No Hardware Announcements at WWDC 2011? [Updated: No New iPhone Until FY 2012?]

[KnightWRX]

It's the usual geek misconception of what a device needs. They are all about checklist items. And thus they are missing the fact that a major paradigm shift is occurring in this world where the far larger non-tech audience is now buying tech toys. This audience does not know much about specs, and cares even less. All they care about is cost (Apple is right there in phones), how their apps work (just great on the iPhone), choice of apps (no one has more choice than Apple), and what they have read or heard about (Apple is the advertising leader).

So geeks will continue to stamp their feet and pout about checklists that Apple is "failing" at. The rest of the world will keep happily using their amazing iPhones.

And you're missing the fact that it's the Geeks who write the apps that work on the iPhone.

If the geeks decide the larger customer base elsewhere is more enticing, then you'll start hemorraging developers. Same if the geeks decide that their new project is going to be aimed at more robust hardware.

In the end, it's all tied together. The specs are an important part of the device, even if the person buying it has no clue what they mean. Developers are Apple's main focus (or should be) as far as iOS goes, and some of the lay people here chanting on and on about paradigms seem to be ignoring it.

So? Do any of those phones have 1/10th the user experience of the iPhone? Who is standing in line for them? Do you question the speed of the electronics in your TV set? No because it does what it's supposed to do.

I was talking about Developers, not users. While you may not care your iPhone has a single core SoC, ChAir software might for their next game and decide to simply forgo releasing it on iOS. Again, we're at a tipping point right now, Android has gained fast and offers devices right now that outperform the iOS devices, which might put Apple on the back burner.

Especially considering that their user base, while not on a single handset, is right now bigger or close to being than iOS's.

From a developer's perspective, Android is looking good right now. If these trends continue, iOS won't be looking as good as it used to.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

If the iPhone 5 is just a 3GS like upgrade then there really won't be all that much to talk about which is why the main attraction will be the software. That doesn't mean there won't be any hardware updates.

Sure, but the "delay" could be that iOS 5 isn't ready yet and Apple isn't going to launch iPhone 5 w/o a full iOS update. Quite possible iOS5 engineers were temp. xfered to OS X 10.7 at this final stage to ensure it makes out the door on time and w/ fewest glitches possible. Once 10.7 goes GM iOS5 development will go back to normal speed.

 

[aberth]

Apple delaying hardware releases isn't so bad - sure it might not be the best news for people just ready for a new device, but it's not that they absolutely need hardware updates; the iPhone 4 hardware is still really capable.

What might be a problem however, is that they delay software in the same way. iOS desperately needs an update... and the messages sent out to the public certainly give the feeling we'll just get a preview in June. Letting people wait til the fall for iOS 5 would not be a good thing, certainly if this would mean no iPhone updates at all.

However I'm a bit skeptical when it comes to the way these messages are interpreted... some people sure do jump to conclusions quickly. For example, reading the message again, it looks as likely Apple will also just preview OS X in June, and I guess we all know that Lion will really be released in the summer...

 

[anubis]

I've been poking along with a 3GS since they came out. Really want to switch to Verizon. This rumor puts people like me in a serious pickle: keep waiting and waiting and waiting for iPhone 5 to come out this year, if it even does it all, or grab an iPhone 4 now - a phone that has been out for nearly a year - and get burned in a couple of months by a surprise iPhone 5 announcement in June?

 

[WannaGoMac]

As a 3gs owner, I will not buy likely buy a new iPhone without seeing how ioS 5 actually runs on it.

 

[wordoflife]

Maybe they are waiting for the iPod event so they cab release a 4 inch iPhone and iPod touch at the same time so there isn't fragmentation

 

[rovex]

Bad move to keep the iPhone out for 2 years. But if it is indeed the case the iPhone 5 better be really amazing,.

 

[MonkeySee....]

So your attitude is "if I can't have it, I don't want anyone to have it."?

Whether it comes out or not, you won't be getting one. So why would it matter either way?

Maybe because, like me, it would be nice to actually have a product on its release date?

 

[slicecom]

Damn it! This means the lineups will be twice as long for the 2012 iPhone (when I'm due to upgrade)!

 

[SeattleMoose]

When Given Lemons....Make Lemonade

Limited parts production "silver lining" in that polishing the underlying OS/Software is ALWAYS most welcome.

 

[nefan65]

I know this is a rumor board, and this is just rumor. However, do other tire of these loose shots in the dark? I mean, I understand if they hear something, and want to get folks information. But why not try and do a little investigation, to be sure?

I dunno...guess I'm of the belief "I'll believe it when I see it"?

 

[davidw]

Who even knows what hardware changes the iPhone 5 is going to make?

iPhone 4 was a major, major, major upgrade. It is still an exceedingly modern iPhone, and it's hard to imagine what they can upgrade from this device. Sure, the new device will be "faster." Sure, it may have more RAM and sure it may have a better camera. It will probably have a larger flash drive inside to hold more music/movies/apps.

It might even have a slightly larger screen and/or be thinner. That said, the iPhone as it stands is a nearly perfect device. The only significant upgrade I can think of would be to have 4G radios included to increase data transmission rates.

The iPhone 4 screen is already about perfect. The build quality and construction is incredible.

When the first iPhone came out it was clearly lacking a decent camera and 3G. When the 3G came out the build quality was reduced and it was too slow with too little RAM. When the 3GS came out the construction was still poor and the screen was beginning to get long in the tooth.

The iPhone 4, on the other hand, has it all from a hardware perspective. For a phone it's speedy, the buttons feel good to press and it doesn't break easily. It's also totally and absolutely gorgeous and from a tactile standpoint, it is feels good and substantial in your hand.

Having to "wait" another few months for an iPhone 5 shouldn't be a problem, because getting an iPhone 4 is the equivalent to buying a truly amazing device without any significant flaws.

 

[mrial]

So your attitude is "if I can't have it, I don't want anyone to have it."?

Whether it comes out or not, you won't be getting one. So why would it matter either way?

He was joking. lighten up.

 

[arkitect]

Sure you will.

No need for the rolling eyes there… Some of us already have.
Apple is not the end all be all. Sometimes change is good.

Bad move to keep the iPhone out for 2 years.

I agree.
There is no way Apple can take a break from this cycle.

What is that saying about he who rides the tiger?

 

[MrSmith]

Sort of relieved no iPhone 5 announcements, Im firmly bogged down into a 2 year contract.

My 2-year contract finishes next month and my 3G is almost inoperative. No way I want to buy into the antenna problems with a 4. Glad you're happy though.

 

[dwd3885]

That said, the iPhone as it stands is a nearly perfect device. .

A 'perfect' devices with a bad antenna design? Sorry, but I wouldn't touch the iPhone 4 because of its antenna design flaws and won't get an iPhone until Apple corrects that. Hardly perfect. Perfect for YOU maybe..

 

[Andronicus]

Gotta get hits don't ya MacRumors

There will be an iPhone 5 this year, everyone calm down.

 

[d0minick]

Why because it doesn't have a dual core processor, 1GB of RAM

LOL that is exactly why. Plus OS improvements, better notifications, FM radio, at least hspa+. These are things that i would love. I love my I4, but it has a lot of room for growth and it does need to stay up with the competition. And to say otherwise, IMO, means stagnant technology because if Apple does not compete, every one gets complacent.

 

[GooMan]

Not cool. Coming from an iPhone 3GS, I seriously don't want to wait.

+1

Seems like this timeline will screw up upgrades for iPhone 6 for people who buy iPhone 5. Unless, of course, they move all iPhone releases to the fall.

 

[2Shae]

If this is true, I'm getting an HTC Android phone.

I still have the iPhone 3GS (2 year contract), so I want to upgrade THIS year, preferably this summer.

Don't let me down Apple!

 

[asdf542]

Sure, but the "delay" could be that iOS 5 isn't ready yet and Apple isn't going to launch iPhone 5 w/o a full iOS update. Quite possible iOS5 engineers were temp. xfered to OS X 10.7 at this final stage to ensure it makes out the door on time and w/ fewest glitches possible. Once 10.7 goes GM iOS5 development will go back to normal speed.

Snow Leopard did not effect iOS release dates. If the iPad 2 was delayed like the rumors were suggesting then I would believe this, but it wasn't. So far all of Apple's releases for 2011 have been typical with their past schedules. No reason to think any different for this one.

 

[Blakjack]

Get the **** outta here. No iPhone till 2012.......HAHAHAHAHAH. Jokes on them

 

[ECUpirate44]

So the source with the updated info is suggesting that there will not be a new iPhone in 2011? That would stink. My crap LG versa is on its last legs.

 

[Lesser Evets]

Good RUMOR. Maybe it should be called a lie, but we won't know until June.

About time Apple released a new iMac, btw.

 

[el-John-o]

Let's not forget that pre-iPhone smart phones were updated every couple of years (hardware wise, maybe some aesthetic changes if anything.) We'd see a refresh at CES, then a couple years after CES it would suddenly be on the shelves, probably with the same CPU, maybe a bit more RAM and the next version of Palm OS / Windows Mobile (Remember those? LOL).

Finally... bad move Apple? Really? You mean like, Apple should have decided to go back in time and prevent the earthquake and tsunami or something? Everyone is debating whether or not this is a "smart move" by Apple. If this is true, they don't have a choice! Supply constraints are supply constraints, there aren't other chip manufacturers without seriously sacrificing the iPhone's performance and reliability, and therefore it's reputation. For those of you unaware, this rumor, if true, is the result of a massive natural disaster that recently occurred in Japan, where a number of iPhone components come from! Yes they are assembled in China, but as the article stated, Chinese manufacturers aren't getting their parts from Japan like they usually do around this time.

It's crazy, people are freaking out talking about abandoning iPhones altogether because heaven forbid anyone wait a couple more months for something! I mean, it's what you want, but instead of waiting you'll "settle" for something else? Am I the only one who sees that flaw in logic? Maybe I'm biased because I didn't plan on being an iPhone 5 customer (no upgrade for another year and a half, so I'll be an iPhone 6 buyer), but I still think this whole conversation is silly. Apple is releasing much faster than anyone else had in the past, maybe not now, but had in the past, and Japan is a little inconvenienced right now, just in case you haven't watched the news.

Also, on Apple's hardware being outdated when it hit the shelves. It always had. I had a 1GHz phone when Apple released there 600 and something MHz iPhone (first gen). It finally hit near 1GHz (but not quite) with the iPhone 4, when there were ALREADY 1GHz phones out for a while (Droid Incredible, etc.) The software trumps the hardware, it's efficient enough it "feels" fast, that's why people buy iPhones, not because the hardware numbers are higher than on the competition.