When, as expected (though not confirmed—Apple never does so with its announcements) Apple boss Steve Jobs unveils a new iPhone on Monday, it’ll likely be a device that better competes with new phones running Google's Android operating system. Jobs will also try, but probably fail, to restore to Apple’s iPhone some of the deafening buzz generated in recent months by its iPad tablet computer.
Here are the welcome enhancements we expect the new iPhone to offer:
A bigger, sharper display. The iPhones’ once gigantic 3.5-inch screen now looks rather puny when compared to the 4.3-inchers on the HTC Evo and HD2, and the 4-incher on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S. Indeed, the likelihood of the new iPhone having a bigger screen raises doubts that the alleged prototype left in a California bar was the real deal, since it reportedly boasted a smaller screen than the current iPhone 3G S.
I expect an upgrade also to the iPhone’s screen resolution. At 163 pixels per inch (ppi), it’s fallen behind the 250-ppi displays on such Android smart phones as Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Incredible, on which small type looks sharper than on the 3G S.
A faster processor. At a software developers conference in April that previewed the next iPhone OS, version 4, Steve Jobs hinted that the next iPhone would get a speed boost. That will be needed now that iPhones will be able multitask, thanks to the new operating system, iPhone OS 4. A new processor also promises to bring the iPhone closer to, or up to, the speed record set by Qualcom's 1-GHz Snapdragon, the processor that’s inside the HTC Evo, Nexus One, and other Android-running phones.
A better camera, and a supplementary one. I anticipate a 5- to 8-megapixel camera, equipped with an LED flash and high-def video capability. Also, look for advanced controls for tweaking image quality and for uploading your pics and videos directly to the Web and social networks. And I expect the new phone will also have a second, front-facing, low-resolution Webcam for video chat.
Greater storage capacity. With so much more to download from iTunes and the App Store, look for 64 gigabyte-capacity storage on the top-line iPhone, which will probably cost $300 with a two-year contract (the most capacious 3G S is a 32-GB model that costs $200).
What won’t we see, but wish we could? Here’s my list:
A phone button. For all the pluses of a touchscreen, it’s nice to be able to push a physical button to put your smart phone into phone mode. Physical-phone buttons are found on some other touchscreen smart phones, such as such as the HTC HD2 and many others. Come on, Apple, show us your practical side.
Flash support. The resolve of Apple to continue rejecting the most common format for streaming video over the Web seemed this week to harden even more, based on the incendiary remarks he made at the All Things Digital conference in California. While HTML5, the new Web platform that Apple will be supporting, will eventually solve Apple’s streaming shortcomings, it’d be helpful if Apple supported Flash until HTML5 usage becomes more universal in a few years.
A user-replaceable battery. An annoying omission on every iPhone so far, this feature would allow owners to avoid either the hassle of a trip to an Apple Genius bar or a delay of several days for shipping, in order to get a new battery.
Expandable memory slot. Granted, iPhones' internal storage capacities are generally more generous than most phones. But iPhone users also have more download options for multimedia and apps, and it would be nice if they had the option of adding capacity.
4G network capability. Don’t be misled by the likely name of the new iPhone. It’s the fourth version of the iPhone. AT&T’s 4G data network is years away.
Which brings the final possible disappointment for many would-be iPhoners: It’s very unlikely that Jobs will announce a Verizon iPhone, despite that carrier’s superb network—including an earlier expected transition to 4G than is expected with AT&T.
—Mike Gikas
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