There were many aspects to the iPhone 5 that separated it from the iPhone 4 and 4s. The most significant differences were the shape, size, retina display and the new lighting connector, which despite being an arguable improvement, eliminates the reassuring knowledge that nearly every person has the same iPod or iPhone charger in case of an emergency.
In the same way that the iPhone 4 and 4S had no change in appearance, it’s unlikely that Apple’s iPhone 5 will undergo much of a design change.
But with the vast step up between generations of iPhone, what could Apple possibly do to make improvements?
As modern technologies develop at a rapid rate and demand increases, the pressure to deliver the best latest gadget is greater than ever. It is quite possible that plans for the iPhone 6 are well under way and that the iPhone 5S is just a distraction until all is perfected.
One aspect that defined the 4s and the iPhone 5 was Siri. It’s had its critics, but its probably cemented itself as the most reliable voice assistant for smartphones.Therefore the question posed is how can Siri possibly do much more? In future Apple phones there may come a point where we barely have to lift a finger, with Siri being able to connect and control our homes and lifestyles with minimal effort. Another change that is quite possible in a potential iPhone 5s is to be able to access Siri without pushing down the home button, is there a possibility that it could well be voice activated?
The retina display and A6 chip have meant that the iPhone 5 is faster and the screen is more vibrant than ever. It is quite likely that newer and faster software is being developed already for future iPhones, iPads and Macs. IOS7, which is due out this fall, is the softwares biggest overhaul since its birth. It represents a cleaner, sleeker looking iPhone where tasks remain simple to undertake. With an iPhone 5s we can expect to see a polished version of this software, with perhaps some more customisable aspects to the iPhone that extends beyond the usual change of wallpaper.
The iPhone 5 has also been designed for faster Internet connection and with the iCloud well in tow, it’s certainly not an Apple idea that I take for granted. However, iCloud doesn’t sync unless you have an Internet connection! Take for example Photo Stream, at present you can take numerous pictures whilst out but they will not be readily available on your Macs, iPads or any other Apple related device until your phone is connected to Wi-Fi. Perhaps for the iPhone 5s they can create a way to sync your Apple gadgets without the need for an Internet connection. That would be impressive.
Others features that are in the rumour mill are slow motion video recording which could possibly leave there being more focus on the camera functions than the actual functions on the phone. As brilliant as iPhones are, they still lack the assortment of features that a digital camera has and in my opinion, could always be improved. The iPhone 5s camera is not only likely to change, but simply has to. The fact that Apple can cram all of this software into a chip no smaller than your finger but continue to push on with a camera that remains at a very basic 8 megapixels, suggests there is obviously room for improvement.
One of the most important aspects that people tend to forget is rivalling the competition. The HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 are both worthy competitors that Apple are no doubt looking at. Not only do these smartphones feature high quality software, but they also come from brands that you trust. It is also worth considering that the HTC one and Samsung Galaxy S4 are slightly cheaper than the iPhone 5, so may we see an update Apple model that has a more modest price itself?
In summary, the iPhone 5S and it’s future successors will all be worthy competitors in the smartphone market. Apple really need to nail the prospective 5s, convincing customers that it is more than a moderate upgrade. Even before the 5s is released, there is likely to be new affordable technology that is primed to take the limelight.
