You seriously think 8 and 16 GB iPhone 3G's are going to be the standard for a couple years?
Dumbest thing I've read this week.
Of course it would be - since you can't think for yourself apparently.
Of course it will remain Apple's standard for the next year. There is no justifiable reason to update the hardware. They're not going to make a new iPhone, (i.e. iPhone 3), this year, and probably not next year (2010) either. If they do release one it'll probably be in first quarter 2011. Do you want to know why?
First off, 32GB storage is currently in a form that won't fit the iPhone - refer to the many threads about it already (I'm not saying it that won't change, but it won't by January). It's on the horizon, but it's not on the immediate horizon. It's like a lot of things in the tech world, it'll get there no question, but will it get there in the next 3 months? Probably not. And even if it did, there are numerous other reasons why the iPhone won't immediately get an update. Read on if you care to learn:
This is probably the biggest reason Apple won't update (but please read the rest of the reasons): there is no reason for Apple to spend the money it would cost to refresh the iPhone now, because hardware limitations aren't affecting the iPhone's sales. I say again: hardware limitations aren't affecting sales. Everything people want - except for a physical keyboard - which will NEVER happen, because its counter evolutionary - can be (and has been) added by firmware updates. Everything. MMS, copy and paste, push notifications, everything that people bitch about on a daily basis can be (and presumably will be) added by simply updating the firmware. Things people want like a better camera are not significantly denting iPhone sales to the point that Apple would consider adding a new one. They didn't add a keyboard to the 3G to accommodate those who wanted a keyboard, why would they accommodate people now? They've found their market, they're selling great, and they've established themselves as a driving force. What have they done wrong (in terms of poor sales) that necessitates an update?
More importantly, unlike the iPhone 3G update (from the original iPhone), there's no definitive necessity to release a new phone. The reason the 3G came out was because Apple wanted to go global, hence the 3G carrier support, which is the global standard. Besides 3G, the original iPhone is more or less exactly the same. If the current iPhone had 3G support, then there would have been no reason to update it. Think. The original iPhone has the exact same firmware, and guess what, it has the exact same features. Golly! What a coincidence!
And, most iPhone owners don't seem to get this. Apple is a computer company, which means they have other things to worry about now. They just released the 3G worldwide (half a year isn't that long in terms of the costs involved), and they're still releasing it in countries right now. Sales are fantastic, better than they expected. They've remained competitive by updating the firmware and adding the latest features (i.e. Google street view), and chances are they're going to continue to add new features because there is a laundry list of things the iPhone should do that other phones currently do. But, they've got other committments. Their Mac line is due for a major overhaul. Moreover, they're working on Snow Leopard right now, and they just released their new notebook line - so you can bet that is where their advertising money is going for the next while (plus the Mac and Snow Leopard when those come out). Combined, those things far outweigh any reason to create a new iPhone (for, as I will continue to explain, no reason whatsoever).
Besides a 32GB model (which for hardware reasons won't happen now - i.e. by January), there is no reason to update the iPhone, and if you'd simply think for say, ten minutes, you'd realize why they won't update the iPhone this year. Apple isn't planning to make a line of phones - they planned to make one phone (
the phone to end all phones), and unless they're going to be able to make significant hardware improvements (a new network, a better battery, a better processor/ram combo), and that those hardware updates are going to significantly improve their sales (not likely right now), there is no, I repeat, no reason to update the iPhone.
Perhaps a final reason is the most obvious. Apple would be smart to wait until the market settles. Google just dropped the G1, BlackBerry is taking their product line in some interesting directions, and Windows Mobile is still out there (and maybe it will be updated, who knows). The point is, since Apple has yet to be challenged in the market (in terms of there being a more cutting edge, and more appealing phone), it would be stupid to update the phone now. They know this, and they're going to let the market settle down, see what people want. I suspect they're going to probably wait until the first wave of 3G adopters contracts expire as well. If they release a new phone now, by the time people are out of their contract they'll have a lot of options. But if Apple releases a brand new iPhone as the early adopters 3 year contracts expire, chances are high that people will upgrade to the new phone, and Apple can retain its market share (assuming they like what they see).
I hadn't planned on spelling it out for you, but I guess since my post was the dumbest thing you read all week (presumably the only thing you've ever read about the iPhone in any capacity), I guess I have no choice.
