tht

"[The] the company is preparing a major shake-up for the iPhone's 20-year anniversary," it says, "including a foldable version and a bold new Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass."

There are things they can do with the iPhone design, but not sure there is anything major left though. I don't think there is any, but who knows.

Saying "major shake-up" is a tabloidization from Gurman. He does that all the time, using overly dramatic words. What he calls major is a "meh" a lot of the time. I do not think the iOS 6 to iOS 7 GUI change was a major-shakeup. I do not think the iPhone 8 to iPhone X design was a major shakeup, or major change. Even Touch ID to Face ID, which changed a lot of the UI design and handling qualities of the phones and tablets was just another gradual UI change.

A major shake-up to me is the Intel to Apple Silicon change. Going from the Obj-C frameworks (AppKit, UIKit) to Swift frameworks (Swift, SwiftUI) is a gigantic change. I think Apple is still suffering from this actually. Forstall to Federighi has been monumental, with some pretty big pluses and minuses.

Don't think this iPhone XX will be a major shakeup. It's a handheld tablet or slate device with touch UI using icons, menus, buttons, etc. It might fold, but you are using it the same way still.

Here is a wishlist, or perhaps a list of features that might be good:

1. Glass that doesn't crack, doesn't scratch. These are opposable properties of glass design. Given that it's been almost 2 decades, obviously a difficult problem. This feature is huge for users, imo. The last great feature that benefits everyone.
2. Glass that doesn't show fingerprints and always smooth to the touch. Fingerprints obscure the display. Would be great if there wasn't any. The amount of time it would save Apple Store employees wiping down the display every hour is probably worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year.
3. Solar PV everywhere, front and back, and magnetically latched folio cases with Smart Connectors that have solar PV in them. Still a bit into the future. The solar PV can trickle charge, extending runtime. Leave it out in the sun give it a charge. It would be comfort when using your phone in sunlight, where its display is at 100% brightness, and it is getting some juice from the sun as well.
4. LFP batteries. Regular lithium-ion batteries have a cycle of life of about 500 cycles, for about 3 years of typical use before charge capacity goes down to less than 80%. LFP batteries can go 5000 cycles.
5. MVNO with sat-comm service. They can guarantee E2EE, service anywhere in the world (except underground, concrete rooms, and Faraday cages). Governments likely will not allow it.
6. Hand and eye tracking. May have to add another Face ID sensor cluster here. As a UI feature, just interesting.
7. Ceramic case design, like they did with the Apple Watch. They can really amp up color saturation, use pastel colors, etc.
8. Sheet-metal case design. Like with cars, the paint job could be quite interesting. Radio performance kills the idea.

I'm really looking forward to the iPhone 17 Air. Using my iP12 without a case definitely has me thinking thinner is better.

Still confused on how AI or AGI is going to benefit us.

Like, these AI companies are offering a service for subscription money. That type of business model will limit revenue and seems doubtful they can make money that way? It ultimately will be powered by ads. So the race is really to be in the position that Google is in right now? Ads, ads, ads?

The race is to build the software and hardware to replace humans in factories? Humans are probably cheaper. The race to replace desk and service workers? Desk work has been whittled down so much. So, it’s just the continuing trend. Humans are probably cheaper? Service workers? Humans are probably cheaper. 

TigerWilliams said:

Are there any real world tests of how well Apples C1 modem does in establishing and maintaining a connection in areas with spotty coverage, vs a Qualcomm modem ?

It’s doubtful that any user end tests are reliable, or, that the those anecdotes can be applied everywhere. Apple will have actual measured performance data where they have control of both a “cellular tower” model and the phone, but obviously that’s going to be proprietary data. 

canukstorm said:

tht said:

If it had no camera bump, I'd be seriously tempted. Seriously tempted to save money.

However, I want 16 GB of RAM. The M5 generation could support 32 GB, and if Apple wants to, they can offer 64 GB, but that would mean a unique SoC and logic board arrangement for it, imo. Compromises. Holding the line at 16 GB RAM. Wish it could be more.

The M4 can already support up to 32GB RAM.  No need for Apple to wait till M5.

Yes the M4 can do that. The issue is that the current M4 iPad Pro only offers 16 GB max. Don't think Apple is going to do a mid-cycle 32 GB RAM option for the M4 iPad Pro and we must wait for the M5 model to appear.

nubus said:

MacBook Air M4 13" 16/256 with keyboard but no pencil - $999
iPad Air M3 13" 8/256 with keyboard but no pencil - $1218

iPad used to deliver value. Now you get less memory, an old processor, and the OS you really don't want for more. The OS is so bulky with AI that 256 GB should be minimum.

I would like to see 90 Hz refresh rate, A-series CPU with AI support being "enough processor", $100 (or less) for cellular, and a price around $599 excluding keyboard and pen - or $499 for 11".

The two devices have different purposes. If you are outfitting an iPad to be like a Mac, the Mac is going to win. You buy an iPad for the mobility, the handling, the Pencil and the simplicity. And if you don't want to spend a lot, you can get a $350 iPad 11 which has a lot of value, imo.