Singapore Airlines is raising the ante for business and first class seats, with cutting edge designers from BMW and James Park studying how to improve upon SQ's already industry-leading cabins.

The new seats will debut on the Boeing 777-300ER planes SQ has on order starting in just over a year, along with the airline's upcoming Boeing 787 and Airbus A350s.

Retrofits to existing planes are also a possibility, Singapore Airlines says.

Business class will be in the care of highly-regarded designers James Park Associates, who created the existing A380-style business class seat -- the one in the fantastic 1-2-1 layout, but which some passengers criticise for a lack of relaxing positions and being too wide to let them get properly comfortable.

You might also know JPA's work from Cathay Pacific's new business class that's proving so popular on flights from Australia.

Check out seven things you probably didn't know about how Cathay created its new business class!

Singapore Airlines is promising to deliver "improved comfort in both seating and sleeping positions, and more stowage space to cater to the changing needs of business travellers."

In the ultra-luxe first class suites at the front of the plane, BMW's Designworks USA outfit is in charge of upgrading the seats for the most demanding -- and highest spending -- passengers.

"In addition to cabin ambience improvements, a revamped seat will feature more privacy and personal stowage space, and improved seating comfort," SQ says.

There's work being done in economy too, though the promises are neither as lofty nor as numerous: "Development work is currently underway focusing on key areas such as improved seat and headrest comfort and personal space for travellers."

What would you like to see in the next generation of business class seats? What tradeoffs can you live with -- and what's a dealbreaker? Share your thoughts with fellow business travellers (and, who knows, perhaps the designers!) in a comment below.