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What technology should manufacturers be focusing on?

What should manufacturers be focusing on?

  • CPU (clock speed, cores, architecture, etc.)

    Votes: 1 1.6%

  • RAM/Storage (3, 4, 8GB; 32, 64, 128GB, etc.)

    Votes: 2 3.2%

  • Display (PPI, 4K, AMOLED, IPS, IGZO, etc.)

    Votes: 2 3.2%

  • Camera (MP, Sensor size, pizel size, optics, etc.)

    Votes: 3 4.8%

  • Battery/Energy (capacity, technology, component efficiency, etc.)

    Votes: 52 83.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 2 3.2%
  • Total voters
    62
A

appledes7

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 12, 2011
756
0
Irishman said:
I don't know that removable batteries means anything for Joe Schmoe phone user. I mean, I've got a phone with a removable battery, and you know what, I've never bought a second battery for when the battery dies. When it goes dead, you know what I do? I plug it in and charge it! There's no absence of micro-USB chargers in the world today.

I've just not seen a use case for it.
Click to expand...

I'm right there with you. And by the time a battery has degraded to the point where you need to replace it, you've probably already upgrade your phone twice.

If you need more power and aren't around a charger, if you can remember a second battery, why can you remember an external battery? I carry around a 6000 mAh Anker. And I prefer that over 3 extra internal batteries. It has a metal casing which makes me feel comfortable keeping it in my pocket with my keys. I can start charging it without having to turn my phone off, and it works with every phone that uses micro USB. Way better than an extra internal battery if you ask me.

Plus, every phone can be forced turned off by holding the power button now. So taking the battery out isn't a big deal.
 
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cube

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May 10, 2004
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appledes7 said:
I'm right there with you. And by the time a battery has degraded to the point where you need to replace it, you've probably already upgrade your phone twice.

If you need more power and aren't around a charger, if you can remember a second battery, why can you remember an external battery? I carry around a 6000 mAh Anker. And I prefer that over 3 extra internal batteries. It has a metal casing which makes me feel comfortable keeping it in my pocket with my keys. I can start charging it without having to turn my phone off, and it works with every phone that uses micro USB. Way better than an extra internal battery if you ask me.

Plus, every phone can be forced turned off by holding the power button now. So taking the battery out isn't a big deal.
Click to expand...

- I already had to buy replacements for wonky batteries before with some other phones.

- Obviously, you haven't looked at the video in the link I posted, which is way better than your external kludge.

- A device might refuse to turn off when pushing a soft switch.
 
A

appledes7

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 12, 2011
756
0
cube said:
- I already had to buy replacements for wonky batteries before with some other phones.
Click to expand...
I've never had to once. And I'd wager a large majority of average users have never had to for modern smartphones either.
cube said:
- Obviously, you haven't looked at the video in the link I posted, which is way better than your external kludge.
Click to expand...
Its funny when people think they are so right and start making assumptions. I have watched the video, obviously you like to jump the gun ;-)

And I'd still much rather have my external 6000 mAh battery over that puny hybrid 1800 mAh battery any day. Not to mention you can't use that as a blanket example as that is only for a phone from a failing company.

And most external batteries are larger than 1800. So even the average user who goes out and buys an external battery will have more juice than that. Plus, some external batteries can charge multiple devices at once.

cube said:
- A device might refuse to turn off when pushing a soft switch.
Click to expand...
First off, I've never had a single device ever refuse to turn off from using the hardware buttons.

Second, is it a soft switch? If it was a switch based on software, wouldn't that mean it wouldn't work when the phone is off? Or frozen? Or in a boot loop? Yet every time, I can hold down the power button, or on an iPhone power and home, to reset the device. If the phone is off, holding down the phones respective reset hardware keys always works. Wouldn't this not be the case if it was controlled by software?


Also, I'd wager that the majority of average users would prefer a larger internal non-removable battery than a smaller removable battery. For example, for the Z10, if I actually used one, I'd prefer a 3600 mAh (double it's current I believe) non-removable over an 1800 removable battery any day. Because no matter what, you still have the option to buy an external battery pack. This way you just may not need it as often. But everyone has their personal preferences.
 
I

Irishman

macrumors 68040
Nov 2, 2006
3,449
859
cube said:
- I already had to buy replacements for wonky batteries before with some other phones.

- Obviously, you haven't looked at the video in the link I posted, which is way better than your external kludge.

- A device might refuse to turn off when pushing a soft switch.
Click to expand...

Two words for you:

Mophie Case.

:throws the microphone down and walks off stage:
 
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cube

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May 10, 2004
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Cases and external packs are kludges, specially on an iPhone (but who cares on the 5c).
 
A

appledes7

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 12, 2011
756
0
cube said:
Cases and external packs are kludges, specially on an iPhone (but who cares on the 5c).
Click to expand...

That is just your opinion. Many people like cases to protect their investment. And many people like external battery packs to help give them a little more juice that can be used for their phone or their tablet.
 
tbayrgs

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
cube said:
- I already had to buy replacements for wonky batteries before with some other phones.

- Obviously, you haven't looked at the video in the link I posted, which is way better than your external kludge.

- A device might refuse to turn off when pushing a soft switch.
Click to expand...

It certainly might, though I haven't actually ever seen a phone with 'soft' power buttons. As appledes7 mentioned, I've never been able to not shut off any of the 8 smartphones I've owned with non-removable batteries using the hardware buttons.

cube said:
640x960 at 3.5"
Click to expand...

cube said:
720p at 4.0"
Click to expand...

What the hell are you taking about with these comments? A 3.5" smartphone with that resolution came out about about 3 1/2 years ago--I'll give you one guess. :rolleyes:
 
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cube

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tbayrgs said:
What the hell are you taking about with these comments? A 3.5" smartphone with that resolution came out about about 3 1/2 years ago--I'll give you one guess. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

It means the other 3.5" still need to match that guess.
 
M

mellofello

macrumors 65816
Feb 1, 2011
1,258
556
I wish they would perfect the oleophobic coatings. There is a company that sells Ipod nanos treated with some kind of coating that makes it fully water proof without any case. I am constantly around water and it would be nice to have a more rugged and water resistant phone.

I don't care about sleekness

Function > form
 
A

appledes7

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 12, 2011
756
0
cube said:
These are mass phones, and some people don't want anything larger even if the price is not at all a problem.
Click to expand...

I am going to agree with you here. Those sized screens are very popular among first-time smartphone buyers, especially in countries besides the US. They are entry level smartphones and cater to people on a budget. Higher PPI where pixelation isn't an issue should be standard. At least it would be great if it was standard and they could still keep the costs the same.

----------
mellofello said:
I wish they would perfect the oleophobic coatings. There is a company that sells Ipod nanos treated with some kind of coating that makes it fully water proof without any case. I am constantly around water and it would be nice to have a more rugged and water resistant phone.

I don't care about sleekness

Function > form
Click to expand...

Check out the Sony Xperia Z and Z1. I'd love for this to become standard on ALL phones. That would be amazing.
 
pear21

pear21

macrumors 6502
Mar 12, 2012
269
0
Michigan
Battery blows away the competitors! look at that poll not very close. It seems like all the new phones just find small ways to lessen the use of the battery to help generate a few more minutes on a charge. I am waiting for them to finally switch over and start working on the battery itself and come up with some new materials or technology that will make the battery last for at least a couple of days.
 
T

thehustleman

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2013
1,123
1
They should be focused on


1. The best camera
2. The best battery life and phones should no longer be allowed to come with a non-removable battery. You crap out and get a perfect phone but with a bad battery, you can some replace it. You run out of juice you just pop another one in and you go from 1% to 100% in less than 30 seconds. None of those silly battery packs hanging off the phone, and you can get the case you want, not having to rely on those charging cases. Plus instead of carrying a battery pack (which is double charging. You charge the pack, THEN charge the phone, why not just charge a battery and have it done?) you can just put a spare battery, which is much smaller than a battery pack)
3. Better screen quality (hi Samsung)
4. Touch free voice operation (think moto x)
5. Getting rid of bezels
6. Expanded storage options.
7. Make the screens easy to fix. If a screen breaks (for those without the insight to put a good case on the phone lol) it shouldn't be a pain to fix!
 
Last edited:
Stuntman06

Stuntman06

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2011
961
5
Metro Vancouver, B.C, Canada
Number one should be battery. However, even though battery technology gets better, what manufacturers will do is simply use smaller batteries. :mad: The reason is that there are just too many smartphone buyers (espeicially first time buyers) are too ignorant about how important battery life is compared to thinness. Thin phones will sell way better in general compared to thick phones with an awesome battery life because thin phones are sexier, sleaker and more attractive visually. Unfortunately, looks matter all too much.

The other technology I would like manufacturers to be focussing on are keyboards with tactile feedback. I don't mean haptic feedback. I want to feel what key I'm about to press BEFORE I press it. Traditionally, physical keyboards do this. It seems that the trend has moved away from physical keyboard. I'm hoping technology like Tactus will become more common for people like me who always preferred the tactile feedback of physical keyboards.
 
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cube

Suspended
May 10, 2004
17,011
4,973
- Check that the design is no wider than standard shirt pockets
- Check that the design fits completely in average back pockets
- Check that the design slides easily into jacket pockets

- Fashion designers: make bigger pockets
 
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