Re: The iOS 5/6 and iPhone 5/6 Wishlist: If Peripherals for iOS devices took off

[BigQid]

I don't think many people buy peripherals for their iphone, but they should. Many of the complaints that people have could be solved by adding something fairly simple to the phone. Apple should focus on providing an optimal core experience. Other companies should focus on meeting the desires of iPhone users with high expectations of their phones. A perfect example is people who buy cases with a built in external battery.

Other peripherals that might be a good idea
1. More Precise GPS unit that pairs with or snaps on iphone
2. e-ink snap on for e-book reading
3. better camera
4. better blue tooth keyboards
5. controllers for video games
6. better microphone for recording lectures

If peripherals took off, every iphone user could have the phone of their dreams if they chose to.

The other side of the equation is a mod store. If there was a mod store, most of the things people jailbreak their phones to do could be available as well and we wouldn't have to watch Android users have things be available to them while we wait for Apple to catch up.

I'm sure you guys could think of other uses. My point is that we can only expect so much from Apple.

 

[wikoogle]

5. controllers for video games

This x10000000.

With dual analog stick controls added via a peripheral, gaming on the iPhone would be just as awesome as gaming on the PS3 currently is. NOVA would get me my Halo fix while Modern Combat would meet my Call of Duty fix when away from my house.

I really hope Apple supports the iControlPad fully when it's released.

 

[ryan0402]

This x10000000.

With dual analog stick controls added via a peripheral, gaming on the iPhone would be just as awesome as gaming on the PS3 currently is. NOVA would get me my Halo fix while Modern Combat would meet my Call of Duty fix when away from my house.

I really hope Apple supports the iControlPad fully when it's released.

Do not forget about the unreal engine relaeses those will be sweet

 

[wikoogle]

Yeah, that would be sweet.

Many of the other peripherals don't make much sense. An addon for better gps? Why? There is nothing wrong with the current gps chip in the iPhone. I use navigon constantly with zero issues.

Why would someone buy a peripheral for a slightly better camera? The iPhone's camera is fine and with decent lighting can take exceptionally high quality photos already, especially with hdr. If you want something better, you can pick up a real camera. Some tiny peripheral with a camera in it isn't going to take better photos than the iPhone camera. Even if the current camera wasn't fine right now, it would be so much better for apple to use a slightly better part and charge .50 cents more for the phone than make you buy a bulky expensive peripheral that you would constantly have to carry to class just to take very slightly better photos.

 

[BigQid]

Yeah, that would be sweet.

Many of the other peripherals don't make much sense. An addon for better gps? Why? There is nothing wrong with the current gps chip in the iPhone. I use navigon constantly with zero issues.

Why would someone buy a peripheral for a slightly better camera? The iPhone's camera is fine and with decent lighting can take exceptionally high quality photos already, especially with hdr. If you want something better, you can pick up a real camera. Some tiny peripheral with a camera in it isn't going to take better photos than the iPhone camera. Even if the current camera wasn't fine right now, it would be so much better for apple to use a slightly better part and charge .50 cents more for the phone than make you buy a bulky expensive peripheral that you would constantly have to carry to class just to take very slightly better photos.

These were just examples to start a conversation. I disagree on the GPS. It is off by a lot annoyingly often. On the camera side, yes it takes good pictures now, but there are limitations to that exist that need not be there. I'd like to be able to zoom in farther and retain high picture quality. My point is that the phone can be what I want it to be without Apple having to use the best part available. In my view, peripherals would be for when you know you're going to want to take better pictures or leave a bluetooth linked GPS system in the car that navigates, letting you save iphone battery life and get directions that don't have you turning around ten times. The fact that there are still markets for the stand alone devices should stand as some evidence that Apple is not using the best parts available. Instead, they're figuring out where the market is and trying to meet most of their expectations while leaving something to improve on for next year.

 

[wikoogle]

My point is that some small peripheral is not going to make the iPhone do ANY function better than a stand alone device specifically made for that task.

No camera accessory is going to let the iPhone take pictures comparable to a $600 camera with a massive lens.

No accessory is going to make the iPhone a comparable microphone to an actual microphone etc.

So what Apple should do (and have already done for the most part) is use the very best parts they can use in a smartphone, so that while the iPhone can never go toe to toe with a professional camera, or a stand along gps device, or a stand alone microphone, it can do these functions very well regardless, well enough for the average user.

There are exceptions of course. I think the iControlPad is a necessary accessory that Apple should support fully because it is one case where the iPhone can in fact go toe to toe with the best handhelds out there. The power and tech inside the iPhone easily outclass anything found in the DS, PSP, 3DS and will probably trounce the PSP2 as well. So given such an accessory, and the fantastic games on it already, the iPhone could pull this off.

I think that's the best approach.

 

[Lostanddamned]

I wouldn't want it to be like that - part of what appeals to me is the uniformity of the device.

Having it become a swiss army knife of function - as opposed to being a Jack of all trades, and whilst a master of none, its highly capable of them all.