bigger screen but a smaller bezel.
"From my experience, it's far easier to use the on screen keyboard, browse online, read pdfs, emails and e-books, and watch movies with an extra inch of diagonal real estate. Everything just looks nicer, especially games, websites read easier when the text isn't quite so tiny, and movies feel more immersive. It's shocking how big a difference..." -iPhonedHome
Here is a picture of a mock iPhone that maintains the same identical height as the iPhone 4 (it is wider though) while managing to pack a whopping 4.5" screen...
Examine how the design maximizes the screen size by reducing the bezel. The current home button is starting to look a little stale, let's hope the recent rumor that Apple is doing away with the home button completely in favor of multitouch gestures, pans out.[/B]
With all the new media apps coming this yr and into next, it's ridiculous to watch all that on a 3.5 inch screen no matter how high the resolution. I'm a media guy and would much rather watch all that hi-res on a 4.whatever screen rather than a 3.5. At least sell two phones. One for the soon to be minority 3.5ers, and one for the rest of us. Why waste all that valuable iPhone space on those black bars on the side of the screen?
It's not only tech geeks that enjoy watching videos on the iPhone, browsing the web , reading ebooks, reading maps , looking at and showing off pics, all tasks that are made substantially easier with a bigger screen. I am willing to bet that a general sample of all iPhone owners would show similar stats, with most wanting a bigger screen that makes these tasks easier and more pleasent.
If you're curious where the iPhone could go once Apple delivers on the above wishes, this seems like a great concept to try and make a reality...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG3tLxEQEdg
If you like the list. Email it to Apple.
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