Provided by Business Insider's Steven Kovach
I was really close to upgrading my iPhone 4 when the 4S launched last year.
Not because I was dying for the upgrade, but because I was getting sick of AT&T's horrible service in New York. I wanted an excuse to make the move to Verizon.
But for me, the upgrade didn't make sense. I, like many other current iPhone 4 owners, was hoping for a bit more from Apple.
Luckily, it looks like the next iPhone could arrive as early as this summer, according to some new rumors. I might not have to wait as long as I thought.
Before I do upgrade though, I have a few demands for the next iPhone. Keep reading to see what I want.
It's time for Apple to finally adopt 4G
I can understand why Apple was hesitant to add 4G LTE to the iPhone 4S. It's a battery hog. The chips necessary to hop on 4G networks could've made the iPhone thicker instead of sleek and thin. Basically, the same reasons it waited an extra year to add 3G to the iPhone.
But now it's time for Apple to get on board. I've used Verizon and AT&T's LTE networks on several different Android devices and the speeds are incredible. At times, it can be as fast as your Wi-Fi connection at home. If Apple skips LTE again this year the iPhone will look antiquated compared to the competition.
A 4-inch screen
Every time I test a new Android phone with a 4-inch (or larger) screen, I find it hard to adjust when I return to my iPhone's tiny 3.5-inch display. After using every screen size imaginable, I think 4 inches is the true sweet spot for a smartphone. With all the video watching and gaming we do on our phones, it'd be nice to have some extra real estate on the display.
It should play HD video
The resolution on the iPhone 4 and 4S is incredible thanks to the fancy Retina Display. But unlike a few premium Android phones out there, the iPhone still can't display true HD video. (For example, the Galaxy Nexus plays gorgeous 720p HD video.) I'd like to see the same on the iPhone 5.
A faster processor for better graphics and speed
It also needs more memory
I was a bit surprised when the iPhone 4S launched with just 512 MB of memory. Most experts thought it'd have twice that. Memory helps with advanced stuff like running several apps at once, so I'm hoping the iPhone 5 gets a boost.
Multitasking is still pretty awful on the iPhone
I think Apple did a halfway job when it added multitasking to the iPhone almost two years ago. Right now, running apps live in a tray you access by tapping the home button twice. If you want to close them, you have to painstakingly do so one at a time. It's annoying. I'm hoping Apple comes up with a better solution this time around.
The photo here shows a nice tweak jailbreakers use to handle multitasking on iPhones. Perhaps Apple could learn from this.
After two years, it's time for a fresh design
Even I was a bit disappointed after waiting more than a year for the next iPhone just to find out Apple only made internal upgrades. After two years of the same iPhone 4 design, I want something new before I upgrade. Chances are pretty good that Apple will deliver.
Better battery life
Compared to most touchscreen phones, the iPhone's battery life is already pretty good. But if Apple is in fact going to add a larger screen and a 4G LTE chip, it'll have to give the battery a nice boost to compensate.
By the way, we've already seen that this is possible with Motorola's new Droid Razr Maxx. That phone runs on Verizon's 4G LTE network, yet can last more than a day on one charge.
Built-in integration with Facebook, LinkedIn, Dropbox, and other popular web services
Sorry Apple lovers, but I'm about to make another Android comparison. One of my favorite things about Google's OS is that it allows for deep integration with a wide range of popular social networks and web services. All you have to do is install an app, and it's immediately a part of your phone.
Apple got a nice start by integrating Twitter into the iPhone, but I want more: Facebook, Evernote, Dropbox, LinkedIn, you name it. We use such a variety of services these days, it'll be nice if our iPhones made it easier to share.
Fix iMessage!
While we're big fans of iMessage, there are still a bunch of annoying nuances we're dying for Apple to fix. First of all, there's no way to block people from sending you iMessages without completely shutting the service off. iMessages can also get lost if you switch phones and another user tries to send one. Finally, there's a problem where iMessage can tie itself to your device, causing your messages to get sent to the wrong person.
We'd also like to see Apple to take iMessage a bit further, adding a BBM-like buddy list for your friends and an app for Macs and PCs.
What about the iPad? Click here for 9 things Apple needs to change with the iPad 3 before I buy one
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