Despite the fact the new iPhone will be free on O2, there might be good reason to hold on for a while longer
The iPhone 2.0 looks great, and the pleasingly low price means that a whole new generation of Apple lovers are about to be born. But what of the features left out of the brand new device? What should we expect to be included in the inevitable iPhone 3.0, which will more likely than not be announced this time next year?The most obvious omission from the new device is a decent camera – surprising considering that a better camera was named as one of the most wanted features in the new device pre-announcement.
2MP is simply nowhere near competitive in today’s mobile landscape. Rivals such as Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson all favour 5MP cameras in their newer devices, and even their mid-range offerings rarely venture lower than 3.2MP. iPhone 2.0’s 2MP snapper is a real surprise, and most likely the first feature that will be overhauled with the next model.
There’s also the lack of a front-facing camera to consider. Admittedly, 3G is more often used for high-speed data access than video calling, but seeing as the iPhone 2.0 is 3G enabled, it could be seen as an odd omission.
However, could it be that Apple is saving such a feature until it’s able to integrate new functionality such as gesture control in its next device? It’s exactly the sort of thing Steve Jobs’ firm could be eying up as the next big software evolution for the device, and if done right could also be the step to yet again redefine the mobile landscape.
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On top of these things, Apple is yet to confirm other basic features for the new model such as copy and paste, MMS messaging and, most importantly, video recording.
And with slide-out QWERTY keyboards appearing on devices such as the HTC Diamond Pro and Sony Ericsson X1, could Apple yet consider such a feature for its next machine – maybe via a two-model strategy?
