Where will the iPhone be in 10 years?

[bp1000]

Right now the iPhone is at the sweet spot of design, software and innovation.

The first few devices were revolutionary in all respects. Now the complete package has matured, Apple listened and advanced the software. The iPhone 5 is going to be massive. We can speculate on the hardware, but whatever it has, it will be another advancement in phone capability.

But that got me thinking, is there a finite lifespan to the iPhones glory. To clarify, can apple continue to release a new iPhone every year and keep the hysteria ignited with each release. There is only so many ways you can design a beautiful and functional phone without going radical. Apple have already achieved great design. So what will each year bring, tapered edges, different case materials, rear touch screen, built in projectors, payment technology.

The question is open ended, ie nobody knows the answers but I believe there needs to be new and radical innovation because yearly spec upgrades and minor changes in design won't create the hysteria like the current iPhone makes. And it creates hysteria because it is revolutionary, phone, SMS, email, Internet, music all working together on a desirable device. Soon that won't be revolutionary. So what weird and wonderful things would you like your phone to do in the coming years or should a phone always stay a pure communications device.

I wonder what is next.

 

[elpmas]

me and you both buddy. me and you both...

 

[Macman45]

The iPhone

I has now gone as far as it can Dull core CPU. In ten years tech will move on...I envisage the Cloud being a huge contender, smaller capacity phones with principle cloud use.

Just a guess.

 

[Melrose]

If this worrying trend continues at it's current pace, within the decade we will be here:

Seriously... I expect the next iPhone will have a larger screen, at the same high quality resolution. Perhaps a sort of Air profile? Who knows; The device itself won't get much bigger, if at all, because that spot is filled nicely by the iPad. We may find new ways of using Voice Control, perhaps somehow connected with the mythical Apple TV everyone's talking about. The way it's going, we could very possibly have an entirely voice-controlled home within a few years.

The thing for me is simply being surprised when it happens, whatever it is. Apple has either invented or heavily innovated many different tech genres, unexpectedly for almost all of them. Whatever they do next will be a surprise.

 

[Kentochan]

I would like to see an iPhone with a battery that "never runs out". Something like a super long battery life + built in solar panel to charge the battery when necessary.

 

[willyfromphilly]

built in solar would be pretty sweet. a better version of siri would be great too. it makes me wonder how much further a phone can go. is it reaching its peak, or or we nowhere near it yet. kinda fun to think about.

 

[MasterBSOD]

your kids will have been drafted to fight in the war with Iran, North Korea and whatever country the Right wants to fight.
Your iPhone will be the least of your worries.

 

[Pink∆Floyd]

It will be implanted inside your brain stem

 

[Will69]

your kids will have been drafted to fight in the war with Iran, North Korea and whatever country the Right wants to fight.
Your iPhone will be the least of your worries.

The worry of a draft is zero. At least with new iPhones there's something to think about. If you're gonna take stabs at the Right, be more creative.

 

[Will69]

I think the iPhone hasn't reached its peak yet. The sweet spot is still ahead. No other company is better prepared at delivering on things that require integration.

Siri is a big deal. It will grow and get better. It will invade every device in your home and that's a good thing. It will have competitors (google?) and apple will dominate competitors or years.

Once innovation starts to give way to electronic performance and cost efficiencies, Apple will lose share.

 

[Huntn]

In 10-20 years we will have wifi/processor chips inserted under the skin behind our ears.

 

[Grey Beard]

It will be implanted inside your brain stem

Based purely on the level of some posters at MR, I'd respectively suggest that it may be more inserted rather than implanted at the other end of the spectrum. That way it'd circumvent the need of speech and be closer to the source of some Community Discussion / PRSI intelligence.
*with a strong dose of sarcasm*
KGB

 

[Thomas Veil]

In 10-20 years we will have wifi/processor chips inserted under the skin behind our ears.

Well, I was gonna say at some point the iPhone might morph into something like Dick Tracy's two-way wristwatch TV-radio.

But you could be right. It could end up more like the 1970s series Search.

 

[Illuminated]

....and that's why you don't work for Apple.


Not enough creative thinking! Jony Ive has all the ideas.

 

[Bernard SG]

Form factor will evolve only marginally. The device will just be thinner (like iPod touch 4 or slightly thinner).
There will be no physical connectivity (except for headphones, maybe). Charging will be solar or by induction.
More importantly, the iPhone will be able to be your ONLY computing device: the power of of a Mac Pro in a pocketable smartphone. You will just hook it up wirelessly to ad hoc displays and other peripherals. Siri will be super-smart.

 

[Thomas Veil]

....and that's why you don't work for Apple.


Not enough creative thinking! Jony Ive has all the ideas.

Please continue.

 

[chaosbunny]

It will be implanted inside your brain stem

In 10-20 years we will have wifi/processor chips inserted under the skin behind our ears.

This, I'm afraid. As scary as it may sound.

Of course it will only allow you to speak positively of Apple without any form of criticism or you'll get electro shocks. LTD has a prototype already.

 

[Thetonyk123]

iPhone air. You swipe the air and there's your iPhone!