iPhone 5 review

http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/18/apple-iphone-5-review/

by casschin • 14 years ago

31 69 14 years ago

Mythbusters3• 14 years ago

It's sad that every time the authors chose to compare the phone they compared it with iPhone 4S instead of comparing it with any of the newer phones out there in the market such as Lumia 920 or GSIII. That is like taking a page from Apple's marketing book. Of course it is going to be better than the older version released last year. How does it compare to the phones of this generation?

That question is left unanswered. May be that is because the audience won't like the answer...

Steko5• 14 years ago

This is simply false they compared the Sunspider mark (924) to SG3 (1400) and HTC one (1700) and the battery life (11:15 rundown) to industry leading Droid RAZR Maxx (+10 min longer).

bryanlarsen3• 14 years ago

Sure, comparisons with the 920 or GSIII are interesting to those who are watching the market, but frankly only comparisons to previous iPhones are useful.

Nowadays iPhones and flagship Androids have gotten good enough that the pain of switching ecosystems far outweighs any benefit to be gained by switching ecosystems.

Steko5• 14 years ago

All comparisons matter I think but Engadget is not a benchmark heavy reviewer. They don't even give overall grades anymore.

aik• 14 years ago

>> the pain of switching ecosystems far outweighs any benefit to be gained by switching ecosystems.

Not sure I agree. Most people I know ended up with their phone because that's what was popular at the time, or because it was pushed into their face, or it was reasonably inexpensive, or it was what their company handed out. They use it, play games, might use a specific app here and there, and might use the more advanced ecosystem features but more than likely those confuse them. They use it because they're used to it by this point, and not much more. Meaning changing wouldn't be the end of the world.

Personally I have an iPhone (and iPad) and have a good number of apps, though I regularly use very few of them and am enamoured with even less. I'm not necessarily invested in the ecosystem -- I wouldn't mind throwing away most apps I paid for since they were $1 and because I don't even use most of them any more, and the ones I do care about are most likely available on alternative ecosystems. It also doesn't help that my backups in iTunes fail 90% of the time and the bulkiness and slowness of iTunes does not often lead to a positive experience. I'm not saying alternative ecosystems would be all roses, just that this is my experience and that it prevents me from becoming overly attached.

josephcooney• 14 years ago

I disagree. After using and enjoying my iPhone 4 for quite a while my next phone is going to be android, to see how the other half lives. $10 in the play store and a few hours making sure all my settings are synched should be sufficient (and the synching I would have had to do anyway to go from iPhone 4 -> iPhone 5).

jasonlingx• 14 years ago

It's cos that would be like comparing apples with oranges...

Steko5• 14 years ago

Roundup of links to early reviews:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57515524-37/initial-iphone...

I found David Pogue's early review hilarious if only because, reading between the lines, it boils down to: David Pogue has spent thousands of dollars on third party Apple dock gadgets and does not appreciate compatibility being broken.

hack_edu2• 14 years ago

The more I see that Lightning port, I can't help but wonder why they didn't just do the obvious and go for micro USB. I'm wholly confident Apple could design the highest of quality micro USB connector to satisfy even the biggest of haters that claim its too flimsy while silencing the constant gripe of obsolescence.

macrael• 14 years ago

Another reason might be that they pipe analog audio out of it?

I don't know much about hardware, would it have been possible to use the standard micro USB connector and still provide those features?

From the article:

> the adapter will provide the power and analog audio that the vast majority of docks and accessories (and cars) in the world need

inportb2• 14 years ago

With an adapter, sure. My G1 has a small adapter that accepts a 3.5mm jack and plugs into the phone's micro-usb port.

wahnfrieden2• 14 years ago

They don't. They no longer pipe audio out through the dock connector, you have to plug in a headphone cable, or the external device has to have its own DAC (ala the giant adapter they have now).

mtgx• 14 years ago

Yeah, and they could've waited a year longer to switch directly to micro-USB 3.0, especially considering their new laptops are also supporting USB 3.0, and it would've improved the transfer speed for iTunes files anyway.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/247507/usb_30_to_reach_smartp...

Apple didn't use Lightning for the users, they did it for the lock-in with the accessories (in the future).

kyleslattery• 14 years ago

This post explains that a little bit: http://brockerhoff.net/blog/2012/09/13/boom-2/

Essentially, his conclusion is that micro USB can't support everything Apple wants the connector to do.

zobzu• 14 years ago

I disagree with all the points of the article you linked. I guess most android users with a micro usb port can disagree just the same.

I charge at 2A and it's not burning. Yes you read right. Many modify their chargers to charge at 2A. Also most computers charge them at 0.5A as it's the standard (yes, some charge at 1A).

There no function micro USB cannot do due to less pins, because its 100% digital.

But then, those are just nitpicking and lightning is just fine here.

There's however actual advantages to micro-usb:

- it supports USB3, which is faster than lightning

- everyone and their dog have micro usb cables

- every phone with micro usb works on every device, dock, what not, that has a micro usb and uses usb standards for storage, audio, etc.

quesera2• 14 years ago

Micro-USB is not reversible.

Spend any time with an iPad or iPhone, try plugging it in in a dark room, and you'll curse Apple for having such a lame 30-pin connector.

Problem solved, finally. In fairness, it's hard to make a 30-pin connector reversible. And Apple probably didn't want to annoy legions of customers by switching until they had something that was incontrovertibly better, and that they could hang their hat on for a good long time.

The real question is: why does micro-USB suck so badly? The standards committee could have gotten it right all those years ago. They just didn't bother.

Apple bothers. I appreciate this, so I send them some money every few years.

bryanlarsen3• 14 years ago

Most microUSB cables have an engraved USB logo on the top of the cable. Once you realize that it quickly becomes a habit to ensure that your thumb is on the logo when plugging it in and you get it right every time, even in the dark. Throw out any cables that don't do this.

inportb2• 14 years ago

I like how the Lightning jack has its contacts exposed, making it prone to shorts and other mishaps. The name is appropriate!

(with most other connectors, the powered side is recessed or the contacts are protected somehow)

hack_edu2• 14 years ago

Not to mention the need to tweezer-clean the pocket lint on a weekly basis.

w1ntermute4• 14 years ago

> But, [Maps] isn't nearly as comprehensive as Google's offerings on Android. The biggest drawback is the unfortunate lack of public transportation directions. If you haven't quite mastered New York City's subway system, you won't get any help from your iPhone 5. Curiously, the app offers to give you public transportation directions, but should you choose that option it pops you straight into the App Store with a search for "Routing Apps." Right now, there are zero results.

By itself, no public transportation directions in Maps should be a deal-breaker for anyone living in a big city. How Apple could have allowed such a huge feature regression from the 4S/iOS 5 to get into the final version of the iPhone 5 is beyond me.

mburshteyn• 14 years ago

So, everyone who downloads iOS6 onto their iPhone 4/4S will have to live with this "upgrade"?

w1ntermute4• 14 years ago

From what I understand, yes, that's correct.

You will probably be able to jailbreak and replace the Maps app with the older version. That may not come out for a month or two though.

wahnfrieden2• 14 years ago

Yes.

dakrisht6• 14 years ago

Yes. However, Google will be releasing a Google Maps app shortly to replace the crap that is Apple Maps.

adamstober• 14 years ago

Sometimes it's worth skipping the new software entirely. I think my old iPhone 3G could have been the last phone running iOS3 when I finally upgraded to the 4S. I refused to "upgrade" an iPhone 3G to iOS4 and burden the phone with an OS that the hardware couldn't handle.

As far as the article goes, I wonder why Engadget didn't list the new maps as a con. Certainly sounds like one, even in their own words.

dakrisht6• 14 years ago

Going with Maps over Google Maps is one of the worst regressions I've seen in an OS/Software in a long time. Google Map's is simply brilliant, the de-facto standard, always being improved, flawless in a sense and these guys go with their own mapping software. It really blows my mind. I'm thinking it's simple arrogance on the iOS teams part (perhaps management as well). I've read many stories of how big of an asshole Scott Forstall is and I believe them.

Apple is a great company and their really driving themselves into the ground (well, maybe not yet) with all these frivolous patent troll lawsuits (claiming shape patents, suing a grocery store in Eastern Europe), Sandboxing app, rigorous Nazi-like App store tactics (they claim quality here, yeah my ass, there are probably 300,000 of the 500,00 apps which are pure garbage). It's got to end somewhere.

Anyway, back to Maps. It's a bad move, I've been playing with Maps on iOS6 since the first Beta, I don't know what they're thinking (or even if they're thinking) and it shows the character of that company.

The lightning adaptor is also bullshit - since now everyone will have to spend $100s on adaptors and new chargers. The 24-pin, while dated, worked and was just fine. I haven't played with the new connector yet - but it looks to me like it's easy to disconnect. I remember the older 24-pin connectors had clamps so to speak on the side to lock them in place and the current ones do a good job of staying put. This connector seems very fragile and flimsy and I see it disconnecting all over the place. Again, can't make this call until I play with the device.

It's the same logic with the "new" MagSafe 2 connector. Get outta here. The Mag Safe was just fine. There was nothing wrong with (aside from maybe, the ridiculous price tag). $30 for an adapter is obscene. These things cost $1.99 to produce in China (probably less) and Apple is simply milking the fanboys and corporate "we don't care we'll buy anything Apple because it looks cool" clients. I would know, I'm the one buying $100k of Apple products every year for the company I used to work for. It's really something.

BTW, the iPhone 5 is the iPhone 4Stretched. Bigger screen and a A6 process. Come on. The 4S has an A5X, I bet the performance benchmarks are negligible between the two. Software and the placebo-effect will do a hell of a job convincing the normal user that it "feels faster."

They could have done a lot more with this phone, they didn't because they didn't have to. I don't blame them.

dmishe5• 14 years ago

>The 24-pin, while dated, worked and was just fine

Kinda like VGA ports on notebooks.

>This connector seems very fragile and flimsy and I see it disconnecting all over the place >The 4S has an A5X, I bet the performance benchmarks are negligible between the two

Read the article.

lollerpops• 14 years ago

The maps change is such a big deal I can't help but think there's also some big money involved. Also gone is the youtube app. Since google makes money from ads, and the iphone apps don't have a lot of ads, was apple paying google? Did google ask for eighty bajillion dollars when it came time to renew the contract?

ceejayoz3• 14 years ago

> Again, can't make this call until I play with the device.

Stated right after you appear to have made the call. Ballsy.

> The 4S has an A5X, I bet the performance benchmarks are negligible between the two.

I'll take that bet. "The iPhone 5's A6 processor appears to be roughly twice as fast as any chip in an existing iOS product, if results posted by Geekbench prove to be accurate." http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57513867-37/iphone-5-bench...

stuross2• 14 years ago

Anyone with a MagSafe 2 connector knows how inferior it is compared to the previous connector. I'm just hoping the lightning connector doesn't follow suit.

Steko5• 14 years ago

"By itself, no public transportation directions in Maps should be a deal-breaker for anyone living in a big city."

Perhaps because turn by turn is a bigger feature for most people so the net of + turn by turn - public trans is not on net a huge feature regression.

Most of the people reviewing this phone live or at least work in big cities and none of them cited it as a deal breaker.

dakrisht6• 14 years ago

Pre-release iPhone 5 name: "iPhone 4Stretched."

Tim Cook: "Couldn't go with that one, they're stupid, but not that stupid."

fingerprinter• 14 years ago

I have zero desire to upgrade to iPhone 5. At this point, I can't see anything that would compel me to plunk down any money for the device over what I have now (iPhone 4).

That being said, if I had a free upgrade, I'd take it, but I wouldn't pay any money for it.

I'd actually be more interested in a new iPad (please call it the iPad 4...'The New iPad' is a ridiciously stupid name) with a better processor for playing Madden NFL type games.

BTW..the most curious thing I saw out of the Apple news the day the iPhone 5 was announced was the new Nano. http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_...

I can't believe they are using those round icons. Does that strike anyone else as odd? It doesn't fit with anything else they are releasing and, IMO, looks pretty terrible.

dakrisht6• 14 years ago

@fingerprinter - couldn't agree more with your comments.

I'm surprised they didn't release a smaller iPad to compete with the new Kindle Fire HD, which looks pretty damn good actually.

Check out my post above this one on my thoughts on Apple.

sixothree• 14 years ago

The iPhone 4 and 4s are pretty nice phones and hard to top. The only reason I might upgrade is to gift my 4 to a parent.

dmishe5• 14 years ago

Developing with 4/4S everyday I just can't help but notice the difference in performance between them. Now, 5 is 2+ times as fast as 4S it seems, so I would argue that for 4 owners it's a pretty good upgrade. For 4S, well, maybe it's not that exciting

IanDrake• 14 years ago

I don't understand why the back isn't all glass or all aluminum. The two seams on the back don't appear to be functional or visually appealing.

Can anyone explain what the deal is?

w1ntermute4• 14 years ago

Just a guess, but could it be to alleviate previous reception issues?

dakrisht6• 14 years ago

Interesting point.

I fully agree with the OP here, the back looks bad. I don't get it. The all-glass back on the 4S was really nice. Had a certain allure and design sense to it.

Apple this time around:

Tim Cook: "Hey Jony, let's make the back uglier by anodizing the steel and let's see how many we can sell before we release the 5S next year."

Jony Ive: "Alright Tim, I bet we'll sell more than the 4S with an uglier case, you're on"

dmishe5• 14 years ago

Here's a good write up http://thetechblock.com/the-unibody-iphone. It's for WiFi/GPS.

deveac• 14 years ago

The two glass sections contain various antennas which have signals that cannot pass through the aluminum well.

yskchu• 14 years ago

Some have said it may be to improved antenna/wireless comms performance

greenmountin• 14 years ago

I find it interesting that everyone is talking about the screen size instead of the screen technology. The CNET review[1] and I'm sure others often show them side by side with the iPhone 5 brighter!, when of course it's like the before/after pictures on TV and could very well just be the slider setting.

I'm also waiting to hear better estimates for battery life -- why is talktime the best standard when no one I know talks for 8 hours on a bill, let alone a charge? I love the data/cpu usage shackles Apple has put on apps, but iOS 6 better let me turn off LTE with less than 6 taps!!

[1] http://www.cnet.com/iphone-5/

SoftwareMaven2• 14 years ago

iOS 6 better let me turn off LTE with less than 6 taps

I wouldn't count on that. It wouldn't even surprise me if they didn't provide a setting to do that at all, after all, there is no way to turn of 3G in the settings.

You might have to jailbreak to get that capability.

__chrismc• 14 years ago

> after all, there is no way to turn of 3G in the settings

There is on my 4S running iOS6 (and I'm sure it was there on my old 3GS...) :-

Settings > General > Mobile > Enable 3G (toggle switch)

endlessvoid942• 14 years ago

I'm pretty surprised the lightning connector isn't thunderbolt. Didn't the original iPod come with a firewire cable?

endlessvoid942• 14 years ago

Interestingly, lightning was the previous name of Hyper Transport (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperTransport), which was used in Powermac G5 machines.

vibrunazo• 14 years ago

If you specifically don't like engadget's review. Here's gdgt's aggregated reviews list:

http://gdgt.com/apple/iphone/5/

They'll add more to the list as they become available.

iPhone 5 review

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