Most intriguing iPhone yet?

[DenisAuermann]

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[Gjwilly]

Assuming the current leaks are what we are getting coming September 12th, why is no one questioning the decisions behind the new iPhone?

1. That metal/aluminum band around it, what's it for? Apple already had a more elegant design with an all glass back with the two previous iterations. And apple isn't fond of change for its own sake. The MacBook pro has had the same design for quite sometime. So.. My bet is that is has to do with NFC, and that finger print they purchased recently. Maybe you slide your finger on it and recognizes who you are to validate the NFC transaction?

Despite the elegance, the glass is a liability.
The metal back provides strength, rigidity, weight reduction, and an (almost) unibody design that is pretty much Apple's trademark.
It might have NFC or biometric capabilities but I doubt it.
I think the above are all the reason Apple needed.

 

[newyorksole]

I think PassBook is a huge reason why the next iPhone will have NFC technology.

What metal/aluminum band are you talking about? The 1 that already exists on the iPhone 4/4S?

I'm sure they have a reason for a taller iPhone (although I'd like it to be wider too.) Everything else like better display, camera and speed are all a given.

 

[irDigital0l]

Assuming the current leaks are what we are getting coming September 12th, why is no one questioning the decisions behind the new iPhone?

1. That metal/aluminum band around it, what's it for? Apple already had a more elegant design with an all glass back with the two previous iterations. And apple isn't fond of change for its own sake. The MacBook pro has had the same design for quite sometime. So.. My bet is that is has to do with NFC, and that finger print they purchased recently. Maybe you slide your finger on it and recognizes who you are to validate the NFC transaction?

It could be NFC, most likely its just Apple's decision to replace glass with metal.

I mean...think about a phone that hasn't been updated in 3 years!!! with the same old 2010 design.

2. Why taller? Granted. Tons of android phones if not all of them have at least a 4" screen. But then again Apple doesn't follow the herd unless it has a very good reason for leaving the iconic iPhone 4 design? Maybe they'll implement a new way of using those extra pixels? Widgets, anyone? Or maybe something we can't even imagine right now? There are well over 300 hundred thousand apps built for the 3.5" display. So there's got to be a reason why they'll break all those apps or are those pixels for something else.

Because Apple is making a 4-inch screen because everyone wants a larger screen?

3. Camera. The iPhone 4s has 8 megapixels. The standard for High end phones right now ( SG3, HTC one X ). And apple has always upped the MGPXs in every upgrade. Last time it went from 5 MGPXS to 8 MGPXS, more than 50%. And I just don't see a new iPhone with a mere 10 MGPXS. So is it 12? And if they further improve the optics. Then its bye bye point and shoot cameras. But what are we getting?

If its not 10MP why would it be 12MP? lol but Apple will most likely keep the current 8MP from the iPhone 4S but improve the front facing camera. 1.3MP for FaceTime HD.

4. Processor. An A5x would be overkill in its current form. If the A6 is coming with it, it will be a hit in the US, where there doesn't seem to be a lot of quad core smartphones. C'mon even we have the quad core GS3 in here!!

Are you actually surprised that the GS3 has a quad-core? Apple wasn't the first to have cut copy paste, multitasking, dual-core processor, turn by turn, etc.

Its going to be A5X judging from previous trend:

iPad (Apr 2010) / iPhone 4 (June 2010) = A4 chip
iPad 2 (Mar 2011) / iPhone 4S (Oct 2011) = A5 chip
iPad 3 (Mar 2012) / iPhone 6th gen (Sep 2012) = A5X chip

5. Screen. IGZO with in cell touch? Or just in cell touch? Or just IGZO? Questions, questions. I hope to also see improved saturation and better coating.

Meh, 99% of consumers really don't care about these. Its going to be Retina, thats all.

 

[lordofthereef]

1. NFC is possible, but improbable (discussed in another thread). But I would certainly be happy to see it done. The fingerprint deal is less probable. That acquisition just happened. It generally takes years before acquired technology is implemented.

2. This is the most intriguing question and the one I pondered the most of all. I feel like we will get a "killer feature" that utlizes those extra pixels. Maybe not always on screen, but just a feature that the next iPhone has that the 4S and prior do not simply BECAUSE of the added screen real estate.

3. We are already at a point where optics are the limiting factor. The 4S, and even the 4, take as good or better pics as many point and shoots. Optics needs a bump. Megapixels do not.

4. While the competition certainly has quad core, I am not sure the iPhone "needs" it yet, especially considering we have an OS designed to run on a 3GS. If we see a quad core processor, I feel that will be mostly to be "on par" with the competition spec-wise and not because the phone needs it, unless of course that "killer feature" I keep speaking of is somehow processor intensive.

5. I'd love better color saturation, although I find the 4S is basically the smartphone screen to beat in terms color saturation, or at least it LOOKS it. better touch controls I can't complain about.

 

[newyorksole]

5. I'd love better color saturation, although I find the 4S is basically the smartphone screen to beat in terms color saturation, or at least it LOOKS it. better touch controls I can't complain about.

Have you seen the color saturation on the new iPad? Amazing. I hope the new iPhone has the same level of color saturation.

The colors on the iPhone 4S look washed out after I look at a 3rd Gen. iPad screen.

 

[mjpearce023]

Camera. The iPhone 4s has 8 megapixels. The standard for High end phones right now ( SG3, HTC one X ). And apple has always upped the MGPXs in every upgrade. Last time it went from 5 MGPXS to 8 MGPXS, more than 50%. And I just don't see a new iPhone with a mere 10 MGPXS. So is it 12? And if they further improve the optics. Then its bye bye point and shoot cameras. But what are we getting?

I don't need the pictures any bigger but they can make an improvement without increasing the megapixels. My only complaint with the 4s camera is low light pictures inside look a little grainy. I'm not a photographer nor do I know much about cameras so I'm not sure what they would need to fix this but I'm sure they will make an improvement over the 4s.

 

[Arkious]

but the A5X was only designed so that the iPad 3 could fully utilise the Retina display without loosing power. I think the next iphone will use an A6 as an A5x will be useless in an iPhone. Its basically greater graphics capability.

A6 quad core 1GHz dual core graphics?

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Have you seen the color saturation on the new iPad? Amazing. I hope the new iPhone has the same level of color saturation.

The colors on the iPhone 4S look washed out after I look at a 3rd Gen. iPad screen.

the latest leaked images of the front glass showed that the glass was much more transparent than the iphone 4 / 4s, maybe that is to make it crisper?

 

[applefanDrew]

but the A5X was only designed so that the iPad 3 could fully utilise the Retina display without loosing power. I think the next iphone will use an A6 as an A5x will be useless in an iPhone. Its basically greater graphics capability.

A6 quad core 1GHz dual core graphics?

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the latest leaked images of the front glass showed that the glass was much more transparent than the iphone 4 / 4s, maybe that is to make it crisper?

But they can call processors whatever they want. They could have a processor on 32nm die with dual core graphics that is better than the 4S and call it an A5X. And the explanation would be that the phone has a modified A5X.

 

[MacDawg]

Assuming the current leaks are what we are getting coming September 12th, why is no one questioning the decisions behind the new iPhone?

Are you serious?
EVERYBODY is questioning the decisions behind the new iPhone
The iPhone/Alternatives Forums are littered with everyone's opinions

 

[Arkious]

But they can call processors whatever they want. They could have a processor on 32nm die with dual core graphics that is better than the 4S and call it an A5X. And the explanation would be that the phone has a modified A5X.

thats fair enough, but why would they release a new version of the A5X? unless it was cost cutting ofc, the A5X is a large CPU for the phone so i guess they could do that. I still think they will make an A6 for the phone and maybe a A6X for the next iPad. It makes sense having a CPU designed for each use but it doesnt on a financial aspect. But if the iPad and the iPhone use the same CPU, then the iPhone will benchmark better than the iPad which i guess they wont do if they are trying to destroy desktop computing.

We will have to wait and see, i really dont think they will use an A5X, it was a bridge CPU for the iPad3, that is all imo.

 

[newyorksole]

but the A5X was only designed so that the iPad 3 could fully utilise the Retina display without loosing power. I think the next iphone will use an A6 as an A5x will be useless in an iPhone. Its basically greater graphics capability.

A6 quad core 1GHz dual core graphics?

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the latest leaked images of the front glass showed that the glass was much more transparent than the iphone 4 / 4s, maybe that is to make it crisper?

Apparently the display technology being used is going to make the screen all around better. So yeah I'm hoping crisper and brighter.

 

[ixodes]

Apple has a beautiful 48" diameter dart board in the lunch room.

One engineer is selected, he uses a magic marker to draw caption clouds on it. Inside the clouds he enters a few words to describe a feature.

Then they take turns throwing darts... this year the five features targeted are:

1. Metal plate on the back
2. Taller
3. Camera
4. Processor
5. Screen

Great system eh? LOL

 

[labman]

I sure hope the new model is better then the last and more intriguing, of course it will be faster has more features better camera. They sure better bring something better then Siri if not Apple will be the laughing stock. They can keep the Megapixels the same just give us a better Sensor that is the key. I use my iPhones 4S camera allot but know I will not replace my Point and Shoot with and cell phone camera. at least until it has serious optical zoom. until it can do something like this I will keep my point and shoot and the iPhone will be the sidekick.. I sure as hope the new iphone is more intriguing. If not it might be time to move on.

 

[onthecouchagain]

5. Screen. IGZO with in cell touch? Or just in cell touch? Or just IGZO? Questions, questions. I hope to also see improved saturation and better coating.

I'm excited to hear more about this, and how it might translate to better touch response. Really hope it isn't just to make the phone thinner, which is great too, but I'm hoping there's more to this.