Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Flush camera, light-weight, compact size, no display cut-outs, usable as a full-fledged desktop computer when attached to a large display, no glass back, Mac-like MagSafe connector, foldable but without making it heavier or thicker (Huawei’s tri-fold is only 3.6 mm unfolded), freely configurable buttons (I always wanted page-up/down buttons on a smartphone), dual Face ID and Touch ID, external LED indicators for unread notifications.

The big issue, of course, is battery tech, modern wireless connectivity (including Find My) that draws too much power, and camera tech (or the insistence that every smartphone has to feature thick camera lenses).
 
Okay… now elaborate.
There were extremely obvious improvements that could’ve been made between the design of the 3GS and the four.
The 3G/3GS we’re both thicker than the original iPhone, built with a much less durable and easily discolored plastic, and had a curved design that reduced space for internal components.
The 4 just fixed all of those flaws. No more cracking around the charging cord, because the sides were made of metal. A flat designed to maximize space for components and battery. A glass back.
These days we are still using the metal frames, the glass backs are pretty much required because of wireless charging, and with how the cameras are these days, you can’t really make the phones any thinner than between 6 and 9 MM.



The 3D display in a phone has been tried so many times and failed every time.
The most successful attempt was probably the 2014 Amazon Fire Phone, which used four different front facing cameras to provide an experience of different perspectives on the UI.
It was praised for being unique in reviews, but in practice a lot of people complained about motion sickness, plus having four cameras engaged at all times wasn’t really practical for battery life.
The other two attempts at 3-D/multiple perspective phones were the RED Hydrogen phone in 2014 and the 2011 HTC Evo3D, both which were complete failures.
As for a battery that lasts for weeks, I think you’ll be waiting a long time for those major battery improvements. Phones have been developed in such a way where most of the flagships get people through the day, and that seems to be what most customers are OK with.
Appears as if you're just pooping on ideas here, but sure I'll respond.

The design --> you're talking about thickness, the use of metal frames, etc. - doesn't matter because you completely missed the point. People just want something that feels new and looks different. I mentioned 3GS to 4 as an example. But the 5, 6, X and 12 are all also examples. And yes, they're all a combination of glass and metal - yet they all look distinctly different. ;)

3D display --> I didn't mention 3D display. I mentioned directed HDR, which is an entirely different type of tech and does not exist in consumer electronics today. Nowhere.

Battery --> again, you're just pooping on ideas here. Talking about how phones have not been developed for that and that we'd need to be waiting for long. Blablabla. The topic title literally is talking about "revolutionary" features. We're not here to talk about todays tech limits and how they are designed today. Obviously if they'd announce an iPhone with 7+ days battery life, a lot of people would like that very much and the entire tech industry will be wondering "how the hell did Apple do that?!" And again, spoiler alert: we don't need to figure it out. That's not what this topic is about.
 
Transforms from a phone to a MacBook Pro!

OK… I’d settle for holographic features…

Or.., maybe reduced prices - truly revolutionary Tim!
 
Last edited:
There's not really something that would be 'revolutionary'. However, I think there are some things that could 'wow' users:

- A new design (really new, because the current one is basically an iPhone 12. Something like going from a 3GS to 4)
- True variable optical camera zoom, essentially reducing the need for 3 cameras and going back to 2
- Display tech: maybe 'directed HDR'? Imagine having a photo where you look at some water and than when you tilt your head, the way the sun reflects the water also changes. I'm not talking about a software effect here. I'm talking about just moving your head around and you seeing different parts of the image from a different perspective, like in real life.
- A breakthrough in battery life. Like instead of you charging your phone each night, you'll need to charge it only like once every few weeks.

Also one I think would be cool was like a build-in 'privacy screen protector'. My mom had one for a few years. When she got a newer model, she asked me 'where in the settings menu she could enable that' again. She looked a bit surprised when I told her it was not a device feature, but instead something that her previous screen protector did.

I think it would be pretty neat if you could actually artificially reduce the viewing angles. Apple could possibly do it the Apple way as well: when you're using Face ID, or entering a password or something like that, it would just pop on to avoid shoulder surfing.
They'll never do it, but the pictures of what a curved screen iPhone might look like still has that wow factor for me. Every so often there's talk about it again, like Apple's next big thing, but I doubt it'll ever happen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ThatsMeRight
I don't think they need to do anything "revolutionary" per se, but just give us more with what we've already got. For example, I think its a missed opportunity that you can't attach three separate actions to the action button (one press could be one action, two presses another, and then a long press for the third). Or the dynamic island could have more features, like maybe being able to see top app notifications and by pressing into it you can see all cards in a card-like view (idk, just spitballing ideas here). Also, how about more colors on the Pro models?! Why do the nice colors only come to the standard models? Those three things alone would make the features that much more standout.

Or with the software, allow Stage Manager on the iPhone. When mirroring to another monitor, or when connected via USB-C, how cool would it be to suddenly be able to use your iPhone like a desktop computer? (I know Stage Manager is not exactly a desktop system but you know what I mean lol.)

It's hard to imagine that they hadn't thought of any of the above (except maybe the dynamic island idea lol). I cynically feel like these days, they hold back on so many cool ideas simply because of money, and they're wanting to spread out features over time. In doing so, they're tarnishing the Apple brand: what was once seen as an innovative and COOL brand is becoming mundane and lackluster.
 
- Siri that works. Maybe Apple intelligence is already there.
- battery that lasts a long time
- I don’t need a thinner phone, but maybe a narrower phone that my hands can wrap around it and grip it with more security than I would get gripping a bar of soap
- glossy metal sides and back. I personally like stainless steel.
- dual cameras designed to blend into the phone not be a prominent protrusion itself.

I want Apple to go back into being a design company. That’s why I bought a MacBook Pro originally vs a dell laptop despite the specs.

Basically, a cooler version of the 15 pro that I’m holding right now, for which most of the camera features are lost on me but which I am forced to purchase because I want the premium design.
 
LIGHTER

That’s it, that’s the feature. Meaningfully lighter. Save the heavy duty (and heavy in weight) advanced optics for the Pro series. Center the camera for better weight distribution. Different chassis materials. Get it to where the gross majority of the weight is the battery. Etc. :)
 
Half the size, half the thickness, 3x the storage and projection of the display into the air.

Thinking out of the box🤪
1726331270938.jpeg

You mean like the Wookie Chess from Star Wars? 🤭
 
  • Like
Reactions: Garethe86
I’d be happy with a user interface improvement. While I like the big screen it is hard to operate with one hand. I’d like them to apply AI to be able to predict and dynamically change the keyboard as I type, for punctuation like they do for emojis, or even better to alter the keys themselves and cut down on having to correct typos, switching to 2 different number and character screens. I hate having to use two hands just to add a question mark. Typos are nearly impossible to correct single handed. That would make it so much more comfortable and easy to use.
 
The current Pro phones are already near perfect....

To improve:

Better battery life

Easily replaceable screen and rear if they shatter

User replaceable SSD

That's about it!
 
Forget Continuity and Handoff. A true device that can drive 1-2 external monitors. The phone dock. Touch or Keyboard/Mouse input. One device.

That said I’ll settle for a creaseless foldable that blows Samsung out of the water. Hoping we see that in 2025 or 2026.
 
  • Like
Reactions: klasma
LIGHTER

That’s it, that’s the feature. Meaningfully lighter. Save the heavy duty (and heavy in weight) advanced optics for the Pro series. Center the camera for better weight distribution. Different chassis materials. Get it to where the gross majority of the weight is the battery. Etc. :)
That's a big reason why I'm probably the only one in all of macrumorland that went from a 15PM to a 16 this year, my flat went with keyless entry last summer and a large heavy phone is impossible to use one handed, which is what you need to use to unlock the door now, and you have to do this while juggling packages, mail, coffee drink; get the door open and back into your pocket without dropping it, hope the cat doesn't run out while doing this....it's a mess.
 
People just want something that feels new and looks different.

Do we? I'm fine with the design, it's simple and elegant. Much more interested in revolutionary features and capabilities than changes to the physical design. If Apple needs to alter the design to make it a better phone then that's great, but form should follow function.
 
Easy, flush back, same camera, or obviously improved, but no bump

Edit, not so much revolutionary addition - but officially waterproof - like not “it can survive 10 metres for 5 minutes” or be “dropped in a lake for 6 months” - “oh but if you get one drop of water on it all forms of warranty are void”
 
  • Like
Reactions: ric22
AI could, but not right now. With how slowly Siri and other voice assistants have evolved, I doubt it’s any time soon either. Editing emails will be okay for now though I guess.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.