Give people an iPhone 4S, tell them it's an iPhone 5

http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2012/09/13/what-happens-give-people-iphone-4s-tell-its-iphone-5-video/

by countessa • 14 years ago

398 248 14 years ago

thenextweb.com

raldi• 14 years ago

It seems like the people who say the "new" one is thinner, lighter, more elegant, etc, all have cases on their phones.

So in essence, the case sets your phone back a generation or two.

ollysb2• 14 years ago

I never understand why people use cases. What's the point in preserving something in mint condition if you never see it without the case?

Tyrannosaurs2• 14 years ago

It's not about preserving it in mint condition, it's about preserving it in usable condition.

I can't speak for others but my case has saved my phone from a smashed screen on several occasions.

EDIT: Should possibly also add that I have small children (1 and 3 - that's their ages rather than their names) who use it and I'm damned if I'm giving it to them without a case on...

bornhuetter7• 14 years ago

Particularly the iPhone 4(s). It's got probably the best form factor of any phone ever made, but people put those massive black rubber things on them with a circle cut in the back to show the Apple logo. Absolute abomination.

ktizo2• 14 years ago

Make something covered in glass that people are going to carry in their pocket. This makes people worry about scratching the phone, they want to take care of the phone, to protect it. This triggers an emotional bond with the product.

talmand• 14 years ago

A case is an exercise in attempting to prevent the consequences of gravity causing an interaction with a solid surface and glass.

notirk• 14 years ago

There are some slick thin cases available, they're not all Otter boxes. My $5 case for my Galaxy S3 has already saved my phone multiple times from inadvertent drops. Far cheaper than insurance from a carrier or purchasing a new unsubsidized phone. I think a slim, simple case is a no brainer on a $500+ device one uses all day long.

josefresco• 14 years ago

The point in "preserving" your iPhone is so you don't have to purchase another one, at full cost if you accidentally drop it and it breaks. My slim case while more simple than most, has saved my iPhone countless times.

I could care less if my phone gets dinged, or scratched a bit, but complete failure is an expensive fix.

mrhyperpenguin• 14 years ago

People are poor. Some people can't afford to replace their phone if it becomes damaged.

dkoch• 14 years ago

My iPhone seems to slip out of my pocket without a case/bumper. The silicone case gives it a bit more friction that prevents it from sliding out.

tudorizer• 14 years ago

My iPhone 4S which dropped down the stairs last week could tell you some stories. Plus now I can sell it at a better price. Plus my case is also a bottle opener, that helps :)

malsme• 14 years ago

To protect it for a future online auction?

smcl• 14 years ago

Many people will want to sell their iphone in a years time and buy the new iteration. A mint condition one will fetch a greater price than a slightly scratched one.

rdl3• 14 years ago

I actually prefer the texture of my magpul executive case (which is fairly thin) to the stock iPhone 4 -- if your hands are sweaty, the regular iphone is somewhat slippery.

I might go without a case on the iPhone 5, though, because I'm not sure if my thumb would comfortably reach the whole screen while using a case.

stephengillie• 14 years ago

Between the $15 hard-ish plastic case and the $20 screen protector, my HTC Incredible has survived being dropped more than 20 times across the past 2 years. Sometimes I've clumsily dropped it 5 feet onto pavement, yet the phone is still in great condition.

vbl• 14 years ago

I'm still rocking my 3GS from 2008 in large part because of the case I had on it for 75% of its life. Phones get dropped.

xyzzyb• 14 years ago

I was the same way. Then I got a case/battery pack for my iPhone for a conference trip.

Wow, now I just love the ability to flip a switch and get another 5 or so hours of battery life.

Sure it's practically doubled the weight of the phone but the phone is already so light that I hardly notice.

runjake2• 14 years ago

In my case, resale value. People buying used Apple products are picky, so I try to keep my stuff pristine. This allows me to get top dollar when I sell it every year and upgrade.

mikeash7• 14 years ago

It's not about "mint condition". It's about not shattering the glass or otherwise destroying the phone if it falls onto a hard surface.

xsmasher• 14 years ago

I use one to make the phone less slippery. It no longer slides off my lap / out of my pocket / off my car seat.

timjahn• 14 years ago

Why do you wear a helmet when you're biking? So you don't break your head.

If you find it hard to believe that anybody could drop an iPhone without a case and break it, you haven't met my wife. :)

ANH• 14 years ago

I've never had a case on my iPhones (3G, 3GS), dropped them numerous times on concrete, and the only thing that put one out of commission was dropping the 3G in a toilet. Replaced it with a 3GS in 2009 and it still functions perfectly. Admittedly, it looks beat to heck compared to other folks' phones, but that ain't no thing. Never understood how Apple can sell so many phones if they can take the beating I give them.

gonzo• 14 years ago

My case lets me attach LEGO, and glows in the dark.

e40• 14 years ago

I have a Galaxy Nexus and I have a case because the damn thing is too slippery without it. I would much prefer to not have a case, but I'm not going to risk dropping and breaking it.

dmight• 14 years ago

I would much rather drop my phone with a case than without one.

uptown• 14 years ago

I use an extremely slim case just to improve the grip. I found the metal rim to be too easy to slip out of my hand, but with a slim plastic case around the rim, it's secure in my hand. Adds virtually no bulk and the benefit of decreasing the likelihood I'll drop the phone and need a replacement.

mmanfrin• 14 years ago

Resell value.

jpswade• 14 years ago

Because they are expensive tools, not fashion statements.

owenjones• 14 years ago

I showed my sister my 4S recently, she was thinking of upgrading, and she was amazed at my lack of case.

"How do you protect it from scratches?" she asked, to which I replied "I don't drop it."

I can't really comprehend dropping this thing, it costs $4-500! That's a lot of money! I can't imagine not handling things that cost that much without the utmost of care.

beersigns• 14 years ago

I mostly have a case for the extra grip. I had issues with dropping it and have basically a grippy rubber sleeve for a case. I've probably dropped 10 or so times and I'd guess 1 or 2 of them would have have caused cracks with out the case.

magoon• 14 years ago

I will sell my iPhone 4 for $200-300 to buy the new iPhone 5.

I can do this because I preserved it in mint condition.

YokoZar• 14 years ago

A similar argument applies to people who always leave their furniture covered.

mikebridgman• 14 years ago

I use a case that holds my credit card and photo ID flush against the back. In addition to protecting my phone, I rarely have to take my wallet with me anymore.

michaelfeathers• 14 years ago

I once visited a friend's home and his living room furniture was covered in plastic. I asked why and he said his wife had it covered in case the President ever comes over.

herval• 14 years ago

I never used cases - as a result, both my 3GS and my iPhone 4 ended up with overly scratched lens caps - so much I had to actually remove the cap on the last one, since taking pictures was basically impossible...

jeffxl• 14 years ago

I like Jerry Seinfeld's attitude about cases. (14 seconds in)

http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/joel-hodgson-a-taste...

Moto7451• 14 years ago

I think a large part of why people still use cases is back when phones used cheap/er plastics your device would look like garbage after a few months of life in your pockets/purse.

Old habits die hard and I had a case on my old iPhone (3G) and my current Android Phone (Samsung Admire) until I was impressed by how durable the Gorilla Glass screen is. Now I let my phone run "naked" and it doesn't seem to get nearly as beat up as the Razr and Samsung flip phones that predated my iPhone (both got to the point that the paint on the plastic rubbed off).

A buddy of mine who works with Granite has an iPhone 4S and just uses a case to keep the steel band from getting beat up and the ports from getting chalked full of Granite dust. He can slide his phone across a work table and the screen and back are just fine[1]. Gorilla Glass is an amazing material.

[1] Note that Granite contains mineral parts that are slightly to a good deal harder than standard plate glass so it can scratch glass. Gorilla Glass is ~9 on moh's scale. Standard glass is ~5.5. Yay chemistry! http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/hardness1.html http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingswork/f/What-Is-Gorill...

dkubb• 14 years ago

My wife drove down the freeway and forgot her iPhone on the roof. It flew off at about 90 kph (about 55 mph). It took her about 10 minutes to find the next turn-around and make it back to the phone. To make it worse she saw at least one car run it over as she was walking to pick it up.

I opened up the case and there's not a scratch on it. Aside from some dust the phone is still in mint condition. The case is nearly perfect too aside from one tiny bent plastic part under the rubber shell.

I won't say which case it is because I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but IMHO it's totally worth it to get a good one.

burgreblast• 14 years ago

Kahneman anyone? 200+ replies answering and debating an easier question than what the OP posed.

8ig8• 14 years ago

Jerry Seinfeld agrees: http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/joel-hodgson-a-taste...

And so do I. I hate cases. If the phone needs a case then it wasn't properly designed.

Cases diminish the value of the product. It's a risk, but having a phone that slides in and out of my pocket is so worth the risk of smashing the glass.

toyg• 14 years ago

Some people just like to make their devices a little bit more personal. My case has a picture of my kids; it obviously pleases my eyes, and people love it -- conversation starter etc etc.

WillyF• 14 years ago

I have a bumper on mine, and whenever I take it off I'm surprised how much smaller the phone feels.

antirez2• 14 years ago

true but if you are like me and your phone falls on the floor like one time per week on average, it's better to have a bumper...

IMHO the problem of the iPhone (and many other similar designs) is that's not designed for people with average care for their stuff (after all I live with my phone, I don't want to be obsessed) without using a bumper.

It would be interesting, but not marketing wise, to get real and design a phone that you can actually trow on the floor with consequences comparable to having a bumper, but NOT needing a bumper.

bornhuetter7• 14 years ago

You can throw many Android phones around without worrying, but a lot of people write them off as "plasticky".

I personally don't mind plastic if it's done well (eg. SGS2/3), but metal and glass does feel nice in the hand.

erickhill• 14 years ago

I had to get a case after being forced to replace the back glass. The area on the back that covers and protects the camera lens is (was?) actually very thin cheap plastic. Once it became scratched, the impressive camera inside the phone became unusable as all of the photos took on 1970s-era halos and blurring. After easily replacing the back glass and slapping on an ugly cover, the case has kept the camera healthy. I did it grudgingly, as the original elegant design is completely erased by any case you put on the device.

mikebracco• 14 years ago

Placing a case on a phone is like putting a plastic cover over your couch. I don't get it personally. Use and enjoy the disposable hardware and then get a new one a year or two later.

Evbn2• 14 years ago

Time to failure is a poisson distribution, not a step distribution.

jaredcwhite• 14 years ago

Really good point actually. Every time I pick up my iPad with the smart cover off (and that's very minimalistic of course), I think Wow, this is so thin!

samstave2• 14 years ago

I'm on my lifetime 16th iPhone. (between all the versions) - my current 4S is the longest ive had one without dropping it and it breaking.

I've always hated cases, and this is one of the reasons I have broken so many.

Personally though, the thing I really hate is the iPhones lack of a notch to attach a lanyard without a case.

I've even email Jonathan Ive about this directly, though he's not cool like Steve and actually replies.

This is the most infuriating design aspect about the phone - given it's fragility, the lack of this really pisses me off.

I'd love to tell Apple execs off about this personally as it makes me so farking mad that if I choose to be caseless I am guaranteed a broken phone.

Fark that. People tried to tell me it was a design aesthetic choice that Ive made in the phone, and for that I say fuck him for this one small change would have saved me so many phones.

ajays• 14 years ago

And I still have mine from 3 years ago (a 3GS). I have never used a case; carry it around everywhere; and have never broken it.

16? Really? Then you must really, REALLY love the iPhone. At what point does one say 'enough is enough' and switch to some other phone?

born2web• 14 years ago

In the launch presentation, I think i saw a lanyard with a notch-like button on the new iPod. So yes, looks like they like your feedback :-) and may be first trying it out on the iPod and if it works well on that, they may even do it eventually on the iphone.

naz• 14 years ago

Even better -- that's actually an iPhone 4 (notice the black band by the headphone socket).

__abc• 14 years ago

I imagine this can be done with almost all handsets, laptops, etc. I'm guessing this is more "human nature" than Apple Fanboy'sm at a large consumer scale.

betterth3• 14 years ago

I know, right?

Considering how many times in the trials people have been unable to tell APPLE AND SAMSUNG products apart, you'd think readers here would realize that those people are obviously going to have trouble with products in the same family!

jkn• 14 years ago

The funny bit here is that we have people who do manage to tell apart two products that are actually the same.

MrMember• 14 years ago

This does raise an interesting point about HN as a whole. I remember in one of the Apple/Samsung threads someone brought up the point that people couldn't tell Apple and Samsung products apart, and in that case it was used as an attack against Samsung and 'proof' that they were copying.

In this instance the exact same idea is used as a defense for Apple.

grecy• 14 years ago

I'd bet it can be done with just about everything in our consumer culture.

Can average people on the street spot the difference between a 2013 Ford F-150 and a 2012 model?

vvhn• 14 years ago

Also this is a piece on a late night comedy show not some random sampling of people outside the sets of the Jimmy Kimmel show. Edited to make it funny as well (as they should btw).

I'm wondering how this is being extrapolated to mean "Nobody can tell the difference between iPhone 4/4S and 5".

rsiqueira• 14 years ago

In general, great expectation makes part of the prefrontal cortex more excited. Scientists argue that the activity of this brain region shifts the preferences of the wine tasters when they are presented to an expensive wine, for example. [1]

"Wine experts and consumers can be fooled by altering their expectations. The expectation it (expensive wine) will taste better actually makes it taste better. Your expectations powerfully influence the final vote in your head over what you believe to be reality." (from the book You Are Not So Smart).

[1] http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/04/should-we-buy-expe...

datagramm• 14 years ago

I read a similar experiment where people were given the same food on either paper plates or fine china. As expected, people thought the food served on fancy plates was of higher quality. I forget where...

jiggy2011• 14 years ago

I'm assuming this is the same psychology at work with the $1000 HDMI cables and the people who insist the can perceive a massive quality difference.

sharkweek• 14 years ago

exactly -- perceived improvement because it was more expensive; it must be better

Alex39175• 14 years ago

It's now been over three years since the 3GS was released, and there's essentially zero difference between the 3GS and the iPhone 5. I honestly don't see any point in upgrading unless I drop my current one, which isn't likely.

bornhuetter7• 14 years ago

> there's essentially zero difference between the 3GS and the iPhone 5.

Are you kidding? I'm no iOS fan, but I think that statement is a bit ridiculous.

Alex39175• 14 years ago

The battery life is almost exactly the same.

All of the most popular apps still run on the 3GS, and run well, with the exception of a half dozen or so.

The internet browsing speed is effectively identical, regardless of whatever the specs claim.

The new cameras are supposedly slightly better, but probably not enough to be noticeable unless you've got a highly trained eye.

The only features that the new iPhones have are things like Siri and Facetime, which are largely gimmicks with no real use case.

mikeash7• 14 years ago

Yeah, aside from the vastly superior screen, the vastly faster cellular data connectivity, the improved battery life, the smaller form factor, the vastly faster CPU and GPU, 2-4x the RAM, and the vastly improved camera, there's essentially zero difference!

TazeTSchnitzel• 14 years ago

Not to mention many big changes in the operating system

rdl3• 14 years ago

Absolutely true for the core "phone" functionality.

4S/5 are easy to justify from a security perspective, and the retina display on 4/4S/5 really is a huge improvement over the 3GS. LTE in the 5 also is a big win -- I'm going to try doing VoIP over LTE (G.722) so I don't have to play with Google Voice anymore.

I am amazed that the 3GS supports iOS 6, though -- I wonder if it will support the next big iOS now that it's no longer being sold.

Alex39175• 14 years ago

"LTE in the 5 also is a big win"

At least on AT&T it's only supported in a handful of random town in the middle of nowhere. Not only does it not work in NYC, there aren't even plans to get it working any time soon. By the time it's actually up and running with a reasonable amount of coverage the iPhone 6 will be out.

RivieraKid• 14 years ago

The difference in user experience is really small.

rimantas• 14 years ago

Having in mind that most of it experienced while looking at the screen the difference is huge.

jdechko• 14 years ago

I don't see how you can say that there's no difference between the 3GS and the 5. As you said, there may be no compelling reason for you to upgrade, but to say that they are "the same" is simply untrue.

As a 4S user (having also owned the 3G and the 3GS), I'll admit that I wasn't blown away at all by the announcement, but I'll still pressure my wife into giving me her upgrade so I can get one. It's simply not possible for a company to completely revolutionize a market with every single device, especially on an annual release cycle. We were blown away by the iPhone in 2007 because the market was so different. But the market landscape has changed so much in the past 5 years that the kind of change we expect is just not possible.

aw3c2• 14 years ago

Direct link, nothing worth reading at the submitted page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdIWKytq_q4

jusben1369• 14 years ago

Yes this says a lot about human nature and very little about iPhone's. Great for a laugh though. I also bet there were some people who realized what was up but ended up on the cutting room floor. It would actually also be funny to see how people handled that.

guywithabike• 14 years ago

It's gotten to the point where it doesn't even surprise me anymore that this kind of tripe is the #1 top story on Hacker News now. Hacker News is becoming the "Ow, My Balls!" of the tech world.

cooldeal• 14 years ago

Perception, hype and peer influence trumps reality and shapes people attitude most of the time. Remember Vista's Project Mojave? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihorvo2tEuA

volandovengo• 14 years ago

Great point. These are great case studies on the importance of marketing and a strong brand. With a strong brand, people give you the benefit of the doubt.

dade_• 14 years ago

This is meaningless. A friend of mine had a heated discussion with a Samsung rep at a local mobile store. The rep insisted the phone he handed her was a Samsung Galaxy 3, when in fact it was a Galaxy 2. <sarcasm>It is scandalous that Samsung would release a new phone that consumers can't differentiate. If he wasn't such an Android fanboy, he would have recorded the whole interaction and posted in on YouTube to show the world that they are all being scammed. </sarcasm>

ajross• 14 years ago

I don't see the use of "scandalous" or "fanboy" in the linked article (though no doubt they appear in the comments, just like yours). It's just a funny dig at a not-as-innovative-as-expected product release.

The real point is that the years of rapid evolution (and, by extension, platform differentiation) are behind us. After a few years where they weren't, phones are just phones again. Hell, you could hand a bunch of people a GSIII and tell them it was an iPhone 5 and get similarly hilarious results.

But screaming about hypocrisy is missing the point.

ojbyrne• 14 years ago

These man on the street stupidity bits are a staple of late night comedy, but for every stupid person, there could be 50 people who aren't stupid, and immediately get the joke. You just don't see the latter group. There's probably also a third, even smarter group, who understand that if they play along, they might end up on tv.

redidas• 14 years ago

This is understandable, but it still exposes that there is a group of "stupid" people out there that would accept an iPhone 4S as the new iPhone 5.

freyr• 14 years ago

There's also groups of "stupid" people who believe the moon landing was a hoax or our education over here should help the Iraq. So what? Is the existence of uninformed people really breaking news?

tlrobinson2• 14 years ago

If you look hard enough there are people stupid enough to believe anything.

suhastech• 14 years ago

seangransee• 14 years ago

in general, a fresh install of iOS does make the phone a lot faster. these people are used to a phone that has been bogged down by general OS wear and tear, so it makes sense that they think a fresh 4S is faster than their current 4S.

mtgx2• 14 years ago

It seems most people are willing to buy a new iPhone or iPad just because it's "new" (doesn't even matter what improvements it has, if any) and because it's from Apple. I remember a video doing the same for the new iPad using and iPad 2, and the reaction was the same.

jere• 14 years ago

What if these people are nervously scrambling to make a comment so they don't look stupid on camera?

Of course, they all ended up looking stupid, but if you genuinely believed you were getting something new you would probably feel pressured to feign being impressed.

Besides, I'd wager that they excluded one or more interviewees who said "I can't tell a difference."

</devils advocate>

Of course, it's perfectly fine for a laugh.

olivier1664• 14 years ago

Agree with you: it was same effect than with "Americans are NOT stupid" video where we see lot of cut scenes where people say wrong answer (as "4 sides on a triangle"). That let thing people says only stupid things, while in fact they are just not perfect.

For french readers, here an old link on the subject: http://plombe.over-blog.com/article-24222182.html

the_mat• 14 years ago

The "it feels so much faster" comments don't fly with me. The iPhone 4 still feels slick and speedy in September 2012. The 4S was faster, but it wasn't noticeable except for certain apps. Now the 5 is 2x faster again, but it's how much CPU is really needed to slide icons around and play music and look at photos?

latchkey• 14 years ago

Related and worth watching... http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/rory_sutherland_life_lesson...

Ensorceled• 14 years ago

I'm not sure what is funnier, the clue less apple users who can't figure out this device is the same as the one in their pockets or the anti-apple rage bots in thenextweb comments.

It's like watching a parrot attack the parrot in the mirror.

Nathandim• 14 years ago

The article implies that all people in question have an iPhone. The video shows only 2 of them comparing their iPhone and the last person only claims that he has it. Why? I mean, it's not a natural iPhone owner reaction not to whip out his current phone to make a comparison.

My point is, over half of the people in question do not show a clear indication of owning an iPhone 4S besides their claim and the video says that they ask people. Not iPhone owners exclusively. People. It measures consumer awareness, not necessarily Apple buyers, like thenextweb article says. They are likely to guess due to their personal knowledge of older products.

Also, the whole idea reminded me of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYU1a0lTTTw people suddenly agreeing that they know him from X movie, heard his songs while in reality he had none.

skidding• 14 years ago

Am I the only one who saw this as a skit and nothing more? I don't watch Kimmel a lot but when Conan does a bit like this the people on it are always paid actors. It's still funny, but I wouldn't expect a late-night talk show to bother actually interviewing random people when they can make their own script the way they want it and get away with it (not saying it in a bad way, it's a comedy show after all).

daveman• 14 years ago

I also wonder if these folks were handed a brand new 4S, unhampered by apps and months of use. In my experience, the speed, even for activities like homescreen navigation, got slower over time, especially when I load more and more apps. Newer store models always seem zippier than my weathered old phone.

All this said, they clearly picked gadget plebians, as anyone even slightly in the know would immediately check out the 8-pin dock connector and 5 rows of apps.

dean• 14 years ago

"the speed ... got slower over time"

Tell me about it. I'm still using a 3G, running iOS 4.2.1. Frankly, it's so slow as to be almost useless. But at least I can still make calls. (I guess it's time for an upgrade)

mpg33• 14 years ago

If you look at the iPhone 5 compared to other new smartphones i don't think anything comes close in terms of design.

However I'm not sure if this can be said for iOS...i think the UI needs to be overhauled soon.

devy• 14 years ago

I don't know about you but I felt like those people they interviewed on the street are acting, this whole interview thing could be staged. I mean, it's Jimmy Kimmel Show for christ's sake. How serious is that?!

bryawn• 14 years ago

Just goes to show how stupid the average Apple buyer is. What a bunch of bozos.

madprops2• 14 years ago

This reminds me of that KDE vs Windows 7 comparison https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPIgEFIv5MI

bieber6gfever• 14 years ago

anyone notice that they're showing those folks the iphone 4 and not the 4s? notice the notch on top.

dakrisht• 14 years ago

Hilarious. People are just downright brainwashed by genius marketing, hype and a general oblivion of the facts and reality. America. LOL

chrischen• 14 years ago

Keep in mind they probably interview a bunch of people and only show the most ridiculous responses.

xxcode• 14 years ago

This discussion has been highlacked by morons talking about the cases.

The main point is - Apple's marketing is so good that people suspend judgement.

philipbroadway• 14 years ago

Open the thread with 200+ comments about a single tangent.

Personally, I thought the video was pretty funny and I love how serious most the people are while responding.

Give people an iPhone 4S, tell them it's an iPhone 5

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