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Anyone else think Apple is going to go with a little "Shock and Awe" ?

JoJoCal19

JoJoCal19

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 25, 2007
1,078
55
Jacksonville, FL
I can't help but think with the length of time Apple is taking with the iPhone 5 that they are planning on releasing one heck of a phone. I think they see the popularity of the high powered Android devices being released and are ready to do battle. With the iPhone, 3G, and then 3GS Apple was already still so far ahead of Android devices at the time they were ok with staying the course and releasing incremental upgrades. With the rise of bigger and more powerful Android devices, Apple made much more drastic changes with the iPhone 4. In the 14+ months since the iPhone 4 was released, Android devices have become much much more powerful and feature packed. Now with HD screen devices becoming the norm, high power dual core (quad core early 2012), 1080p video recording, LTE, etc, I think Apple decided they could not release an incremental upgrade of the iPhone 4 to have out until the next refresh around Summer 2012.

I believe they made a decision early on that they would take their time with the iPhone 5, wait for high end parts availability, maybe even paying manufacturers to move up release dates (think LTE chips) and drop the proverbial bomb on Android. I honestly would not be surprised to see a 4.X", 1080p recording, LTE enabled, thinner, more powerful iPhone 5 shown. I know if we look at Apple's tendencies it would seem unlikely but the smartphone landscape has changed dramatically in the past year. I also would not be surprised to see a slew of awesome new features for iOS 5.

I know, I'm daydreaming, but it sure would be great to be surprised :cool:
 
We're seeing the tail end of the "Wouldn't it be super cool if..." parade. They're releasing a marginal update. If you take the more solid rumors to heart, you'll see that there is little chance of a "Shock and Awe" product coming to us. That's not their style. They release maginal updates that excite us just enough to upgrade.

For the sake of humoring the idea, yes, it would be cool.

They do see the popularity of Android, but we all see how Apple is still sitting pretty on top of the hill they've conquered.
 
im just frustrated that the annual music event still hasn't been officially announced yet...

my iphone3g is hanging in there by a thread...
 
4.x" display, LTE, 1080P recording, thinner and more powerful isn't exactly shock and awe. Those things already exist in other handsets.

I definitely have a feeling it will be just some upgraded parts, largely the same design/screen size.

----------
z3r0inc said:
im just frustrated that the annual music event still hasn't been officially announced yet...

my iphone3g is hanging in there by a thread...
Click to expand...

In the same boat. Will most likely be upgrading to a SGS2 if the rumored release on the 18th is true. And if the next iPhone comes out within my 30 day window, I'll check it out. Losing faith at this point.
 
Mr. Pink said:
We're seeing the tail end of the "Wouldn't it be super cool if..." parade. They're releasing a marginal update. If you take the more solid rumors to heart, you'll see that there is little chance of a "Shock and Awe" product coming to us. That's not their style. They release maginal updates that excite us just enough to upgrade.

For the sake of humoring the idea, yes, it would be cool.

They do see the popularity of Android, but we all see how Apple is still sitting pretty on top of the hill they've conquered.
Click to expand...

You crush my dreams :p

If it's just an upgraded proc and a small bump in RAM I'm going to cry. I guess I envision how amazing the iPhone could be but how far away it likely is that Apple would move to such specs. Unlike the crowd that buys the more powerful devices just because it's the most powerful thing out, I live in a deeply coated swath of LTE and I could definitely use the increased speeds. I also use my iPhone 4 for all of my web browsing when I'm not in my home office working (MacBook Pro stays in there) so I can appreciate the 4"+ screen (I tried a Thunderbolt before and the screen size was perfect). Also having a 11 month old, I am a HEAVY phone camera user for pics and videos so the 1080p recording and improved camera quality and pic size would be much appreciated. If Apple releases an incremental update then I would say we are another year away from those specs.
 
Mr. Pink said:
We're seeing the tail end of the "Wouldn't it be super cool if..." parade. They're releasing a marginal update. If you take the more solid rumors to heart, you'll see that there is little chance of a "Shock and Awe" product coming to us. That's not their style. They release maginal updates that excite us just enough to upgrade.

For the sake of humoring the idea, yes, it would be cool.

They do see the popularity of Android, but we all see how Apple is still sitting pretty on top of the hill they've conquered.
Click to expand...

RotaryP7 said:
There will be an iPhone released this year. Don't worry. But it won't be the 5 from what I'm hearing.
Click to expand...


Don't worry my friend...There will DEFINITELY be a level of "shock & awe" with this next release. Just like you've stated in your original post, and like I've been saying all along, Apple cannot afford to blow this launch. And if for some reason they did, they would drop like a lead balloon in the smart phone world. Apple knows EXACTLY what they are up against and are a lot smarter then some of these posts would lead you to believe. To quote Bob Dylan.."The times they are a changin". This is not the same as it was back when apple did a refresh from 3G to 3GS. And while apple is still king, they know the crown is up for grabs now, more then ever before. And believe me, they LOVE being king. We will, WITHOUT DOUBT be getting a totally redesigned, beautiful iPhone 5 that will bring with it a bit of "shock and awe". Just how much remains to be seen. But i'd be willing to bet the house that it's gonna be more then less. Be totally excited. You're not going to be let down in the least. The ONLY thing that I am still a bit worried about is LTE..And maybe an LED notification light. But I won't be super let down if neither of them made the cut. BUT...maybe, just maybe apple has a few tricks up their sleeve.
 
At this point I just want something to be released. I'm not one of those people that currently has an iPhone 4 and the decision to upgrade will be made according to what the iPhone 5 brings. I'm still rocking my HD2 from 2009 (running Mango!), but it's starting to show it's age from all the use it's gotten (still the best phone I've ever owned). My contract ends this month, so I'll wait a couple of weeks for the iPhone 5 release so I can play with one in an Apple store before I decide what to upgrade to.

But for the sake of this thread, I agree that Apple NEEDS to do something big to compete with the constant slew of powerful devices being released by other manufacturers.
 
No it will be a crappy update to the iphone 4 and the iphone 6 will be the bad boy.
 
Who knows if the rumors of a dual device launch ('iPhone 4s' low cost device and iPhone 5 new design) are true, but if they were, I would be pretty cool for them to announce the new iPhone 4s and spend time talking about the procesor and features in the typical Apple way, not being too specific about hard specs, saying they thought the current display was more than adequate, yada, yada, yada, yet telling how great it is and then as "One more thing" introduce the real new iPhone 5.

Personally, I am most interested in if Sprint gets the iPhone as I might just pay whats left of my ETF from iPhone 4 launch just to get away from crappy ATT.
 
I believe that this iPhone launch will be, and has to be major.

Why? Because the iPhone 4 has been plagued with negativity. Apple wants to get rid of the antennagate issues, proximity sensors issues, shattering glass issues, the fact that consumer report couldn't recommend it, etc. associated with the iPhone.

However, i'm very sure that the iPhone 5 will not be LTE capable. The LTE chips just drain battery, and i'm sure Apple is waiting for better next gen chips, so you can expect LTE being the killer feature for iPhone 6.

So what will the iPhone 5 have? Almost everything else. I believe Apple started working on the iPhone 5 even before the iPhone 4 was released, and after the negative reports, they drastically focused on the 5 since then.

It will be a shock to see a little upgrade after the longest time since a refresh.
 
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I'll second the OPs original post. I think to say in the game, Apple better bring on the LTE, 4"+ screen, 8MP camera. Even then the phandroids will claim it isn't enough. But if Apple releases a 4S with only spec bumps....it's over as far as people considering the iPhone high end. It'll be a mid grade product. Then the end will follow shortly thereafter. I think it would be looked back on as one of the most obvious mistakes a company has ever made.

Apples pretty smart, thats why I think it'll be a blowout.
 
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sulpfiction said:
Personally I wouldn't want to carry something that big around with me all day long. Although, it would be great for movies.
Click to expand...

Alright you got me, forgot to use the shift key. Fixed my post. You get todays award.
 
I feel like after the length of time it really should be something major. Not like "it's taken this long we deserve a big update!" but just because minor bumps in technology like people are talking about take like six months these days. Not 15. I'm hoping for an iPhone 4S and an iPhone 5. I know Apple is ahead of the crowd, but with 40 different Android phones out there I honestly feel like it's about time Apple starting releasing more than one phone per year. Not everyone wants exactly the same thing, or to spend the same amount of money.

What could be coolest about having a cheaper iPhone is the fact that it would allow the people who didn't have as much money to still purchase one... which could open the door for a more significant update for the more expensive iPhone if the profit margin for the cheaper phone is wider than what they have now.
 
It will be a good upgrade, not a significant one most likely. Hey, I mean, they have to save stuff for the next upgrade right? Look how long they took with other features like copy/paste.
 
I would love to see Apple go for a shock and awe. But no matter what happens, people will still complain. You wait this long, unrealistic expectations starts to set in. No matter what Apple does, it will never be enough to some people. Pressure builds and builds to the point that you can't make everybody happy anymore. It seems like each year, people expect Apple to revolutionize the iPhone all over again. With iOS5, you are not going to see much change in the UI even if they are adding features that have appeared on other platforms for years. You go through these "phases" with each iPhone. You anticipate one like crazy. You go through your honeymoon period and flaunt how beautiful and sexy it is. You get bored with it. You sell it. You wait for the newer one. Repeat.

And if it is enough and they go for the WOW FACTOR, what will 2012 be then? Incremental upgrade season? You can't expect leaps and bounds progress every year. Tough to balance trying to make a huge forward while saving something else for next year and without alienating enough people of things they are used to. If you have a favorite band, sometimes they go to a completely new direction with their sound. Some of the diehard fans hate that specific album that went a different direction and some love it because they like the change. Big changes is a love and hate thing similar to people that feel about Apple. It is a tough balancing act to follow through.
 
Apple has spent this entire year crying like a little girl that all the other big bad phone makers are cheating and steeling Apple's designs. They damn well better 'shock and awe' after all the squealing they've been doing.
 
If Apple follows the same strategy that they have for laptops, you should expect to see the iPhone (and iPad) to be behind other competitors in terms of specs and features. They make it up, however, with excellent software and an integrated eco-system. Customers are willing to pay more for it and Apple makes more profit per device than their competitors.

This is their strategy and always has been. The goal is to make as much profit as possible, not to have the latest specs or the largest market share.

If specs and cost drive your requirements, then Android will be your choice. If you like elegant software and the ecosystem, than iOS makes more sense.

That being said, my guess is a 3.7" screen, 512MB RAM, dual-core A5, 21Mbps HSPA+ (maybe WiMAX for Sprint), 8MP camera, thinner and lighter design. LTE is not ready for handsets just yet.

Definitely not shock and awe.
 
Dmunjal said:
If Apple follows the same strategy that they have for laptops, you should expect to see the iPhone (and iPad) to be behind other competitors in terms of specs and features. They make it up, however, with excellent software and an integrated eco-system. Customers are willing to pay more for it and Apple makes more profit per device than their competitors.

This is their strategy and always has been. The goal is to make as much profit as possible, not to have the latest specs or the largest market share.

If specs and cost drive your requirements, then Android will be your choice. If you like elegant software and the ecosystem, than iOS makes more sense.

That being said, my guess is a 3.7" screen, 512MB RAM, dual-core A5, 21Mbps HSPA+ (maybe WiMAX for Sprint), 8MP camera, thinner and lighter design. LTE is not ready for handsets just yet.

Definitely not shock and awe.
Click to expand...

Most everyone knows iOS devices don't need to get into a 'spec war', as the software and hardware are made for each other and run smoothly.

I think a new, more ergonomic design, increase in screen size/and decrease in bezel (top and bottom) and the extra zip of the A5 would be good. Well, would like to see the front camera get an upgrade...everything I've seen from the main shooter on the 4 there's no real need for an upgrade at this point. I'd also like to be able to arrange the icons how I feel appropriate and perhaps widgets on the homescreens, but I don't see either of those happening.

The first 3 things (design/size/cam bump) would be enough to keep me tied to Apples ecosystem I think.
 
Dmunjal said:
If Apple follows the same strategy that they have for laptops, you should expect to see the iPhone (and iPad) to be behind other competitors in terms of specs and features. They make it up, however, with excellent software and an integrated eco-system. Customers are willing to pay more for it and Apple makes more profit per device than their competitors.

This is their strategy and always has been. The goal is to make as much profit as possible, not to have the latest specs or the largest market share.

If specs and cost drive your requirements, then Android will be your choice. If you like elegant software and the ecosystem, than iOS makes more sense.

That being said, my guess is a 3.7" screen, 512MB RAM, dual-core A5, 21Mbps HSPA+ (maybe WiMAX for Sprint), 8MP camera, thinner and lighter design. LTE is not ready for handsets just yet.

Definitely not shock and awe.
Click to expand...

Well said, but that's the problem in my eyes. Apple USED to be so far ahead softwarewise but I honestly don't think that's the case any more. Android OS used to be real buggy and unpolished but that's changed with the current release (Gingerbread) and the high quality OEM overlays (Sense 3.0, Touchwiz 4.0, New Moto App Interface) on the new devices. iOS is just now about to have features that other OS' have had for a long time and they've borrowed from other places. We are still looking at the same thing that we did back in 2007.

I don't think Apple can afford a meager incremental upgrade and rely on their software to sell devices. It's not going to work in todays smartphone climate.
 
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