iPhone 5. Hit or Miss?

[cornstar]

Share your opinions, I do want to hear them.

 

I had switched from a blackberry to an iPhone a few years ago, and I can not imagine myself with a different phone.

 

I think the iPhone 5 is not much better than the 4s. But I still have my 4, and decided to skip the 4s so I could get the 5. Technically the 5 is much better than my 4.

 

Now compared to other phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S3.

 

For me, either Samsung does not market itself as well as Apple, or their phone just seems like a more complicated phone to use.

[Rebecca~]

I currently don't have any smart phone, but when my current contract is up, I'll be getting the iPhone 5. It looks AMAZING. I have played around on my girlfriend's iPhone (3, I think), and I love it. I can't wait to have all of the extra features. :)

 

My brother has a Samsung phone, running Android, and I don't like it at all. :/ I find it difficult to navigate, and awkward. :/ I like Blackberries better, but I wouldn't want to have one.

[Nataluna]

friends know me as the Apple person. i've got loads of apple stuff, but i keep putting off getting an iphone for ages because i like buttons. also frankly i like my iPods xD

 

i pre-ordered this one, so hopefully i'll be getting it about my birthday! at least thats what the ETA says on my order (but i've had experience with Apple's shipping before) i bought it outright though since i'm actually very bad about using my phone so i figure i'll be changing carriers every time a new plan comes out that i prefer.

 

really i think there wasn't anything amazing about this one, i bit the bullet so to speak because my current phone is on the fritz and well, i really am fed up of waiting xD

 

64GB however isn't alot for me though. its once of the reasons i hadn't bought the iphone 4 or the 4S, i bet the 5S will have a 128GB model or something and i'll feel really annoyed then... but *shrug* its good enough for now...

 

i feel a bit bad because really i should have waited until it was out and gotten a few more reviews before ordering it. it was alot of money outright :/

 

its interesting to note that there are regional differences with the iPhone 5 to cope with the different types of networks in different countries, so Australia's version is probably different to the USA (i didn't look into specifics of this but it was in a report i read)

 

as for why Apple over Android? i have alot of stuff on iTunes and like to keep it streamlined. my previous (actually current but currently in the throes of death) phone was a Nokia. i forget it alot (including once leaving it in the fridge for 3 days) somehow the ipod gets remembered more when i leave the house.

[petrichor12]

I was expecting more from the iphone 5...

I'm also an apple person, i have an iphone 4s... I don't think i'll be upgrading..

Depends how and what you use your iphone for! If you want a better camera maybe you should get the new iphone...

Maybe you should wait till it's released and people will have written reviews on it... Might help with your decision.

[pchau123]

I think in terms of simplicity apple wins. However in specs I think the s3 wins.

[passiflora]

I've never had an iPhone (and my iPod touch is only 2nd or 3rd generation!), but I can see what attracts people. However, from what I've heard, it hasn't changed too much - probably a huge upgrade if you have an older version or have a different phone and want to switch to an iPhone, but I don't know if I'd upgrade from a 4s if I had one.

 

 

I have an HTC Incredible and I love it to bits. It doesn't sync with my computer (a mac), but other than that I can't imagine it's all too different from owning an iPhone, except that it was free on a 3-year contract. :) It also has 4 buttons across the bottom of the screen instead of apple's one round one, which I think makes navigation easier.

[Emily]

I'm a Blackberry girl. Other than my 6 year old iPod Classic and a 2nd generation nano, I've never owned any other Apple products. I'm not a fan of their incompatibility with software and parts and inflated prices for the product you're getting. So far as the new iPhone, it got longer? Yay? I just see it as "Oh my god! Something new! let's buy it!" Kind of like the iPad. It's a bigger version of the phone that doesn't make phone calls, doesn't fit in your pocket, costs twice as much as a laptop (non-Apple of course) and performs less than half of the functions. I just don't get it. And the recent legal disputes are nearly laughable. They're upset over "copyright infringement" when they themselves have copied designs that have existed longer than the iPhone has been around.

[Ashbash]

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about the phone yet. It looks a little too big for my liking. I miss the days of the tiny little flip phones.

[ΩCCΩ]

It is cool that they have finally increased the screen size and changed the pesky glass cover that was prone to breaking, but the processor upgrade seems unnecessary, I mean I have never heard the 4S having processing issues so I don't know why they changed it to A6. Other than that, they didn't really change anything spectacular like add Flash for example.

 

I would definitely choose to buy the 4S since it is basically the same but about a $100 cheaper. :)

[cleomiele]

I just got a 4S in July, I believe, and I don't plan to upgrade until I've had this one for a good, long while, regardless of what innovations they come up with. I will definitely be purchasing iPhones in the future, though, as the simplicity of the phone is what makes it so awesome to me; my mother had a Droid for a while because she was hell-bent on staying with Verizon (back when only AT&T carried iPhones here in the states) and I just think that the quality in general was lesser and the navigation was a lot more difficult. The iPhone is just a solid, albeit overpriced, product.

 

The only feature I heard that made me think, "Oh wow! That's cool!" is that you can now Facetime on the 4G network instead of having to be connected to wifi. That'd be awfully convenient! The upgraded processing power is also great, but that feature was a given at this point.

I'm a bit apprehensive about the longer design, though, as I already have trouble fitting the 4S into some of my jean pockets... :laughingsmiley: we'll see, I guess!

[groovyjenny]

I'm definitely excited for the new iPhone. I have been anticipating it since I got my 4S! Everything I own is Apple, so I am an Apple enthusiast. I love how all of my Apple products sync together and work together. I am absolutely in love with my current iPhone, the new iPad, and my relatively new MacBook Pro. I think it's worth the higher price to get a Mac computer, because it goes along with the old adage that you get what you pay for. Maybe that's just me. I don't know what to think of the larger screen yet, I guess I'll decide when I get mine. Definitely is much simpler than other phones, especially Samsung phones. My mom has a Galaxy something, I don't know, but it is confusing as all get out. She has four buttons on it and the texting on it is painful. I avoid her phone entirely. I only use it in case of emergency, and even then, I'll turn to someone who has a flip phone over her phone! Otherwise, definitely like the improvements, and can't wait to upgrade! :)

[cornstar]

haha. I am surprised by the answers, I thought there may perhaps be more samsung fans.

 

@annukii, it is definitely different regionally. During my time in Germany, I was able to create hot spots with my iPhone 4 or even connect it to a usb to generate internet (Vodafone). Whereas in the United States, there is absolutely no carrier which is capable of creating a hot spot with an iPhone. Even the most expensive and "best" carrier, Verizon, does not have this feature.

[karmacow]

haha. I am surprised by the answers, I thought there may perhaps be more samsung fans.

 

I don't think any brand really has fans to the same extent that Apple does, so that's probably why this thread is so one sided :P

 

I didn't feel the need to respond, because I'm not all that interested in phones and I'm definitely not going to buy a phone as expensive as the iPhone, so it's not relevant to me. But my boyfriend is considering to buy one the next time he needs wants a new one, just because iPhones don't lose their value as quickly as other brands, so he could resell it and not lose as much money compared to other brands. So if you resell your iPhone, I guess it ends up not being terribly expensive. But I don't know. I've been so frustrated with the software in my iPod, I'm a little wary about Apple products. They're supposed to be so intuitive, which I found not to be the case.

[Nataluna]

haha. I am surprised by the answers, I thought there may perhaps be more samsung fans.

 

@annukii, it is definitely different regionally. During my time in Germany, I was able to create hot spots with my iPhone 4 or even connect it to a usb to generate internet (Vodafone). Whereas in the United States, there is absolutely no carrier which is capable of creating a hot spot with an iPhone. Even the most expensive and "best" carrier, Verizon, does not have this feature.

 

from my impression from the article, its actual physical differences with the iphone 5, so people importing phones from other countries will need to check the individual phone and the country it came from, whereas before it was the capability of the network which limited access to different features (like the iPad 4G not running on the 4G network in Australia)

 

it launched today although i had other stuff on so i had ordered mine over the internet, should be here in October :P someone actually flew to Australia from Thailand to get the iPhone (i assume it launches later in Asia than Australia) although i personally think they may have been on holiday anyway, but thats what the news reported :P

 

the difficulty today was getting the simpack, i was picking a micro-sim up for another phone for a family member and tried to get a pack for my own phone in a week, most stores didn't have the nano sim (i only found out today it needed this stupid different simcard) and apparently so far its only the iPhone 5 which runs on it which was one of the reasons most stores didn't have stock although i was assured that in the next week they expect rapid supply of cards.

 

 

but since the telco's computer system couldn't handle selling the new item the guy gave me mine for free :P so i'm not complaining ;)

 

i will honestly admit, samsung and many of the android phones are probably better featured but i've always been a Apple fan despite their faults, so for me because its designed to work with all the other apple products i have, thats the main reason i got it :P

 

most friends and relatives have HTC or Samsung phones, i quite like a friends Sony Experia but she's the only one with a Sony. HTC i think are very well made, but they struggled with a very poor campaign for their recent line, although they are relaunching with more mobiles targeted for the new Windows platform.

 

if you have a 4S i wouldn't think its worth upgrading for the new features they offer, unless your contract lets you do it easily. i was a bit disappointed with the capacity staying the same.

 

and boo on the maps app. :K

 

Apple i find was a big switch from what i was used to, but after having a mac computer for a few years i find their products have consistencies which make it easier if you already use a mac. my parent's really struggle with dealing with the mac, which is why we have so many computers now :P its not necessarily intuitive for everyone, and i still think there are things other platforms and manufacturers do better, but Apple does tend to observe and integrate things *cough* copyright infringements? *cough*

[complicatedwishes]

I have been a blackberry user (and lover) for the past 2 years. Then a few days a go my Blackberry was broken, wouldn't turn on, it was just completely lifeless. I'm in the situation at the moment where I could afford to buy a new contract so I bought the 4s yesterday. I purely decided to go for the 4s and not wait a few more days for the 5 because I can't bare to wait a few days with out a phone. Also, when the new Iphones are released I've noticed from Twitter and articles I've read that there's quite a lot of bugs/things wrong for a few weeks. I decided I'd rather just have a brand new working Iphone 4s! I do like what I've seen of the 5 though, but new ones will be out by the time my contract is up in just under 2 years time :P.

[psychology]

i have had a couple different blackberries over the past couple years and i can say i am not a fan in any way, shape, or form. after my contract is up, i will be getting an iphone since i feel like blackberries are more for 'professional' use rather than applications, browsing, etc.

[cornstar]

I think application, browsing are optional. I also do think iPhone is entering into the business world as becoming the "business phone". The organization and ease of the iPhone seems to make it easier for people to do things more efficiently.

[Guest JussttBre]

Miss. I like the iPhone 4S more. Don't like the new shape and it's not that much of an improvement

[jcpet]

Miss as well. I feel like all the new Apple products are a miss, actually. They just upgrade the specs by a little bit for each product, increase the price by a margin, and release a new version of their old products. Not seeing a whole lot of innovation without Steve Jobs.

[Jadey]

I think the iPhone 5 is a waste if you already have an iPhone 4s. The difference is the size of the screen really (though they advertise differently that's all the difference I've noticed going from my 4s to a friends 5).

 

I think if you have the money to spend, then by all means get and iPhone 5, but if it's just for the novelty then I think hold off until Apple makes actual advancements in the phone, i.e. A BETTER BATTERY LIFE!

[poptart123]

Well I am gonna be the black sheep here in this thread and say I LOVE my Samsung Galaxy SIII. Hands down the best phone I have ever owned. Husband has an iPhone and always has, he is very much an apple person (has an iPad, macbook, iPod, etc.) and even he is jealous of my phone. The screen, the speed, the features, the battery power, having flash, google maps, the camera and it's features, etc. Before this phone I had the Samsung Epic which was Sprint's first 4G phone. When I got it it had beat the iPhone as the best phone according to Consumer Reports. That sold me. There was nothing wrong with it after over 2 years, surviving rain, the bathtub, the sink, the teething baby, being thrown, stepped on, dropped, ran over (not kidding and long story lol) and the only reason I upgraded was because I got the SIII on sale for $48. I refuse to buy a more expensive phone that isn't better on paper. I would rather pay for the specs and not the name of the brand. Which is why I will most likely never buy an iPhone. I don't see the point.

 

My macbook however... oh how I love it. :)

[The_Warblers]

I'm waiting for the iphone 6 since the iphone 5 is not that impressive for me. Unless it got completely new design or feature, I don't see the point of upgrading.

 

For the money, I think I better get Amazon Kindle Fire or even a small laptop. Much more useful