I love this new design but that original iPhone was very comfortable to hold. Not sure I want the rest of the space filled with battery as that would be obnoxious but I'd for rounded, thicker and aluminum again.
One thing about the flat edges is that it makes it possible to turn on the video camera and place it on a table edgewise to record unattended. Same thing to watch a video. It is not that often that you would use it in that way but with rounded edges you could not do it at all.
Samsung Galaxy S III is 8.6 mm thick -- OMG, Apple is copying Samsung if the new iPhone is going to be 8.63 mm thick!
While I'm planning to go for the iPhone 5, I don't really see that much advancement in the iPhone domain. Plenty of high-power, high-resolution, very capable phones out there already.
1: Magsafe connector: Doubt that. Smaller, yes, but not Magsafe. Apple does not permit others to make (or even reuse) Magsafe connectors. If they had the same policy for iPhones, they would wipe out a thriving ecosystem for accessories. Those accessories are one of the attractions of the iPhone. It has to be a design simple enough so they will let others make it too. I keep thinking it would be cool if you could somehow stick in a micro USB connector for charging only and a larger Apple connector for full data and accessories, but this is probably not feasible.
2: Looks like the old iPhone. Slightly sleeker because of being thinner. From a marketing standpoint, I think I am ready for a shift in design and this seems too conservative. Apple has a lot invested in the optimized design of the external antenna band, so I think they want to milk it some more. Sigh.
3: There is almost nothing poking out beyond the antenna band. This looks much cleaner and purer than the iPhone 4 and 4s with that ungainly and fragile plastic band around the edge of the glass. This part I like.
4: Although I like the metal back, I think the back of the phone looks like a patchwork of too many different pieces. This seems less objectionable in the pictures of the black model. I will withhold judgement until I see the real thing. Apple fit and finish has a way of making objections like this melt away.
Overall, its a good upgrade: LTE, a bit more screen area, thinner and sleeker. I would have appreciated a different design approach to this one and I would have appreciated even more screen real estate. I would love it if this were the low end model.... just one more thing....
Samsung Galaxy S III is 8.6 mm thick -- OMG, Apple is copying Samsung if the new iPhone is going to be 8.63 mm thick!
While I'm planning to go for the iPhone 5, I don't really see that much advancement in the iPhone domain. Plenty of high-power, high-resolution, very capable phones out there already.
That what you should expect. Apple changed the landscape with the original iPhone and since then they've been perfecting and refining the device. To expect the same radical YoY change from the industry will just lead to repeated disappointment. Expect it to get better, but don't expect it to get differenter.
With so many articles focusing on the design and external specs, it would be nice to see some articles in regards to what is going to be on the inside of the phone and other key specs. Maybe these leaks are far harder to come by. Specifically, I wonder how they plan to address all the flavors of LTE all over the world. So many different bands is going to be a real issue for Apple and all other companies as well. Even when you look at just the USA alone, the combination of CDMA, GSM, then add different LTE bands in the mix as well. In North America, 700/ 800 and 1,700/ 1,900 MHz and 2.5GHz in future; 800, 1,800, 2,600 MHz in Europe, Middle East, Africa; 1,800 and 2,600 MHz in Asia; 1,800 MHz in Australia. China is using 1.9, 2.3, 2.5 GHz. Japan is using 800MHz & 2.1 GHz. And many markets in Southeast Asia are using 1.8 GHz and others.Then you have the TDD and FDD thrown in as well adding more confusion. A good list can be found here. LTE Bands
I am sure Apple wants to produce as few iPhone models as possible to save on costs. Years ago people hoped LTE would allow a true global phone for voice and data roaming, but it looks like it will be even more complex and not less. The LTE iPad only worked in North America so I am interested to see how Apple will address this issue. Maybe they have a new SoC that will be a true rosetta stone.
Thoughts:
1: Magsafe connector: Doubt that. Smaller, yes, but not Magsafe. Apple does not permit others to make (or even reuse) Magsafe connectors. If they had the same policy for iPhones, they would wipe out a thriving ecosystem for accessories. Those accessories are one of the attractions of the iPhone. It has to be a design simple enough so they will let others make it too. I keep thinking it would be cool if you could somehow stick in a micro USB connector for charging only and a larger Apple connector for full data and accessories, but this is probably not feasible.
I didn't think it makes sense considering the size compared to the current MagSafe and the number of pins that would be required to make it bi-directional but this latest pic shows an interesting bevel and rim in the port that is making me rethink my position.
Oh, no! Please! What an ugly lump it's going to become! Did Apple really hired "designer" from scamsung?
Well, if you think it's ugly, I guess Apple should go back to the drawing board. Because clearly after the entire internet (this place included) had declared the iPhone 4 design the most hideous thing they've ever seen in their lives, 'ugly as sin', 'clearly not an Apple device', a 'monstrosity', etc- the phone was an utter failure. Oh wait- that was another dimension. The phone was the most successful in existence, and the subsequent one even more so, which retained the exact design. Learn some humility and stop with the sensationalism, it does nothing to further discussion. The design might not be up YOUR alley, but that doesn't mean its ugly, nor that Apple can't design. To this day, the iPhone 4/4S is still the most classy and beautiful phone ever made. None of the massive plastic phones today change that fact. Shows how much people shrieking on messageboards know. This design looks to be an improvement on the 4/4S design, and I have no doubt it will look stunning in person.
Also, why do people want Apple to throw out everything they learned while designing their current phones, and start from scratch? You people think Ive and his team didnt consider a bunch of other designs? That they don't have a hundred completely prototypes in the lab? Clearly they believe there's design elements from the current generation that work extremely well for their goals, and that building on that is a good thing. Also, the product is maturing. Look at Apple's iMac line, Macbook Air, MBP, etc. How much has the iMac changed in the past few years? The Retina MBP was basically rebuilt from the ground up- nothing internally is the same. But it looks physically identical, minus the thinnes and the ports. You think Apple could EASILY have changed the designed while they were redesigning it from scratch? Of course they could have. But they DECIDED to keep it similar. Maybe because they believe they got it right. Just because something is not radically redesigned to satisfy people's ADHD, doesnt mean Apple has no 'innovation' left. It means they think deeply about every design choice, as its interwoven with function. I'm shocked at how so many people here look at things from such a childish point of view. Maybe because they're children, I don't know. There's a million considerations when designing a phone (especially one that will sell in iPhone's #s) and I'm sure Apple's design team ahs considered every single one of them and produced a product they believe meets those goals in the best way they know how. If you don't like it, don't buy it. But atleast wait until the damn thing is officially revealed to jump to conclusions.
They must be, among other things, as I assume you're attempting to say that phone with 237% the battery capacity of the iPhone 4S somehow invalides my response to 1) the 4s battery life is far worse than the 4, 2) not even close to other phones, despite my proving otherwise.
Here are the results of the Droid RZR MAXX. It's simply amazing that a phone with 5 Whr battery could even come close, much less beat a phone with 12 Whr battery in any test. It solidifies just how good Apple is at power management -and/or- just how bad Android and/or their vendors are it.
It also shows just how easily Apple could fix this problem. They don't need a HUGE battery. They just need a little bit bigger one. You'd think it would be a great marketing tool to have users going around to all their friends 'sheesh, you need to charge your phone before we go out to the bar? My iPhone still has 42% left!"
Much better than "oh our phone is only 7mm, the HUGE droid phone over there is 7.3mm thick. What an ugly mess that is."
That seems guaranteed with these 3rd gen LTE chips. I'll be shocked it they are still using gen 2 tech in this next iPhone.
I would expect no less from Apple when it comes to 2nd Gen LTE chipset and 28nm fabs but its still a larger battery draw and the iPhone 4S sucked more power than the iPhone 4 based on added features. I would be happy with the same thickness if they put in a larger battery or if they can fit a larger battery with a thinner design then I am even more happy. Apple has excellent designs, but they do sacrifice the customers expectations since they put more emphasis on design.
Also, the MAXX has 29% greater volume in their phone, of course they had room for that much battery.
Thats exactly what I'm saying. Nobody is forcing Apple to make their phones with so much less volume. They are choosing to do it that way, at the expense of battery life. And it makes me, and a lot of other people, miserable.
Remember when Apple was arguing for a software SIM (again to make the phone more interoperable [read: firmware push]). Maybe qualcomm can do the same (a firmware frequency 'tuner').
as for battery volume.
Old 4s gross volume= 62642.4 cu. mm
new iPhone gross volume = 55026.6
net reduction = 7615 (12.2% decrease)
This is significant. Unless all the other components (including the 'exoskeleton') shrunk by more than 12%, battery space will be smaller.
But in the end, the weight is the most important thing after dimensions. more battery = heavier. so here's to chip power consumption efficiency!!!!
I would like to see a software based SIM standard be adopted, this would truly make the iPhone unique and allow customers to take a world phone from say Verizon and put it on Sprint, or a Sprint iPhone to Vodafone via a software update at the Apple store. Of course the carriers will never allow such a standard or software flash to make the phones work on any carrier. Still its nice to dream and maybe someday we will see it.
I think there is a more pressing issue that falls under the lesser known diseconomies of scale, even though it's not quite the right term to use. Apple is in the unique position of having a premium product that sells more than the average, inexpensive product. This is great for business but it also means they need to have the latest components in quantity on launch day that far exceeds their rivals which means they need to stock pile a lot farther in advance and at much higher quantity and yet are still likely to launch afterwards due to the volumes needed to meet demand.
This issue is one that isn't easy overcome in a finite world which is one reason I do expect them to vary the brand in ways that can use different components so they can maximize sales if component issues arise.
You're right, other smartphone aren't even close.
The only way the iPhone 4 beats the iPhone 4S is in gaming and that's because the 4S is considerably more powerful in the GPU.
While I would like to agree with you I have to point out one glaring issue. Most of the phones listed above are 4G LTE phones so they will drain the battery far quicker, if they were on 3G only then the battery tests would be different. Having owned a fair number of those phones I can say the iPhone 4 and 4S did not get that kind of battery life for me on 3G with good signal (Verizon).
Among those general industry advancements I believe is thinner cover glass thanks to gorilla glass 2 (0.9mm vs 1mm thick cover glass according to early reports) and a thinner overall screen. Either way, I believe the reduction is pretty impressive if they can still manage Apple quality and equal or better battery life to the original iPhone 4 (it is my belief the 4S battery life was slightly inferior).
I'm liking this design if it is final or very close to final! Though I personally prefer the headphone jack to be on top, I can get over it.
Apple has excellent designs, but they do sacrifice the customers expectations since they put more emphasis on design.
They do have excellent designs, but that extends to their engineering and what they think is important. One of those things is battery life and Apple has been very consistent with keeping the battery as good or better with each revision.
We can even use the iPad (3) as an example of Apple not sacrificing the battery life when it wanted to use a display, backlight and GPU that could handle 4x as many pixels. They did show us that they are willing to add weight and thickness if that is required to keep the battery lasting long enough even though the competition would have made it easy for them to justify a significant drop. I don't to be let down this year.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
I love this new design but that original iPhone was very comfortable to hold. Not sure I want the rest of the space filled with battery as that would be obnoxious but I'd for rounded, thicker and aluminum again.
One thing about the flat edges is that it makes it possible to turn on the video camera and place it on a table edgewise to record unattended. Same thing to watch a video. It is not that often that you would use it in that way but with rounded edges you could not do it at all.
Thinner? Ridiculous how the designers keep pushing on toward two dimensions.
Have they forgotten they are selling these things to humans(fingers) and not insects(pincers).
I'm getting it just for the camera.
Samsung Galaxy S III is 8.6 mm thick -- OMG, Apple is copying Samsung if the new iPhone is going to be 8.63 mm thick!
While I'm planning to go for the iPhone 5, I don't really see that much advancement in the iPhone domain. Plenty of high-power, high-resolution, very capable phones out there already.
Is that your app? I like it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by cameronj
My eyes must be failing me, sonny... can you point me to the Droid Razr Maxx on that chart please?
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5533/motorola-droid-razr-maxx-review-18x-the-battery/2
20.84 hrs talk time
8.13 hrs 3G Web Browsing
5.636 hrs 4G Web Browsing
12.74 hrs Wi Fi Web Browsing
6.367 hrs WiFi Hotspot 4G
Also, the MAXX has 29% greater volume in their phone, of course they had room for that much battery.
Thoughts:
1: Magsafe connector: Doubt that. Smaller, yes, but not Magsafe. Apple does not permit others to make (or even reuse) Magsafe connectors. If they had the same policy for iPhones, they would wipe out a thriving ecosystem for accessories. Those accessories are one of the attractions of the iPhone. It has to be a design simple enough so they will let others make it too. I keep thinking it would be cool if you could somehow stick in a micro USB connector for charging only and a larger Apple connector for full data and accessories, but this is probably not feasible.
2: Looks like the old iPhone. Slightly sleeker because of being thinner. From a marketing standpoint, I think I am ready for a shift in design and this seems too conservative. Apple has a lot invested in the optimized design of the external antenna band, so I think they want to milk it some more. Sigh.
3: There is almost nothing poking out beyond the antenna band. This looks much cleaner and purer than the iPhone 4 and 4s with that ungainly and fragile plastic band around the edge of the glass. This part I like.
4: Although I like the metal back, I think the back of the phone looks like a patchwork of too many different pieces. This seems less objectionable in the pictures of the black model. I will withhold judgement until I see the real thing. Apple fit and finish has a way of making objections like this melt away.
Overall, its a good upgrade: LTE, a bit more screen area, thinner and sleeker. I would have appreciated a different design approach to this one and I would have appreciated even more screen real estate. I would love it if this were the low end model.... just one more thing....
That what you should expect. Apple changed the landscape with the original iPhone and since then they've been perfecting and refining the device. To expect the same radical YoY change from the industry will just lead to repeated disappointment. Expect it to get better, but don't expect it to get differenter.
With so many articles focusing on the design and external specs, it would be nice to see some articles in regards to what is going to be on the inside of the phone and other key specs. Maybe these leaks are far harder to come by. Specifically, I wonder how they plan to address all the flavors of LTE all over the world. So many different bands is going to be a real issue for Apple and all other companies as well. Even when you look at just the USA alone, the combination of CDMA, GSM, then add different LTE bands in the mix as well. In North America, 700/ 800 and 1,700/ 1,900 MHz and 2.5GHz in future; 800, 1,800, 2,600 MHz in Europe, Middle East, Africa; 1,800 and 2,600 MHz in Asia; 1,800 MHz in Australia. China is using 1.9, 2.3, 2.5 GHz. Japan is using 800MHz & 2.1 GHz. And many markets in Southeast Asia are using 1.8 GHz and others.Then you have the TDD and FDD thrown in as well adding more confusion. A good list can be found here. LTE Bands
I am sure Apple wants to produce as few iPhone models as possible to save on costs. Years ago people hoped LTE would allow a true global phone for voice and data roaming, but it looks like it will be even more complex and not less. The LTE iPad only worked in North America so I am interested to see how Apple will address this issue. Maybe they have a new SoC that will be a true rosetta stone.
I didn't think it makes sense considering the size compared to the current MagSafe and the number of pins that would be required to make it bi-directional but this latest pic shows an interesting bevel and rim in the port that is making me rethink my position.
when is this bitch going to get 4G? Sorry, I havent found any reference that its going to get that speed. F*!
Originally Posted by ces69jen
when is this bitch going to get 4G? Sorry, I havent found any reference that its going to get that speed. F*!
If you believe what AT&T tells you, it already has 4G.
I just hope that Apple's using the truly world-band LTE chips this time. They didn't exist last time around, but there's no excuse not to now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by greybeard
Oh, no! Please! What an ugly lump it's going to become! Did Apple really hired "designer" from scamsung?
Well, if you think it's ugly, I guess Apple should go back to the drawing board. Because clearly after the entire internet (this place included) had declared the iPhone 4 design the most hideous thing they've ever seen in their lives, 'ugly as sin', 'clearly not an Apple device', a 'monstrosity', etc- the phone was an utter failure. Oh wait- that was another dimension. The phone was the most successful in existence, and the subsequent one even more so, which retained the exact design. Learn some humility and stop with the sensationalism, it does nothing to further discussion. The design might not be up YOUR alley, but that doesn't mean its ugly, nor that Apple can't design. To this day, the iPhone 4/4S is still the most classy and beautiful phone ever made. None of the massive plastic phones today change that fact. Shows how much people shrieking on messageboards know. This design looks to be an improvement on the 4/4S design, and I have no doubt it will look stunning in person.
Also, why do people want Apple to throw out everything they learned while designing their current phones, and start from scratch? You people think Ive and his team didnt consider a bunch of other designs? That they don't have a hundred completely prototypes in the lab? Clearly they believe there's design elements from the current generation that work extremely well for their goals, and that building on that is a good thing. Also, the product is maturing. Look at Apple's iMac line, Macbook Air, MBP, etc. How much has the iMac changed in the past few years? The Retina MBP was basically rebuilt from the ground up- nothing internally is the same. But it looks physically identical, minus the thinnes and the ports. You think Apple could EASILY have changed the designed while they were redesigning it from scratch? Of course they could have. But they DECIDED to keep it similar. Maybe because they believe they got it right. Just because something is not radically redesigned to satisfy people's ADHD, doesnt mean Apple has no 'innovation' left. It means they think deeply about every design choice, as its interwoven with function. I'm shocked at how so many people here look at things from such a childish point of view. Maybe because they're children, I don't know. There's a million considerations when designing a phone (especially one that will sell in iPhone's #s) and I'm sure Apple's design team ahs considered every single one of them and produced a product they believe meets those goals in the best way they know how. If you don't like it, don't buy it. But atleast wait until the damn thing is officially revealed to jump to conclusions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
They must be, among other things, as I assume you're attempting to say that phone with 237% the battery capacity of the iPhone 4S somehow invalides my response to 1) the 4s battery life is far worse than the 4, 2) not even close to other phones, despite my proving otherwise.
Here are the results of the Droid RZR MAXX. It's simply amazing that a phone with 5 Whr battery could even come close, much less beat a phone with 12 Whr battery in any test. It solidifies just how good Apple is at power management -and/or- just how bad Android and/or their vendors are it.
It also shows just how easily Apple could fix this problem. They don't need a HUGE battery. They just need a little bit bigger one. You'd think it would be a great marketing tool to have users going around to all their friends 'sheesh, you need to charge your phone before we go out to the bar? My iPhone still has 42% left!"
Much better than "oh our phone is only 7mm, the HUGE droid phone over there is 7.3mm thick. What an ugly mess that is."
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
That seems guaranteed with these 3rd gen LTE chips. I'll be shocked it they are still using gen 2 tech in this next iPhone.
I would expect no less from Apple when it comes to 2nd Gen LTE chipset and 28nm fabs but its still a larger battery draw and the iPhone 4S sucked more power than the iPhone 4 based on added features. I would be happy with the same thickness if they put in a larger battery or if they can fit a larger battery with a thinner design then I am even more happy. Apple has excellent designs, but they do sacrifice the customers expectations since they put more emphasis on design.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SSquirrel
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5533/motorola-droid-razr-maxx-review-18x-the-battery/2
20.84 hrs talk time
8.13 hrs 3G Web Browsing
5.636 hrs 4G Web Browsing
12.74 hrs Wi Fi Web Browsing
6.367 hrs WiFi Hotspot 4G
Also, the MAXX has 29% greater volume in their phone, of course they had room for that much battery.
Thats exactly what I'm saying. Nobody is forcing Apple to make their phones with so much less volume. They are choosing to do it that way, at the expense of battery life. And it makes me, and a lot of other people, miserable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOtherGeoff
Remember when Apple was arguing for a software SIM (again to make the phone more interoperable [read: firmware push]). Maybe qualcomm can do the same (a firmware frequency 'tuner').
as for battery volume.
Old 4s gross volume= 62642.4 cu. mm
new iPhone gross volume = 55026.6
net reduction = 7615 (12.2% decrease)
This is significant. Unless all the other components (including the 'exoskeleton') shrunk by more than 12%, battery space will be smaller.
But in the end, the weight is the most important thing after dimensions. more battery = heavier. so here's to chip power consumption efficiency!!!!
I would like to see a software based SIM standard be adopted, this would truly make the iPhone unique and allow customers to take a world phone from say Verizon and put it on Sprint, or a Sprint iPhone to Vodafone via a software update at the Apple store. Of course the carriers will never allow such a standard or software flash to make the phones work on any carrier. Still its nice to dream and maybe someday we will see it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
I think there is a more pressing issue that falls under the lesser known diseconomies of scale, even though it's not quite the right term to use. Apple is in the unique position of having a premium product that sells more than the average, inexpensive product. This is great for business but it also means they need to have the latest components in quantity on launch day that far exceeds their rivals which means they need to stock pile a lot farther in advance and at much higher quantity and yet are still likely to launch afterwards due to the volumes needed to meet demand.
This issue is one that isn't easy overcome in a finite world which is one reason I do expect them to vary the brand in ways that can use different components so they can maximize sales if component issues arise.
You're right, other smartphone aren't even close.
The only way the iPhone 4 beats the iPhone 4S is in gaming and that's because the 4S is considerably more powerful in the GPU.
While I would like to agree with you I have to point out one glaring issue. Most of the phones listed above are 4G LTE phones so they will drain the battery far quicker, if they were on 3G only then the battery tests would be different. Having owned a fair number of those phones I can say the iPhone 4 and 4S did not get that kind of battery life for me on 3G with good signal (Verizon).
Among those general industry advancements I believe is thinner cover glass thanks to gorilla glass 2 (0.9mm vs 1mm thick cover glass according to early reports) and a thinner overall screen. Either way, I believe the reduction is pretty impressive if they can still manage Apple quality and equal or better battery life to the original iPhone 4 (it is my belief the 4S battery life was slightly inferior).
I'm liking this design if it is final or very close to final! Though I personally prefer the headphone jack to be on top, I can get over it.
They do have excellent designs, but that extends to their engineering and what they think is important. One of those things is battery life and Apple has been very consistent with keeping the battery as good or better with each revision.
We can even use the iPad (3) as an example of Apple not sacrificing the battery life when it wanted to use a display, backlight and GPU that could handle 4x as many pixels. They did show us that they are willing to add weight and thickness if that is required to keep the battery lasting long enough even though the competition would have made it easy for them to justify a significant drop. I don't to be let down this year.