The iPhone is the dominant brand of smartphone you see people carrying and using in Silicon Valley, and many of them are the latest model, the 4S. So we canvassed some students at San Jose State University on Monday to learn from them what they'd like to see Wednesday when Apple unveils the next iPhone model.
Almost everyone seems to have an iPhone 4S on the SJSU campus. They use it to talk, text and play music, and even for navigation. SJSU student Kristina Garrett would like Apple to make one big improvement when the new iPhone comes out Wednesday.
"I would like for the maps to talk to us instead of it being just like a regular map because it's really hard to drive and look at the phone at the same time," she said. "There's so many times when I'm almost hitting a car because I'm trying to look and drive at the same time."
The majority of pundits speculate it will be thinner, have a larger screen, feature longer battery life, have the ability to connect to 4G LTE networks (the fastest speed offered by carriers) and use a smaller dock connector.
However, one feature on many a wish list isn't apparently built into the new iPhone -- near-field communications, which would turn a smartphone into a mobile payment device.
"Walk into a store, just grab your items, swipe your phone, that's just awesome," said SJSU junior Bruneil Chamaki. "You don't need to fuss around with a wallet or taking out change or money. Just quick."
Apple has already put out a colorful logo for Wednesday's media event at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. The colorful stripes appear to be stretched out icons which could be a hint for a larger screen size.
Analysts are projecting Apple could sell eight million of the new iPhones by the end of the year. If so, that could boost the country's gross domestic product by over $3 billion.
