Features We’re Dying to See in the Next iPhone Update
With the next Apple Keynote coming up around the corner, we’ve been brainstorming the features that we’d like to see with the next iPhone. From design aesthetics to utility, these five additions would take the Apple experience from extraordinary to out-of-this-world!
Unique Automatically-Generated Sound for Each Phone
The days of custom ringtones are long gone, as most users rely on default settings and rarely take the time to change their alert settings. However, this often leads to the situation when several iPhone users in the same room react to the same exact ringtone.
This problem could be solved if each phone came with a neutral, unobtrusive tone or sound that would serve as the user’s unique alert. This step could go even further if the sound was then customized for each phone number in the user’s contacts. There is no limit to the type of tone that could be used, and the randomly-generated sound would give each user a tool that is personalized just for them.
Enable Transparent App Store Icons for Apps
App developers are always looking for more flexibility in their designs, and transparent app icons would allow developers to create a more beautiful product for end users. Here is an example of how I would design my home screen with transparent icons — I love the cleanliness!
Control with Body Movement
Using the phone’s built in accelerometer, phone functions could be assigned to various movements. This development would be a godsend for users with speech impairments and would increase Siri’s functionality in situations when the user can’t speak openly.
Lock Screen Improvements
I most often find myself going directly from my lock screen to my calendar as I schedule in various appointments or check in on the day’s remaining agenda items. Allowing the user to launch the calendar app from their lock screen seems like a tiny detail, but it would accumulate to significant time savings over the course of a year.
360-Degree Spherical Panoramic Photos and Videos
One incredible aspect of the evolution of the iPhone has been its utility as a high-quality camera. Panoramic pictures have been an important part of the phone’s built-in camera app, so why not take it a step further and allow for 360-degree photos and videos? A complete panorama is the only way to truly show the viewer the exact vantage point of the photo, and it wouldn’t be too much to expect to extend the panorama function to 360 degrees.
These are just a few of the developments we hope to see in the newest iPhone. What are you looking for in the next iPhone release?
