2019 iPhones Said to Feature Revamped Taptic Engine and Front-Facing Slo-Mo Video Recording

[Rogifan]

Some people want a new device every year.... Whether it be because they are tech enthusiasts or because they have enough disposable income through hard work and they can easily afford one. Everyone is different. Apple has enough brainpower, engineers, and R&D cash to create a phone full of new features and new design every year if they wanted to..... But that's not really good for business and for the bottom line so instead they trickle out updates to keep manufacturing costs low and profit margins high. So just because you don't see a need or want for yearly updates does not mean everyone should think the same way.... I personally have no interest in upgrading, but I used to every year so I can certainly understand if someone wants to.

FYI, I am on the iPhone upgrade program so I do get a new phone every year. But I do it because I can afford to do so not because I expect a radically different phone every year. It makes absolutely no sense for Apple to redesign the iPhone every year just to satisfy the small number of techies who get bored easily. And I guarantee you if Apple had a new chassis design or other major upgrades ever year you’d get people complaining about planned obsolescence and how Apple is doing this to force people to buy a new phone.

 

[GtrDude]

Hopefully this means there will at last be taptic feedback in the keyboard.

 

[iemcj]

A higher dynamic range (or at least, a higher resolution) is FAR more important for the front facing camera.

So often video chat with iphone users is extremely difficult to watch as the sky will blow out half the image during the day time, or a single streetlight in the background will make the whole image go dark.

Quality>framerate.

 

[Glideslope]

In my case that would be horrifying

This is the genesis of an entirely new waste of bandwidth. Apple=Gimmicks circa 2019.

 

[Zimmy68]

I honestly can't wait for the announcement.
I'm sure they will spend the bulk of the time talking about the revolutionary camera, but unless they are holding some surprise feature, who in their right mind will not wait for next year's iPhone?

 

[Rogifan]

Someone at Apple probably asked that and got smacked upside the head.

I’m serious though. What reason is there to upgrade every year? I’m doing it because I can but if my financial situation changed and I couldn’t the impact to my life would be minimal.

 

[Jbusick7944]

"So boring..." What would make these not boring? It's just matured I think.

 

[smulji]

The Note 10 is more innovative device, than the new iPhone XS (S)
6.8-inch Infinity-O AMOLED
SD855+ or Exynos9825 (7nm)
8GB RAM + 256GB ROM
12MP Wide + 16MP Ultra Wide + 12MP Zoom + DepthVison ToF
4300mAh with 45W charging + 15W PowerShare + 25W charger
UFS3.0
S-Pen with "Air Actions" gestures.

so tell me, what exactly is more innovative about that?

 

[dannyyankou]

Amen. Makes me sick. Remember when Steve Jobs hawked the Mac as a toy for narcissists?

Yeah seriously, imagine if Tim Cook or Eddy Cue did this on stage today

Apple is the industry.

The slowdown at Apple is 100% artificial. They have entered a new phase of stretching out updates and product features and milking everything for what it is worth...while raising prices. They are pushing the envelope, trying to feel out what the limits of this strategy are. This is well known, and was exposed for what it is when they failed miserably last year by missing their Q4 guidance by billions of dollars on the belief that their nothing-update to iPhone in 2018 was going to go over the same as every past update.

You forget that for nearly 10 years Apple updated iPhone every year with dramatically new models. Even S models were dramatically new in terms of feature, performance and overall device.

I'm tired of seeing people say "Oh yea the product is maturing so its slowing down". That's utter nonsense. Just because casual observers have no other ideas, doesn't mean industry experts aren't still brimming over with plans and ideas for iPhone.

The fact (problem) is that Tim Cook doesn't see innovation as a "reason" in and of itself, unlike some people who used to run Apple. Since innovation doesn't automatically mean x amount of new dollars, Tim has put a stranglehold on it and instead is approving only modest updates...and of course, continuous price increases.

There are warring factions at Apple, with plenty of people still wanting to run the company the way it was run in the 2000's, which is what led to Apple's unprecedented growth. But you can see these people jumping ship constantly, as we frequently hear about Apple executives leaving for other companies.

Until Tim Cook is replaced by someone who is most interested in products instead of the number of days of inventory in the supply chain, we're going to continue to see a divided and confused Apple.

Yeah, Samsung tries to rush innovation and this happens-

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/07/samsung-ceo-calls-galaxy-fold-launch-failure-embarrassing/

 

[falkon-engine]

Assuming 5G is coming in 2020, as well as a TSMC 5nm A14 processor, for me, there's no reason to purchase a 2019 iPhone...

 

[macduke]

So far the specs seem kinda meh. It's possible that there is more to it than this, but given how many things have already leaked about the 2020 iPhone, I'd be surprised.

The rumored specs:

• A13 chip that will probably be faster for the machine learning
• 5% larger battery capacity
• Can wirelessly charge AirPods and maybe other Qi devices
• Third wide-angle camera with maybe the telephoto increased from 2X to 3X
• 12mp FaceTime camera
• Slow-mo FaceTime camera
• Upgraded Face ID system
• 0.5mm thicker
• Redesigned mute switch
• Frosted glass rear casing
• New XR colors
• Remove 3D Touch
• New Taptic Engine
• WiFi 6
• Faster theoretical LTE speeds using 4x4 MIMO antenna

I'm on the fence as an annual iPhone Upgrade Program member. If the optical zoom has increased to 3X and it features a wide angle camera, I'd be tempted. If the wireless charging can also charge an Apple Watch, I'd be quite tempted. If Face ID was significantly better, I'd be very tempted, because I really don't like it.

I feel like the iPhone is already too fast for what it is, but I guess it will provide longevity for those who don't upgrade often. The wireless charging thing is actually pretty cool, and the larger battery will be useful for that, as I already feel like it has plenty of battery life. A 12mp FT camera would be nice as I've started taking more selfies now that I have kids and take photos with them when traveling. Sometimes I'll find myself trying to use the rear camera to take a selfie since it looks a lot better. Will the FT camera have the same HDR and low-light capabilities, or will it remain a smaller sensor? Probably the latter. Don't really give a crap about slow-mo FT camera—what good is that? Frosted glass on the rear doesn't really matter to me because I always use a case. Removing 3D Touch sucks because I like the subtlety of it. WiFi 6 is kinda pointless for this year as most people don't have routers that support it or internet connections fast enough for it to make much difference. Theoretical LTE speeds are always just that: theoretical.

 

[mrex]

looks like there is no reason to upgrade from my 6s+ on this year either.. my wallet thanks again. good job, apple!

seriously, a slo-mo front facing camera? seeing duckfaces in slomo? oh god...

 

[Tommo66]

Apple is the industry.

The slowdown at Apple is 100% artificial. They have entered a new phase of stretching out updates and product features and milking everything for what it is worth...while raising prices. They are pushing the envelope, trying to feel out what the limits of this strategy are. This is well known, and was exposed for what it is when they failed miserably last year by missing their Q4 guidance by billions of dollars on the belief that their nothing-update to iPhone in 2018 was going to go over the same as every past update.

You forget that for nearly 10 years Apple updated iPhone every year with dramatically new models. Even S models were dramatically new in terms of feature, performance and overall device.

I'm tired of seeing people say "Oh yea the product is maturing so its slowing down". That's utter nonsense. Just because casual observers have no other ideas, doesn't mean industry experts aren't still brimming over with plans and ideas for iPhone.

The fact (problem) is that Tim Cook doesn't see innovation as a "reason" in and of itself, unlike some people who used to run Apple. Since innovation doesn't automatically mean x amount of new dollars, Tim has put a stranglehold on it and instead is approving only modest updates...and of course, continuous price increases.

There are warring factions at Apple, with plenty of people still wanting to run the company the way it was run in the 2000's, which is what led to Apple's unprecedented growth. But you can see these people jumping ship constantly, as we frequently hear about Apple executives leaving for other companies.

Until Tim Cook is replaced by someone who is most interested in products instead of the number of days of inventory in the supply chain, we're going to continue to see a divided and confused Apple.

Innovation is a risk, but as others have mentioned I can't think of anything innovative that can be done with a modern smartphone, who ever makes it. From what I read many believe their next innovation will be something I have no interest in, self drive cars.

As with their computer lines before them a product reaches a point where there is not much more they can do with it. Innovation comes from new product lines as they did when iPod, iPad and iPhone first appeared. And historically Apple are very secretive about that kind of stuff.

Tim's job is different to when Steve was in charge, he is the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world and they are only there because he cares about the bottom line. Different times need different leaders and at the minute Tim works.

 

[Zimmy68]

"So boring..." What would make these not boring? It's just matured I think.

I wouldn't say exciting but these are some features you would expect from a premium device in 2019/20 year model:
5G - Apple could easily do it but want to get the modem at cheaper prices, don't eat up those profits! Do it next year!
AR enhance camera - Next year!
120hz screen - yep, we have old screens to still offload.
USB C - This one, they almost have to adopt it, but I fear they still will wait.

 

[Glideslope]

I’d rather have a wide-angle selfie cam than slow motion. I hope we get that eventually.

Wouldn't that defeat the intent of a "selfie?" In public there could be potential conflict with individuals in the background not wanting to be in an image. The vast majority of selfies are in a public setting, not out in a National Park.

 

[Rogifan]

Yeah, redesigning every third year means consumers wait to buy every third year.

The redesigns didn’t drive consumer buying patterns they followed them. Plus once phones got bigger there wasn’t much more left outside of slimmer bezels and gimmicks like curved screens. Now most phones have slim to no bezels so what’s left besides unproven tech like foldable screens?

 

[PastaPrimav]

Yeah, Samsung tries to rush innovation and this happens-

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/07/samsung-ceo-calls-galaxy-fold-launch-failure-embarrassing/

Samsung has been rushing things to market to try to "beat" Apple with disastrous consequences for years. They are forgettable and unimportant.

 

[44267547]

"So boring..." What would make these not boring? It's just matured I think.

And that.... is the question. That’s exactly what it is, these devices have matured, where Apple doesn’t need to release ‘groundbreaking features’ every single year that Some are expecting. That’s not how smart phones are meant to be drastically changed/altered every year. Also, Apple tends to ration their features each year what they decide to upgrade.

I still think the triple lens camera is going to blow others away, once they can see the potential of what it can do, and not to mention, the Camera in general is a major part of Apples marketing to entice the consumer to upgrade.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Most customers buy when their phone breaks and can’t be economically fixed, or they lose it. iPhones easily last 4-5 years so there are people with 5s, 6, 6s, SE, 7, 8/XS, XR/XS/XSMax (and even 4s/5/5c) who might be in the market for a new phone.

Apple will sell a couple hundred million iPhones next model year, no matter how boring/non-innovative/overpriced the Apple-hate crowd thinks next year’s models will be. Their opinions aren’t relevant to those who need/want to buy an iPhone. Apple’s customers will buy 11R/11/11 Max, or if they prefer, an older model.

There’s no need to be concerned, Apple will sell plenty of iPhones—if you’re not going to be a buyer this year, next year, or the year after that, Apple’s ok with that. 2021 will be here soon enough, and Apple will take the revenue in whatever year customers ultimately buy.

 

[FFR]

Doubt it will make that much difference?



It's a very reasonable request considering this is Apple, the competition, and the price of the XR. Just my opinion. Not saying it's the right opinion.

It wasn’t a reasonable request last and it’s not a feasible request this year,

Given the completion and the price and your opinion , consumers just don’t care.

Which is evident by xr sales.thats not an opinion.

 

[teqnik]

Awesome...more junk. Thanks Apple!

 

[EatinPonies]

Why, exactly, would I want a slo-mo video from my front camera? Honestly, I guess I thought this was already possible and have needed this feature exactly as many times as I've noticed it wasn't available: zero.

 

[truthertech]

Yep. Instead combine all the rumors and come to a reasonable conclusion. And of course that is...wait til 2020.

That doesn’t even make 2019 iPhones disappointing. It sort of just makes them irrelevant.

So irrelevant that likely about 200 MILLION people around the world will buy one. The vast majority of people don't rush out and buy a new phone because of some new feature. Instead, they accept that every phone is "great"at doing what 99% of them want to do 99% of the time, and gets "greater" every year, so they wait until they feel they "need" a new one. It's only a infinitesimally small percentage of consumers who fret about "Why isn't Apple innovating anymore?" and "Why does that phone look so similar to past models?"

Yep, they don't ponder why Apple and the other smart phone manufacturers haven't switched away from thin, rectangular slabs. They aren't expecting a triangle or circular phone, and they, like Apple, have figured out that it's the software upgrades that you get for free every year that also make it feel like you got a new iPhone and that you made a wise investment.

The vast majority of the 200 MILLION or so people who will buy an "irrelevant" 2019 iPhone will love it and upgrade around 2022 or later when that iPhone will be even greater than the stupendous, world changing 2020 iPhone.

 

[ipedro]

A Taptic Engine that closely resembles the sensation of touching different textures could be revolutionary. Feedback from hyper sensitive vibrations could convey the sense of touching a rough surface even though you’re still only touching glass. That would bring a wide array of user interface options.

Ported to the Mac, the Touch Bar would feel like real buttons and even real keys with shallow travel could be made to fee, like they’re moving far more than they really are.

 

[1050792]

The Note 10 is more innovative device, than the new iPhone XS (S)
6.8-inch Infinity-O AMOLED
SD855+ or Exynos9825 (7nm)
8GB RAM + 256GB ROM
12MP Wide + 16MP Ultra Wide + 12MP Zoom + DepthVison ToF
4300mAh with 45W charging + 15W PowerShare + 25W charger
UFS3.0
S-Pen with "Air Actions" gestures.

It looks better too.