Apple are still pushing hard on the innovation front, even if some of their fans seem to have lost their confidence in the company’s abilities in this regard somewhat. And, while it’s true that the last couple of years have not brought many interesting improvements to the table, the same can be said for the smartphone market in general. Looking at the current trends,though, the next few years could be very interesting in this regard.
All Screen, No Bezel
The ever-thinning bezel of each new iPhone has been a touchy subject for some of the device’s fans, but it’s very likely that the company will continue to push in this direction. Physical bezels are likely going away for the most part, not just in the iPhone but across the market. Companies like Samsung have been experimenting with spilling the screen over the side of the phone in their Edge line for quite a while now.
Fewer Ports and Physical Buttons
Another trend that has been controversial among iPhone fans is that Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack is here to stay and may well be joined by the removal of other ports and buttons. The charging port is pretty much the only major opening in the phone’s case left to get rid of, and with the growing prevalence of wireless charging, especially on Apple’s side, we may not have to wait too long to see that gone, too.This might be a disappointment to tech geeks who love their physical hardware, especially those who like to dig deeper by customizing their designs at places like Gumstix, but it’s something everyone will have to come to terms with.
Camera Experiments
Apple have been experimenting with their cameras’ designs in recent releases of the iPhone, and while this has drawn some humorous responses with their latest release, it’s clear that they are still one of the manufacturers that are willing to take risks in this regard and try out new approaches. Their progress in this field has been spectacular, as they’ve quickly climbed up the ranks in terms of camera quality.
A Revision of iOS
iOS has been begging for a more major touch-up for a while now, especially with regards to customization and immediate information display. And, while Apple has been reluctant to make any major changes to the OS over the years, sooner or later they might find themselves forced to if they want to stay relevant. The company has not really dropped many hints about their upcoming plans for iOS at this point, but it’s not unlikely that they might decide to give it a major lift a year or two from now.
With a company like Apple, it’s hard to predict what they might be planning for the future due to their strong secrecy about everything they do. But, if they want to stay afloat, they’ll at least have to comply with certain market trends, so these are a good indicator of what we can expect from Apple in the future. Hopefully, no major change down the road is going to divide their fan base.
Leave a Reply