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

[PastaPrimav]

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.

This entire line of thinking that there "isn't much left to do" is wildly, unacceptably absurd.

Tim's job is not different. He has consciously changed Apple's approach, slowly and methodically over the last 8 years. Tim wants to run a boring and predictable company...he doesn't want anything truly innovative, because he can't quantify that.

 

[1050792]

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.

Imagine you were CEO of a company... poor company... "Guys stop everything! there's nothing else that can be done here. Our business closes now".

 

[cardfan]

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.

That is an interesting question. For me I’m a tech nerd. I don’t need much reason. I love specs. This year is a bit different because we know 2020 isn’t an S update. I could still go either way especially since I’m pretty happy with the Max.

But yeah the normal non techies? Looks matter more than specs. There’s not much there for them. All Apple really needs is some sort of 2019 exclusive gimmick and claim it’s only possible on that hardware. Customizing screen for instance and widgets. The UI is old. Split screen. Apple Pencil compatible. Etc.

 

[dannyyankou]

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.

Ok, I’m just going to come out and say it. The PowerShare feature is really dumb. I always carry around a powerbank to charge my phone, and it gives me the freedom to use my phone while it’s plugged in. But the logistics of PowerShare just seem more like an inconvenience. “Oh, I’ll just put my phone on the back of yours and we both can’t use our phones for the next 30 minutes!”

 

[FFR]

It looks better too.

Subjective.

Curved display and they copied the two year old x for the rear, meh.

But it won’t sell in any significant numbers.


The pimple keeps staring at you.

 

[Harthag]

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.

You're right consumers just don't care and that the XR has been the most popular iPhone per the Q3 results. Doesn't mean that Apple isn't taking us all for suckers and laughing to the bank. Asking for a 1080p screen in a premium phone in 2019 is a reasonable request. Not picking a fight w/ you. You have your opinions, I have mine.

 

[PastaPrimav]

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.

No one cares about any of these things.

5G?? Seriously? We've gone through 3G, 4G, and LTE on iPhone...and not a single one of these has come close to reaching its potential before being replaced by the next thing. No market has come close to theoretical speeds, and LTE is still unbelievably sparse all over the US. On top of that, no one has changed the way they use cellular data since 3G. Everyone avoids using it like the plague because it performs noticeably worse than Wi-Fi, is heavily limited and extremely expensive to consume.

AR is the biggest gimmick Apple has ever sold and shipped. After several years of ARKit, there is not one single meaningful application that has integrated into anyone's lives. It is still just a fancy tech demo, that doesn't work well off stage.

120Hz screen - looks really nice of iPad, but again not something anyone is clamoring for. The general public will not be swayed by it, and tech user will look at it as one interesting tentpole.

USB-C absolutely no one cares outside of the tech bubble. USB-C has not lived up to any of its promise (there are at least 10 different cable specs that use a C style connector), and so far no one has been convinced to start replacing USB-A infrastructure deployments with C. USB-C has done an abysmally poor job of demonstrating itself as the replacement.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

The innovation is so slow.. wtf happened to apple

How about we break it down, shall we?
iPhone: extremely innovative and revolutionary
iPhone 3G: same processor, same screen, same model number, same everything except for new 3G radio and GPS, and plastic back
iPhone 3GS: same design, same screen, slightly faster processor, slightly better camera with video capturing, and compass
iPhone 4: revolutionary glass and stainless steel design, retina display first used in a phone, first Apple designed processor, gyroscope, much improved camera with HD video, and FaceTime.
iPhone 4S: improved processor, camera improved up to eight MP with 1080 P HD video, airplay mirroring, and Siri, which started the voice revolution.
iPhone 5: slightly bigger screen, aluminum back, slightly faster processor, slightly better camera, LTE radio, improved speaker, lightning port.
iPhone 5S: first 64-bit processor in a smart phone, slightly improved camera, new gold finish, touch ID.
iPhone 6/6+: bigger screens, all metal back, faster processor, NFC chip enabling Apple Pay, better camera.
iPhone 6S/6S+: same screens, 3D Touch which was great at the time but short-lived, faster processors, improved camera with 4K support, new rose gold finish.
iPhone 7/7+: mostly same design, same screens, faster processor, stereo speakers, remove headphone jack, dual camera in plus variant, water resistance, new jet black, Matt black, and red finishes.
iPhone 8/8+: same design with glass back, updated processor, better camera, wireless charging, improved speakers, new gold finish.
iPhone X: New edge to edge screen, stainless steel sides, other improvements from eight and 8+.
iPhone XS/XS Max: faster processors, better screens, better speakers, new camera, stereo audio recording for video, new gold finish.
With my estimation, Innovation has been slowing ever since the iPhone 4. That’s just how technology works. Look at the Apple Watch, the first one, I don’t wanna say it was innovative, but it definitely was important. The second and third ones were Variations on the first, and the fourth one was revolutionary, with its new design, new screen, and health features.

 

[AndiG]

So what did Apple do, added a camera lens? But the question is - does it come with an USB-C port?(No!) Has Apple improved it's really bad design in a way that makes it possible to replace the backcover without paying Apple another 600 bucks?(No!)

Sorry Tim, won't buy another another Apple piece of hardware that has a repairability score of -10 and doesn't comply to modern standards like USB-C.

https://repair.org/stand-up

 

[rpat701]

On one hand I say, "WTF Apple - where's the innovation?!?" On the other, I say to myself, "what more do I want a phone to do?" I don't know...it seems like innovation has slowed across the whole industry. Could there be standards adoption like USB-C or better battery life - absolutely! But pure innovation?...what else is really needed at this point? This is what I am struggling with. I am sure the manufacturers are as well...

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

You're right consumers just don't care and that the XR has been the most popular iPhone per the Q3 results. Doesn't mean that Apple isn't taking us all for suckers and laughing to the bank. Asking for a 1080p screen in a premium phone in 2019 is a reasonable request. Not picking a fight w/ you. You have your opinions, I have mine.

There’s something you might not know, most people can’t see the difference between 828P and 1080P. Here’s another thing you might not know, all those Samsung phones that come with those Ultra HD screens are actually just downscaled to 1080P by default, to save on battery, and because Samsung knows that most people can’t tell the difference.

 

[FasterQuieter]

These are all fine as long as they aren't the flagship new features. I think the "feature" that I would be most excited about for the camera would be the ability to switch video resolutions without having to leave the app. I always want to change it, but never do as I hate the settings app.

 

[Coconut Bean]

And in come all the complaints from people who bought a new iPhone last year. Because planned obsolescence is a bad thing but not having major changes from one year to the next is also a bad thing. It’s a bad thing that someone who bought a phone in September 2018 doesn’t really have a reason to buy another new phone in September 2019.

For me it seems like that people who have an XS are happy that there is nothing interesting in the new phones. For people who waited out and stayed on there 6S or 7 it is disappointing that basically they could have had the same thing they were planning to upgrade to since 2018 September.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

No one cares about any of these things.

5G?? Seriously? We've gone through 3G, 4G, and LTE on iPhone...and not a single one of these has come close to reaching its potential before being replaced by the next thing. No market has come close to theoretical speeds, and LTE is still unbelievably sparse all over the US. On top of that, no one has changed the way they use cellular data since 3G. Everyone avoids using it like the plague because it performs noticeably worse than Wi-Fi, is heavily limited and extremely expensive to consume.

AR is the biggest gimmick Apple has ever sold and shipped. After several years of ARKit, there is not one single meaningful application that has integrated into anyone's lives. It is still just a fancy tech demo, that doesn't work well off stage.

120Hz screen - looks really nice of iPad, but again not something anyone is clamoring for. The general public will not be swayed by it, and tech user will look at it as one interesting tentpole.

USB-C absolutely no one cares outside of the tech bubble. USB-C has not lived up to any of its promise (there are at least 10 different cable specs that use a C style connector), and so far no one has been convinced to start replacing USB-A infrastructure deployments with C. USB-C has done an abysmally poor job of demonstrating itself as the replacement.

I completely agree on everything, except for USBC. Coming from a family that has a sister with a galaxy S9 that has USBC, a dad that has some Motorola phones with USBC, a grandmother with a pixel phone that has USBC, and then I have a MacBook Pro that has USBC. But all of us iPhone users can’t use anyone else’s cable. That would be really nice

 

[jonblatho]

And in come all the complaints from people who bought a new iPhone last year. Because planned obsolescence is a bad thing but not having major changes from one year to the next is also a bad thing. It’s a bad thing that someone who bought a phone in September 2018 doesn’t really have a reason to buy another new phone in September 2019.

Why these people are upset at the mere proposition of having hundreds of extra dollars which they can spend on something else or put into savings, I’ll never understand.

Pretty sure no one’s holding a gun to your heads and making you buy a new iPhone every year.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

These are all fine as long as they aren't the flagship new features. I think the "feature" that I would be most excited about for the camera would be the ability to switch video resolutions without having to leave the app. I always want to change it, but never do as I hate the settings app.

That’s not a hardware feature, that’s a software feature. That would come in an iOS update, and it’s not in this year’s

 

[FFR]

You're right consumers just don't care and that the XR has been the most popular iPhone per the Q3 results.

So the resolution doesn’t matter.

Doesn't mean that Apple isn't taking us all for suckers and laughing to the bank.

Actually it doesn’t. Your not making very little sense.

Asking for a 1080p screen in a premium phone in 2019 is a reasonable request.

No it’s not. Apple designs their products and offers them for sale. Consumers choose how and where to spend their money. It’s the basic premise of a free market.

I have never once seen apple “take requests” , so reasonable or otherwise, not really warranted.

Not picking a fight w/ you. You have your opinions, I have mine.

You seem to be conflating opinion as fact and expecting everyone to follow blindly. That’s not the way it works.

I have an opinion and because of it picked up an Xs max.

Would I like it to be thinner?
Damn straight.
Would I pay more for it?
In a heartbeat.

But that’s not going to happen and guess what it doesn’t affect what other consumers will buy.

Just like your opinion has no bearing on what apple will or won’t do next or what consumers spend their money on.

 

[Motawa]

Wouldn’t be surprised if they remove 3D Touch and slap an inferior Taptic Engine in

 

[Jbusick7944]

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.

Fair enough I just sincerely wonder what people are expecting for a "radical redesign."

 

[PastaPrimav]

I completely agree on everything, except for USBC. Coming from a family that has a sister with a galaxy S9 that has USBC, a dad that has some Motorola phones with USBC, a grandmother with a pixel phone that has USBC, and then I have a MacBook Pro that has USBC. But all of us iPhone users can’t use anyone else’s cable. That would be really nice

That is not typical by any means.

Most people are up to their ears in Lighting cables, and are lucky if they can find a single USB-C cable if the need arises. On the other end, USB-A is still on everything and is everywhere. USB-C has made zero in-roads.

1. Smartphone makers like Samsung and Google didn't have proprietary connectors distributed in the hundreds of billions all over the globe, they were using the worst connector ever devised by man (Micro-USB), so switching to USB-C was trivial. If something else comes along tomorrow that is better, they will switch to that too.

2. Desktop PC's have plenty of space to include anything remotely usable, so USB-C appears there alongside USB-A.

3. Laptops are a unique breed of device that need lots of I/O ability but are limited on space, and USB-C saved the day there by offloading everything to dongle hell.

USB-C has seen adoption precisely where it makes sense for it to be adopted for its usability, just like every other kind of I/O to come before it. No one anywhere has adopted it for the reason of "lets have the same connector on everything for the greater good".

It is only users, more specifically a certain kind of user living in a self-created tech bubble, that thinks of USB-C in any other way than that.

 

[Coconut Bean]

Ok, I’m just going to come out and say it. The PowerShare feature is really dumb. I always carry around a powerbank to charge my phone, and it gives me the freedom to use my phone while it’s plugged in. But the logistics of PowerShare just seem more like an inconvenience. “Oh, I’ll just put my phone on the back of yours and we both can’t use our phones for the next 30 minutes!”

Totally agree, it's a stupid way of charging stuff, even for Airpods, but will be showcased as a big new feature..

 

[TheShadowKnows!]

I am an outlier relative to iPhone ownership.
[And, I may belong to a statistical-insignificant ownership group.]

Because, to me:

1. neither main, nor only, computer device
2. pocketable-small (SE-sized) trumps super-sized, always
3. TouchID works and does all the strong authentication I need
4. value-proposition is the combo of iMessage, Notes, and Photos synced over iCloud
5. never a status symbol -- just a freaking, mobile utility
6. ...

Gauging the overall sentiment on this thread, the joy of new iPhone ownership (the placebo effect) may be gone (or receding fast).

 

[slippery-pete]

I love these posts;very entertaining.

No innovation! I want to me able to use my iPhone as a projector to watch Twitch! I just laugh.

 

[FFR]

I am an outlier relative to iPhone ownership.
[And, I may belong to a statistical-insignificant ownership group.]

Because, to me:

1. neither main, nor only, computer device
2. pocketable-small (SE-sized) trumps super-sized, always
3. TouchID works and does all the strong authentication I need
4. value-proposition is the combo of iMessage, Notes, and Photos synced over iCloud
5. never a status symbol -- just a freaking, mobile utility
6. ...

Gauging the overall sentiment on this thread, the joy of new iPhone ownership (the placebo effect) may be gone (or receding fast).

So your price sensitive?

 

[Westside guy]

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

I was already planning to stick with my 6S for another couple of years. Once it stops getting software updates, I may have to replace it... but I’m never spending $1000 on a phone again. What Apple’s offering at that time will determine whether I stick with the Fruit or not.