Other stuff:
5-Megapixel Camera : If Apple comes up with a naming and releases a new generation then probably yes this is possible, if not then the 3GS 64GB will stil have the same 3.2 megapixel camera since they like to keep everything neat-and-simple (have you guys noticed that?)

Multi-tasking : Probably not. Multi-tasking can lead to various problems within the iPhone and managing the apps is another thing…. they can’t copy Palm with their brilliant work of managing multi-tasking on a phone. Like always the iPhone is known to keep everything neat-and-simple just like Apple themeselves. Oh and Multi-tasking will open up new ways to hacking like overflowing and all that.

Flash : Very unlikely. Apple rarely (or should I say never) abandons device designs. The iPhone’s camera placement and all is simple and great and adding flash will make it look let’s just say akward. Only time Apple abandoned a design was on the third generation iPod (It looked kind of ugly), otherwise all their iPods have followed a straight forward design (except the 3rd generation iPod nano) just that every year they get more modernized….

Front-Facing camera : Very unlikely too… but would be really awesome. Many networks aren’t ready for it yet (T-Mobile kind of is with almost all their regions including the US and Germany but AT&T isn’t…. and the networks Apple chose to side with). Plus that would be a kind of big overhaul… a new design? Haven’t really seen the iPhone getting any physical changes except the casing, the front was always the same.

Voice Dial through Bluetooth : I can’t decide on that lol but that should have been a feature on iPhone OS 3.0

Probably no physical changes and just increased storage is what Apple has for next year…Apple is running out of ideas and they want to reserve the best for 4G.

But I was basically referencing the belief that the general public has (camera makers being the main reinforcer of this misconception) that more megapixels equates to better image quality. This just isn’t true. I compare this misconception to bad tasting food. Piling more of it onto your plate isn’t going to make it taste any better. IMO, 6 megapixels is pointless until general image quality is improved.

The major issue with the current iPhones is battery use both standby and active while running background bits and pieces. The new phones will most likely be using the new chipsets from the company Apple recently brought. Those chips will have higher heat characteristics requiring some for of heatsink or maybe even air cooling if that was possible. Also I see them not using a multi core for this next upgrade so they get to release a second version the same way they have done the 3G -> 3GS move.

This next phone will take a lot longer than getting out the 3GS. Personally I see 1G -> 2G -> 3G as the natural progression and saying 4G makes people think it is the next step up but then Apple goes with 3GS throwing a spanner in the works. So I think the next one will probably go down the AV line and will be a bit like an update similar to the 3GS rather than a full blown rewrite of the phone. I mean they already have the video compression in the 3GS so it is a natural step to take as long as their software is up to the pounding it will take. Hmm software that crashes the iPhone? I wonder it that will be another attack vector?

The new Samsung is actually giving the iPhone a bit of pressure and that could force Apple into an early model update that includes simple additions like the forward facing camera and the addition of stereo speakers along with the ability to multitask even a higher grade lens on the main camera such as http://www.zeiss.com/ Carl Zeiss and maybe adding more RAM to make it sound like it will run faster cause it has twice the RAM. Sorry I have a thing about marketing and its structure and can see those simple things actually selling a new phone easily. Look at the iPod Nano and iPhone 3GS – they didn’t have that much to offer when you really look at them but people are still eating them up.

I’m surprised by the number of photos that can be found using the right google query that are in the size format of an iPhone. (I’m also amused by the photos I find in peoples private collections but that is another story) Try that yourself. Google Images search for “1200×1600″ and see what pops up. Although a lot of those photos are not taken with an iPhone they are obviously intended for that platform. But when you take photos with an iPhone … well they are cute but they are not very high quality…

I digress.

If this next upgrade of phone is worth it it might end up being my next Xmas present to myself. I’m a 3G user and never went 3GS but this time I might make the leap. *shrugs*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4G

4G is the next generation of network and unless this device actually supports 4G network then it will never get that name. Apple is not that stupid.

Titanium is what is listed in that image above. LOL. I’d love it if that was true. But
http://www.iphonedownloadblog.com/2009/07/21/19-most-original-iphone-cases-ever/
points you to this http://exovault.com/ who did have a 3rd style of case that I believe was titanium (correct me if I am wrong) and that more expensive case is not even on his site anymore. Cute idea but too damn expensive.

@brent – you are almost correct. Mega pixel count + lenses + optics + firmware + software = good picture . 2 megapixel I’d say no – 6 megapixel http://6mpixel.org/en/ I’d say YES.

You aren’t going to get removable media. When you have a device like this that media needs to mount in the system. That initial mount would then cause the unit to check it as it would for any operating system. A malformed card can be inserted and gives the dev crews and blackrains of the world way toooo many vectors for attack. Lets be honest Apple protection skills compared to the hackers skills … no contest … Hackers win …

If Apple doesn’t put in a forward facing camera then they are cutting their own throat. That will be a given. Plus they will come on board with iChat AV to try and capture that market. That might just work. As Sebastien found out down here in Aus 3G sucks and is pricey so not likely that video chatting will take off down here but chatting sure has.

I look forward to the iTablet rather than the next iPhone.