Six Upgrades I Want in the Recently Found “iPhone 2.1″

It’s only January, but the other “J” months will arrive be we know it. I’m talking about June and July: two significant months for the Apple iPhone. It was June of 2007 when Apple first sold their handset. July of 2008 brought speedy 3G and a few other features.

Some sleuths looking deep into the recent iPhone Software Update code have found evidence of a new iPhone coming soon. Since the “J” months are also on the way, it’s a safe bet that we’ll see a revised handset model this summer.

I was just lamenting my current, first-gen iPhone and thinking about what’s next for my handset needs. The Palm Pre is surely in the running and there’s a BlackBerry or two under consideration as well. But I have to wonder what the next iPhone might be like. 

The upgrades I’d like to see:

• More power under the hood – The Palm Pre is going to use a pretty potent TI OMAP processor and I’d like to see something comparable in the next iPhone. The device works OK now, but there’s a bit of lagginess that I’d like to never see again.
• A better camera – I don’t take many pics with my iPhone, but when I do, they’re marginal at best with the 2-Megapixel sensor. A usable macro mode would be welcome as would an auto-focus over a fixed focus. Even better: a software upgrade for video recording and streaming.
• Additional Bluetooth profiles – The easiest thing to point out here is the lack of Bluetooth stereo support. I’m probably in the minority here, but I’d like to see the ability to pair a Bluetooth keyboard too. As the device becomes more of a capable web and productivity device, a true keyboard option would be welcome.
• Support for Nike+ – Again, not something that everyone wants or needs, but I often run with my iPhone as I listen to music.
• Apps running in the background – We should at least have the option for this. I understand that more apps running  generally equate to less run time. But if I want to stay logged in to a web-based app, I should be able to. Perhaps Apple can put a master switch setting allowing or disallowing background apps?
• Longer battery life – This is a given for most people and part of the reason I never upgraded from my first-gen iPhone. I miss my 3G, but not enough to have my battery life be drastically reduced.

That’s what I’m hoping for next time. If every single item in my list were to be in the next iPhone, I’d likely make the purchase. If not, I’ll be weighing options with the Pre and other handsets. Aside from cut-and-paste (which I personally don’t miss), what do you want to see in a revised iPhone?

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