It’s 11 months to go before the next holiday season, but I think it is the perfect time to concoct my wish list of things to come for Apple. It is right around this time when rumors about their next product offering come up, and instead of spinning my own rumors, I prefer imagining a myriad of things that they can churn out for their next iDevices.
The following is my wish list for some of Apple’s 2013 products. While most of these would count as wishful thinking, I strongly believe that Apple is capable of breathing life to these features in the next few months.
1. A bigger screen for the iPhone 5s (or iPhone 6, whatever they want to call it).
The iPhone 5 took a big leap when it chose to push past its “design sensibilities” and unveil a decent 4-inch phone last September, 2012. I know, I’m already asking much if I beg for more screen real estate from the Cupertino-based tech titan who’s adamant in keeping the phone suitable for one-handed operation. But hear me out: 4 inches is just too small a size to enjoy all the goodness that the iPhone has to offer. Indeed, Apple was able to exceed expectations when they gave their top gadget the Retina display.
But how can you enjoy a screen’s HD features if it’s way too small to appreciate? I’m not asking for much; I’m not even expecting the next iPhone to match the size of its strongest competitors. However, a half-inch increase in the screen could really go a long way in the entertainment factor. And no, I don’t even care how many rows of new icons would be added. As long as I can view high-quality images better, enjoy HD movies more, and have more space to play with my applications, I will be very grateful.
2. Multiuser functionality in the iPad
Buying an iPad means paying top-dollar for a device that would probably be replaced by a better one the next year. But spending your hard-earned money is a sound investment, especially if you want to use it beyond simple reading and playing. You can run productivity apps with the iPad, create notes, sign contracts, create and run presentations, and a lot more with a single slab of pure awesomeness. But if you’re living in a household with several adults, it will also be a gadget that will be shared by different people all throughout the day.
Allowing the creation of different user accounts would actually help “personalize” the iPad experience, even three or four people are sharing just one unit. Also, I wish that it allows users to access applications installed by other users, so that there’s no need to purchase a similar app simply because you’re logged on a different user. With this multiuser feature, parents could set up a custom “child mode,” wherein they can set what apps their young family members could see and use. Restrictions could be made by setting up a password for each user, or to make it more fun, through facial recognition using the front-facing camera of the iPad.
3. More widgets to spice up the experience.
Another thing that Apple should add to make their devices more interesting is the option to add widgets to the lock screen. The current lock screen looks simple and nonchalant at first, but when you’ve owned the device for quite some time, it tends to become bland and boring, as mentioned by another wish-lister. Aside from personalization, more lock screen widgets add ease of use, bringing you closer to the programs that you want to access quickly.
The top three wishes I mentioned earlier are my own, but I think I share some of these sentiments with other Apple consumers. While it’s uncertain if some of these wishes would be granted when the next iPhone or iPad gets released, I’m certain that these features are also being considered by their designers. After all, these features have long been available to their Android counterparts. Integrating these features would surely make the iPhone and the iPad a more formidable entertainment and business phone and tablet combo.
