Lucy Edwards, a blind journalist and UK-based broadcaster, struggled to maintain a social distance to the public during the outbreak of the pandemic. So try out iPhone Detector, which uses the iPhone 12 Pro and the 13 Pro’s sensor to detect when others are nearby.
“I have to get used to it, but I’m really excited to be in control again,” Edwards said in a 2020 BBC video of her experience.
Lidar, or light detection and range, is just one example of how technology inside the iPhone has evolved over the last 15 years. When the first iPhone was released on June 29, 2007, it had a 3.5-inch screen that would be considered tiny by today’s standards and a single 2-megapixel camera. Now Apple’s most advanced phones are equipped with dual rear cameras that are advanced enough for filming, sensors that help people like Edwards navigate the world, and powerful chips with billions of transistors.
The iPhone has often served as a catalyst for the technologies that have been introduced, whether it be Siri digital assistants, mobile payments or wireless charging, and has helped evolve the way we live our lives on our mobile phones. But in the future, the most important part of the iPhone may be everything around it. This is according to analysts who have observed the general trends of the mobile phone industry and Apple’s strategy.
In the short term, we are likely to see gradual improvements such as higher quality cameras and giant screens. But over the next decade, the iPhone could become a hub for smart glasses and other devices. AirPods, Apple Watches and CarPlay-enabled vehicles can be just the beginning. IPhone key components, such as the screen and charging systems, are also expected to receive a significant boost.
“The next search for the smartphone is to figure out what it will be connected to next,” said Runar Bjørhovde, an analyst at market research firm Canalys. “Because the smartphone has not necessarily reached its potential yet, but as a standalone device I think the smartphone is getting closer and closer to the edge.”
Your iPhone at the center of everything
There is a lot of speculation about what will follow after the smartphone. The smart consensus seems to be smart glasses, with companies like Meta, Snap and Google all working on their own version of high-tech glasses.
Apple is no exception. Reports from Bloomberg suggest that the iPhone maker could make his debut a mixed reality headset this year or next that will support augmented and virtual reality technologies. According to the report, a pair of smart glasses that work with AR could arrive later this decade.
What has this got to do with the iPhone? Possibly everything. Although Apple headphones are expected to function as a standalone device, the applications and services it runs will most likely come from the iPhone.
Think Apple Watch. It does not need a nearby iPhone to work, but much of its appeal lies in its ability to sync closely with the Apple phone. Many of the Apple Watch notifications are also linked to accounts and apps set up on the iPhone.
Whether it’s a smart headset, Apple Watch, AirPods or HomeKit, analysts expect the phone to stay in focus.
The iPhone will likely remain at the heart of Apple’s experience, acting as a hub for AirPods, the Apple Watch and possibly a pair of smart glasses one day.
Scott Stein / CNET
“The phone will be the anchor,” said Gene Munster, chief executive of technology investment firm Loup Ventures and a longtime Apple analyst.
But it’s not just about connecting to new personal tech gadgets. Apple is gradually turning the iPhone into a viable wallet replacement, integrating it even more tightly into the non-digital aspects of our lives.
Apple has made great strides on this front over the past year, releasing new features such as digital wallet IDs and Tap to Pay, which turn the iPhone into a contactless payment terminal for merchants without additional hardware. Apple also announced Apple Pay Later, which allows Apple Pay users to split a purchase into four equal installments over a six-week period.
“Obviously there is a big boost in financial services with Apple and I think we will see further progress there,” said Nick Maynard, head of research at Juniper Research.
Better didin, more advanced AI for better spatial awareness
Making informed guesses about Apple’s general direction for the iPhone is definitely easier than identifying specific changes that may be coming. But analysts have some ideas based on the seeds that Apple has planted in current iPhones. Lidar is likely to continue to be important as the company pushes deeper into augmented reality. Apple added the didin to the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020 to enhance the performance of AR applications, enable new camera tricks, and facilitate accessibility features such as the aforementioned Face Detection. Technology measures distance by determining how long it takes for light to reflect off an object and bounce back. However, the current iPhone’s LED sensors may not be sophisticated enough to realize Apple’s augmented reality ambitions, Munster said. “In particular, what needs to happen is that real-world mapping needs to be more accurate,” said Munster, whose company conducts research on augmented reality, autonomous vehicles and virtual reality. “And until that happens, AR is not going to really happen.” The iPhone trace feature uses the didin. James Martin / CNET Lidar improves the iPhone’s depth detection skills, but it’s still up to the phone processor to understand all this data. Apple has leaned on artificial intelligence – one of Silicon Valley’s favorite words in recent years – to give the iPhone and other products more context in terms of users and their environment. Once again, you can refer to the Apple Watch to see if this approach works. The Apple smartwatch uses artificial intelligence and data collected by its sensors for tasks such as monitoring your sleep and observing when you wash your hands. Hanish Bhatia, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, gave a hypothetical example of how artificial intelligence improvements could one day be reflected in the upcoming iPhones. It envisions a future in which an Apple smartphone can track a person’s habits to see if the main user of the phone or a family member can use the device. “The way you use your phone, at what angle your smartphone tilts … Do you push with a certain pressure or do you just tap it with your fingernails or something?” said as an example. “These are all different types of behaviors that are very unique to a user.” Bhatia’s example is speculative and does not reflect Apple’s actual plans. But with advances in artificial intelligence and technologies such as didin and ultra wideband giving the iPhone more spatial awareness, it’s easy to imagine a scenario like this.
Monitors and charging technology could change significantly
Perhaps one of the biggest questions about Apple’s future smartphone plans is whether the company will ever create a foldable iPhone. Samsung, Apple’s biggest competitor in the field of mobile phones, has already launched several generations of phones with flexible design. Motorola, Huawei and Microsoft have followed suit, and Google is rumored to be working on a flexible Pixel. Shipments of folding smartphones are said to have increased by 264.3% in 2021 compared to 2020, according to The International Data Corporation.
But experts like Munster and Maynard are skeptical about whether Apple will take a similar approach. Although the tech giant has filed patents for portable devices with flexible screens, these files are not always indicative of Apple designs. Sales of foldable phones are on the rise, but shipments are still low compared to regular smartphones. (Research firm IDC estimates that 7.1 million foldable phones were shipped in 2021 compared to 362.4 million phones shipped in the fourth quarter of last year). And then there is the question of whether folding devices offer something really new or important to the smartphone experience.
There are also challenges to creating a true folding glass screen, Munster says. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip has a glass screen, but this glass is also combined with “a special material” to “achieve constant hardness”, CNET reported in 2020.
“The part that is missing from my point of view is how [Apple] he would really do it, “Munster said.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 can be folded in half.
Sarah Tew / CNET
The iPhone charging experience is likely to be upgraded as well. Between USB-C, Lightning and MagSafe, it is no exaggeration to say that Apple’s charging options are complex. Maynard believes that pressure from the European Union and US senators could mean that the USB-C switch could be made in the future of the iPhone.
But more dramatic changes could also be in the works. Rumors of a completely portable iPhone have been circulating for years and Maynard does not think it is completely out of the question.
“I suspect that if a vendor were to launch a fully portless system, it would probably be Apple,” Maynard said, citing Apple’s decision to …
title: “The Future Of The Iphone Could Depend On These Innovative Technologies " ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-30” author: “Maria Clemons”
“I have to get used to it, but I’m really excited to be in control again,” Edwards said in a 2020 BBC video of her experience.
Lidar, or light detection and range, is just one example of how technology inside the iPhone has evolved over the last 15 years. When the first iPhone was released on June 29, 2007, it had a 3.5-inch screen that would be considered tiny by today’s standards and a single 2-megapixel camera. Now Apple’s most advanced phones are equipped with dual rear cameras that are advanced enough for filming, sensors that help people like Edwards navigate the world, and powerful chips with billions of transistors.
The iPhone has often served as a catalyst for the technologies introduced, whether it be Siri digital assistants, mobile payments, or wireless charging, and has helped shape the way we live our lives on our mobile phones. But in the future, the most important part of the iPhone may be everything around it. This is according to analysts who have observed the general trends of the mobile phone industry and Apple’s strategy.
In the short term, we are likely to see gradual improvements such as higher quality cameras and giant screens. But over the next decade, the iPhone could become a hub for smart glasses and other devices. AirPods, Apple Watches and CarPlay-enabled vehicles can be just the beginning. IPhone key components, such as the screen and charging systems, are also expected to receive a significant boost.
“The next search for the smartphone is to figure out what it will be connected to next,” said Runar Bjørhovde, an analyst at market research firm Canalys. “Because the smartphone has not necessarily reached its potential yet, but as a standalone device I think the smartphone is getting closer and closer to the edge.”
Your iPhone at the center of everything
There is a lot of speculation about what will follow after the smartphone. The smart consensus seems to be smart glasses, with companies like Meta, Snap and Google all working on their own version of high-tech glasses.
Apple is no exception. Reports from Bloomberg suggest that the iPhone maker could make his debut a mixed reality headset this year or next that will support augmented and virtual reality technologies. According to the report, a pair of smart glasses that work with AR could arrive later this decade.
What has this got to do with the iPhone? Possibly everything. Although Apple headphones are expected to function as a standalone device, the applications and services it runs will most likely come from the iPhone.
Think Apple Watch. It does not need a nearby iPhone to work, but much of its appeal lies in its ability to sync closely with the Apple phone. Many of the Apple Watch notifications are also linked to accounts and apps set up on the iPhone.
Whether it’s a smart headset, Apple Watch, AirPods or HomeKit, analysts expect the phone to stay in focus.
The iPhone will likely remain at the heart of Apple’s experience, acting as a hub for AirPods, the Apple Watch and possibly a pair of smart glasses one day.
Scott Stein / CNET
“The phone will be the anchor,” said Gene Munster, chief executive of technology investment firm Loup Ventures and a longtime Apple analyst.
But it’s not just about connecting to new personal tech gadgets. Apple is gradually turning the iPhone into a viable wallet replacement, integrating it even more tightly into the non-digital aspects of our lives.
Apple has made great strides on this front over the past year, releasing new features such as digital wallet IDs and Tap to Pay, which turn the iPhone into a contactless payment terminal for merchants without additional hardware. Apple also announced Apple Pay Later, which allows Apple Pay users to split a purchase into four equal installments over a six-week period.
“Obviously there is a big boost in financial services with Apple and I think we will see further progress there,” said Nick Maynard, head of research at Juniper Research.
Better didin, more advanced AI for better spatial awareness
Making informed guesses about Apple’s general direction for the iPhone is definitely easier than identifying specific changes that may be coming. But analysts have some ideas based on the seeds that Apple has planted in current iPhones. Lidar is likely to continue to be important as the company pushes deeper into augmented reality. Apple added the didin to the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020 to enhance the performance of AR applications, enable new camera tricks, and facilitate accessibility features such as the aforementioned Face Detection. Technology measures distance by determining how long it takes for light to reflect off an object and bounce back. However, the current iPhone’s LED sensors may not be sophisticated enough to realize Apple’s augmented reality ambitions, Munster said. “In particular, what needs to happen is that real-world mapping needs to be more accurate,” said Munster, whose company conducts research on augmented reality, autonomous vehicles and virtual reality. “And until that happens, AR is not going to really happen.” The iPhone trace feature uses the didin. James Martin / CNET Lidar improves the iPhone’s depth detection skills, but it’s still up to the phone processor to understand all this data. Apple has leaned on artificial intelligence – one of Silicon Valley’s favorite words in recent years – to give the iPhone and other products more context in terms of users and their environment. Once again, you can refer to the Apple Watch to see if this approach works. The Apple smartwatch uses artificial intelligence and data collected by its sensors for tasks such as monitoring your sleep and observing when you wash your hands. Hanish Bhatia, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, gave a hypothetical example of how artificial intelligence improvements could one day be reflected in the upcoming iPhones. It envisions a future in which an Apple smartphone can track a person’s habits to see if the main user of the phone or a family member can use the device. “The way you use your phone, at what angle your smartphone tilts … Do you push with a certain pressure or do you just tap it with your fingernails or something?” said as an example. “These are all different types of behaviors that are very unique to a user.” Bhatia’s example is speculative and does not reflect Apple’s actual plans. But with advances in artificial intelligence and technologies such as didin and ultra wideband giving the iPhone more spatial awareness, it’s easy to imagine a scenario like this.
Monitors and charging technology could change significantly
Perhaps one of the biggest questions about Apple’s future smartphone plans is whether the company will ever create a foldable iPhone. Samsung, Apple’s biggest competitor in the field of mobile phones, has already launched several generations of phones with flexible design. Motorola, Huawei and Microsoft have followed suit, and Google is rumored to be working on a flexible Pixel. Shipments of folding smartphones are said to have increased by 264.3% in 2021 compared to 2020, according to The International Data Corporation.
But experts like Munster and Maynard are skeptical about whether Apple will take a similar approach. Although the tech giant has filed patents for portable devices with flexible screens, these files are not always indicative of Apple designs. Sales of foldable phones are on the rise, but shipments are still low compared to regular smartphones. (Research firm IDC estimates that 7.1 million foldable phones were shipped in 2021 compared to 362.4 million phones shipped in the fourth quarter of last year). And then there is the question of whether folding devices offer something really new or important to the smartphone experience.
There are also challenges to creating a true folding glass screen, Munster says. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip has a glass screen, but this glass is also combined with “a special material” to “achieve constant hardness”, CNET reported in 2020.
“The part that is missing from my point of view is how [Apple] he would really do it, “Munster said.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 can be folded in half.
Sarah Tew / CNET
The iPhone charging experience is likely to be upgraded as well. Between USB-C, Lightning and MagSafe, it is no exaggeration to say that Apple’s charging options are complex. Maynard believes that pressure from the European Union and US senators could mean that the USB-C switch could be made in the future of the iPhone.
But more dramatic changes could also be in the works. Rumors of a completely portable iPhone have been circulating for years and Maynard does not think it is completely out of the question.
“I suspect that if a vendor were to launch a fully portless system, it would most likely be Apple,” Maynard said, referring to Apple’s decision to remove the iPhone headphone jack in 2016.
Wireless charging has also been a focal point for Apple in recent years, further supporting the case for a portless iPhone. There are relatively new Apple MagSafe chargers, and many CarPlay-enabled vehicles also support wireless connections. Apple has also patented wireless charging systems that will be integrated directly into MacBooks, allowing Apple laptops to charge iPhones, Apple Watches and iPads. The iPad Con Smart Connector also provides a quick and easy way to connect accessories to your Apple tablet without a port.
“The number of systems that actually have to have 100% cable is declining,” Maynard said.
Apple’s MagSafe battery wirelessly …
