Let's Create a Master List of Features That Will Make for the "Perfect" iPhone

[MICHAELSD]

A list of features/improvements so idealistic that once Apple integrates them all, be it in iPhone 7 or iPhone 17, it will accomplish the goal of a perfect smartphone.

- All-day (24-hours of usage) battery -- I'll start off with this since I know how widely-desired this is.

- Wireless charging.

- Perfect display contrast. (Accomplishable through the use of high-quality OLED displays.)

- Higher-resolution Retina Display suitable for virtual reality applications.

- As anti-reflective a screen as technically possible.

- Improved, multifaceted haptic feedback.

- An adaptable display that can adjust to add depressable buttons on demand. (This is not a technology only rooted in fantasy.)

- Siri interactions at an AI-level comparable to human speech with a low degree of error.

- Side-by-side multitasking.

- Bezel minimalisation.

- Optical zoom capabilities.

- A camera on-par with professional cameras, including in manual adjustability.

- Performance on-par with modern-day computers. (With the rate that mobile hardware is progressing at, this is wholly possible.)

- Completely-oleophobic display.

- Self-healing/extremely scratch/dent-resistant body.

- Truly shatterproof cover glass.

That should be enough to get the ball rolling, and I do believe these are features that Apple is working towards that will one day all be incorporated into an idealistic iPhone model.

 

[lagwagon]

A lot of what you want are things we might actually be getting in the 1-2 year future.

Wireless charging - could be this year or next

OLED - said to be as early as next year

Higher res display - probably to come included with the switch to OLED

Buttons on the display - could be possible as 3D Touch improves. Combined with the Taptic Engine to feel like you're pressing an actual button. Like MacBook trackpads feel like you're clicking like an old trackpad (they even simulate the click sound from a speaker)

Improved Siri - possible for sure. Apple acquired a couple speech companies last year. So I would expect significant improvements down the road. (Maybe linked to Siri rumoured coming to OS X this fall, could mean they have new Siri improvements to include along side that.)

Split screen - on a Plus I would like to see this for sure (the proposed UI by Apple for the dual lens in an article a little while back used split screen to view what both lenses see) So possible they would consider bringing the same split as iPads to the Plus

Bezel reduction - might happen on the Plus in a year or two. The rumour of the 5.8" screen that would have similar edge to edge display as the Samsung edge. (Removing side bezels)

Optical zoom - pretty much coming with the dual lens this year on the Plus. Optical zoom is one of the features dual lens can do

Pro camera quality - this one probably won't ever happen. Lens is too small, sensor too small to ever compete with pro level cameras. Can't compete with top end lenses that use high end glass with 8+ elements and the like. Can't compete with the larger sensors (35mm full frame and the larger medium format quality sensors.)

I'd like to hear what you mean for the multifaceted haptic feedback.

As for few things I would like that you haven't already mentioned. (First two are actual rumours that may or may not ever come)

- 3D Touch Home button (less physical moving parts and openings for dust/water to get in the better)

- Multi Touch 3D Touch (being able to press in on two areas at once)

- This is an OS thing but a big revamp to the Springboard. It's been the same since the very beginning (minus the inclusion of 3D Touch quick menus)

 

[Skika]

 

[MICHAELSD]

A lot of what you want are things we might actually be getting in the 1-2 year future.

Wireless charging - could be this year or next

OLED - said to be as early as next year

Higher res display - probably to come included with the switch to OLED

Buttons on the display - could be possible as 3D Touch improves. Combined with the Taptic Engine to feel like you're pressing an actual button. Like MacBook trackpads feel like you're clicking like an old trackpad (they even simulate the click sound from a speaker)

Improved Siri - possible for sure. Apple acquired a couple speech companies last year. So I would expect significant improvements down the road. (Maybe linked to Siri rumoured coming to OS X this fall, could mean they have new Siri improvements to include along side that.)

Split screen - on a Plus I would like to see this for sure (the proposed UI by Apple for the dual lens in an article a little while back used split screen to view what both lenses see) So possible they would consider bringing the same split as iPads to the Plus

Bezel reduction - might happen on the Plus in a year or two. The rumour of the 5.8" screen that would have similar edge to edge display as the Samsung edge. (Removing side bezels)

Optical zoom - pretty much coming with the dual lens this year on the Plus. Optical zoom is one of the features dual lens can do

Pro camera quality - this one probably won't ever happen. Lens is too small, sensor too small to ever compete with pro level cameras. Can't compete with top end lenses that use high end glass with 8+ elements and the like. Can't compete with the larger sensors (35mm full frame and the larger medium format quality sensors.)

I'd like to hear what you mean for the multifaceted haptic feedback.

As for few things I would like that you haven't already mentioned. (First two are actual rumours that may or may not ever come)

- 3D Touch Home button (less physical moving parts and openings for dust/water to get in the better)

- Multi Touch 3D Touch (being able to press in on two areas at once)

- This is an OS thing but a big revamp to the Springboard. It's been the same since the very beginning (minus the inclusion of 3D Touch quick menus)

Certainly many of my suggestions are in fact rumors that will be coming at some point soon. I'd be very surprised if within the next decade we don't see the rest, such as a shatterproof display.

By multifaceted haptic feedback, I am referring to a haptic feedback motor that is capable of much more varied vibrations and feedback. This may be a bit much to miniaturize, but there was a company that made a motor for a gaming device that could mimick different textures -- I think that'd be a natural next step for haptic feedback on the iPhone.

Technology similar to this could be in an iPhone by iPhone 10:

http://www.gizmag.com/fujitsu-haptic-sensory-tablet-prototype/31052/

I'm sure there's more I as well as other would want down the line but I think it's a good start.

Getting rid of the home button does make sense for sure. Just wasted space for the most part.

Getting a FaceTime camera similarly as good as the back camera is also on my want list. The 6s was a big improvement but still not good enough.

 

[e1me5]

High Res screen for VR is nice. But what I want is to capture RAW stills and Video!!
But first reduce the ugly noise reduction feature of the 6s camera. Makes my old 4S a better camera! :/

 

[pika2000]

My perfect iPhone is a neuro linker. That's about it.

 

[andiwm2003]

- stylus support
- micro usb port
- file system that allows mwe to upload

 

[MICHAELSD]

- stylus support
- micro usb port
- file system that allows mwe to upload

A micro USB port added to the device itself will never happen, but an adapter is possible.

The closest we'll get to stylus support will be an Apple Pencil Mini.
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High Res screen for VR is nice. But what I want is to capture RAW stills and Video!!
But first reduce the ugly noise reduction feature of the 6s camera. Makes my old 4S a better camera! :/

I think Filmic Pro might be capable of accomplishing this already. The video capabilities are significantly better than the camera app.

Otherwise since RAW takes up so much space we'll be waiting for higher-capacity iPhones -- although by then compression should be much better.

 

[Q-Dog]

My perfect phone would be smaller ... small enough to wear on my wrist would be ideal.

 

[ATC]

Selfishly speaking I'd love them to incorporate two things that would eliminate my need for using protective cases:

1. Do something about the oleophobic coating; make it more scratch resistant. It's great that the glass itself is super hard to scratch but what's the point if the oleophobic coating scratches so easily, and those scratches are just as visible in my experience.

2. Get rid of the protruding camera lens. I used to leave my naked iPhone 5 on my desk in the office and using it while on a flat surface. Can no longer do it on my 6 thanks to the camera protrusion.

Fix those two and I'll gladly be back to using my phone naked.

 

[bufffilm]

You want to talk about what the perfect smartphone should have or be...might as well open a thread about what you would do if you won lotto.

What's the point?

And don't bother to answer...I don't plan to revisit this thread. Just want you and others to ask yourself...what's the point?

 

[The.Glorious.Son]

You want to talk about what the perfect smartphone should have or be...might as well open a thread about what you would do if you won lotto.

What's the point?

And don't bother to answer...I don't plan to revisit this thread. Just want you and others to ask yourself...what's the point?

Interesting. So others are having fun discussing future phones and features in what is referred to as a forum (a place where people go to discuss things) and because the thread doesn't interest you then it's pointless.

Thanks for stopping by. I can only hope you stay true to your word of not revisiting. Now, back to the discussion....

 

[MICHAELSD]

You want to talk about what the perfect smartphone should have or be...might as well open a thread about what you would do if you won lotto.

What's the point?

And don't bother to answer...I don't plan to revisit this thread. Just want you and others to ask yourself...what's the point?

For other people who will read this (although I wouldn't be surprised if you came back) the point is conceptualizing realistic additions/improvements to smartphones that will probably pan out and lead to the perfect phone. There's only so much that can be done and besides what I listed in the main post plus what a few other members will chime in with that's about all that Apple could do to the iPhone's current form, and once they realize it then it will be the best phone it can be.

 

[maxsix]

With no chance of seeing the light of day, this is like taking a kid that loves ice cream into the shop of your choice with all the tasty flavors only to turn around and walk out empty handed.

Any other company would welcome reading about user wishes.

Not so, when it comes to Apple, they've already established that no one knows better than they do.

 

[MICHAELSD]

With no chance of seeing the light of day, this is like taking a kid that loves ice cream into the shop of your choice with all the tasty flavors only to turn around and walk out empty handed.

Any other company would welcome reading about user wishes.

Not so, when it comes to Apple, they've already established that no one knows better than they do.

These aren't really wishes but rather practical features I expect to see at some point that would make the iPhone the best it could be.

 

[C DM]

With no chance of seeing the light of day, this is like taking a kid that loves ice cream into the shop of your choice with all the tasty flavors only to turn around and walk out empty handed.

Any other company would welcome reading about user wishes.

Not so, when it comes to Apple, they've already established that no one knows better than they do.

What other phone/OS manufacturer has shown that they are taking user feedback and directly doing something about it simply because of it?

 

[JohnApples]

This is more of an iOS thing as well, but I really, really want to see a customizable lock screen. It can even be heavily controlled by Apple, just let me add, remove, and rearrange certain bits of information on my lock screen. I want to see the weather right there. Activity information. World clocks. Reminders. Appointments. Sunset/rise times. There are so many possibilities, especially if they opened it up to 3rd party support as well.

Fingers crossed for iOS 10, but not holding my breath.

 

[bpeeps]

I'll never come close to 24 hour battery usage in a day, so I'm not sure why you've stated it that way. Battery life is pretty great for me, I charge every day and a half. I welcome more battery life, but it's not a killer feature for me.

Personally I'd like to see, glass front/back. No more antenna lines in the design. Smaller bezels, home button removed. An improved Siri, capable of controlling home automation. I'm on board for an OLED screen because the galaxies look amazing.

The rest of what you mention wouldn't be in my perfect phone. I'm not rendering 4K video on my phone, so it doesn't need to even come close to the speed of my computer. Side by side multitasking seems unnecessary on a 5.5" screen.

 

[mantan]

How about updating Apple Pay to be usable virtually everywhere like Samsung Pay? Apple Pay in it's current form is a novelty. It's available at so few places in the US, that it's a exception more than a mainstream feature. I'd love to see the data (which Apple will never release), but I bet the percentage of users who use Apple Pay on a regular basis is very low. Which is a shame because from a security perspective, it's a phenomenal feature.

Samsung hit it out of the park by making Samsung Pay compatible with magnetic strip readers. I would love to see Apple build on this approach with Apple Pay instead of holding out for a world where NFC readers are ubiquitous.

 

[MICHAELSD]

This is more of an iOS thing as well, but I really, really want to see a customizable lock screen. It can even be heavily controlled by Apple, just let me add, remove, and rearrange certain bits of information on my lock screen. I want to see the weather right there. Activity information. World clocks. Reminders. Appointments. Sunset/rise times. There are so many possibilities, especially if they opened it up to 3rd party support as well.

Fingers crossed for iOS 10, but not holding my breath.

I'm not sure they'd do a customizable version since the Apple Watch already has what you described but maybe it'll display additional information at some point.

 

[\-V-/]

How about updating Apple Pay to be usable virtually everywhere like Samsung Pay? Apple Pay in it's current form is a novelty. It's available at so few places in the US, that it's a exception more than a mainstream feature. I'd love to see the data (which Apple will never release), but I bet the percentage of users who use Apple Pay on a regular basis is very low. Which is a shame because from a security perspective, it's a phenomenal feature.

Samsung hit it out of the park by making Samsung Pay compatible with magnetic strip readers. I would love to see Apple build on this approach with Apple Pay instead of holding out for a world where NFC readers are ubiquitous.

So much this. Samsung really did a great job with it.

 

[JohnApples]

I'm not sure they'd do a customizable version since the Apple Watch already has what you described but maybe it'll display additional information at some point.

Actually, I think because the Apple Watch has had it, maybe it'll pave the way for the iPhone to have it. Of course, you're probably right, and they probably want to keep "complications" an AW-only feature. But the lock screen just seems like such wasted potential, I really hope they do something with it. Seeing the AW made me want "iPhone complications" even more.

 

[nia820]

-AMOLED screen
-Split screen view
-A developers mode or pro mode where I have full control of my ios experience( like how android has a developers mode)
-Very thin bezels
-No ugly antenna bands
-Haptic feedback keyboard. ( This is something I miss alot from when I was using android devices.)
-ability to change themes and fonts.
- battery that I don't need to charge everyday.

 

[teknikal90]

amoled screen
4gb ram
SD card slot
all day battery life
open aperture camera
less slippery, more solid build

basically...a galaxy s7 with iOS

 

[lordofthereef]

Since the number 17 was thrown out there, assuming they go by their current numbering scheme, that's something like two decades from now. I can't imagine this product category will even be around, but if it is, it will be nothing like what we know.