AfterDawn: News

New iPhone will include better camera, touch-sensitive casing

According to Goldman Sachs analyst Robert Chen, the next generation iPhone will be ready by June, featuring a 5MP camera and touch-sensitive casing, similar to that of the Magic Mouse.

"Apple's going to put a lot of innovation, not just on the hardware, but also on the software of the new iPhone," says Chen, who is also a member of Asia's highest-ranked technology hardware research team.



Apple declined comment.

The camera upgrade has been long expected, and should put the iPhone in the same realm as other smartphones, such as the Nexus One, for starters.

More notably however is the speculation of multi-touch casing and an upgrade of the iPhone firmware, to version 3.5 or even 4. The App Store will be re-hauled as well. The Magic Mouse has a touch shell that replaces the need for clicking buttons. The iPhone may have the new casing included, offering touch-sensitive features on the back on the handset.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 Jan 2010 15:39

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• 16 comments

• SDF_GR

  Quote:The camera upgrade has been long expected, and should put the iPhone in the same realm as other smartphones, such as the Nexus One, for starters.Well the Beautiful Xperia x10 have an 8.1mp camera, and by owning a C905 i can tell that 8.1 + the shake control it really does the job.

  14.1.2010 17:30 #1

• scum101

  It's the iSlab .. 24 cans of 2% piss sold for 3x the price of Carlsberg Export!!!
  

  Yes, we give you 100% free, no strings attached email! Just send us your address and we will send you as much free email as you could ever wish for

  14.1.2010 17:46 #2

• DVDBack23

  Quote:Quote:The camera upgrade has been long expected, and should put the iPhone in the same realm as other smartphones, such as the Nexus One, for starters.Well the Beautiful Xperia x10 have an 8.1mp camera, and by owning a C905 i can tell that 8.1 + the shake control it really does the job.Exactly why I said "for starters." There is even one phone that has 12.1MP but 5MP is the new "norm."

  14.1.2010 18:42 #3

• SProdigy

  Quote:Quote:Quote:The camera upgrade has been long expected, and should put the iPhone in the same realm as other smartphones, such as the Nexus One, for starters.Well the Beautiful Xperia x10 have an 8.1mp camera, and by owning a C905 i can tell that 8.1 + the shake control it really does the job.Exactly why I said "for starters." There is even one phone that has 12.1MP but 5MP is the new "norm."Listen to ourselves... it's a PHONE not a CAMERA!

  14.1.2010 21:31 #4

• mike.m

  Each iPhone has always had a lower MP Camera (3MB and below). By the time this comes out 5MP may be the new "low". However you can't argue that 5MB isn't good enough for most users.
  
  I'm still waiting for the Omnia 2 to come to Telus, but I might consider changing my mind if this phone is: much less bulkier, thinner, has a back that doesn't scratch for once, fast CPU/GPU, has the rumored OLED, removable battery, SD Micro Slot, and doesn't come with a hefty price tag (which probably will), I might consider looking into this one. But it's hard to not criticize this phones camera when others like the Sony Ericsson Satio has a 12 MP.

  14.1.2010 22:21 #5

• Morreale

  With Apple always boasting about innovation and some other BS you should only expect top of the line, yet they fail to deliver against their competitors. The only thing it has are some lame "Apps" in which it seems they were created for mass pirating, and ads specifically designed to attract the "coolest" kids. Good for them.
  
  How about some desktop innovation? I feel like my iMac is just collecting dust in the midsts of overpriced low quality mobile innovation. Of course, all this seemed to happen right after I bought it...
  
  It seems like Apple does many things in order to claim that they were the first to do this and that, but then others jump in and outdo them in no time.

  14.1.2010 23:59 #6

• DVDBack23

  Quote:removable battery, SD Micro SlotLMAO this is Apple we are talking about, you will never get something USEFUL like a memory card slot or a removable battery. However, when the battery dies you can call them up and they will be glad to replace it for a price most likely half of what you paid for the phone.

  15.1.2010 00:55 #7

• lxhotboy

  Quote:Quote:removable battery, SD Micro SlotLMAO this is Apple we are talking about, you will never get something USEFUL like a memory card slot or a removable battery. However, when the battery dies you can call them up and they will be glad to replace it for a price most likely half of what you paid for the phone.dang! Can't argue with that one. I don't see those things either and it is just petty that apple wants to make money on changing the battery. Myself? I will probably change the battery out myself just to save money.

  15.1.2010 08:15 #8

• Bani666

  All apple does is steal some other company's patents and then market their new product EVERYWHERE AND ALL THE TIME like it's something new. iPhone is just a brick with a touchscreen, it's not a smartphone, but a toy
  

  My site: http://tutoriary.com - Tutorials for newbie web designers.

  15.1.2010 09:34 #9

• SProdigy

  Originally posted by Bani666: All apple does is steal some other company's patents and then market their new product EVERYWHERE AND ALL THE TIME like it's something new. iPhone is just a brick with a touchscreen, it's not a smartphone, but a toyI have to disagree. When I purchased my iPhone about 6 months ago, I had researched many phones. I was moving from a WinMo Samsung Blackjack, which gave me the ability to check my mail and text, but web browsing was pretty light. My only other option was a BlackBerry, and considering the night and day difference in the amount of support between the two, I chose the iPhone. Now I can easily sync my calendar, check email, text, listen to music, watch a movie, look up phone numbers via mobile web/apps, play games... there's not much it can't do.
  
  Yes, it does lack features that other phones have, but to say it's not "smart" is a complete statement of ignorance or a biases opinion towards Apple.
  
  BTW, I hate Macs, so far from being a fanboy!

  15.1.2010 09:57 #10

• KjbAlto

  I agree with the anger some have towards Apple and how they leave things out that they should have on their iphone. I was a hater like most of you, but after buying an iphone, I love it. Even with it's short comings, I still wouldn't trade for another phone. There are other phones that have better cameras, better this, and better that. That's true, I don't say the iphone is the best phone, it's not. But nobody comes even close to the 3rd party support the iphone has. Everything in this world is catered to the iphone. Stereos have iphone docks, news sites have iphone apps, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger. I was just waiting on line in Chipotle for lunch, and I saw a sign that says they now have an iphone app to order your food in advance!! It's crazy, but that's how big it is. After jailbreaking the iphone, you can do a lot with it, and all the apps are free. I wish the battery lasted longer, I wish it had flash support, and I wish it had a lot of things that it doesn't. Everytime my friends get a new phone that's better, they try and say it beats the iphone, but they even admit that if they had ATT (which they didn't) they would've gotten the iphone.
  
  Edit: After reading my post, it looks like I'm defending apple and saying it's great. That's not the case at all. It's vexing that it's missing things it should have. It's definitely not the best phone. So before you guys say I'm swinging from Apple's nuts, I'm not. I'm just stating that being a tech guy, the iphone is appealing, after it's jailbroken ofcourse. I don't see any other phone taking over like the iphone did. Not just with the games and apps, but like I said earlier, with the fact that even home stereos are made with iphone docks. I don't see these companies catering to other phones like they did for the ipods.

  15.1.2010 10:59 #11

• Josipher

  preview for next years article:
  new iphone to have another useless add-on that could have been added before for double the money of the last phone while the last phone will be sold for 99$..eventually.

  15.1.2010 11:07 #12

• llongtheD

  Touch sensitive casing? Now there's something I'm almost sure I can't live without. I have a better idea, why not install some kind of perimeter detection on the device? When you get within the devices programmed perimeter, it turns on and starts predicting your next move, maybe even starts dialing people out of your phonebook at random.

  15.1.2010 22:29 #13

• stevie_g8

  hi guys, actually my iphone wasnt detecting the bitbuzz internet service, so i decided to restore the iphone 3g 16gb, got only 2 gb as free memory, does anyone know how long it might takes, cause its been 5 hrs now.. and everytime it stays on the apple sign still loading.. any suggestions?thanks

  16.1.2010 06:14 #14

• borhan9

  This is a great lil update on the phone i wouldn't mind trying this out.

  16.1.2010 22:01 #15

• Discmania

  Never mind a 5mp camera, what about a FRONT camera? This is essential to enable video calling on the iPhone.

  17.1.2010 16:30 #16