Review Roundup: iPhone 5 surprisingly light, battery life impresses
The first reviews of Apple's iPhone 5 hit the web on Tuesday and most major publications feel the new handset meets expectations with a larger 4-inch display and fast LTE data speeds. Some reviewers had a few quibbles, however, including Apple's move to the new Lightning connector and the letterboxing of existing iOS apps.
"The world's most popular smartphone becomes significantly faster, thinner and lighter this week, while gaining a larger, 4-inch screen?all without giving up battery life, comfort in the hand and high-quality construction," Mossberg writes as a brief summary of his extensive review.
While the 4-inch display may not satisfy users looking for "gargantuan" screens, he found the form factor easier to use than smartphone rivals like the Galaxy S III.
The iPhone 5's design is also a plus, and the 20 percent reduction in weight is noticeable from the moment a user picks up the device. While the design is not a complete overhaul of the iPhone 4S, the use of metal and glass prove to be pleasing and provides for the usual solid feel users have come to expect from an iPhone.
"Like many Apple products, it's gorgeous," Mossberg quips.
One point of contention regarding the new handset's design is the implementation of Lightning, the new dock connector Apple said was a requirement for making a device so thin. The change is not insignificant for consumers as an adapter is needed to use various accessories made fort the legacy 30-pin dock, possibly adding to the cost of owning the new iPhone 5.
Apple's new Lightning connector.
Battery life appears to not be affected by the inclusion of 4G LTE, Mossberg notes, as the journalist managed to squeeze between 9 to 12 hours between charges. On Verizon's LTE network in Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C., he averaged 26 megabits per second for downloads and nearly 13 megabits per second for uploads. Peak download speeds hit 42 Mb/s, ten times faster than Mossberg's iPhone 4S running on 3G. Perhaps most importantly, the phone didn't drop any calls.
Not much was made of the phone's camera besides a notation that it performed better than the iPhone 4S in low-light situations.
Some of the features in Apple's iOS 6 were the main complaints for Mossberg, especially the new Maps app. Apple ditched Google Maps in favor of its own proprietary solution, effectively removing Google-only features such as Street View and public-transit routes. While Maps does feature its own 3-D Flyover view, only certain major metropolitan cities will be supported when the OS launches. As a replacement for the defunct features, Apple links to third-party apps.
The additional features built into Siri worked as promised, and Mossberg made special note that FaceTime works as well over Verizon's 4G cellular network as it does on Wi-Fi.
As for miscellaneous features like NFC and face recognition, Mossberg regards such niceties as "either little-used or unperfected." He goes on to say "I'd bet most users won't care about them, at least in their current state."
Conclusion
Pogue also takes note of the new dimensions, pointing out the substantial reductions made to the phone's thickness and weight.
"This iPhone is so light, tall and flat, it?s well on its way to becoming a bookmark," Pogue writes.
The screen is "nice" but not life-changing, though it is a far cry from the "huge" screens seen on existing Android handsets. While the screen, among other components, were not afforded a significant change like the iPhone 4's switch to the Retina display, Pogue says that nearly every feature has been upgraded. Speed is one of the metrics that has seen substantial performance gains, with 4G LTE support for "wicked-fast" internet connections and a swift A6 processor.
Conclusion
The Wall Street Journal
Arguably one of the world's most influential tech journalists, Walt Mossberg, was generally pleased with the iPhone 5, noting that "despite a few negatives" he still considers Apple's handset to be "the best smartphone on the market.""The world's most popular smartphone becomes significantly faster, thinner and lighter this week, while gaining a larger, 4-inch screen?all without giving up battery life, comfort in the hand and high-quality construction," Mossberg writes as a brief summary of his extensive review.
While the 4-inch display may not satisfy users looking for "gargantuan" screens, he found the form factor easier to use than smartphone rivals like the Galaxy S III.
The iPhone 5's design is also a plus, and the 20 percent reduction in weight is noticeable from the moment a user picks up the device. While the design is not a complete overhaul of the iPhone 4S, the use of metal and glass prove to be pleasing and provides for the usual solid feel users have come to expect from an iPhone.
"Like many Apple products, it's gorgeous," Mossberg quips.
One point of contention regarding the new handset's design is the implementation of Lightning, the new dock connector Apple said was a requirement for making a device so thin. The change is not insignificant for consumers as an adapter is needed to use various accessories made fort the legacy 30-pin dock, possibly adding to the cost of owning the new iPhone 5.
Apple's new Lightning connector.
Battery life appears to not be affected by the inclusion of 4G LTE, Mossberg notes, as the journalist managed to squeeze between 9 to 12 hours between charges. On Verizon's LTE network in Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C., he averaged 26 megabits per second for downloads and nearly 13 megabits per second for uploads. Peak download speeds hit 42 Mb/s, ten times faster than Mossberg's iPhone 4S running on 3G. Perhaps most importantly, the phone didn't drop any calls.
Not much was made of the phone's camera besides a notation that it performed better than the iPhone 4S in low-light situations.
Some of the features in Apple's iOS 6 were the main complaints for Mossberg, especially the new Maps app. Apple ditched Google Maps in favor of its own proprietary solution, effectively removing Google-only features such as Street View and public-transit routes. While Maps does feature its own 3-D Flyover view, only certain major metropolitan cities will be supported when the OS launches. As a replacement for the defunct features, Apple links to third-party apps.
The additional features built into Siri worked as promised, and Mossberg made special note that FaceTime works as well over Verizon's 4G cellular network as it does on Wi-Fi.
As for miscellaneous features like NFC and face recognition, Mossberg regards such niceties as "either little-used or unperfected." He goes on to say "I'd bet most users won't care about them, at least in their current state."
Conclusion
Apple has taken an already great product and made it better, overall. Consumers who prefer huge screens or certain marginal features have plenty of other choices, but the iPhone 5 is an excellent choice.
The New York Times
NYT tech writer David Pogue starts off his review by breaking down the three tenets that have made Apple's iPhone a success:It is with the third component that Pogue takes issue, calling Apple's Lightning connector's need for pricey adapters "not just a slap in the face to loyal customers ? it?s a jab in the eye." He goes on to say the company gave away a competetive advantage with the change as the vast 30-pin compatible ecosystem is effectively broken for those who don't want to hassle with the new connector. He does mention, however, that the plug itself is well made and sturdy.First, design. A single company, known for its obsession over details, produces both the hardware and the software. The result is a single, coherently designed whole.
Second, superior components. As the world?s largest tech company, Apple can call the shots with its part suppliers. It can often incorporate new technologies ? scratch-resistant Gorilla glass, say, or the supersharp Retina screen ? before its rivals can.
Third, compatibility. The iPhone?s ubiquity has led to a universe of accessories that fit it. Walk into a hotel room, and there?s probably an iPhone connector built into the alarm clock.
Pogue also takes note of the new dimensions, pointing out the substantial reductions made to the phone's thickness and weight.
"This iPhone is so light, tall and flat, it?s well on its way to becoming a bookmark," Pogue writes.
The screen is "nice" but not life-changing, though it is a far cry from the "huge" screens seen on existing Android handsets. While the screen, among other components, were not afforded a significant change like the iPhone 4's switch to the Retina display, Pogue says that nearly every feature has been upgraded. Speed is one of the metrics that has seen substantial performance gains, with 4G LTE support for "wicked-fast" internet connections and a swift A6 processor.
Conclusion
If you have an iPhone 4S, getting an iPhone 5 would mean breaking your two-year carrier contract and paying a painful penalty; maybe not worth it for the 5?s collection of nips and tucks. But if you?ve had the discipline to sit out a couple of iPhone generations ? wow, are you in for a treat.
USA Today
People have always had lofty expectations for the iPhone 5, especially as the competition stiffens. In delivering a fast, attractive, LTE-capable and larger-screen handset, Apple has met those expectations with a gem.
Engadget
The iPhone 5 is a significant improvement over the iPhone 4S in nearly every regard, and in those areas that didn't see an upgrade over its predecessor -- camera, storage capacity -- one could make a strong case that the iPhone 4S was already ahead of the curve. Every area, that is, except for the OS. If anything, it's the operating system here that's beginning to feel a bit dated and beginning to show its age.
Still, the iPhone 5 absolutely shines. Pick your benchmark and you'll find Apple's thin new weapon sitting at or near the top. Will it convince you to give up your Android or Windows Phone ways and join the iOS side? Maybe, maybe not. Will it wow you? Hold it in your hand -- you might be surprised. For the iOS faithful this is a no-brainer upgrade. This is without a doubt the best iPhone yet. This is a hallmark of design. This is the one you've been waiting for.
Pocket-Lint
While the hardware and design here is cutting edge, the software plays it safer than we would like. For those of you that have already left the Apple eco-system for Samsung or HTC, for example, the iPhone 5 isn't likely to draw you back. You might marvel at the build and design, but Apple with the iPhone 5 has created a smartphone that is too safe for you: you'll feel too mollycoddled.
Instead Apple has created a phone that the millions of current iPhone users will want to upgrade to. iPhone owners will love it, enjoy all those new features, and appreciate all the hard work, design, and engineering that has gone into it.
The iPhone 5 is a phone that makes you feel safe. A phone that you know exactly how to use as soon as you take it out of the box and that is perfect for a huge number of people.
It's a phone that, until you start craving the iPhone 6, will serve you very well indeed.
CNET
The iPhone 5 completely rebuilds the iPhone on a framework of new features and design, addressing its major previous shortcomings. It's absolutely the best iPhone to date, and it easily secures its place in the top tier of the smartphone universe.
Daring Fireball
The question everyone who hasn?t yet pre-ordered wants answered: Should you upgrade? My answer is simple. If you can afford it, yes.
There?s a reason why, just as with all five of its predecessors, it just says ?iPhone? on the back. The iPhone 5 is all new technically, but it?s the exact same thing as an idea. Apple is simply improving upon that idea year after year in infinitely finer detail, like a fractal. It?s nice.
Comments
Think again!!! Apple is not doomed!
It's always a sweeping statement with nothing to explain what is dated and/or stale.
The purpose of an OS is to allow you to do what you want quickly and easily. iOS is minimalistic and gets you to what you want to do (apps) quickly and with stability. What more do you want? What more does OS X do?
I think people just want new "shiny" things.
I like the new iPhone 5. But I just don't see any reason to upgrade to the 5 from the 4s. If I had money to burn, maybe. But my iPhone 4s is gonna run the new iOS6 with the new SIRI. I just don't have the motivation to upgrade right now.
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
…the iPhone… …might not satisfy users. …the Galaxy S III… …is… …pleasing. …an iPhone… …is… …insignificant. Battery life appears to… …be… …9… …second… …s. Consumers who prefer huge screens or certain… …features have plenty of other choices.
What the trolls will read.
EDIT: all right, that first paragraph… can be read as something filthy if you do it with the right type of pauses… That's not intentional.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pendergast
I always hear peopl say that iOS is "dated" or "stale".
It's always a sweeping statement with nothing to explain what is dated and/or stale.
The purpose of an OS is to allow you to do what you want quickly and easily. iOS is minimalistic and gets you to what you want to do (apps) quickly and with stability. What more do you want? What more does OS X do?
I think people just want new "shiny" things.
Agree. I will take the supposedly outdated iOS over the latest Android or WP. I will like for them to explain what is so outdated when it perforce so well and fluidly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psych_guy
But, but, APPLE is doooooomed!
Based on what evidence? Apple has started off selling twice as many units as last year's launch. When Apple actually signs on both China Mobile, T-Mobile and other carriers still left to sign-on, they'll rack up more sales in new markets.
What I see is a lot of Android people are actually getting fed up with their SIII's already. I know one that can't stand her SIII and she's only had it maybe two months, if that.
What people don't realize is that these Android phones aren't that great. I think the bigger screens and the eye candy is enticing, but that novelty wears off.
Who knows, Apple may just, in fact, release another model that has a bigger screen as a choice. If Apple gets enough demand for a larger screen version, I think it would be in Apple's best interest to have two model sizes. One is the 4in and the other is a 5in. And then the market will figure out which they prefer. I can see the argument for both size screens, since some people have bigger or smaller hands or different needs for each screen size.
Apple does have two size screens for their laptops/desktops.
Now, I really cant wait to get the 5!!!
That was pretty darn good, and so is the iPhone 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pendergast
I think people just want new "shiny" things.
Geeks and tech pundits want new, shiny things.
To quote The Beard: "Muggles are not always interested in the same things that tech weenies care about."
Looking forward to the expected panning iPhone 5 will receive from Consumer Reports. As if these guys had any idea what appeals to consumers in a phone, as opposed to hardware-spec-geeks.
Why would anybody have a problem with the letterboxing of older apps? That has got to be a better solution than unnaturally stretching them to full the screen
Also looking forward to the drubbing the iPhone 5 will receive from iFixit because it can't be repaired by cavemen with flint tools and bone hammers.
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
Looking forward to the expected panning iPhone 5 will receive from Consumer Reports.
"Even though it receives the top score in every single category in our charts, we cannot recommend the iPhone at this time."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pendergast
I always hear peopl say that iOS is "dated" or "stale".
It's always a sweeping statement with nothing to explain what is dated and/or stale.
The purpose of an OS is to allow you to do what you want quickly and easily. iOS is minimalistic and gets you to what you want to do (apps) quickly and with stability. What more do you want? What more does OS X do?
I think people just want new "shiny" things.
I think it's just lazy writing when they say that. If you can't elucidate a complaint, then you probably shouldn't state it at all.
That being said, I have some serious complaints about iOS and I would agree that it is the main aspect of the new iPhone that is disappointing. Far from being stale though, I think it really needs fleshing out and polishing. There is so much of iOS that is only partially formed even after the sixth revision. There are so many apps that don't function even half as well as their counterparts on "real" computers.
I think they really need to take the whole iOS team including those that develop the built in apps, and the flagship apps like Pages, iMovie etc. on a retreat and just start from the ground up all over again. There are a lot of things that are just plain awful that perhaps need to be rethought, there are also a lot of things that just don't work together or have been waiting for years to get feature parity with basic software on other alternative platforms.
Just to pick on email ... why is it still so bad after all this time? Why add "VIP's" (of dubious use to the vast majority of users), when you still can't mark junk mail? Why do all the filters no longer work properly since the last update? Why not try to actually make the mail and all the folders appear on all the devices in the same way? That alone would be a miracle.
Basically I think they've been so busy lately that they can't see the forest for the trees. Everything seems confused, and poorly thought out lately. There is a real lack of focus.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sticknick
Geeks and tech pundits want new, shiny things.
To quote The Beard: "Muggles are not always interested in the same things that tech weenies care about."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
"Even though it receives the top score in every single category in our charts, we cannot recommend the iPhone at this time."
It's not Android enough for them.
Not iphone user here, but I love the new iphone – black one, the size and all in black really hit my heart. But the only thing I still concern is: I really hate to use itunes…
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pendergast
I always hear peopl say that iOS is "dated" or "stale".
It's always a sweeping statement with nothing to explain what is dated and/or stale.
The purpose of an OS is to allow you to do what you want quickly and easily. iOS is minimalistic and gets you to what you want to do (apps) quickly and with stability. What more do you want? What more does OS X do?
I think people just want new "shiny" things.
Actually, iOS is dated and crude when compared to OS X. It appears that the iOS development team has learned very little from the experience of OS X. Memory leaks are a big problem through iOS 5 (I have not had anything to do with iOS 6 at this point). Backup and syncing is not at all what it should be. Supposedly, restoring from iCloud preserves App organization, but I have not tried it yet. If restoring from iTunes you either lose app organization or, if using the MacWorld work around, you wind up restoring the backed up version of the native apps (Mail, Safari, etc) which may be corrupt. These apps are a part of the OS and can not be resotred separately. This is crude, if not inexcusable. (In my experience, the native apps are much more troublesome than the third party apps.) Apple have not provided anyone, including, but not limited to, the Genius Bar (or anyone else for that matter) adequate tools to actually test/diagnose hardware issues. I find it disappointing that Apple have not utilized the knowledge gained from all the years of OS X development.
Yes, you are correct, however, in saying that most people just want shiny new things.
Cheers