The iPhone 4S/5. As the resident "News Hound" here at PhoneDog, I can attest that there have been more rumors and reports surrounding the next generation iPhone than I care to count. We've heard that it'll have a larger display that's between 3.7 and 4 inches in size, that it'll have an 8-megapixel camera, a bumped up processor, and that it'll not only make you a turkey sandwich, but that it'll also cut off the crusts! Ok, maybe that last one was just me, but you get the point. Which of these rumors will come true is something likely only the Apple higher-ups know, at least until 10 AM PT/1 PM ET tomorrow. To help pass the time until Tim Cook takes the stage in Cupertino and puts an end to the rumors, though, I've put together a list of just a few of the features that I'd like to see make it into the new iPhone(s). Check it out below:
1. More storage
Back when I bought my first iPhone (a 3GS), I opted for the 32GB model, thinking, "Man, I'll never fill this up!" Good joke, past self. Certainly the 32GB of storage was spacious enough for a while, but as I've slowly been building my music and app libraries, my current 32GB iPhone 4 is starting to feel a little cramped memory-wise. Music is the main culprit here, and although I'm well aware of all of services like Rdio and Spotify (and Apple's own iCloud/iTunes Match), I can't quite bring myself to pony up a monthly/yearly fee because I just don't think I'd use them enough. That, combined with the fact that I feel the need to carry all of my music everywhere, means that space is becoming limited on my 32GB iPhone. Plus, I'm one of those weirdos that still likes to occasionally buy physical music and rip it at a high bit rate. Apple, those iTouch iPod touch folks have been enjoying 64GB of memory for some time now, so it's time to give iPhoners the same option.
2. Better voice controls
Voice commands in iOS are nothing new, but Voice Control as it is right now is, well, not awesome. I can't think of a single time I've used Voice Control in my two years as an iPhone user. Meanwhile, Android users have been sending messages and getting directions using Voice Actions for some time now. Thankfully it looks like Apple may well be putting its purchase of Siri to good use by introducing Assistant, a new voice command system that is rumored to allow users to compose texts, look up information, and more. Oh, and while we're on the subject of voice, it'd be awesome to see turn-by-turn voice navigation built into iOS, once again like what's currently found in Android. I'm not so sure that that'll actually happen, at least not tomorrow, but a guy can wish, right?
3. Larger screen
This one is a bit more of a stretch compared to the last two, but I'd like to see Apple bump up the screen size in its new iPhone. I've been doing just fine with the "tiny" 3.5-inch display on the iPhone for some time now, but a larger screen would be nice, especially as 4 and 4.3-inch displays are becoming the norm in the world of Android. A 4-inch display on an iPhone would be nice, but it'd also put the display below the 300 ppi threshold, meaning that you would no longer have a "Retina display." A screen size of 3.7 inches wouldn't be quite as much of a bump, but such a display would be larger and would still make the Retina cut at around 311 ppi. As I mentioned before, though, I wouldn't be at all shocked to see Apple debut a new iPhone tomorrow that retains the ol' 3.5-inch screen for at least one more year.
And finally...
4. Let me remove (at least some) of the Apple apps
Yeah, yeah, this isn't going to happen. And I know that you can hide away the apps you don't use in a folder (I definitely do). But that doesn't change the fact that I'd get a lot of satisfaction from putting all of my apps in "jiggle mode" and pressing the "X" on that Stocks app that's been staring back at me, unused, ever since I bought my first iPhone.
So that's my list of changes I'd like to see in the new iPhone. It may not be the most ambitious or crazy list compared to others that are sure to pop up over the next 20 hours or so, but I've tried to stick with things that actually have a shot at showing up, save for maybe that last one. There have been a lot of rumblings about a redesigned body coming to a new iPhone near you and, although I'm still content with the iPhone 4's look and feel, a new frame could be a nice change of pace. Of course, whether or not Apple plans to unveil a "teardrop" iPhone 5 (which I kind of dig), something else entirely, or no new design at all is still very much up in the air.
What do you all make of my list? Go ahead and drop your thoughts on it and what you'd like to see in the new iPhone in the comments section below. And once you're done, be sure to check out Taylor's list of what he hopes will make the cut into Apple's new smartphone!
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