What will iPhone 2.0, 3.0 etc. look like?
Hi all
How about some of you with Mad Skilz® in illustration/rendering come up with some concepts of the future evolution of the iPhone. Use iPod evolution as a baseline; remember how cool and slick we thought iPod v1 was, and how boxy and clunky it looks now? Start your engines!
How about some of you with Mad Skilz® in illustration/rendering come up with some concepts of the future evolution of the iPhone. Use iPod evolution as a baseline; remember how cool and slick we thought iPod v1 was, and how boxy and clunky it looks now? Start your engines!
Comments
That said, I can imagine a few distinct evolutionary physical changes and here's what I think they'll be (perhaps someone with the appropriate Photoshop skills and go to work on this):
(These first two are sort of the "duh" predictions)
- Thinner and less pronounced frame. Remember the design trend appears to be to make the thing/device itself disappear. I'm sure Apple is working hard on thinner, lighter and shrinking frames.
- Brighter and higher resolution screen.
These next four are "pure Apple" (as in, if anyone can/will do it, it is Apple)...these are also probably in order of likeliness:
- The "home" button to be integrated into the screen somehow and the screen extended down to take the space where that button now resides.
- Camera integrated with/behind the screen in such a way that if you were looking right at the screen, you'd be looking right into the camera. Apple has filed a patent for such an approach. This will solve the "look me in the eye" problem with video chat (which I suspect is a future software/service feature for th iPhone).
- Tactile feedback from the touch screen. Apple has filed a patent for such an approach.
- The ear speaker to to be hidden behind the screen somehow and the screen extended up to take the space where that opening now resides.
Now before anyone jumps in and says "That's impossible!" maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But, like I said, if anyone can figure it out, it's Apple. I am simply extrapolating design trends that I've seen from Apple for the past several years.
Note that I see the same kind of things happening with the iMac as well (thinner, smaller frame and chin, possible touch screen, camera integrated with the screen, etc.).
Both of these products are physically evolving in such a way that they are basically disappearing with only a screen (and keyboard and mouse for the iMac) remaining suggesting that most of the product innovation will come along the lines of hidden features, software and user interface. The interface will be the thing. Or "It's the (graphical) interface stupid."
I could be guilty of having a pretty limited imagination, but I don't see a huge amount of change (as you have with the iPod).
That said, I can imagine a few distinct evolutionary physical changes and here's what I think they'll be (perhaps someone with the appropriate Photoshop skills and go to work on this):
(These first two are sort of the "duh" predictions)
- Thinner and less pronounced frame. Remember the design trend appears to be to make the thing/device itself disappear. I'm sure Apple is working hard on thinner, lighter and shrinking frames.
- Brighter and higher resolution screen.
These next four are "pure Apple" (as in, if anyone can/will do it, it is Apple)...these are also probably in order of likeliness:
- The "home" button to be integrated into the screen somehow and the screen extended down to take the space where that button now resides.
- Camera integrated with/behind the screen in such a way that if you were looking right at the screen, you'd be looking right into the camera. Apple has filed a patent for such an approach. This will solve the "look me in the eye" problem with video chat (which I suspect is a future software/service feature for th iPhone).
- Tactile feedback from the touch screen. Apple has filed a patent for such an approach.
- The ear speaker to to be hidden behind the screen somehow and the screen extended up to take the space where that opening now resides.
Now before anyone jumps in and says "That's impossible!" maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But, like I said, if anyone can figure it out, it's Apple. I am simply extrapolating design trends that I've seen from Apple for the past several years.
Note that I see the same kind of things happening with the iMac as well (thinner, smaller frame and chin, possible touch screen, camera integrated with the screen, etc.).
Both of these products are physically evolving in such a way that they are basically disappearing with only a screen (and keyboard and mouse for the iMac) remaining suggesting that most of the product innovation will come along the lines of hidden features, software and user interface. The interface will be the thing. Or "It's the (graphical) interface stupid."
Great start, very logical ideas - now lets see some virtual gadget pron
So:
1.
An iPhone NANO. That is a much smaller iPhone with iPod functionality and not much else. This phone would have a minimal screen and not much else.
2.
IPhone bumps. I suspect that the current iPhone hardware will be around for awhile. What they will do though is bump the Flash capability form time to time.
3.
IPhone Max. This is what the first 3G hardware will come in. It will be a phone with a larger screen but remain something that is pocketable. It will have 3G, a 720x480 LCD screen ( or maybe OLED), memeory expansion and a USB host port.
4.
I wouldn't be surprised to see a tablet computer with cell functionality built in too.
Dave
This discussion is all well and good, but this thread was started to generate mock-ups - is there nobody with a few hours and a Wacom tablet handy?
Believe me you are better off looking at my prose than my art. But don't b affriad to use you imagination. For example look at an old iPod Nano, fatten it up a bit for battery and radio, and you have the low end phone. For iPhone 2 simply take a picture of the current one and stretch it by about a 1/2" in width and you have a much more useful display.
In any event there really isn't much to mock up when you consider the iPhone.
Dave
iPhone MkII
Slightly thicker to accommodate a bigger battery and more circuitry for the 3G.
Height: 4.5 inches (115 mm) - Width: 2.4 inches (61 mm) - Depth: 0.55 inch (14 mm) - Weight: 5.1 ounces (145 grams)
A more matte border similar to the new Classic iPods and nanos.
Audio port is not recessed.
SIM slot is relocated to inside the new removable battery compartment.
The new battery is integrated into the cover (currently the black bottom portion) and now matches the back brushed metal top portion. You just slide it down while squeezing 2 side releases.
The MkI would still be available.
iPhone nano:
iPod-ish phones:
Tablet:
video iPods:
"
- The "home" button to be integrated into the screen somehow and the screen extended down to take the space where that button now resides...
- The ear speaker to to be hidden behind the screen somehow and the screen extended up to take the space where that opening now resides.
Now before anyone jumps in and says "That's impossible!" maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But, like I said, if anyone can figure it out, it's Apple. I am simply extrapolating design trends that I've seen from Apple for the past several years.
Note that I see the same kind of things happening with the iMac as well (thinner, smaller frame and chin, possible touch screen, camera integrated with the screen, etc.).
"
I agree with you that the whole front of the device will one day be a screen completely. But I think its the other way around. I think that the iPhone itself will shrink... Who knows. Right now, I feel that the iPhone is a touch too big. No pun intended.
The best thing about the iPhone is the 3.5" screen. Make it bigger, 4 inches, but keep the same planform (4.4 x 2.4 inches). Add more resolution, 400x600. Use LED backlighting for better power savings. They could make the audio and cell phone portions even better by adding a speaker (I'd move the loud-speaker to the ear-piece location and add another speaker/ear-piece) with appropriate audio hardware to make calls clearer, louder and the speaker even louder. And I'd add another microphone so that people can hear your calls better, both in normal and speaker modes. Add more sensors.
Then there are the obvious things: 16/32 GB storage (it really needs to have room for 2 flash packages minimum); 3 MP camera with flash, AF, IS; UMTS / HSxPA; faster more power-efficient electronics; accessories; etc.
And as has been said before, there should be a plethora of models spanning from an iPhone "nano", an iPhone, and an iPhone "pro".
The iPhone would be the same size as now, but everything optimized and evolving per above.
The iPhone "nano" would be the more "affordable" iPhone at ~$200. Take the current iPhone and shrink it down to a 4x2 inch form factor, a 3" 480x320 screen, EDGE / UMTS, 8 GB storage, etc. It's just the current iPhone in a smaller package. The 4 icon wide spacing will likely have to go though.
For the iPhone "pro", it would really be geared towards the Blackberry and professional markets in the $500 to $600 range. Exchange push and sync (everything: calendar, contacts, notes, tasks, to do, email) or RIM equivalent has to be there. There's room to make it 4.8 x 2.6 x 0.6 inches form factor too (PDA sized) with a ~4.5" screen at 480x720 resolution. The keyboard in portrait position will be ~10% wider and ~25% larger in area on simple scaling alone. Web-browsing would be more like the desktop experience. A nice loud-speaker or conference calls. Wider soft QWERTY for easier typing.
Then the software has to be improved everywhere with Mac OS X like functionality: spotlight searching everywhere, Expose, Quicklook, mobile iWork/iLife, etc. This will take a long long time to do though.
Well, anyways, the next iPhone will look a lot like the current iPhone with evolution hardware and software changes. There could be an interim 16 GB model as everyone is speculating. Then the 3G version will obviously come by Summer. I do think there will be a mid-range, $200 iPhone. Not sure what it'll look like though. Touchscreen for sure since Apple is investing heavily into it.