What I Want From the iPhone 5
While I’m still undecided on what phone I will be replacing my iPhone 3GS with, the front-runner is now the iPhone 5, a device that is rumored to be coming out sometime this fall.
Currently, the next iPhone is rumored to be a lot of things, as most unannounced Apple products generally are. Apple does a great job of keeping the lid on its products ahead of their launch and the iPhone 5, well, it’s proving to be no different.
Something that we do know is that it will be different than the iPhone 4S, the iPhone model that was released in October of last year. Apple has never released the same phone two years in a row, as far as I know.
As many of you know, I never liked the design of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. I never fell in love with the glass backing and missed the curves of the iPhone 3GS.
I also passed on the iPhone 4S because it lacked 4G LTE data speeds. I didn’t want to endure two years with a 3G smartphone knowing that 4G LTE was at my disposal.
So, the iPhone 5 has been the phone that I’ve waited to see since the middle of October and since then, I have compiled a bunch of features that I hope Apple includes on the next iPhone.
Here is my iPhone 5 wish list.
4G LTE or bust.
4G LTE
Plain and simple, I want 4G LTE on the iPhone 5. For those that haven’t used it, try to pick up a 4G LTE device and use it for a week. Then, go back to using your 3G or the ’4G’ service that’s offered on the ATT version of the iPhone 4S. Neither are in the same realm as LTE.
A connection to an LTE network allows a device to pull down data speeds that can top out at 10 times faster than 3G data speeds. Often times, it feels like you’re walking around with a device that is supported by a mobile Wi-Fi connection. It’s that fast. Video content zips and downloads cruise on 4G LTE.
Fortunately, Apple is heavily rumored to be releasing a 4G LTE iPhone 5. The company launched a 4G LTE new iPad back in March of this year, its first 4G LTE device, and the iPhone’s three main U.S. carriers – ATT, Sprint and Verizon – all have 4G LTE networks in place.
4-Inch Screen
For two years, I have craved an iPhone with a larger display. However, my version of a larger display isn’t the monstrosity found on the Samsung Galaxy S III or the HTC One X. Displays that are 4.7-inches or 4.8-inches feel ridiculous to me.
Instead, my sweet spot is a 4-inch display. I absolutely loved the size of the Droid Incredible’s display when it first arrived all those years ago and I immediately wanted Apple to put a similar size on the iPhone.
I’d love to see a larger 4-inch display.
First of all, it allows me to still use my thumbs to move about the screen. Second, it enlarges the content on my screen. The current 3.5-inch iPhone display size, especially in this content-rich mobile landscape, is too small. And third, it allow for the phone to stay a phone and not a borderline phablet.
I have no interest in toting around a tank of an iPhone.
The iPhone 5 is heavily rumored to feature a 4-inch screen. I’m not sure if Apple heard my pleas or if it hacked into my GChat conversations but it looks as though it may release an iPhone with a bigger screen and that has me excited.
Better Front-Facing Camera
It may look like I am just running down the current iPhone 5 rumors but I am not. When I first picked up my new iPad in March, one of the things I complained about was the fact that the device lacked a decent front-facing camera. The iPhone, in its current state, is in the same boat.
While the rear camera on the iPhone 4S is great, the front-facing camera leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, most devices lack an awesome front-facing camera. Even my Galaxy Nexus comes up short.
I have friends all over the globe, all over the country, and I would love to be able to video chat with them and see their beautiful mugs.
Hopefully, now that iOS 6 is bringing FaceTime over 3G and presumably 4G LTE, Apple will include an amazing front-facing camera so that people like me actually use services like FaceTime or Google+ Hangouts to communicate.
No Glass
As I’ve said, I’ve never been a fan of the glass backing that Apple put on the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S. I’ve had many friends drop, and destroy, their iPhones.
I would love an iPhone 5 with a metal back.
That combined with my preference for a metal back have compelled me to add this to iPhone 5 wish list and fortunately, there are rumors swirling about the possibility.
Curved Design
The flat design of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, like the glass, never sat well with me. For me, personally, it felt awkward to hold and that’s a pretty key thing when it comes to a phone. Now, I realize that I am in the minority here, but I preferred the design on the iPhone 3GS a lot more than the current iPhone models.
I was never a big fan of the iPhone 5 design.
To me, it feels better in the hand and quite frankly, I think it looks a lot sleeker.
Last year, Apple was rumored to be releasing an iPhone with a tear drop design and hopefully, we see something similar with the iPhone 5.
Best-in-Class Battery Life
Finally, and this might be the most important of them all, I want the iPhone 5 to offer the best battery life ever found on a smartphone. That’s not to say that the iPhones of old offered poor battery life, they didn’t, but it’s my hope that Apple sets a new standard with the iPhone 5.
With phones like the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX offering up 21 hours of continuous talk time along with 4G LTE data speeds, I know this is possible.
And, Apple, with all the time it has had to test 4G LTE and battery life, has a really good shot at raising the bar for its competitors in this area, an area that has always been extremely important to smartphone owners.
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So, those are the six features that are on my iPhone 5 wish list. What’s on yours?
About the Author (Author Profile)
Adam is an editor based in San Francisco, California who loves his iPhone 3GS, iPad third-generation and Samsung Galaxy Nexus. He’s also becoming intrigued with Windows Phone. You can follow him on Twitter or reach him by email at adam@notebooks.com.
Comments (3)
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Article source: http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/07/06/what-i-want-from-the-iphone-5/
Are you kidding me? “Apple has never released the same phone more than two years in a row”…that’s all they have done! There is no difference from the first iPhone in 2007 to the 4s, they are all the same. Anybody who had a iPhone 4 and bought a 4s has got to be an isheep, plan and simple. Do yourself a favor, think outside of Apple and buy something worth your money, like android. Why do you think Apple just paid 96 million dollars to stop the sales of the Galaxy Nexus? Because Samsung is innovating.
I’m with you. Not crazy about a taller screen; I’d love one with more horizontal real estate as well as vertical. I don’t want it just stretched; I want it bigger overall. I would LOVE 128GB of storage. Bigger screen and more storage = one happy customer! I’ll buy it regardless however; iPhones are the best.
Original Droid Incredible had a 3.7″ screen. The original Galaxy S debuted with a 4″ screen though.
I don’t know how Apple could add a bigger screen and 4G LTE without making a brick since they like to stick with metal. Plus they haven’t show any interest in AMOLED which allows for the thinner screen that made the Droid RAZR possible.
I completely agree about the tear drop design though. That would be so freaking beautiful.