iPhone 2014: It's time.

[Childs]

That said, I still don't see myself buying one.

I said that about the iPod, until it got to the point where you felt like a loser if you weren't sporting those white headphones.

Ahh...my poor Diamond Rio One never stood a chance.

 

[JAG87]

I think people are underestimating the "iwatch". Apple has never in their history gotten into a new product category without presenting a revolutionary product. Something (or many things...) will set the iwatch way ahead of the competition and make it desirable to own. For me it all depends on what those things are, and what the price tag is. But one thing is for sure, it will either do something unique, or do something common but in a much better way. Apple usually is the one setting the bar.

 

[TreVader]

Well, they'll probably be following Samsung's example of gigantic phones on Sept. 9.

However, Apple hasn't been about necessarily being the first. They're about being the best. I have no doubt Apple's offering (if it happens) will be light years better than Samsung's.

That said, I still don't see myself buying one.

I know it's real and I'm sure they can't do worse than samsung but I don't think it will be apple'a next iPhone or even iPad

 

[QueBert]

iWatch with Nike+ built in would be a pre-order for me even if that's all I knew about it.

 

[Eug]

Apple - Live - Countdown to the Apple Special Event:

Live video from our special event will be right here. And so will a whole lot more.

Join us at Apple.com on September 9 at 10 a.m. PDT to follow every moment.

Add to your calendar

 

[CZroe]

I know it's real and I'm sure they can't do worse than samsung but I don't think it will be apple'a next iPhone or even iPad

As a smartwatch user and self-apppinted evangelist for several years, I can say that you really don't know what you're missing and that there's a good chance that you will be eating those words. Smart watch compatabilty was the reason I switched to Android in 2011 (hated that OpenWatch required a jailbreak and alternate Bluetooth stack to work on iDevices and STILL didn't support CallerID).

All Apple has to do to win me back is get this right.

 

[mmntech]

I said that about the iPod, until it got to the point where you felt like a loser if you weren't sporting those white headphones.

Ahh...my poor Diamond Rio One never stood a chance.

I resisted the iPod for a very long time. I had a Creative one, then I used my PSP for awhile. I scored a free iPod Classic a couple years ago after somebody had abandoned it in a rental car. Was broken, but all it needed was a new hard drive.

The iPhone 3G was my first iDevice.

 

[Ichinisan]

Please let the iwatch not be real. Please don't actually follow samsung ever.

Pretty sure Apple has had various prototypes for many, many years. Solid rumors have been around for ages. With each wearable tech announcement I've heard (Galaxy Gear included) I got the distinct impression that they were developed and released in response to rumors of an iWatch.

I also laugh when I see how they keep doubling-down on the flawed ideas of what wearable tech should be.

 

[mmntech]

Pretty sure Apple has had various prototypes for many, many years. Solid rumors have been around for ages. With each wearable tech announcement I've heard (Galaxy Gear included) I got the distinct impression that they were developed and released in response to rumors of an iWatch.

I also laugh when I see how they keep doubling-down on the flawed ideas of what wearable tech should be.

Worth noting that Apple already did a smart watch a few years ago. You used to be able to buy straps for the 6th gen iPod Nano. I was actually kind of surprised when they abandoned that form factor. Guess they wanted videos instead, though I don't know who'd be watching them on a 2.5'' screen.

The iWatch doesn't sound like it's going to be something I want though. Especially not if they do end up charging $400 for it, which the rumour mill was pointing too. You can get a very nice Citizen dress watch for that price. I stopped wearing the digital ones my sophomore year of high school. They just look tacky to me.

 

[Childs]

Worth noting that Apple already did a smart watch a few years ago. You used to be able to buy straps for the 6th gen iPod Nano. I was actually kind of surprised when they abandoned that form factor. Guess they wanted videos instead, though I don't know who'd be watching them on a 2.5'' screen.

The iWatch doesn't sound like it's going to be something I want though. Especially not if they do end up charging $400 for it, which the rumour mill was pointing too. You can get a very nice Citizen dress watch for that price. I stopped wearing the digital ones my sophomore year of high school. They just look tacky to me.

It'll be interesting to see people using skins to simulate any watch you want, so if you want a Citizen or Rolex look you can have one. Maybe watch makers will sell skins as well. The last watch I wore was a Gshock, and I liked it because of the compass. Plus you couldn't really break it. I wouldn't mind getting an iWatch just so I could use the nav features of the phone without taking out the phone. But $400 is a bit steep for that convenience.

 

[TreVader]

As a smartwatch user and self-apppinted evangelist for several years, I can say that you really don't know what you're missing and that there's a good chance that you will be eating those words. Smart watch compatabilty was the reason I switched to Android in 2011 (hated that OpenWatch required a jailbreak and alternate Bluetooth stack to work on iDevices and STILL didn't support CallerID).

All Apple has to do to win me back is get this right.

Quite an ironic post ("eating your words") as I actually own an Oceanic OCT diving computer, which is quite "smart" in as much as a watch can be, and never wear it because it is useless outside the water.


I don't even wear a watch unless it's to an important meeting/conference. I have an iPhone for whatever it is the iWatch will do, apart from the health stuff which my dive computer will do far better and down to 550+ feet.

 

[TreVader]

I also laugh when I see how they keep doubling-down on the flawed ideas of what wearable tech should be.

Seriously!



People had sundials you could strap to your wrist in 2000BC. Nobody cared then, and they don't care about wearing it on your wrist now.



The one place where a watch is useful is swimming/running or timed driving/flying/diving. None of these are areas where Apple markets products nor should they.

 

[Eug]

NY Times: iPhone 6 to have one handed mode

To deal with concerns that a bigger phone will make typing with one hand difficult (the current iPhone has a four-inch screen), some changes to the design of the iPhones’ user interface will allow people to type or use apps with just one hand; there will be a one-handed mode that can be switched on and off, two employees said.

If that worked well, that could convince me to go with a larger iPhone.

I said that about the iPod, until it got to the point where you felt like a loser if you weren't sporting those white headphones.

I thought the original iPod was a stroke of absolute genius. The only reason I didn't buy it was because of the cost, which was $400 US, and more in Canada.

Ironically though, the first thing I did when I bought my first iPod was to get Etymotic ER-4P headphones, which are black.

Worth noting that Apple already did a smart watch a few years ago. You used to be able to buy straps for the 6th gen iPod Nano. I was actually kind of surprised when they abandoned that form factor.

I'm not surprised. I have one and I hate it.

We have:

iPod shuffle (small squarish 2nd gen): I use this all the time in the garden and mowing the lawn.
iPod mini: I used this everywhere, including on my bike and rowing machine, until the click-wheel started acting up many years later.
iPod nano (square 6th gen): Hate it. Never use it. I only got it because our old nano was recalled due to defective batteries. I much, much preferred that older nano with the click wheel.
iPod nano (rectangular with click wheel): Loved it.
iPod 3G: All-touch interface died. Wasn't a huge fan after a year since the interface dying was so common.

Of all of them, I liked the iPod mini and the rectangular early iPod nano the best. The click wheel is the best iPod interface they've ever designed IMO. It's too bad they don't sell small click wheel iPods anymore. I'd buy one if I could. (I don't want an iPod classic.)

The iPod touch is nice, but just isn't the same. It's much harder to control without looking at it.

The absolute worst interface was the 3rd gen shuffle. No buttons at all. Like WTF?

As for the iWatch, I'm thinking the interface would be with some small side buttons, and a touch screen. It might work, it might not. But whatever the case, I'm skeptical.

As a smartwatch user and self-apppinted evangelist for several years, I can say that you really don't know what you're missing and that there's a good chance that you will be eating those words. Smart watch compatabilty was the reason I switched to Android in 2011 (hated that OpenWatch required a jailbreak and alternate Bluetooth stack to work on iDevices and STILL didn't support CallerID).

All Apple has to do to win me back is get this right.

No offence but to be honest, personally I think pretty much all smart watches up to now are completely pointless. But YMMV.

We'll have to see if Apple can do significantly better.

 

[CZroe]

Quite an ironic post ("eating your words") as I actually own an Oceanic OCT diving computer, which is quite "smart" in as much as a watch can be, and never wear it because it is useless outside the water.


I don't even wear a watch unless it's to an important meeting/conference. I have an iPhone for whatever it is the iWatch will do, apart from the health stuff which my dive computer will do far better and down to 550+ feet.

What's ironic is that my twin brother, Ichinisan, agrees with me, and yet you quoted his post in agreement and quoted mine in disagreement.

Your comments about them only making sense for specific activities tells me that you are also barking up the wrong tree for understanding smartwatch utility.

I'm saying that the most BASIC functions, like CallerID and music playback controls, unmissable silent notifications, gloved operation, ability to be used safely in the rain while your phone is safely stowed away, etc are more useful than they appear and that all this small utility, combined with whatever they have added, will lead to massive popularity ala the iPad/iPod. Adding a bunch of specialized functions is as bad as adding too many functions and taking "smart" too far. A bigger phone is a bigger deal when it comes to removing it from your pocket just to see the time. I don't know about you, but I want to reduce frivolous handling to reduce the risk of damage.

Seriously!



People had sundials you could strap to your wrist in 2000BC. Nobody cared then, and they don't care about wearing it on your wrist now.



The one place where a watch is useful is swimming/running or timed driving/flying/diving. None of these are areas where Apple markets products nor should they.

My brother, Ichinisan, was talking about Samsung, not Apple. Samsung has been doubling down on trying to make a compromised tablet/smartphone on wrist (does too much). He knows what a smartwatch should be because he has seen mine (Sony Ericsson MBW-150 and MBW-200). It's odd that you support his idea and reject mine when he and I agree. Having something highly-specialized, like a diving computer, can be as silly as something overly broad (like the Galaxy Gear, Gear 2, Gear Fit, Gear 2 Neo, etc).

 

[Childs]

I thought the original iPod was a stroke of absolute genius. The only reason I didn't buy it was because of the cost, which was $400 US, and more in Canada.

Ironically though, the first thing I did when I bought my first iPod was to get Etymotic ER-4P headphones, which are black.

I used to wear over the ear headphones with mine, till I spent a week in Manhattan. Seeing all the cool people (mainly beautiful women) with the white headphones actually got me to switch to the white ones. Thankfully I packed them as a backup, or I might have bought another set. Ever since then I just use the standard headphones. No use having an iPhone if people don't know you have one!

 

[Eug]

For the record, Etymotic ER-4P headphones are actually ear canal phones.

I didn't really give a chit what other people used colour-wise but white was more the sign of the low end stock headphones as far as I was concerned. It's OK to use crappy headphones of course, and I don't blame people for doing so as they come "free" with the devices. In fact, I do use the stock white ones for certain situations, but they just aren't great. I use them for two reasons:

1) They don't block out ambient noise, which is good walking around the city, cuz I am less likely to get run over by a car.

2) The ones for my iPhone come with a mic and controller, which is convenient.

BTW, with the Sept. 9 launch, I wonder how much time they'll spend talking about the Beats acquisition, and if they'll announce any Lightning interface headphones.

 

[Aikouka]

Any thoughts on which size you plan to get if any? One thing that's kind of crazy is that the 4.7" phone is barely bigger than the 5.5" phone's screen. I'm not too sure what I would prefer. It might be kind of fun to have a ridonkulously-sized phone, but even with my large hands, I'm not sure if I could control it easily with one hand. I did make some cheesy little paper cut-outs of the two rumored sizes just to see how well they would fit in things. Both seem to fit fine, but the 5.5" does poke its head out a bit from some things.

 

[Childs]

I didn't really give a chit what other people used colour-wise but white was more the sign of the low end stock headphones as far as I was concerned.

I normally don't either, but walking through those swanky Manhattan neighborhoods really made me want to say F you, I can afford it too! Its weird, but I have no prob admitting it.

Any thoughts on which size you plan to get if any?

I'm thinking 4.7, as 5.5 is pretty close to a Nexus 7 which would seem way too big. Gotta hold one in an Apple Store or something before I know how big is too big.

 

[Eug]

The 5.5" Note 2 is ridiculously sized IMO. It is 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm. However, the screen size was nice to look at.

The 4.7" Motorola RAZR HD which I owned for most of a year was already big, but a tolerable size for my pockets. It is 131.9 x 67.9 x 8.4 mm. However, one of my main beefs with the RAZR HD was that I found it very difficult to use one-handed. That could change with a 4.7" iPhone though, if the one-handed mode works well. The iPhone 6 is rumoured to be 137.5 x 67 x 7 mm, which OTOH has a much bigger footprint than the RAZR HD actually.

Interestingly, in my office, the Note series are more popular with women than the men. Not sure why, but perhaps it's because the women have purses.

 

[CZroe]

The 5.5" Note 2 is ridiculously sized IMO. It is 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm. However, the screen size was nice to look at.

The 4.7" Motorola RAZR HD which I owned for most of a year was already big, but a tolerable size for my pockets. It is 131.9 x 67.9 x 8.4 mm. However, one of my main beefs with the RAZR HD was that I found it very difficult to use one-handed. That could change with a 4.7" iPhone though, if the one-handed mode works well. The iPhone 6 is rumoured to be 137.5 x 67 x 7 mm, which OTOH has a much bigger footprint than the RAZR HD actually.

Interestingly, in my office, the Note series are more popular with women than the men. Not sure why, but perhaps it's because the women have purses.

Well, a lot of the Note II's size was not due to the screen, as evidenced by the Note 3 getting a larger 5.7" screen in a smaller area. A 5.5" screen designed as well as the Note 3 would be far more usable than a Note II.

 

[Eug]

Well, a lot of the Note II's size was not due to the screen, as evidenced by the Note 3 getting a larger 5.7" screen in a smaller area. A 5.5" screen designed as well as the Note 3 would be far more usable than a Note II.

The rumoured dimensions of the 5.5" iPhone 6 are 158 mm x 78 mm. That's bigger than the Note 2. Remember, the iPhone needs to be longer due to the necessary inferior bezel, housing the TouchID sensor / round home button.

Here are the iPhone 6 leaked shells vs. the Note 3:

Also, the 4.7" iPhone 6's rumoured dimensions include a much longer vertical length than my old RAZR HD, because my RAZR HD had no physical home button at all (which is one thing I hated about it).

Here are the iPhone 6 leaked shells vs. the Galaxy S4:

Note that the Galaxy S4 does have a home button, but it's short and squat.

 

[JAG87]

I'm sorry but the 5.5" model is just too big. And I'm surprised coming from Apple, you would think they would try to offer a 5.5" device that is actually SMALLER than their competitors, instead they went the other way. Even the 4.7" model is bigger than it should be, but it's not a total deal breaker. Both devices however are going to feel massive coming from a 4" screen. Apple should have taken a smaller step IMO. Either slim those damn bezels down, or go with 4.5" and 5". This obsession with thin is just making the device too big in surface area.

 

[bearxor]

Specs trump size for me. If the 5.5" model has a higher resolution screen. If it has a faster processor. If it has OIS on the camera where the 4.7" model does not, I'll go 5.5".

Some specs are more important than others. For instance, IF the 4.7" model had TouchID and the 5.5" did not in order to keep costs down, I'd go for the 4.7" model even if it had the extra bells and whistles I mentioned above.

 

[Red Storm]

If I had to get an iPhone, it would definitely be the 5.5" model.

 

[Eug]

At this point, I don't really care much what the specs of the CPU/GPU are, as long as the OS won't lag on-screen.

Besides TouchID, about the only spec I'm really interested in is the amount of RAM, and we won't even hear about that on Sept. 9.

NFC? Meh.
Motion Co-processor? Meh. (Yes, I have it in my 5s.)
400+ ppi pixel density? Nice, but not critical.
iWatch integration? Meh.
Sapphire? Meh.
Thinner? Meh. What's this obsession with thinness anyway?
Better camera with optical stabilization? OK, I'd appreciate that, but my 5s' camera is OK.
802.11ac? OK, I'd appreciate that, but 802.11n is OK.
Faster LTE? Meh.

I think the sweet spot for me for screen size would be around 4.2-4.3", but we won't get that.