With iOS 11 Launching Next Week we take a final tally of iDevices on iOS 10 & Wonder how iPhone 8 will be Defined
Apple's new iPhones launch in the brand new Steve Jobs Theater next Tuesday along with iOS 11. Apple promotes the new OS by stating that "iOS 11 is a giant step for iPhone. A monumental leap for iPad." The accumulative list of new features is going to pack an incredible punch for Apple fans. They'll be able to organize files, have the new live-dock change as they work, be able to tap into superior multitasking, be a better photographer and walk through a new door to Augmented Reality apps. Yet before iOS 11 debuts we just wanted to post the last statistic on iDevices using iOS 10 as presented below. A whopping 87% of iDevices are on iOS 10 today which of course is great for Apple developers.
The leap to iOS 11 is likely to take off like a rocket and put an even greater smile on developer's faces: Ka-Ching. And there's a whole new world of Augmented Reality Apps to come and those developers will have an eager fan base looking forward to running new cool AR apps and games. So there's going to be a gold rush of AR apps just around the corner and a lot of very rich developers in the making.
This week I happened to stumble on what the next iPad or iPad Pro may look like following the iPhone's redesign. I hadn't given it much thought until that moment and thought, wow! – the design as noted in the graphic below could really be hot and a way to shake up iPad sales.
Of course it's an artists rendition assuming that Apple will carry the iPhone's design philosophy through to the iPad Pro. We may actually have to wait for that until next year, but I'm hoping Apple will surprise us this year so that iOS 11 has a cool new device look at the top end. But as always, only time will tell.
With Apple topping out at 87% for iOS 10 I was curious to see how the latest versions of Android were doing. The most popular Android version to date is Marshmallow as noted in the Official Google statistics below. Marshmallow was released 27 months ago. Did it get 87%? Ha! – not even close. Try 32.3%. Android's Nougat, released 18 months ago is painfully still only at 13.5%.
If history is our guide, Apple's iOS 11 will likely have 6X more Apple devices using it than Android devices with Nougat within a month. Every new app developed for iOS 11 gets to reach a massive audience rather quickly and an affluent market at that.
On September 12th it's going to be a party for fans and developers alike, especially because it's the iPhone's tenth anniversary and another moment to temporarily look back and remember the day that Apple's late CEO Steve Jobs stood on a stage and dropped a bombshell on the mobile world that would change it forever.
When Steve Jobs was about to launch Apple's revolutionary "device" – he first set it up and defined it by saying that the device was ... An iPod … a phone … an internet communicator. Steve Jobs repeated that line again and then added: "Do you get it?"
So how will the Anniversary iPhone be defined? We know that Augmented Reality is likely to be number one. But what other surprises could be introduced for the anniversary model? What defining features beyond a larger OLED display and Facial Recognition could Apple be bringing to the party?
Maybe nothing. Maybe all the rumors have exhausted any chance for a surprise, again. Or maybe, just maybe, Apple has a few killer apps up their sleeve for the big event. I'll point to two possibilities and perhaps you can send in your ideas or hopes in our comment section below.
When Apple first introduced their dual lens camera for the iPhone 7, the killer app was introducing their new 'Portrait' mode that allowed us mere mortals to take photos with the professional Bokeh effect with ease. If you love taking photos, the Bokeh effect is really a fantastic feature to have. So what if this year, with their new 3D sensor based camera, Apple decides to upscale this feature?
What if they were able to introduce a camera that would have the equivalency of being a light field camera? The company called Lytro is a master at this technology and below you'll find two photo-sets that will give you an idea of what light field photography could bring to the table.
In short, it's the Bokeh effect on steroids. It not only takes the near focus shot and blurs out the background, it allows you to take a photo and then with one touch of your finger or click of your mouse, see the photo instantly change it's focus so that the photo takes on another dimension.
The reason it's not far fetched that Apple could actually introduce this, is because they have a patent for it as noted in our June 2017 report titled "Apple Wins Key Patent for Light Field Cameras that could deliver an Immersive AR Experience for Macs, iDevices & Headset." I think this could be a phenomenal feature addition.
I've gone to this Lytro web page on a number of occasions with friends just to show them this feature that will one day come to smartphones. While I obviously don't know when, it's definitely a feature coming to smartphones and it's going to be a race as to who will be able to deliver it. Will it be Apple?
The specific Lytro site showcasing this feature now notifies visitors that "On November 30, 2017, pictures.lytro.com will be discontinued." I don't know if someone has acquiring them or if they have something new to replace it with, but if you want to check out these photos, click on them and then click on different elements in the photos to see the focus change instantly, you only have three months left to do so.
Lastly, a feature many would like to see come to market is Apple Pencil for the top end iPhone with the largest display. It would challenge Samsung's Note smartphone line-up and on that basis alone it's worth doing bring it to market. Though for Apple fans who like to doodle, draw, paint and take notes, this is a feature that is long overdue.
Patently Apple noted in a report about a year ago that Apple's CEO had stated that "if you've ever seen what can be created with that pencil on an iPad or an iPhone, it's really unbelievable." The statement confirmed that Cook had obviously experienced using an iPhone prototype with an Apple Pencil. So, we want that "unbelievable" experience Mr. Cook, and we'd like it now on our new iPhone X.
Just in the last month there have been two patents covering Apple's iPhone working with a version of the Apple Pencil here and here.
Of course these two features are hopes, not a prediction. You can't use patents as definitive ideas that will come to market on a given day or event. Though it's Tim Cook who gave us the clear hint of the Apple Pencil coming to market and being that the dual lens camera is using new advanced 3D capabilities, taking the Bokeh to the next level is very much a "possibility." Either of these features would be a nice surprise and more importantly, defining features for this next-gen smartphone.
The good news is that we only have to wait until next Tuesday to see what Apple has in store for us. Maybe it's just me, but I think next week's keynote could be one that we remember for many years to come, just as we did the famous iPhone surprise from Steve Jobs.
If you can think of a possible surprise or two that you're realistically hoping to pop up next week, then send them to us via our comment section below.
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