I would actually say that "s" versions offer some of the biggest improvements over their predecessors, but you're right, they generally don't get the same hype because they look the same. For instance, the 5s compared to the 5 introduced TouchID, and a 64-bit processor. The 6 is really just a slightly faster 5s with a larger display. The 6s introduced faster TouchID, a much faster processor, double the RAM, and live photos. The most notable features of the 7 are a better camera and the lack of a headphone jack, which many see as a disadvantage.
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iPhone 7s rumors, anyone?
- Thread starter Chomp81
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I would actually say that "s" versions offer some of the biggest improvements over their predecessors, but you're right, they generally don't get the same hype because they look the same. For instance, the 5s compared to the 5 introduced TouchID, and a 64-bit processor. The 6 is really just a slightly faster 5s with a larger display. The 6s introduced faster TouchID, a much faster processor, double the RAM, and live photos. The most notable features of the 7 are a better camera and the lack of a headphone jack, which many see as a disadvantage.
I'm perfectly content with the look and feel of the 7, don't know why we have to get "wowed" by a new case? Sure new look and feel makes it feel special, but personally I'm ok with them doing a 7s, same look with new internals.
It's just the wasted space that bothers me. I would like to have a phone with a 5"+ display, but the frame of the plus sized iPhones is too large.
I see the "S" version phones as a testbed for new features. The real world application for those "S" features only show up a year later in the major iPhone revisions.
4S: Except for Siri, doesn't do anything substantially different than the iPhone 4.
5S: Touch ID (no real use until paired with NFC in iPhone 6), M7 (no real use until Health app in iOS 8).
6S: 3D Touch (much of the functionality had to wait until iOS 10), Touch ID 2.0 (nice to have)
5: LTE, Lightning Connector, new display and form factor
6: NFC (Apple Pay), VoLTE, new display and form factor
7: Water resistance, telephoto, capacitive home button
LOL. There ya go.Outdated in that friends won't be able to tell I have the newest thing!
Except for the S cycle phones you forgot the following:
4S: Faster dual core CPU & 7 times the graphics performance, Bluetooth 4.0 & improved iSight camera made it a much more future proof device
5S: Much faster 64-bit processor and new graphics architecture, faster RAM, TouchID - immediately useful as a fast and secure way to unlock your phone, camera changes that improved low light performance
6S: Another large speed increase with the A9, double the RAM, faster RAM, faster storage and LTE-A, large camera improvements, taptic engine
This, combined with Apple Pay made the SE the last iPhone I will be interested in until they can come up with a legit hardware breakthrough that makes it worthwhile. Other incremental improvements such as higher res screens, faster processors, better camera, etc mean dick to me. It's just a cell phone.
All those "S" changes can be summed with one word: Faster.
Those "S" enhancements don't fundamentally change how you can use iPhone. Whether it's 64-bit, more RAM, or Touch ID 2.0, the difference is simply "faster."
On the other hand, the major iPhone revisions tend to change how people use iPhone.
5: LTE and camera for Facetime HD and/or practical tethering
6: Apple Pay, VoLTE
7: Water resistance and telephoto lens
To be fair, you could argue that Touch ID (1.0 - 5s) and more RAM/processing speed could change how someone uses their phone. Just ask all those people who thought the 6 Plus was going to be a multitask power house device and dropped a grand on launch day before the phone was taken apart and we learned what was inside. For the kind of people who are more likely to upgrade their phones frequently, 2GB of RAM was a big deal for them - it changed multitasking on iOS for handheld users (and even more so for iPad users but i digress). =
Does VoLTE carry any more "value" in the context of when it came out than Bluetooth 4.0? Was touch ID less worthy as a feature simply because the 5s didn't have an NFC chip to take use of Apple Pay (which was useless for most of the world when the 6 launched?
The downside with categorizing something as "purely a speed enhancement" vs "a major iPhone revision" (was the 7 really "major?") is you can omit what makes each of those phones special. They focus on design more one year, and specs more the next year, features throughout.
In reality these phones are different generations every year; the 7th gen iPhone came out in 2013, an 8th gen model in 2014, a 9th gen iPhone in 2015 etc...they just so happen to have different naming configurations that follow an advertising and marketing platform. And each generation brings something to the table.
I think the S will have true tone display, faster processor, higher waterproof rating, maybe wireless charging but that would involve changing the design of the phone. Improved camera in some way.
OR
Their is no S version and Apple will only launch one model this year, the iPhone 8, just like the 4 and 5 before.
I'm going to wait and see what happens. See what prices are announced and what's offered as if they are too high I may get an iPhone 7 for less then it is now.
OR
Their is no S version and Apple will only launch one model this year, the iPhone 8, just like the 4 and 5 before.
I'm going to wait and see what happens. See what prices are announced and what's offered as if they are too high I may get an iPhone 7 for less then it is now.
Actually that's wrong because the iPhone 6S introduced 3D Touch for the first time changing in the biggest way yet how you interact with the iPhone.
I think Apple will launch two new iphones this year : 7S and 7S Plus obviously . I dont expect an iphone 8 this year.
For Iphone 7S I expect
a faster A11 processor with 3gb of ram in both models(4.7 and 5.5).
a camera upgrade (12MP to 15MP would be pretty nice).
bring somethinh new to touch id ( Touch ID 3.0??, I dont know)
yeah , same design and same screen resolution maybe an Oled screen? ( But I think Apple will hold OLED screen for iphone 8)
Improved 3d touch??(with more useful features??)
a new feature (5S bring touch id ,so , whats the next "must" feature ?)
maybe a new color option (Purple color would be nice) hahaha
In my opnion, Iphone 8 will be launched in 2018.
For Iphone 7S I expect
a faster A11 processor with 3gb of ram in both models(4.7 and 5.5).
a camera upgrade (12MP to 15MP would be pretty nice).
bring somethinh new to touch id ( Touch ID 3.0??, I dont know)
yeah , same design and same screen resolution maybe an Oled screen? ( But I think Apple will hold OLED screen for iphone 8)
Improved 3d touch??(with more useful features??)
a new feature (5S bring touch id ,so , whats the next "must" feature ?)
maybe a new color option (Purple color would be nice) hahaha
In my opnion, Iphone 8 will be launched in 2018.
I'd look at the 7S if the 8 has a rear fingerprint reader, that would be the only reason, but a real reason.
If the Display, processor, camera are improved, that's more than "Incremental." Those are some of the most major features on any mobile phone if they were improved. You can't expect year-to-year major overhauls with those features. That's not how cell phone manufacturers upgrade their hardware. If you are expecting "Legit breakthroughs" regularly, then you should research back history of manufacturers releasing phones on an annual basis.
First, I'm not "expecting" anything regularly....hence the lack of need for me to upgrade in every cycle. Second, we will have to agree to disagree that things like faster processors or better cameras are incremental upgrades or not. They don't CHANGE the way you use a cell phone. While you may have your opinion, you don't speak for me, or the rest of the world, for that matter. And since most professional reviews call such changes "incremental" as well, I suspect that your opinion is in the minority.
Since "professional reviews" don't control how I spend my money, I base my decision on how I view updates, not someone else. For example, Touch ID changed the way I use a cell phone, someone who has not enabled Touch ID might say it's a less than incremental update. Depends on your point of view.
Oh, I agree wholeheartedly. When Slo-Mo video became available, that was more than just an incremental update to me, and would be worthless to someone who didn't use it. Anything new will have subjective value to each person, which is why there can be differing opinions.
Having said that, in my opinion there are generally-accepted standards in the tech world, and spec bumps like faster processors and camera spec bumps and increased display resolutions and increased battery usage times are textbooks definition of incremental updates. You don't have to agree with my opinion, and you can ignore tech professionals usage of terms, but surely you understand that "how you spend your money" is not a standard considered by anyone else other than you.
It's not just a phone for most, it's a fashion accessory. But yeah, I agree with you. The form factor of the 7's almost perfect.
We're a decimal culture. People love multiples of ten. It's good marketing.