About that Tapered iPhone 5 Design...

[ncc1701d]

I don't like the tapered design - the form of the 4 / 4S is excellent. It' solid, light and I believe less prone to damage. A bigger screen would be awesome, but not a deal breaker.

If Siri (they should have called it "earth"), gives me the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything - I'll be happy

(If it gives the "question" )

 

[mkoesel]

The logic doesn't work. They used '3G' because they were releasing a 3G phone. If there's any connection at all the next phone will be the 4G, but for a number of reasons I doubt they'll head in that direction. It will probably be iPhone 5.

No, you've missed it.

What he's saying is, in the past, when Apple has used only a number as the model designator following the iPhone name, that number has represented the generation of the phone. Granted, this has only happened with the iPhone 4 so far. But it only stands to reason that it will continue in the future. And, of course, the other naming pattern they've established is that an "S" clearly indicates that the new generation phone is an enhancement to the previous generation phone (retaining essentially the same form factor).

The next generation iPhone will be the 6th generation iPhone. So, if they decide to just give it a numeric designation, iPhone 6 is the only thing that makes sense. Calling it iPhone 5 would be just as arbitrary as calling it iPhone 1, iPhone 3.14, or iPhone 666, or for that matter, iPhone Q, iPhone =, or iPhone schwa, since it is neither indicative of the model's generation nor of anything else.

Now, if they decide to name the phone based on some criteria other than the generation, then plenty of other possibilities exist, sure. Perhaps iPhone 4G or iPhone LTE to indicate it supports 4G (LTE) communications (if it does), or maybe iPhone 4Pro, or iPhone 4Plus, or iPhone super-duper, or whatever.

I think there's a very good chance we'll see the tapered iPhone in about a year with the larger screen and home button similar to the leaked prototype. My guess is they won't call it the iPhone 6, but something more meaningful. iPhone 4G might be the ticket. We'll see.

 

[Detlev]

Hopefully this is a lesson learned for a lot of people out there. Nothing is true until it has been announced by Apple officially.

As the adage goes, "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink." They're drinking a different colored CoolAid and will be back come WWDC setting their own expectations higher than heaven itself. It happens every year.

First thought that went through my head when it they showed the same form factor was: Good, I hope those companies that produced all those wedge cases sank half their annual budgets into them and, the thieves that stole the specs should pay restitution.

 

[arkon]

they will present the iPhone 5 this Friday with an Livestream, before the first preorders for the 4S starts!

its the best iphone.. yet...

MARK MY WORDS! I was almost, always wrong

 

[davjaxn]

That mockup is bad to begin with. Why Apple would make a gigantic home button is beyond me? If anything, Apple would remove it altogether and do some weird sensitive touch thing.

Like I kept saying every month. 4S, not 5.

I believe the idea of the "gigantic" home button is that it is elongated to allow for touch sensitive gestures (swipes, taps, etc). Of course, that is still weird since there is a huge 3" touch sensitive "button" right above it!

 

[za9ra22]

android, samsung, motorola, and htc will run circles around fussy apple starting with galaxy s ii and nexus prime.

There's a fairly large number of companies producing smartphone handsets and that are running as fast as they can competing with each other for market share, releasing new models as fast as they can. As a single entity, Apple can't compete with that, and even if you don't realise that, Apple clearly do.

Their strategy isn't to flood the market with a multitude of devices playing catchup, but to produce one product offering (what they believe to be) the best overall user experience.

Evidence so far suggests that Apple's approach actually works. Arguably the iPhone 4 wasn't the market leader in technological terms when it hit the streets, but it's sold more than any other smartphone, despite being outdated (according to many armchair critics). It seems to me that a lot of people don't want to join the continual rat-race for the latest thing so much as want something that 'just works'.

 

[zeromeus]

iPhone 5 rumors aren't put to rest after all...

So the iPhone 5 rumors continue...

 

[fifthworld]

"But I want to be discontent!" -Duryodhana in The Mahabharata

 

[andiwm2003]

I'm not a huge fan of the iPhone 4 design. That's why I didn't upgrade my 3GS. I liked the mockup of the iPhone 5 a lot however it was clear very early on that we won't get that.

In the end the design doesn't matter too much to me anyway because I would use a case. Other factors like unlocked price, robustness are much more important to me.

An some things I would like to have will never ever come to the iPhone anyway (things like a physical keyboard, LED notification light, micro USB charging without adaptor).

 

[jouster]

I believe the idea of the "gigantic" home button is that it is elongated to allow for touch sensitive gestures (swipes, taps, etc). Of course, that is still weird since there is a huge 3" touch sensitive "button" right above it!

I wish. The gesture area was a really important and well-designed part of WebOS.

 

[sphoenix]

See you all next year.

 

[IndyGopher]

What most of this boils down to is that the people who buy iPhones as status symbols are upset that Neighbor Bob can't tell it's the Latest & Greatest New iPhone just at a glance.

 

[ranReloaded]

Can we all let go of the "16 months for this" mantra for at least 5 minutes? It's getting tiresome. Seriously, get over it!

 

[Stridder44]

Tick-Tock applied to iPhone.

Exactly what I first thought as well. For those that don't understand, see Intel's tick-tock model.

 

[ranReloaded]

What most of this boils down to is that the people who buy iPhones as status symbols are upset that Neighbor Bob can't tell it's the Latest & Greatest New iPhone just at a glance.

That's easily fixed: As soon as they see you talking to the phone, they'll know it's the latest 4S

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Exactly what I first thought as well. For those that don't understand, see Intel's tick-tock model.

Wow, they already have names all the way to 2017!

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I'm not a huge fan of the iPhone 4 design. That's why I didn't upgrade my 3GS. I liked the mockup of the iPhone 5 a lot however it was clear very early on that we won't get that.

In the end the design doesn't matter too much to me anyway because I would use a case. Other factors like unlocked price, robustness are much more important to me.

An some things I would like to have will never ever come to the iPhone anyway (things like a physical keyboard, LED notification light, micro USB charging without adaptor).

There's this company called "RIM". The manufacture a line of smartphones known by the name "Blackberry", you may have heard of them

 

[sportsfan]

Apple's got it right

I really think they got the form factor nailed right now.
Leave it as is and just continue to make the internals better.

Bottom line is that first adopters like to have something to distinguish themselves and have "status" at first glance. And with no redesign, they don't get that.

 

[wovel]

One thing for sure, if that design with a 4" screen ever does get released it will be the worlds best selling phone.

The 4s will also be the worlds best selling phone, just like the 4 is today.

I guess very few current iPhone 4 owners can justify to spend another expensive 2 year contract for a phone that looks exactly the same. Sure the upgraded internals are nice, but all have been expected since the debut of iPad 2 (i.e. A5 chip with improved graphics, more RAM (still in doubt, maybe it's still 512MB), better 8MP camera from Sony, and Siri.

Of course everyone will tell me to see what happened to the 3GS - it was a runaway success. But at that time, there are virtually NO competitors to the iPhone. Android sucked big time in 2009. But not really so bad in 2011 and the platform is getting more and more acceptable by the general consumer. Also competitors (copiers) like Samsung are much more capable than in 2009.

What worries me is not that Apple released an internal upgrade to the iPhone in October 2011. It's that they won't have a new phone for another year. Can the iPhone 4S with no ground-breaking technology still meet the needs of late 2012?

I'm in doubt.

Of course, I'm not in doubt of the sales numbers.

might have been more targeted at the billion or so phone years who did not buy a phone in the last 12 months.

"We've heard nothing about when the next generation iPhone will arrive, but if we had to guess, we'd think Apple would stick to a late fall schedule again in 2012."

There is absolutely no way of telling when a new phone will come out. When it's ready, it's ready. The time table for these phones are all out of whack. If Apple waiting til Fall 2012 for an LTE they would be way behind everyone else.

This is the first time they have gone with 3 models so I agree, all bets are off.

 

[legacyb4]

A bit bummed that Siri isn't being made backwards-compatible, even to the original iPhone 4 or the iPad 2 at this point. Guess they needed to hold something back to make the new 4s stand out?

 

[Rafterman]

Anyone who buys a case before a phone is even introduced is an idiot

 

[daveathall]

I think that Apple will miss a trick if they release the iPhone 5 in the Autumn, many users will have bought the iPhone 4 in June 2010, if they have to wait 4 or 5 months after their two year contracts run out, they may jump ship to other more up to date phones. Apple won't have missed this, IMHO, iPhone 5 will be out at the end of June 2012.

 

[mentholiptus]

The screen isn't centered. How would that look horizontally?

And turned horizontally, how would that feel in the hand with one side thicker than the other?

I don't think this will ever surface.

 

[Rocketman]

I believe the idea of the "gigantic" home button is that it is elongated to allow for touch sensitive gestures (swipes, taps, etc). Of course, that is still weird since there is a huge 3" touch sensitive "button" right above it!

There is an unlikely possibility it is a rocker with a left, right and center. Or right and center, to physically activate Siri or switch from data/voice to data/voip only in Sprint. I claim the device is indeed the iPhone 5, Sprint only variant. Made in Brazil.

Rocketman

http://internationalroaming.sprint.com/IntlCoverage/SearchCountry.do?ECID=vanity:sww

 

[RickyB]

Well next year wouldn't it be iPhone 4GS not 5?
.

No. iPhone -> iPhone 3G (because it's got UMTS) -> iPhone 3Gs (an upgrade of 3G) -> iPhone 4 (because it's the 4th one) -> iPhone 4s (N upgrade of 4)

An iPhone 4Gs would be an upgrade of an iPhone 4G, if such a thing existed.

 

[bfh123]

I think that Apple will miss a trick if they release the iPhone 5 in the Autumn, many users will have bought the iPhone 4 in June 2010, if they have to wait 4 or 5 months after their two year contracts run out, they may jump ship to other more up to date phones. Apple won't have missed this, IMHO, iPhone 5 will be out at the end of June 2012.

According to AT&T's upgrade app, I'm eligible now (got the 4 on 6/24/10), additionally according to Apple's recycling site, they'll give me $200 for my 4. So my out of pocket is nothing.

HOWEVER, my concern is I'll be stuck in a new contract, and they release the 5.

 

[billystlyes]

Take a bow Macrumors!! You and other sites like you have cost Apple billions of dollars and have angered many fans. Maybe next time you can keep your totally unfounded 'rumors' to yourself.

+1. Granted it's just a rumor site, but publishing "commissioned" photos and stuff kinda crossed the line this time around.