My iPhone 5 related posts always generate a lot of feedback, and topping that list are feature requests (you folks do know I don't have a hotline to Apple CEO Tim Cook, right?). While some of these feature requests might happen, others will never happen because they conflict with the way Apple does business.
Here are 5 iPhone 5 features that Tim Cook will not announce today.
- SD Card slot
The 'why not' is simple - While storage is cheap, Apple charges $100 per bump. If the iPhone 5 had an SD Card slot everyone would buy the cheapest -- and lowest margin -- model.
- USB port
Apple has a tight grip over the accessories market by licensing the dock connector. Switching to USB would kill off this income stream.
- 3D display
I don't know why people still want this, especially on a smartphone. 3D like that used by Nintendo on the 3DS is just horrible and causes headaches when used for long periods in many people. I don't want a blinding headache every time I use my iPhone!
- Even bigger screen
It now seems likely that the iPhone 5 will ship with a 4-inch screen, but I don't see Apple going any bigger. The iPhone is designed for one-handed use, and making the screen bigger than 4-inch would mean that it would be too wide for the average user to be able to go from one side to the other with their thumb.
- User-replaceable battery
This is a feature that a lot of people want, but sorry folks, it's not going to happen. Not only does a non-user-replaceable battery give the iPhone a limited life before the battery -- or, as Apple hopes, the handset -- needs replacing, but a replaceable battery would add significant thickness to the handset, something that goes against the grain for Apple.
OK, enough of what you're not going to see. Here's my best estimate of what the new iPhone 5 will bring to the table:
- Larger 4-inch screen
- New, revamped look
- Metal unibody constructions, replacing the existing glass backed iPhone
- Smaller dock connector
- Faster processor
- Thinner, possibly lighter
- iOS 6 — although you’ll be able to get this installed on the latest iDevices anyway
We'll know in a few hours.
