5 ms·

"infinite hype"? Where? They announced an event, the day came, they announced the product. A slogan like that on the product announcement/product page, does not

by batista 14y ago

"infinite hype"? Where? They announced an event, the day came, they announced the product. A slogan like that on the product announcement/product page, does not amount to "infinite hype". If you want to see "infinite hype", check the Microsoft Courier and other hypeware, in which videos were made, the press touted it for months, it was announced to be "the future" and nothing came of it. "Zero payoff"? Really? It's an amazing device to upgrade to, after your 2-year contract ends, even if it doesn't have magic unicorn powers. It's the best iPhone YET made, period, I don't think someone can argue against that (and no, it's not a guarantee with any product update to be better than the last one). Your response amounts to the proverbial: "No wireless, less space than a Nomad. Lame". >Name for me one brand new feature "Brand new" is used here to preempt any mention of the tons of incremental improvements?

quaunaut 14y ago
Every previous iPhone had a new feature that was a pretty BFD. This is the first without.
- unfoldedorigami 14y ago
  LTE
- roc 14y ago
  Funny, I seem to recall that the disillusioned techie reaction to the 4S was that it was also a non-update. Same shell. Modest internal updates and the only feature of note (Siri) was panned as an app that Apple bought that merely caught it up to other phones that already had voice control.
  - wmf 14y ago
    One problem with the 4S was the rumors of an iPhone 5 with a tapered design. (If you Googled for iPhone it would autocomplete "iPhone 5" — I guess bad rumors are now self-reinforcing.) At least this time the rumors were accurate and people can't complain that they were expecting more.
- tabbyjabby 14y ago
  What was the the big feature of the iPhone 3GS?
  - loumf 14y ago
    For me it was that my original iPhone contract was finally up and I could get 3G. Is that the one with gyroscope? -- Jobs playing Jenga during the keynote?
  - antirez 14y ago
    When 3GS was released, it was an evolution of a 3G that was still at light years from competitors.
  - Steko 14y ago
    The S really was the feature. Besides the performance bump for everything (e.g. loading web pages twice as fast) it let you run a class of apps you simply couldn't only earlier iphones (e.g. unreal engine). Other then that copy and paste and enough memory to keep more then 2 tabs open in safari were what I remember.
  - josephlord 14y ago
    It was the first I bought but key features it hit included tethering, stereo bluetooth support, compass (and maybe improved GPS) and performance. The 5 seems like a solid step. I don't see the need to upgrade every year but if you compare back to the 4 rather than the 4S the performance should be a massive jump. Support for 5GHz wifi could mean a real speed boost too and the bigger screen should be nice.
- arrrg 14y ago
  The S variants certainly didn’t – and this adds more than every S variant ever did. Looking at the construction, the 3G was never something to write home about. The technology forced Apple's hand and they had to make that plastic monster. Acceptable, not great. Like the 5, the 3G improved every aspect of its predecessor and it added 3G. The 5 is just like the 3G – only that this time around the construction is at least on par or better (likely, looking at first hand ons, still, only speculation at this point) than that of the predecessor. It’s also, quite obviously, less fragile. So Apple has done much more on the construction front, but the jump from 3G to LTE is also arguably not as important than the jump from Edge to 3G. Looking at the specs and comparing them with other phones you get the same picture you always got. It’s a wash. Those kinds of comparisons never mattered. In conclusion: no 3GS to 4 jump, but certainly a 1 to 3G jump. Also a familiar sight since the 3G, geeks are disappointed, the phone sells faster than Apple can make it. This phone is no surprise. It’s Apple doing what they have always done.
- jaxn 14y ago
  Larger screen is a "new feature" since we are talking about hardware. LTE would be a new feature as well. Not having a big piece of glass on the back seems like a new feature too (my iPhone 4S has had a cracked back for a couple of months). I know this may seem silly, but a new dock connector that is symmetrical and is easier to plug in without looking is a new feature as well. Also, something about a panorama camera, but I wouldn't call that a BFD)
3am_hackernews 14y ago
Faster, slimmer, lighter and longer lasting - yes, these are really good updates in a small piece of equipment that iPhone 5 is, there's no denying that. But what really irks me is the way Apple marketing team is hyping it up - "This is the best <insert iDevice> we have ever made!", "This is revolutionary!", "This will change everything you were doing before!"... A slathering of these so often during the entire event and then on with their advertisements makes me cringe and shake my head with disappointment. This iPhone and the iPod[x] are pretty much an iteration and minor upgrade, not what the actual 'revolutionary' things were - iTouch, iPhone, iPad, retina display, etc. I don't expect 'revolutionary' every year or any time, I just expect some sincerity announcing.
- tomelders 14y ago
  Yeah you're right, they should get up on stage in front of the worlds media and say "It's an OK iPhone. You know, not great great, but pretty good... pffffft, we really could do better but hey ho, here's the new iPhone". Are you an idiot? And it is the best iPhone they've ever made. And the iPhone is arguably the best phone out there, so they sort of have a fair bit of credibility when they say that stuff.
  - notimetorelax 14y ago
    Please try to refrain from ad hominem attacks. It doesn't help in any way to prove your point.
    - tomelders 14y ago
      no, because it clearly does help to articulate my point.
      - milesokeefe 14y ago
        how?
      - Rygu 14y ago
        http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html "When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. E.g. "That is an idiotic thing to say; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3."
pavanky 14y ago
>It's the best iPhone YET made, period. I think what is pissing most people off is that up until iphone 4 (not 4s), the iphone was arguably the best smart phone around. 4s and 5 have been improvements to the iphone but have not added anything over its competitors. Most of the competitors can do what the iphone 5 does and more (such as NFC and / or wireless charging). Bottom line: There is no reason to stick with the iphone 5 other than "I am stuck in the eco system", or "I love apple" or "It is good enough". The "better than the others" argument doesn't fly anymore.
- greedo 14y ago
  And NFC/wireless charging automatically makes them better than the iPhone 5?
  - will_work4tears 14y ago
    Open, let's not forget open. So yeah, marginally.
  - pavanky 14y ago
    I said they do more, and most top of the line phones from other manufacturers have them. Even if it does not make the other phones better, lacking those features only makes it worse.
- kayoone 14y ago
  what about that 90% of 3rd party apps have a much higher quality on iOS ? (Disclaimer: i own an android device)

by batista 14y ago

quaunaut 14y ago

Every previous iPhone had a new feature that was a pretty BFD. This is the first without.

unfoldedorigami 14y ago
LTE
roc 14y ago
Funny, I seem to recall that the disillusioned techie reaction to the 4S was that it was also a non-update. Same shell. Modest internal updates and the only feature of note (Siri) was panned as an app that Apple bought that merely caught it up to other phones that already had voice control.
- wmf 14y ago
  One problem with the 4S was the rumors of an iPhone 5 with a tapered design. (If you Googled for iPhone it would autocomplete "iPhone 5" — I guess bad rumors are now self-reinforcing.) At least this time the rumors were accurate and people can't complain that they were expecting more.
tabbyjabby 14y ago
What was the the big feature of the iPhone 3GS?
- loumf 14y ago
  For me it was that my original iPhone contract was finally up and I could get 3G. Is that the one with gyroscope? -- Jobs playing Jenga during the keynote?
- antirez 14y ago
  When 3GS was released, it was an evolution of a 3G that was still at light years from competitors.
- Steko 14y ago
  The S really was the feature. Besides the performance bump for everything (e.g. loading web pages twice as fast) it let you run a class of apps you simply couldn't only earlier iphones (e.g. unreal engine). Other then that copy and paste and enough memory to keep more then 2 tabs open in safari were what I remember.
- josephlord 14y ago
  It was the first I bought but key features it hit included tethering, stereo bluetooth support, compass (and maybe improved GPS) and performance. The 5 seems like a solid step. I don't see the need to upgrade every year but if you compare back to the 4 rather than the 4S the performance should be a massive jump. Support for 5GHz wifi could mean a real speed boost too and the bigger screen should be nice.
arrrg 14y ago
The S variants certainly didn’t – and this adds more than every S variant ever did. Looking at the construction, the 3G was never something to write home about. The technology forced Apple's hand and they had to make that plastic monster. Acceptable, not great. Like the 5, the 3G improved every aspect of its predecessor and it added 3G. The 5 is just like the 3G – only that this time around the construction is at least on par or better (likely, looking at first hand ons, still, only speculation at this point) than that of the predecessor. It’s also, quite obviously, less fragile. So Apple has done much more on the construction front, but the jump from 3G to LTE is also arguably not as important than the jump from Edge to 3G. Looking at the specs and comparing them with other phones you get the same picture you always got. It’s a wash. Those kinds of comparisons never mattered. In conclusion: no 3GS to 4 jump, but certainly a 1 to 3G jump. Also a familiar sight since the 3G, geeks are disappointed, the phone sells faster than Apple can make it. This phone is no surprise. It’s Apple doing what they have always done.
jaxn 14y ago
Larger screen is a "new feature" since we are talking about hardware. LTE would be a new feature as well. Not having a big piece of glass on the back seems like a new feature too (my iPhone 4S has had a cracked back for a couple of months). I know this may seem silly, but a new dock connector that is symmetrical and is easier to plug in without looking is a new feature as well. Also, something about a panorama camera, but I wouldn't call that a BFD)

3am_hackernews 14y ago

Faster, slimmer, lighter and longer lasting - yes, these are really good updates in a small piece of equipment that iPhone 5 is, there's no denying that. But what really irks me is the way Apple marketing team is hyping it up - "This is the best <insert iDevice> we have ever made!", "This is revolutionary!", "This will change everything you were doing before!"... A slathering of these so often during the entire event and then on with their advertisements makes me cringe and shake my head with disappointment. This iPhone and the iPod[x] are pretty much an iteration and minor upgrade, not what the actual 'revolutionary' things were - iTouch, iPhone, iPad, retina display, etc. I don't expect 'revolutionary' every year or any time, I just expect some sincerity announcing.

tomelders 14y ago
Yeah you're right, they should get up on stage in front of the worlds media and say "It's an OK iPhone. You know, not great great, but pretty good... pffffft, we really could do better but hey ho, here's the new iPhone". Are you an idiot? And it is the best iPhone they've ever made. And the iPhone is arguably the best phone out there, so they sort of have a fair bit of credibility when they say that stuff.
- notimetorelax 14y ago
  Please try to refrain from ad hominem attacks. It doesn't help in any way to prove your point.
  - tomelders 14y ago
    no, because it clearly does help to articulate my point.
    - milesokeefe 14y ago
      how?
    - Rygu 14y ago
      http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html "When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. E.g. "That is an idiotic thing to say; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3."

pavanky 14y ago

>It's the best iPhone YET made, period. I think what is pissing most people off is that up until iphone 4 (not 4s), the iphone was arguably the best smart phone around. 4s and 5 have been improvements to the iphone but have not added anything over its competitors. Most of the competitors can do what the iphone 5 does and more (such as NFC and / or wireless charging). Bottom line: There is no reason to stick with the iphone 5 other than "I am stuck in the eco system", or "I love apple" or "It is good enough". The "better than the others" argument doesn't fly anymore.

greedo 14y ago
And NFC/wireless charging automatically makes them better than the iPhone 5?
- will_work4tears 14y ago
  Open, let's not forget open. So yeah, marginally.
- pavanky 14y ago
  I said they do more, and most top of the line phones from other manufacturers have them. Even if it does not make the other phones better, lacking those features only makes it worse.
kayoone 14y ago
what about that 90% of 3rd party apps have a much higher quality on iOS ? (Disclaimer: i own an android device)