10 Things the Next iPhone Will Do
- Provide the option to download and save YouTube videos for 99 cents.
- Accept voice commands, read text aloud in any of six user-selectable voices, and provide optional verbal audio feedback on all actions.
- Improve built-in camera to 6 Megapixel and include a feature-limited version of Aperture.
- Facilitate borrowing from your local public library.
- Translate incoming or outgoing e-mail messages. Supported languages will initially include Spanish, Russian, two kinds of Chinese, and Australian.
- Vibrate when you approach someone with compatible musical tastes.
- For drivers: pay monthly E-Z Pass fees and beam E-Z Pass fare at toll kiosks.
- For mass transit riders: pay discounted monthly transit fee and beam per-ride fare at subway entrances and on boarding buses. Also good at Six Flags.
- Locate lost keys, pets, children, or anything else tagged with RFID.
- Copy and paste.
[tags]apple, iphone, RFID, cameras, 6 megapixel, australianforbeer[/tags]
Filed under: Applications, Ideas, iphone, Memes
68 Responses to “10 Things the Next iPhone Will Do”
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I would totally buy an iPhone that’s an RFID receiver, except I’d have to turn it off every time I walked into a Wal-Mart. Or else not ever go to Wal-Mart again. Okay, now I’d absolutely totally buy one.
I’m totally ruining my NDA here, but don’t forget that it also places grocery store orders on its own (attempting through wifi first, then falling back to traditional cell service) when it finds you’re running low on goods that you often enjoy, using Google Checkout to transfer the funds.
I was with you up until the last one – then I thought this might be a spoof. How can you do cut and paste without glue and scissors?!?
Im taking my first gen model back as soon as this hits the scene :)
Eric,
Walmart would just know that they had 1 ‘Eric Meyer’ in stock, but if you walk out without paying for yourself….
I heard that TUAW published that list, too, but Apple threatened suit. Be careful, Z.
11. Todos.
12. Sync favorite contacts, map bookmarks, voice messages and NOTES! (drives me crazy).
13. Notify me if the pending podcast is lame or worthwhile.
You forgot number 11 – drive me nuts.
:)
If you shop an Walmart you shouldn’t have an iphone! :)
Built in GPS connected to the 6 Megapixel camera. After you take a picture you can tell the iPhone to upload it to Picasa, with the geo tags the next time you are near a hotspot via WiFi.
Seriously, why can’t I SMS more than one person at a time? Maddening.
I’m holding out until the iPhone can clean my house, do my laundry, walk my dog and wipe my bum. You know, all the things I can’t get my husband to do – yet.
Simple things. Well done, sir.
Ok. A phone with 3 features and 10 i_want_this_now_or_i_can’t_sleep’s. Nice balance.
I’m glad my mobile has 1 feature: talk. There’s still a wonderful and featureful physical world around me.
Australian?
Fair suck o’ the sav, mate.
When will it be able to walk my dog?
What’s a local public library? *ducks*
I don’t expect the iPhone to make borrowing from the library any easier. E-books and e-audio books in libraries are often crippled with Microsoft DRM that prevents them from working on any Apple player. We are starting to see the same problem with the video downloads being offered in libraries.
Now browsing is a different story. The iPhone’s browser can make the library’s catalog and databases a lot more usable. And if the iPhone really gets an RFID receiver, you may be able to scan the library’s stacks for the book you’re looking for.
I am seriously waiting for the day that banks catch up with the Web 2.0.
I would like to receive updates on my phone, each time I spend $$ somewhere. At least give me an application on my iPhone (not a web application, although this might barely suffice ) that can balance my check book and sync with an application on my laptop/desktop.
Combine that with something that can read RFID’s… wow, the possibilities.
Im taking my first gen model back as soon as this hits the scene :)
The majority of what people wish the iPhone had can already be done with the hardware in the current iPhones. Apple could do numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 10 right now (and maybe 7, 8, and 9?). Hackers are already working on many of these, too.
In short, we shouldn’t need to wait for a new model for improvements.
Dude, there’s no way it could translate into Australian.
I think the iPhone is a beautiful piece of industrial design and has an unbelievably intuitive GUI. Even so, I wish I kept my Treo.
First and foremost, I can’t live without a To-Do list. I just can’t believe Apple let that slide. And not being able to copy and paste is frustrating as hell. And I’m not too enamored with the keyboard no matter what people tell me.
Sigh.
I believe it already does copy and paste using gestures, it’s just not documented. Where did I see this? I think it was in a comment on one of David Pogue’s recent “Pogues Posts” on the NY Times website. Not having an iPhone (I live in Canada so I have a good excuse, it’s not available here), I can’t confirm that it works.
I see you follow my methods of asking for stuff…
Ask first for something (or things) completely unreasonable that you know you’ll never get so that the more reasonable thing you actually would be satisfied with sounds all the more reasonable in contrast.
Unfortunately, I haven’t found a phone that costs 5 times as much as an iPhone that I can tell my wife I want, so I’m having trouble convincing her to let me drop $599 on an iPhone since there’s nothing completely unreasonable to try and convince her I want that will make the iPhone look cheap, though my iPod Mini finally bit the dust this weekend, so I’ve got that in my favor now.
More on a serious note. In order not to be joke to everyone outside of mobile phone challenged USA it would need 3G!!!!
And in order not to be nuisance to web developers it should start to honor @media handheld.
Until then, I’d take a Sony Ericsson or a Nokia over the iPhone a 100 times out of a 100 possible.
The tenth one is the best. =)
Disagree! :)
I’d be impressed if the audio commands translated into Australian, AND did a credible job on the Australian accent. I can think of a use for that now: in the checkout queue somewhere, call out the Paul Hogan line “Outta the way dopey!”
…may not work anywhere but here.
Hmmm. Some confusion exists. Isn’t that the super-duper ultra-secret kept in a hermetically sealed mayonnaise jar on Funk & Wagnell’s back porch feature set for Microsoft’s competing product, the isLemon?
11. Have a scanner in the back. (Like so: Amazon Link
Even if this is meant as a bit of humor, you can bet that there exists a phone just like this in Japan or Korea today :D
Uh uh
Of course. Asia’s way ahead on this front.
BUT do those self-cleaning, microwave-including, GPS-enabled Asian phones offer the same quality of user experience as the iPhone?
The Wall Street Journal today reported a joint venture between Nokia and Sprint Communications, the pending introduction of the RearPhone. Nokia was quoted as saying:
The AAP has endorsed its use since proctologists will be necessary for implanting the RearPhone.
A Sprint spokesperson stated, “We anticipate a high level of market penetration with this new device.”
The W3C is rapidly deploying resources to accommodate the technical design requirements that will require a new media type of “ass” to target this product.
There has already been some preliminary Weblogs that have raised concerns about using browser “sniffing” to target markets for this product. The general consensus is: “Why does Web content and/or applications need to sniff for asses. The Web is filled with them, already.”
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Sorry, Zeldman. Couldn’t resist. It was just too damn tempting.
Could they add a language traslator that converts from “techie-who-liked-new-toys” to “resposible-budgeting-housewife”, so when I try to explain blowing $600 on a new cell-phone it will explain it in a way the lil’ woman could appriciate.
“If you shop an Walmart you shouldn’t have an iphone! :)”
I shop there and I have a Treo. Of course, Walmart is the only place nearby that has the big 9 oz. cans of wasabi peas.
Aside from Costco, there’s nowhere local with better prices on diapers or beef jerky. I must shop at Walmart.
Unfortunately, I haven’t found a phone that costs 5 times as much as an iPhone that I can tell my wife I want, so I’m having trouble convincing her to let me drop $599 on an iPhone since there’s nothing completely unreasonable to try and convince her I want that will make the iPhone look cheap, though my iPod Mini finally bit the dust this weekend, so I’ve got that in my favor now.
If you aren’t already a motorcycle enthusiast, ask for a hog. Then be willing to “settle for” an iPhone instead. That should work.
This could be very embarrassing….
If it could field client calls, I’d be willing to drop a grand on the thing.
I’m waiting for the things to jump off the shelf and slip into my pocket as I run out of the store.
I’ve got no dough for these toys but if they insist on being carried off by me, I probably won’t resist.
@thacker: it’s not every day you see a concept combining proctology and the W3C. well done.
it has copy and paste now, though a little around-the-block…
step 1 – send item to be copied to a local printer
step 2 – retrieve print
step 3 – take a photo of the print.
isn’t that what you wanted? intuitive & another great example of the highly-vaunted Apple design, right? ;-)
disclaimer, no, of course I don’t have one, so the above procedure may or may not work in an actual iPhoney held by an actual user. ;-)
this is ridiculous
THOSE are the features you feel that need to be improved?? WHAT ABOUT 3G CAPABILITY???
Learn some more about technology, then talk.
The next Iphone needs GPS and a video camera. Then I’ll buy one.
11.) Deploy Skynet
Sam:
The bug that crawled up your ass phoned. He wants you to lighten up.
copy and paste would put me in heaven, cuz I’m not now. :)
The option of downloading youtube videos would take it to the next level
When is this iPhone coming out? How much will it cost? I reccently bought an iPhone, got the plan 2-year commitment, etc…etc.. But, if there is a new iPhone…I might want it, ha..Nate Klaiber mentioned he was taking his back, how would you go about doing that?
Also, I am kind of dissapoitned that…there is no video camera, AIM, or custome ringtones on my phone ..ha
Dang, I’m gonna have to ditch my dumb razr phone soon. These features are pretty tight. I’d also like the ability to control an RC Car from the iPhone, that’d be frivolous but fun.
still waiting for the 2nd generation. some good ideas here…
peace.
bv.
LOL – Great list… I really hadn’t heard about the Cut and Paste problem… but that is great!
BTW – Love the blog.
I would add one more: a finger print security feature. I surely do not want to give my metro passes to a phone-stealing stranger! And with Apple’s requisite sleekness, a fingerprint reader would not have to go above the surface – it can look good!
One more: they should come with a hanky to wipe off all those ear- and thumb-prints from the glossy screen.
Disclaimer: no, I do not own one.
I really like #8, specifically because one of our clients is a MTA
good stuff… id want a phone like that, but unfortunally wont be able to afford it
I guess those folks at apple will make me buy a lot of iphones by introducing brand new features like these in each of its new versions. But before, I have make sure I get an ‘iRack’ to keep all those ‘iphones’ lol
The options of playing mp3 as ringtones will be great!!
Yes
The IPhone is a amazing piece of hardware. Pretty much has everything you will ever need expect maybe for 3G. Almost all the applications you see on the list would be available when apple releases the forthcoming API.
not right away of course, but once you release that every one will develope for it. I mean this thing is basically a mini computer with an amazaing interface.
for example number
1.Provide the option to download and save YouTube videos for 99 cents.
Why do you need to pay there already websites that save youtube videos and covert them to different formats on your harddrive. the only thing lacking here is the ability for 3rd parties to save. Somebody will do that one for free believe me.
2. Accept voice commands.
this one could also be done in hard ware on your current phone. an always listening voice command process.
3. 6 mega pixal camera..
can’t help you with that one maybe a blue tooth mini camera attachement later on.
Anyway you see where I am going.
you should know that if you jailbreak your device, which is insanely easy, you can do many of the things on that list and much more Hell, right now I’m running a gba and nes emulator, not to mention countless other awesome and FREE applications, games, tools, and usefull utilities. Some of the jailbreak software available could make an iPhone rival a treo as a PDA
I love iPhones. But I love their new innovations on applications…like the HyperOffice + iPhone integration…Small business solutions at its finest
He he, it’s almost like 10 commandements. Is Apple the new moses of the tired masses? ;) Love this blog!
[...] news on the iPhone today (its from August, so it is a bit old), and found a great article titled 10 Things the Next iPhone Will Do. Some of the features are good, while others are just pointless. For example, “Provide the [...]
[...] riassunto che già anticipa 10 cose che ci possiamo aspettare dalla prossima versione di iPhone http://www.zeldman.com/2007/08/16/10-things-the-next-iphone-will-do/. Cosa ne [...]
[...] 10 Things the Next iPhone Will Do by Jeffrey Zeldman [...]
1 Rfid
2 12MP HD video/photo camera
@Jeff W how the heck are you supposed to print from a frigging iphone?
3 more RAM
I agree with most of the article. Only, it will be some Google Android phone that will first offer these features…