What do you think is in store for iPhone 5?

I only ask because it could influence how I purchase the iPhone 4. I reckon the form factor we have in the iPhone 4 will stay for at least another 2 generations. I also reckon that speed wise, the A4 isn't going to be improved upon too much in the next 12 months (not significantly anyway).

The screen will definitely not change for a while.

The camera I'm not too fussed about as this is (apparently) a big upgrade in terms of quality.

If the next upgrade is going to be fairly incremental then a 2 year contract wouldn't bother me too much as I'd be ready for the iPhone 6

What do you guys think?

its probably going to be a slight bump in speed and an increase in memoryand maybe that implementation of the unified charger thing the EU was wanting.
Most of the changes will be in iOS4 IMHO. Though it probably still wont stop me getting one
What will drive it forwardis how people like HTC and Google respond.

Yeah I reckon the next one will be an iPhone 4 'S' like we had the 3GS.

Faster chip probably, and better battery life I would expect.

I'd be surprised if they invest much beyond that.

I think the iPhone 4 will educate the form factor of the iPad, though the current iPad shape is pretty comfortable to hold - a device where the curved back makes a lot of sense. I like the idea that the antenna and the case are now one and the same.

iPhone 5? I’d expect a bigger chip in the camera, and there will no doubt be improvements to the LED flash (I bet it’s one level of brightness now, but that will be controllable in the future). Front facing camera behind the screen, not as a separate unit. Apple has a patent for this kind of technology, and it’s only a matter of time before they can implement it. If they do, expect it on the iPad for FaceTime fun there too.

Most of the new features will be in software, not hardware.

+1. Maybe a 64Gb option at the top end, otherwise I'd expect software tweaks on the iOS and tighter integration with other iOS devices.

As an aside, I wonder if we'll see more common themes developing between OSX and iOS e.g. why Address Book in OSX, but Contacts in iOS??

Pete

It always makes me smile with Apple stuff - that before a product is even released and in the shops, people are speculating what the next revision will be. iPhone 4 hasn't even hit the high street yet and we want to know what the next version will be like - in 12 months' time - although I understand the reason with iPhones as you're locked into an 18-24 month contract. But the same thing happens will any Apple hardware, and it always amuses me. Don't get me wrong, I'm probably as guilty as the next person at speculating.

Seriously, if you need a new iPhone/iPod/iPad/Mac now, then get it now - and worry about the next version when it's actually announced. One thing with Apple is you can't really predict what the next revision will contain, just live for the moment!

Agreed It does depend on the cost of memory. If it keeps falling as before then I would see memory being the biggest change other than software. None of which are reasons to hold off buying now.

Would that necessitate a new version? Part of me is hoping that in 6 months time when I may have some money, they'll release a 64GB version and drop the 16GB version, making the 32GB the cheaper of the two in the range.

Yes but they have not done anything like that so far. So chances are slim.

They did with the original iPhone, moving from 4GB & 8GB to 8GB & 16GB.

If that was to happen at all I'd expect it in a years time, not six months.

Mark

And it be a complete new version or just more storage and the same name? I only picked the 6 months figure from the original iPhone timeline. See here

I reckon it'd be incremental with new software, much like the 3G to 3GS upgrade.
I can't imagine a massive upgrade in terms of features.

Mark

TBH I cant think of what else they could add in terms of features. So any changes will have to be incremental.

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