I'm amazed how many people approach me with their wish lists for what they'd like to see on the next iPhone. Well, I hate to break it to you folks, but I'm not in charge of the iPhone 5 at Apple -- wouldn't that be fun -- and I'm not a wishing well. However, it is interesting to read what people would like to see in their next iDevice.
The iOS 4.3.x home screen, as shown on an iPhone 3GS. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Problem is, so many of what they wish for will never happen. And by never, I mean never, ever.
Let's take a look at seven items on iPhone owners wish lists that are not going to happen.
#1 - Micro SD card support
Wouldn't it be cool to be able to pop an SD Card into your iPhone and get more storage? You bet! Problem is that it will never happen because Apple uses storage capacity as a way to differentiate between models.
Also, Apple makes a lot of money out of selling you high priced storage. For example, 16GB of NAND flash storage costs Apple $19, while 64GB costs $79. However, Apple charges a whopping $200 more for this extra storage capacity.
Bottom line, if Apple added SD Card support to the iPhone 5, customers would buy the cheapest 16GB model and add an SD Card.
#2 - USB support
Again, people would love it if Apple broke the smooth lines of the iPhone and add USB support, either by throwing out the dock connector and replacing it with a USB port, or by adding a secondary USB support.
No way, not going to happen. There are a number of reasons why this is a non-starter, but the main reason why is that adding a USB port would put Apple in a position where it would have to support all sorts of legacy hardware, from storage to printers.
Not going to happen.
#3 - Flash support
Are we still talking about this? Not gonna happen. Apple hates Flash, and it will never darken iOS.
#4 - Flexible display
I know that Samsung has flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, but I can't for the life of me see how this fits into the iPhone. You might be able to make a flexible display, but the remainder of the iPhone remains utterly inflexible.
Even the argument that flexible OLED displays are more durable doesn't sway me, because the rest of the iPhone would have to be just as durable.
#5 - 3D camera
Apple does in fact have a patent for this, but it seems like such a fringe technology that adding it to a mainstream product like the iPhone doesn't make sense. Why add cost -- or cut into profit margins -- just to add something that most people would never need.
#6 - 3D display
Yes, Apple should add a 3D display to the iPhone, because what everyone wants are blinding headaches from using these screens.
When you have a gorgeous screen like the one on the iPhone I can't imagine why anyone would want to trash it by adding 3D.
#7 - Lanyard hole
Seriously, people keep asking for this. I'm serious. A quick scan of my inbox shows that this request is actually more popular than a 3D display or 3D camera. I have a sneaky suspicion that each one of these people have dropped an iPhone at some point in the past, and felt the pain of having to replace it.
It's not going to happen. Why? Because Apple wants you to drop that iPhone so you have to buy another!
