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> When Apple did release a model named “iPhone 5” that was far better than the 4S [...] it was a huge update that gave them everything they asked for, plus more

> When Apple did release a model named “iPhone 5” that was far better than the 4S [...] it was a huge update that gave them everything they asked for, plus more. Whoa, hold the hyperbole train their Marco. I wouldn't exactly call a slightly bigger screen, slightly improved camera, slightly snappier performance (all expected in a yearly update), a new custom connector that invalidated all your previous peripherals and cables, and a new scratchable, slippery exterior "far better" or "a huge update that gave them everything they asked for, plus more". Factor in how woeful Apple Maps was (and is), and how much steam the competition had picked up, and yes, the iPhone 5 was simply disappointing.

unalone 14y ago
> Factor in how woeful Apple Maps was (and is), and how much steam the competition had picked up, and yes, the iPhone 5 was simply disappointing. [emphasis mine] I like my iPhone 5 and think it's the best phone I've ever used. Apple Maps is a mixed bag (though I still use it as my default; it does some things very well), but I don't see "the competition's stopped sucking" as something that makes me like my phone any less. On the contrary, Android and Windows Phone are getting good enough that I can be certain I like iOS's design philosophy for what it is, not only because it's the only design that isn't half-baked.
- edanm 14y ago
  As a counterpoint, I'm looking quite seriously at an Android as my next device, this after being a "life-long" iPhone fan. It's simply gotten to the point where Android works well enough for my big use cases, is open enough to changes to allow me to do some things I can't with the iPhone, is cheap enough that it saves me money, is big but light... overall, iPhone has less of an advantage every day.
- beaumartinez 14y ago
  Before, "good enough" for the iPhone was good enough, as nothing else came close. But with how polished Android has become of late, the bar is much higher, and Apple's "good enough" is no longer at the same level of other players. Siri woes in comparison with Google Now (look at the comparisons during hurricane Sandy—Siri confused it with a sports team). Maps can be synced offline on both Android and Windows Phone. Want to share a photo to Instagram as soon as you take it with the stock camera app (the only one that has a "shortcut" from the lock screen)? With Android, one tap. With iOS, you have to load Instagram, and share it from there. There are many little things that were okay when iPhone was still young but they appear to be resting on their laurels.
kylec 14y ago
You're forgetting LTE. I'd say that just the larger screen and inclusion of LTE constitute a major update.
- beaumartinez 14y ago
  Good point. Although I'm in the UK, and so far you can only get LTE on one carrier—and the prices are extortionate.
- lukifer 14y ago
  It's also freakishly light, if you're in to that sort of thing. I actually like the heft of the 4 series, and would have preferred they kept the weight and filled the 5 with more battery, but that has less sizzle on the sales floor.
  - rayiner 14y ago
    It doesn't just sizzle on the sales floor--it is extremely practical for a "walking around phone" for people who wear trousers.
    - lukifer 14y ago
      It's admittedly subjective; I didn't mean to imply that aren't real advantages to a lighter phone. At the same time, reading "30% more battery" on the product stats doesn't have the same wow factor as "omg, this thing is freakishly light".
evilduck 14y ago
The sales data doesn't really support the notion that the iPhone 5 was a disappointment to anyone except the most picky of technical users. http://bgr.com/2013/01/17/iphone-sales-comparisons-samsung-294236/ http://bgr.com/2013/01/17/iphone-sales-comparisons-samsung-2...
ricardobeat 14y ago
> slightly improved camera Now that's an understatement/hypobole/litote. iPhone 5's camera is vastly superior to any that came before it.
kmfrk 14y ago
Don't forget the camera flaw: http://gizmodo.com/5947972/apple-acknowledges-iphone-5-camera-problem-says-youre-holding-it-wrong http://gizmodo.com/5947972/apple-acknowledges-iphone-5-camer....
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
rayiner 14y ago
Disappointing relative to what?! The iPhone 5 was a bigger update than the 4. For ordinary people, it was a combination of top-notch specs (still the fastest phone GPU and will probably remain so until the Snapdragon 800 phones come out), lowest weight (by a healthy margin), competitive battery life with LTE, and highly pocketable form factor.

unalone 14y ago

> Factor in how woeful Apple Maps was (and is), and how much steam the competition had picked up, and yes, the iPhone 5 was simply disappointing. [emphasis mine] I like my iPhone 5 and think it's the best phone I've ever used. Apple Maps is a mixed bag (though I still use it as my default; it does some things very well), but I don't see "the competition's stopped sucking" as something that makes me like my phone any less. On the contrary, Android and Windows Phone are getting good enough that I can be certain I like iOS's design philosophy for what it is, not only because it's the only design that isn't half-baked.

edanm 14y ago
As a counterpoint, I'm looking quite seriously at an Android as my next device, this after being a "life-long" iPhone fan. It's simply gotten to the point where Android works well enough for my big use cases, is open enough to changes to allow me to do some things I can't with the iPhone, is cheap enough that it saves me money, is big but light... overall, iPhone has less of an advantage every day.
beaumartinez 14y ago
Before, "good enough" for the iPhone was good enough, as nothing else came close. But with how polished Android has become of late, the bar is much higher, and Apple's "good enough" is no longer at the same level of other players. Siri woes in comparison with Google Now (look at the comparisons during hurricane Sandy—Siri confused it with a sports team). Maps can be synced offline on both Android and Windows Phone. Want to share a photo to Instagram as soon as you take it with the stock camera app (the only one that has a "shortcut" from the lock screen)? With Android, one tap. With iOS, you have to load Instagram, and share it from there. There are many little things that were okay when iPhone was still young but they appear to be resting on their laurels.

kylec 14y ago

You're forgetting LTE. I'd say that just the larger screen and inclusion of LTE constitute a major update.

beaumartinez 14y ago
Good point. Although I'm in the UK, and so far you can only get LTE on one carrier—and the prices are extortionate.
lukifer 14y ago
It's also freakishly light, if you're in to that sort of thing. I actually like the heft of the 4 series, and would have preferred they kept the weight and filled the 5 with more battery, but that has less sizzle on the sales floor.
- rayiner 14y ago
  It doesn't just sizzle on the sales floor--it is extremely practical for a "walking around phone" for people who wear trousers.
  - lukifer 14y ago
    It's admittedly subjective; I didn't mean to imply that aren't real advantages to a lighter phone. At the same time, reading "30% more battery" on the product stats doesn't have the same wow factor as "omg, this thing is freakishly light".

evilduck 14y ago

The sales data doesn't really support the notion that the iPhone 5 was a disappointment to anyone except the most picky of technical users. http://bgr.com/2013/01/17/iphone-sales-comparisons-samsung-294236/ http://bgr.com/2013/01/17/iphone-sales-comparisons-samsung-2...

ricardobeat 14y ago

> slightly improved camera Now that's an understatement/hypobole/litote. iPhone 5's camera is vastly superior to any that came before it.

kmfrk 14y ago

Don't forget the camera flaw: http://gizmodo.com/5947972/apple-acknowledges-iphone-5-camera-problem-says-youre-holding-it-wrong http://gizmodo.com/5947972/apple-acknowledges-iphone-5-camer....

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

rayiner 14y ago

Disappointing relative to what?! The iPhone 5 was a bigger update than the 4. For ordinary people, it was a combination of top-notch specs (still the fastest phone GPU and will probably remain so until the Snapdragon 800 phones come out), lowest weight (by a healthy margin), competitive battery life with LTE, and highly pocketable form factor.