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iPhone 4S with A5, Sim-less? "Major New" iPhone 5 Due in 2012
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I doubt it will only be a minor update for the 4S. In the past, there hasn't really been much competition. Only when the iPhone 4 came handsets were appearing that had competitive features and functionality. Now look, handsets like the Galaxy S2 and HTC Sensation, with the right advertising and publicity, have the potential to take a large chunk of iPhone sales.
In my opinion, Apple has to step up their game and bring the innovation and technology that they have the potential to bring to the table. I'm talking 8MP camera, 4" screen, A5, maybe even LTE and NFC. I just can't see the public being so excited about a speed bump.
In my opinion, Apple has to step up their game and bring the innovation and technology that they have the potential to bring to the table. I'm talking 8MP camera, 4" screen, A5, maybe even LTE and NFC. I just can't see the public being so excited about a speed bump.
Not unless you pull out your Objective-C skills and forget about legacy users. Time to program your own Oracle/IBM/... DBMS for iPhone equivalent.
No really, no one forces you to support legacy hardware. Why not utilize the power, just because you can? Leaders gonna lead
I was just in LA and you know, people like to talk (kinda like I'm doing now) but I met this guy who was all gung hoe over the iPhone 6. He was like "I'm selling my stock, because i5 is gonna bomb... my contacts at Apple promised there would be front and back displays on iP6."
If that's true, I don't want iPhone 5 either... Dude, I could take over the world with a phone with 2 screens.
If that's true, I don't want iPhone 5 either... Dude, I could take over the world with a phone with 2 screens.
Echo, have you ever purchased an Apple product?
1.) Apple does not ever "hint" about anything.
2.) Apple does not care how people feel about their naming conventions. No one liked "MacBook" either.
3.) WWDC has only been about the iPhone since 2007. That is hardly forever.
4.) The entire Apple community does nothing BUT stand around assuming that the next upgrade will be bigger, better, faster. If a new iPhone is not released at WWDC, it'll be par for the course with the rest of Apple's road map, which is seemingly rewritten as the company sees fit.
This is Apple man. If you want someone to forecast the future with any reasonable accuracy, ask the weather man.
1.) Apple does not ever "hint" about anything.
2.) Apple does not care how people feel about their naming conventions. No one liked "MacBook" either.
3.) WWDC has only been about the iPhone since 2007. That is hardly forever.
4.) The entire Apple community does nothing BUT stand around assuming that the next upgrade will be bigger, better, faster. If a new iPhone is not released at WWDC, it'll be par for the course with the rest of Apple's road map, which is seemingly rewritten as the company sees fit.
This is Apple man. If you want someone to forecast the future with any reasonable accuracy, ask the weather man.
My reasoning why they won't call it the iPhone 4S:
Just think of it... why would they? Because back in the day when the update from 3G to 3GS they just slapped an S at the end of it? The S back then meant speed, as in 3G Speed, because it is much faster than the 3G. Why would it be called 'iPhone 4Speed'?
Secondly, if there is a September release, they're not going to want to call it something so similar to the previous generation. Apple wants it to have an impact from the name itself. Most people that buy iPhones don't troll the specs on sites like this, so '4S' isn't going to sound 'new enough' for those people that were waiting to upgrade from their 4's. 5 is a bigger number. It appeals to people, especially after more than a year of the number 4 flying around. 4 sounded amazing after 2 years of '3' flying around. That's how you get people to pay full-price for an upgrade. Give the public a bigger number. I'm sure a good portion of them will bite.
Just think of it... why would they? Because back in the day when the update from 3G to 3GS they just slapped an S at the end of it? The S back then meant speed, as in 3G Speed, because it is much faster than the 3G. Why would it be called 'iPhone 4Speed'?
Secondly, if there is a September release, they're not going to want to call it something so similar to the previous generation. Apple wants it to have an impact from the name itself. Most people that buy iPhones don't troll the specs on sites like this, so '4S' isn't going to sound 'new enough' for those people that were waiting to upgrade from their 4's. 5 is a bigger number. It appeals to people, especially after more than a year of the number 4 flying around. 4 sounded amazing after 2 years of '3' flying around. That's how you get people to pay full-price for an upgrade. Give the public a bigger number. I'm sure a good portion of them will bite.
I think Apple has realized that the gig is up in the mobile space, and while they are doing very well now, their position is in a state of decline. Eventually, Apple will settle into a minor "boutique" role in the market, much like OS X has in the world of OSes. Given that, Apple may not see the need to compete head on, since the fight was lost a while ago. Rather, they will release updates per their own timetable.
I like the current upgrade plan Apple has; it's fitting well with my contract. Each time my contract is up, there's a big revision to the iPhone line, while in the middle of my contract there have been "speed bumps." Keep it up, Apple!
I'm on the opposite upgrade cycle, and I'm also happy with it. I get mature hardware with all the bugs worked out, yet with higher speed processors, and a slew of accessories ready to go for a reasonable price.
If you call more than 50% profit share a "state of decline," I'm sure that Apple will happily live with it.
Last quarter... January to March 2011... Apple sold over 200,000 iPhones every day... and that was the iPhone 4 that launched 6-8 months earlier (and the 3GS which is even older)
Apple has no problem selling iPhones...
People will soon buy the refreshed iPhone 4S... just like they buy the iPhone 4 today. Apple doesn't need to completely revamp the iPhone every year. And if the current iPhone 4 becomes the $99 phone... that's a hell of a bargain.
Android? Sure, there are more Android phones sold than iPhones. You'll have that when there are 50+ Android phones out there.
Apple? They sold 18.65 million iPhones last quarter (90 days)... and made the bulk of the profit of the entire industry. Other companies would KILL for numbers like that.
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In the interests of full disclosure, all of our iPhones are already crippled when we go abroad. Current iPhones in the US are only compatible with AT&T SIMs, and simply will not work with any other GSM carrier. AT&T does not currently offer to unlock any iPhones, even if you've fullfilled your contract.
No, locking the phones gives carriers control.
Which is pure crap in my opinion. They've already sucked the money out of you at that point. The LEAST they could do is unlock your phone.
How is allowing me to put any network's sim into my phone "carrier control"?
Think about the steps (and time) it takes to get a network SIM card today.
Now think about an app that where you click a few buttons and essentially do the same.
Can you see why the carriers don't like it?
Exactly.
I find it hilarious that people think that Apple cares about market share in mobile (apart from when it can make them look good at a keynote). I'm sure that they laugh hysterically when market share stories come up on Gizmodo, while looking at the 50%+ profit of the entire mobile market that is theirs. I would be too.
Ultimately, it's a phone, and it has a certain size limitation. The freaky-fuss about the next models is starting to make me wonder what people think they are going to get with #5. Sure, better cameras and bigger memory, etc. But the real function of the camera/phone/player/web browser, etc--not going to be earth-shatteringly über-amazing compared to what there is now.
I've skipped the 3GS and i will skip the 4GS. These productcycles are going too fast for me
What about iSmoke Signals?
Unlimited data plan.