iPhone 5 Wishlist: 30 Things I Want to See in the Next Big Smartphone
It’s pretty amazing when you stretch your imagination a bit and think about new uses for existing technology.
I’ll give you an example: years ago I had the FIRST script that caused Clickbank ads to appear on your site looking like AdSense.
It sounds silly now, but this was back when Clickbank was hot and AdSense was hot.
Although I was first, I had about ten (mostly free) competitors within the first 14 days of launching, including people like Joel Comm and Armand Morin.
How did I Differentiate Myself?
1. My script was the only one that was contextual… the ads were targeted to the content “magically” just like AdSense… no one else had this feature.
2. There was a built in referral system for points, only a couple other people had this feature.
3. It showed images of over 750 Clickbank products directly in the ads, no one else had this feature.
4. It allowed anyone with the script to establish their own pay-per-click AND/OR traffic exchange network… no one else came close to this feature.
And Now You See Phones That Let You…
1. Use it as a turn-by-turn GPS.
2. Let you access your usual time-wasting sites like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, from anywhere.
3. Take HD photos and videos.
4. Turn it into a roaming wifi-to-3G hotspot.
Every time a new iPhone, Blackberry or Droid comes out, it adds new things people can do with phones. On that note, here’s what I want to see in iPhone 5:
Likely Features
1. 128 GB storage (reasonable to expect by summer 2011)
2. 12 hours of talk time (improved battery life)
3. Video calling with non-iPhone4’s (iPhone to webcam)
4. Recurring billing for some apps in the App Store (added Feb 2011 – same apps had their own internal billing before this)
5. Built-in network file sharing (wifi and bluetooth) and the ability to download a FILE from the internet to the phone
6. Better Google Maps: works more like the Droid where it has voice recognition, turn by turn voice directions and a street view screenshot when you arrive (might happen when Google releases its free GPS app)
Communications
7. 4G network and gigabit wifi (maybe possible once iPhone isn’t stuck with AT&T service)
8. Automatic syncing over Wifi (Steve Jobs has promised this eventually)
9. Tethering and mifi hotspot capability (available now with Verizon iPhone at least)
10. Incoming Skype calling (added Jan 2011)
11. RFID or digital wallet
12. FM/XM radio receiver or HD TV receiver (might not be necessary if there’s 4G)
Hardware
13. Dual speakers for louder and better sound quality
14. Touch sensors you can program it like the “virtual buttons” on the front and back
15. Ability to stream video to TVs with a USB dock or wireless HDMI (now possible with Apple TV)
16. USB attachment instead of Apple’s proprietary plugin
17. Smudge-resistant glass (might not be possible)
18. Keyboard attachment (both physical and bluebooth keyboards now available)
Software
19. A better notes app that acts more like EverNote and AudioNote combined
20. Better file management (plug into USB, drag and drop pictures and notes instead of importing)
21. Different skins or themes
22. Integrated RedLaser, Facebook, FlightTrack, Twitter, GPS, Bump, Amazon and Skype into the OS (seriously, buy out the “Bump” company, guys)
23. Integrated and standardized mobile banking
24. Gestures, i.e. put the phone into airplane mode by signing a figure-eight
Pie in the Sky Wish List
25. Unibody: no physical buttons whatsoever — if combined with wireless charging they could make the phone waterproof and not only prevent damaged phones, but it would become an underwater camera and you could even make phone calls UNDERWATER and use the internet UNDERWATER
26. Call screening logic, such as: direct straight to voicemail after hours or from unrecognized numbers
27. Ad-hoc (phone to phone) wifi capabilities
28. Solar panels for recharging (Apple has this patent but it’s still probably a few years away)
29. Facial recognition and “maybe” biometric (fingerprint) security if it can be accomplished with the camera
30. Presentation projector (maybe a 3rd party should create a special stand so it doesn’t suck up battery life)
What features do you wish your phone had? Will smartphones 100% replace computers someday? Or do you think this is all ridiculous and a phone is just a phone, is doesn’t need anymore features? Please comment below, right… now.
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Great list Robert.
I would add two things:
1) Using the GPS would not require the screen to be constantly lit. If the thing is talking to you step by step, why does it have to keep the screen lit and suck the battery dry?
2) Screening and filtering for email and SMS. I have had to buy and install software to prevent SMS spamming for over 5 years. Why isn’t this included in the basic smartphone? My service provider, Sprint, has some capability on the web site, but you are limited to something like 25 sms ids you can block.
Robert – I think one of the things that stands out about you is that you’re always thinking. I’ve just been using my phone – and not necessarily rethinking it.
Right now I’d just like to be able to read my excel and PDFs on it without a big hassle. I just want to drag & drop files onto it so I can take them with me. I’d like to shoot itunes and all of its digital protection so I can actually move a video I paid for from my ipod to my iphone. In essence, I’d like to get THIS one working before I design the next one. 🙂
Thanks for all of your ideas – and keep thinking!
Jeanette
Hey Robert,
I really like my phone to be… well just a phone. However, in our techno times I am guessing that I will have to get on the phone to do about everything I will need.
Beats carrying a laptop atound.
I think the some of the feature you have listed maybe a little Jetsonized. Like the faceual reconition or biometric security. One day they may insert a crystal on the palm of our hand that glows. Then when the light goes out when you turn 33 years old you are taken to chamber that instantly turns your old butt to dust.
Maybe they can infuse that in a phone.
Just kidding around with you Robert, I really think technology is great. I just wish they would include the internet connection free when you get a smart phone and a bigger keyboard that this old fart can actually see.
Happy Fourth of July
People like you make people like me keep waiting and waiting and waiting for the next newest biggest thing. Feature creep is a real problem.
OTOH, the iPhone was resistible till iPhone 4.
My phone features
No biometric. Voice recognition.
Wave phone over scanner to pay for gas, groceries and stuff.
Personalized app’s that performs computations and tasks and companies buy the results (beats outsourcing overseas)
Presentation projector so you can watch a movies or see your work on a wall.
Cloud spectrum technology that automatically adjusts to what’s available so network is never overloaded.
Blocks unwanted calls by phone saying there is no such number. Try your call again.
I’ll settle for the last one.
The new sprint evo has some of the things your looking for. My most important feature that I want in the futue is a batter that last with apps running. Most phone work great when just talking is involved, but when apps are used the battery drains like a bathtub.
It would also be nice to has a phone thatinagreats with allows you to use FTP software. I always have thing I want to up load from work but can’t because I can not down load the software to my pc.
Rob
So looking forward to going back to the UK to get one of these, I love my iTouch and the iphone is just a step up.
Great article on the iPhone. I can’t speak from experience but I see people use them in many ways. The problem that I have is the screen size and type size, to small. My current phone screen and type are to small for me, so I don’t text much. I understand that larger size for any reason removes the positive side of size factor. That is me and I have old eyes.
Your suggestions for the future is quite possible and in a short amount of time.
WiMax / 4G, not sure if they are same but WiMax increases the range from 2 miles to almost 30, a better bet.
RFID is in use in Japan and has some problems at least what I read last but I bet it is coming sooner rather than later.
Gigabit speed from AT&T, I’ll believe it when I see it, they for YEARS have promised improvements.
I could easily live with the features of the iPhone 3… 🙂
My main use for the phone part is SMS and receiving calls. On the other hand I do enjoy the thought of combining an iPod (such as my 8Gb Touch) with a cellphone, and in that perspective, the “old” iPhone is perfect.
But for Danes there is a dual problem. Apple hasn’t yet released the iPad, and so one still needs an iPhone for calendar administration etc. or an entire MacBook if one desires to read e-books.
Wondering when Apple will learn about marketing, and putting all customers at the centre of their business. It’s ridiculous that we have to travel 100 miles south to get an iPad when they won’t even ship to a Danish location.
Thanks for the inspiring blog. Amazing amount of updates recently. Hope you enjoy the comments. 🙂
I totally agree for facial recognition and fingerprint reader, as well as touch buttons
Would be great if Apple could include ir on Iphone 5. I just want to be able to throw all ugly electronic devices away. If they could make a universal remote app that could compensate for all remote controls in our homes and make the screen look like each and every one of them on demand would be great and really helpful.
Voice recognition would also be great (voice to text) just to be able to write documents quickly on the run.
Heres my wishlist for the iPhone 5.
1. 1.4ghz quad core processor. Or atleast unlock the full potential of the current iPhone 4 processor.
2. 8mp back AND front cameras… with flash!
3. 1gb Ram. The current iphone 4 has 512mb of ram. Well They should add another 512mb dedicated strait for multi media power. Maybe get a hold of nVida??? :D:D:D
4. Unlock the power of bluetooth. To many restrictions on our bluetooth setting, its barely usable.
5. No more “home” button. Get rid of it and make the screen larger. Or at lease make it more rectangular and move it down to the bottom of the screen so that the screen can be bigger.
6. AM/ FM/ XM radio build strait in.
7. 5.8ghz wireless support a/b/g/n
8. Multi wifi signal connection. The ability to connect to more than 1 wireless signal at a time :D.
9. A second speaker! Never understood why the iphones only had 1…
10. On screen recording. We can take snap shots of our screens. We should be able to record as well.
11. Motion Capture camera. So to take better action shots… (probably should have listed this earlier).
12. 32gb and 64gb for the same price as the current 16gb and 32gb versions…
13. retinal security scan for superior protection.
14. something that lets us know if a sms mms was, received, ignored or opened.
Jeanette,
It looks like with GoodReader (for PDFs) and CineXPlayer (for videos) you really can avoid iTunes for most of your documents.
We need a better iPhone spreadsheet program than DocsToGo though.
Ultimate iphone wishlist:
I would Like it if the new iPhone 5 had:
4inch screen or larger on same size iPhone
Bluetooth file transfer
3G network upgradeable to 4G
Ability to record screen just like you can take a screen snap shot
1080p HD rear video recording
720p HD FaceTime camera
8Mp rear camera or above with dual flash
5Mp front facing camera for superior FaceTime calls and portrait snapshots with led flash ?
Live social feeds
Wireless syncing with ITunes
32Gb instead of 16Gb for same Price
Possibly 1GB ram
Dual core 1.5ghz processor
Longer lasting battery
iMovie video editing built into camera app
Photo booth camera effects
2 speakers instead of 1 possibly :
Dolby mobile srs surround sound
Voice to text
Turn by turn GPRS navigation
MobileMe for free
Facial or finger print recognition and detection
True multitasking
Option to enable or disable adobe flash
Mini USB to replace 30 pin
Live widgets and wallpapers
FaceTime over 3G
Virtual buttons on back and front as said
Better lock screen with live widgets
Redesigned or more polished interface?
Better notification system
Exclusive Apple branded Blackberry messenger
More stable antenna design
Virtual touch sensitive backlit home button
Micro sd card if there isn’t 64Gb or above
NFC – near field communication
Fm radio built in
iTunes in the cloud
Advanced voice recognition
Biometric security
Camera timer with physical shutter button
Thunderbolt?Maybe would be good for charging
Perhaps cheaper price to compete with android
White colored case
Better airplay features
Wireless charging
LTE
Radio frequency Identification
Motion capture camera
That’s it for now…
iPhone 5 ULTIMATE wishlist :
I would Like it if the new iPhone 5 had:
4inch screen or larger on same size iPhoneÂ
Bluetooth file transferÂ
3G network upgradeable to 4GÂ
Ability to record screen just like you can take a screen snap shotÂ
1080p HD rear video recordingÂ
720p HD FaceTime cameraÂ
8Mp rear camera or above with dual flash
5Mp front facing camera for superior FaceTime calls and portrait snapshots with led flash ?Â
Live social feedsÂ
Wireless syncing with ITunesÂ
32Gb instead of 16Gb for same PriceÂ
Possibly 1GB ram
Dual core 1.5ghz processor
Longer lasting battery
iMovie video editing built into camera app
Photo booth camera effectsÂ
2 speakers instead of 1 possibly :
Dolby mobile srs surround soundÂ
Voice to textÂ
Turn by turn GPRS navigation
MobileMe for freeÂ
Facial or finger print recognition and detection
True multitaskingÂ
Option to enable or disable adobe flash
Mini USB to replace 30 pinÂ
Live widgets and wallpapers
FaceTime over 3G
Virtual buttons on back and front as saidÂ
Better lock screen with live widgets
Redesigned or more polished interface?
Better notification system
Exclusive Apple branded Blackberry messenger
More stable antenna design
Virtual touch sensitive backlit home buttonÂ
Micro sd card if there isn’t 64Gb or above
NFC – near field communication
Fm radio built in
iTunes in the cloudÂ
Advanced voice recognition
Biometric security
Camera timer with physical shutter button
Thunderbolt?Maybe would be good for charging
Perhaps cheaper price to compete with android
White colored case
Better airplay features
Wireless charging
LTE
Radio frequency Identification
iPhone 5 ULTIMATE wishlist ::
I would Like it if the new iPhone 5 had:
4inch screen or larger on same size iPhoneÂ
Bluetooth file transferÂ
3G network upgradeable to 4GÂ
Ability to record screen just like you can take a screen snap shotÂ
1080p HD rear video recordingÂ
720p HD FaceTime cameraÂ
8Mp rear camera or above with dual flash
5Mp front facing camera for superior FaceTime calls and portrait snapshots with led flash ?Â
Live social feedsÂ
Wireless syncing with ITunesÂ
32Gb instead of 16Gb for same PriceÂ
Possibly 1GB ram
Dual core 1.5ghz processor
Longer lasting battery
iMovie video editing built into camera app
Photo booth camera effectsÂ
2 speakers instead of 1 possibly :
Dolby mobile srs surround soundÂ
Voice to textÂ
Turn by turn GPRS navigation
MobileMe for freeÂ
Facial or finger print recognition and detection
True multitaskingÂ
Option to enable or disable adobe flash
Mini USB to replace 30 pinÂ
Live widgets and wallpapers
FaceTime over 3G
Virtual buttons on back and front as saidÂ
Better lock screen with live widgets
Redesigned or more polished interface?
Better notification system
Exclusive Apple branded Blackberry messenger
More stable antenna design
Virtual touch sensitive backlit home buttonÂ
Micro sd card if there isn’t 64Gb or above
NFC – near field communication
Fm radio built in
iTunes in the cloudÂ
Advanced voice recognition
Biometric security
Camera timer with physical shutter button
Thunderbolt?Maybe would be good for charging
Perhaps cheaper price to compete with android
White colored case
Better airplay features
Wireless charging
LTE
Radio frequency Identification
Â
Â
I would like to see the ability to manually choose the fstop, shutter speed and ISO of the camera.
Also, in video mode, shoot high speed 300+ fps
Feature of iPhone 5
* 20 % lighter – 18 % thinner – 12 % less volume
* 8 hrs Video Playback Time
* 4-inch 1136 x 640 Display
* LTE wireless technology
* iSight Camera for Capture Everything