I have an iPhone 6 Plus, which I bought for the camera and because it does not run Samsung’s Contacts app (a.k.a. “raise your blood pressure 20 points app”). Supposedly this phone has a beautiful exterior and is very thin, but I haven’t experienced either of those properties because I put the phone into a protective case shortly after purchase. Now it is thick, fairly durable, and looks nothing like it did when it left the factory in China (or when it’s taxable patented soul left an offshore trust in the Netherlands).
Android users can now enjoy an abuse-proof phone (WSJ on the Droid Turbo 2). How about Apple making a phone for the real world as well? Here’s what I want:
- rubberized exterior so that a toddler can throw it in a 5′ arc and have it land undamaged on a hardwood floor
- thick enough to accommodate a 24-hour battery
- use the thickness to accommodate a larger lens to cover a physically larger camera sensor (maybe 1/1.7″)
- same (awesome) Apple camera software
- (optional but it would be amazing) waterproof down to 10′ for underwater photos
Apple could then have three models for 2016: iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7 Tough. (Or maybe “iPhone 7 Photographer’s Edition” since the most dramatic difference would be in image quality)
You are never going to see a phone like this from Apple. Apple has always valued form over function, from the Mac 1 onward. If they ever put a phone like this, it will be because Jobs is dead in spirit and then Apple will no longer be Apple. That will happen someday but not for some time. A charismatic leader like Jobs can influence a company from the grave for decades.
I checked with Jony Ive – he said you have no idea what you want.
I want a solar powered iPhone with a carpet exterior case.
Can we throw in a “charge by hand crank” option while we’re at it?
Seems like a great opportunity for a good battery case. I’ve used one and had friends try others and they all sucked. None seemed to provide muck extra usage and they all had some gimacky charging system that interferes with normal syncing.