iPhone OS 4

[FanIn80]

Uhh, considering the Android is just an iPhone knockoff, talking about Apple needing to "catch up" to Google is kind of ironic.

No worries, though. I'm sure the new iPhone hardware will continue to lead the market in current gains.

[QuadCityImages]

I like how you just avoid the fact that I'm right with your misdirection about Android ripping off the iPhone, which it certainly does not.

Seriously, what amazing innovation did the 3G or 3GS come up with?

The original iPhone was the like nothing else available. When the App Store rolled out, it was like nothing else available. I would argue that it was an even more important innovation than the iPhone itself. What did the 2nd or 3rd generation iPhones do that was anywhere near as revolutionary as those two things?

[kermitology]

Apple doesn't need to blow away the competition in hardware development, they need to match and slightly increment. Actually, they only really need to match.

Don't expect things like front facing cameras, but do expect AMOLED displays (matches the newest Android phones) and higher MP camera. LED flash would be nice, slimmer design would be nice. Definitely go back to the aluminum casing..

The user interface needs some updating, but that's software.

What else could they do to beat the competition? One thing I will say is that switching to AMOLED and getting improved batteries will definitely allow multi-tasking to become more of a reality. That being said, they need to create a good way for users to manage what is allowed to or is actively running in the background.

[photon]

I read somewhere that the iPad batteries are 40% more charge per unit volume than the iPhone batteries, that would be a nice improvement.

But hardware wise the iPhone has never been anything special.

The thing that set the iPhone above the rest was the software. And that's what Apple will work on the most hopefully, as that's what they need to keep ahead of everyone else. The interface is getting clunky in some cases, I've seen things on my friend's jailbroken phone which are very cool and useful interface wise.

[kyuusei]

Just heard about this. Ironically enough, I actually tried to get an iPhone today but Rogers is making me wait another 3 months just to upgrade to a smartphone (why I have no idea). But if Apple is going to upgrade the hardware too, I don't mind waiting. =P

[ZedMan]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Definitely go back to the aluminum casing...

Please yes. My 3GS is showing some cracking near the dock port and mute switch. Probably wouldn't even notice if I didn't have the white model but still kind of annoying.

[Yeah_Baby]

Of course they do this on the day of my Final. Clearly Steve Jobs doesn't want me to watch an 'illegal' stream of the event.

Anyways, I hope they dangle some new hardware in my face. I'm slowing falling out of love with my 3G and slowly hearing the siren songs of the Droids.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

I'm really surprised that there is no file management in the iPhone/iPad (although you can get it in AirShare)...especially since it comes with a stripped down version of iWork...maybe that's in store for 4.0

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by ZedMan

Please yes. My 3GS is showing some cracking near the dock port and mute switch. Probably wouldn't even notice if I didn't have the white model but still kind of annoying.

They will still have to have a piece of plastic on the back for transmitting the GPS signal (I think it's GPS at least). Apparently it won't work through aluminum. Same reason the 3G iPad has that piece of plastic at the top and the first generation iPhone has plastic on the bottom of the aluminum back.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Burninator

They will still have to have a piece of plastic on the back for transmitting the GPS signal (I think it's GPS at least). Apparently it won't work through aluminum. Same reason the 3G iPad has that piece of plastic at the top and the first generation iPhone has plastic on the bottom of the aluminum back.

Damn shame about the plastic back, in my opinion. The iPod Touch feels so much nicer in the hand compared to the plastic 3gs

[Temporary_User]

They need to increase the sound output from the internal speakers.
When I first got my Iphone (sept) the speakers were great but I swear they've muted a little since then.

[ZedMan]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Damn shame about the plastic back, in my opinion. The iPod Touch feels so much nicer in the hand compared to the plastic 3gs

I agree. I also think apple was kind of nuts to have used a natural matte finish metal with a black piece of plastic (original iPhone). Kind of odd considering their usual attention to detail.

Why not a nice, powdercoated (tough as nails), black (or white) aluminum back with a matching plastic cutout?

Just please no mirror finish bare metal. Scratch magnet.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

They need to increase the sound output from the internal speakers.
When I first got my Iphone (sept) the speakers were great but I swear they've muted a little since then.

And the vibration. I can never hear or feel a call when I am walking.

[Russic]

I'd love to see some kind of toggle menu similar to SBSettings (available via jailbreak). A swipe of the very top of the screen drops a menu down that let's you change brightness, wifi, and let's you see the processes that are running. The iPhone does do multitasking, just not third party multitasking, so having that is helpful.

Will the new phones be able to utilize the A4 chip that's in iPads? I know nothing of it other than it's supposed to be quite a bit faster than the snapdragon processors on the android phones. I also think the battery is key for the 3rd party multitasking to go forward.

Edit: of course this event is focused on software and I don expect to hear anything hardware related until may or June.

[FanIn80]

One of the rumoured implementations of multitasking is a gesture-activated Expose view of all open apps.

[Barnes]

Better notifications on the lock screen. Facebook, email, Twitter etc. The current dialog is crap and looks like crap.

Please.

[OilKiller]

So are we saying this new OS will not work on my iPhone 3G? I never upgraded to the 3GS. Never felt the need.

Better notifications would be nice. Just better looking overall and more customization. I'll never understand why you can't change the look and feel of things without jailbreaking the thing or something as simple as changing what sound plays for what event or notification.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

So are we saying this new OS will not work on my iPhone 3G? I never upgraded to the 3GS. Never felt the need.

Better notifications would be nice. Just better looking overall and more customization. I'll never understand why you can't change the look and feel of things without jailbreaking the thing or something as simple as changing what sound plays for what event or notification.

You're likely to get the upgrade as well.

[kermitology]

The Unofficial Apple Weblog: things we want

http://www.tuaw.com/tag/what+we+want/

[Russic]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

So are we saying this new OS will not work on my iPhone 3G? I never upgraded to the 3GS. Never felt the need.

Better notifications would be nice. Just better looking overall and more customization. I'll never understand why you can't change the look and feel of things without jailbreaking the thing or something as simple as changing what sound plays for what event or notification.

I wonder if they'll open up the ability to modify your background. Truthfully I was a little surprised the iPad gives you the ability to do so, perhaps the iphone will follow suit?