As the months go by, and the iPhone 5 release draws nearer, the anticipation of Apple’s next smartphone increases. With every new rumor and leak we get a picture of what we’re realistically expecting. One thing that Cupertino doesn’t do is market research, not when it comes to designing new products. So, there’s not much chance that the designers are going to be taking any “Dear Santa” letters from fanboys anytime soon. But, just for the sake of fantasy and letting our imaginations go wild, here’s what I would love to see on the next iPhone:
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1. Larger display (that actually looks good)

I don’t know about you, but I find the leaks of the supposed iPhone 5′s front panel just a tad hideous. I like the aspect ratio as it is now, and simply stretching out the display to make it longer makes it look as out of proportion as an early adolescent boy. They may as well stick some over sized hands and feet on, give Siri an uncontrollable and shaky breaking voice and pair of pants that aren’t quite long enough.

I’m all for having a larger display, but, it needs to be wider too. The biggest complaint by most who hate the small iPhone’s display is texting in portrait mode. The keyboard is too cramped and fiddly. We know that won’t change if it remains just as narrow. The short of it: display needs to be wider and longer.
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2. Polycarbonate Unibody

Metal and glass: perfect for pretty objects and cars. As much as I like the look of the iPhone 4/4S (in white) I don’t like the glass, flat back. I never have, and I never will. It’s uncomfortable to hold, it slips far too easily and breaks. I miss the days of the iPhone 3GS’ curved plastic back. It felt like it belonged in your hand. Sure, it looked a little cheaper than the current phone, but what’s the point having a device that you feel you have to keep wrapped in cotton wool? My white 3GS was unashamedly thrown about, I was never nervous about smashing it. It handled life better than the 4 or 4S have. But, it had its issues. Cracks would appear around the dock/buttons.

It’s when I look at devices like the HTC One X and the Nokia Lumia that I start to realize how it should be done. The Polycarbonate used is great for rigidity, and can be made in to virtually any shape you want. Both devices look and feel incredible in hand, and invite you to touch them. The luxury/premium look of the iPhone is much more “hands off”. That needs to change.
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3. Quad-core and computer dock

There’s no real practical reason right now as to why the iPhone would need a multicore processor. Simply put: it doesn’t. But imagine this: your iPhone plugging in to a dock and automatically switching to a full(ish) version of OS X Mountain Lion. Many Android fans I’m sure would be up in arms about Apple copying the Atrix’s feature, but it’d be so much more. You would need no other computer except the iPhone in your pocket. Out of all my wishlist entries, this is the most unrealistic. The iPhone would need much more than just a quad-core processor to pull this off, but I can dream.
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4. Revolutionary battery technology

Do you remember the phones that existed before smartphones? Batteries would last a week. Heck, even my Pearl 9100 would only need one charge every seven days. I always knew that I needed to plug it in on a Friday. Imagine an iPhone that only needed to be fuelled up once per week. Granted, companies that made battery packs would be in trouble, but consumers would be much happier. I’m no electronic engineer or designer, but I know if anyone can come up with a revolutionary technology in an arena like this, it’s Apple.
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5. 10 minute full charge

This is another frustration of mine. The iPhone takes between 1-2 hours to charge fully, the new iPad is much worse. What if Apple found a way to delivery power quickly and safely, that could have your iPhone’s battery fully loaded within ten minutes. How cool would that be? No more waiting, no more leaving it on charge all night. Even if you only had five minutes to charge it before leaving the house, you could go out with it knowing you had 50% battery to play with until it needed recharging. Combine that with #4 on the list, and you have 3 days of charge in the time it takes to eat a sandwich.
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Now it’s your turn. What features would you love to see in the next iPhone (no matter how unlikely)? What’s your absolute dream Apple device? Sound in below.