# iPhone 5 reactions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 12, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544 "2012-09-12T21:48:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/101 "2012-09-14T17:07:32Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > Android sucks because Apple seem to have patented all the sensible ways of operating touch screens. Do you have any specifics? I’m on my Galaxy Nexus, running 4.1, and have been using Android since 2.x. Despite any Apple “patents”, I couldn’t say there were any especially troublesome methods for interacting with the touch screen. The biggest concern, if any, was the pinch-to-zoom, and that’s been rendered a non-issue. > **[The myth of pinch-to-zoom: how a confused media gave Apple something it...](https://www.theverge.com/2012/8/30/3279628/apple-pinch-to-zoom-patent-myth)** > > Apple has a lot of patents — but pinch-to-zoom isn’t among them. Otherwise, both operating systems use very similar gestures and tap inputs. From there, it’s mainly the persistent buttons which differentiate, where Android has 3-4, depending on the version, and Apple has 1 (with a few commands tied to it). > [@](#): > > The apple interface just works. Android is a frustrating wrestling match. I always scratch my head when I read this, but what are you describing when you say something “just works”? They both work, just that one has more depth to it, requiring a bit more of a learning curve. However, that’s not at-all necessary for most casual users. After all, Android is first in market share, so it must also “work”, in order to capture such a spot. That’s not a slight towards Apple, either. What I’ve realize, is where there’s a will, there’s a way. In that respect, I think Apple has succeeded in many areas where it invites consumers to not only use, but to also learn their products. It’s consistent, above anything. And not to get too far off topic, but the while the iPhone 5 is nice, it doesn’t do enough for me. Excellent product that will see a ton of sales, and all for good reason, but I’m more looking forward to the next Nexus device. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/102 "2012-09-14T17:16:19Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Sony’s done it. > [Sony Mobile Phones](http://www.sonymobile.com/us/products/accessories/smartwatch/) That is cool. Still looks a little bulky for my tastes. And, of course, since I have an iPhone (and will have for at least another year on contract), I want something that works with that. But another generation or two of refinement and this sort of thing could be enough for me to switch from an iPhone to Android. ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/103 "2012-09-14T19:20:19Z")
Lot of smug comes with the IPhone 5. Can’t put a price on that. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/104 "2012-09-14T19:42:55Z")
> [@Scotty Mo](#): > > Lot of smug comes with the IPhone 5. Can’t put a price on that. Any examples of that in this thread or did you just buy the talk out of your ass ap? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/105 "2012-09-14T19:49:59Z")
At least you know that your new phone will be produced using [forced labor](http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57507118-37/report-chinese-students-forced-to-intern-at-iphone-factory/). I think they call it an iNternship. ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/106 "2012-09-14T20:41:57Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Any examples of that in this thread or did you just buy the talk out of your ass ap? Actually, I pulled it out of my brain. But it was just a joke meant to be taken lightly and make you and others laugh. Sorry if I offended you. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/107 "2012-09-14T20:56:57Z")
> [@Scotty Mo](#): > > Actually, I pulled it out of my brain. But it was just a joke meant to be taken lightly and make you and others laugh. Sorry if I offended you. Sorry for my crankiness. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/108 "2012-09-14T22:06:56Z")
I think it looks like a nice phone. I have and love my iPhone 4. I won’t be upgrading, because I just don’t need it. In fact, I was considering cancelling my AT&T account and seeing how life would be like without a smart phone for 3 months. Maybe, just pick up a pay as you go phone. If at the end of the 3 months I feel like I need a phone, I’ll use my savings to pick up a new phone. I don’t know. I was kicking that idea around, we’ll see if I ever go through with it. Of course, that’s neither here nor there. I like that they made the screen bigger without making the phone wider. I find the wider phones a little bit unwieldy compared to the iPhone’s size. I’m looking forward to playing with the new Maps app. I hope they integrate public transit options into it very quickly. It seems like Apple is trying to make revisions slowly into each iteration of the phone. They make small changes each year, but nothing huge. Maybe in 5 years they will mix things up again. One huge change I was expecting this model was the removal of the physical home button. Maybe eventually that will happen. I’d probably get it if I really felt like I needed a smart phone. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/109 "2012-09-14T22:18:01Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > At least you know that your new phone will be produced using [forced labor](http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57507118-37/report-chinese-students-forced-to-intern-at-iphone-factory/). > > I think they call it an iNternship. Good thing everybody else does the same. I am unaware of any free-range organic Android phones. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/110 "2012-09-14T22:31:09Z")
I’m surprised at how revolutionary it isn’t. It’s basically an iPhone 4S2. I cannot imagine why I’d want one. I may upgrade in a year, when they come out with the iPhone 5S or 6 or whatever, and I can get more out of my service provider. But really, it’s a giant meh. They no longer make phones that are in any way more impressive than the Android phones, and their market share demonstrates that. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/111 "2012-09-14T22:46:33Z")
I don’t think you’ll ever see a ‘totally amazingly new and different’ device anymore. “I’m suprised that’s all they changed” Is a phrase mentioned by someone with every release after the iPhone 3g. What would make it revolutionary? More pixels? more speed? Anti-gravity? Fewer sides? I think Apple intentionally holds back until features are mature (LTE), and probably balances it so the folks that just purchased the last model don’t feel screwed. Or that’s just the way Moore’s law works out. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/112 "2012-09-14T23:32:40Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > And the “Apple does user interface better than anyone” argument doesn’t really hold much water anymore; maybe back when Apple’s biggest rival was Microsoft and both companies were competing for desk real estate rather than Apple vs. the world, competing for pocket space. But not these days. And the weirdest irony is that, as many people who’ve spent time with Windows Phone 7 or 8 will tell you, Microsoft is out-Appling Apple when it comes to UI design now. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/113 "2012-09-14T23:47:37Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > I don’t think you’ll ever see a ‘totally amazingly new and different’ device anymore. > > “I’m suprised that’s all they changed” Is a phrase mentioned by someone with every release after the iPhone 3g. > > What would make it revolutionary? More pixels? more speed? Anti-gravity? Fewer sides? I was discussing this with my Dad yesterday. I think that everything will be incremental going forward, at least for a while. The things that some people wanted, like a wider screen or NFC, we left out intentionally by Apple. We do get a bigger screen, much faster, LTE (finally), thinner, lighter, way better mapping (something that relatively wasn’t that great before) and the Wallet thing. Given that the iPhone is an iPhone and that tinkerers can’t get to certain things, what more could it have had? ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/114 "2012-09-15T02:01:47Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I was discussing this with my Dad yesterday. I think that everything will be incremental going forward, at least for a while. The things that some people wanted, like a wider screen or NFC, we left out intentionally by Apple. We do get a bigger screen, much faster, LTE (finally), thinner, lighter, way better mapping (something that relatively wasn’t that great before) and the Wallet thing. > > Given that the iPhone is an iPhone and that tinkerers can’t get to certain things, what more could it have had? Anything unexpected? As much and more than, say, a Nokia 920 or the HTC OneX? The iPhone 5 is hardly BAD, but it might be the first time where Apple will launch a phone that will legitimately be “just as good” as the competition. Now, maybe this says more about how hard the competition is working, but it still boils down to a simple fact: the iPhone is no longer head-and-shoulders above the pack. This hasn’t been the case since the iPhone 3G. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/115 "2012-09-15T02:15:23Z")
I’ve said this for two years now (because honestly, I wasn’t paying attention before that and it’s become more apparent lately): Apple’s biggest problem is sticking to One Model, One Year. Having a single model of phone and a predictable release date means they’re eminently beatable by any company that can react faster to technological and software advancements, market conditions and demands, and so forth. Their competetors can expect that Apple will come out with X, Y and Z improvements, and make damned sure their products are better -and- available sooner. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/116 "2012-09-15T02:26:56Z")
They are competing against many different Android makers who don’t just have 1 new model per year. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/117 "2012-09-15T03:26:24Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I’ve said this for two years now (because honestly, I wasn’t paying attention before that and it’s become more apparent lately): Apple’s biggest problem is sticking to One Model, One Year. Having a single model of phone and a predictable release date means they’re eminently beatable by any company that can react faster to technological and software advancements, market conditions and demands, and so forth. Their competetors can expect that Apple will come out with X, Y and Z improvements, and make damned sure their products are better -and- available sooner. This is a strength for Apple, in many, many ways. Android phones are often a huge basket of headaches precisely because of this spec-warring. Everybody launches half-baked bullet points, and consumers wind up with phones that look great on paper but weren’t incubated correctly before being brought to market. Theoretically, post-release support should improve this, but it doesn’t. Post-release support rarely matures the products; it sadly has a tendency to dump new problematic bullet points. Apple devices are partly popular due to momentum, but their legitimate strength is that they simpyly work reliably and simply. There’s not an Android phone on the market that can make that claim. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/118 "2012-09-15T03:46:39Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Having a single model of phone and a predictable release date means they’re eminently beatable by any company that can react faster to technological and software advancements, market conditions and demands, and so forth. That’s true as far as beating them on hardware specs (and possibly on OS features). I believe that’s one reason that Apple tends not to emphasize hardware specs. But it’s a huge boon to them in other ways. Few models (and, even between them, fewer differences), makes app development way easier and faster, and app developers can easily target and reasonably test every iPhone ever made. It also means that they save a bundle on manufacturing. They can buy components in _huge_ quantities and work on making fewer lines more efficient, which allows them to make a much higher profit margin. It also means that Apple can provide good support to older models. This makes old phones be more valuable. Compare to Android, where the various phone makers aren’t particularly motivated to provide updates. I think it’s way too early to say that Apple’s single model strategy is a weakness overall. They’re reaping the benefits in software and profits. They’re by far the most successful phone maker, so clearly the risk of a nimbler competitor it hasn’t caught up to them yet. Perhaps it will in the future. Of course, their competition has some problems, too. The Android makers keep crudding up their phones with crapware, and Microsoft so far has not shown the ability to ship OS updates in much of a timely manner. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/119 "2012-09-15T06:04:16Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > Anything unexpected? As much and more than, say, a Nokia 920 or the HTC OneX? After a quick bit of research: The 920 is has a Windows OS and is unavailable at this time. The price hasn’t been announced. It has a slower processor, a comparable but larger screen, heavier, older Bluetooth protocol, maybe a moderately better set of cameras and a much better battery. The OneX has an Android OS and is overall comparable with a larger screen so bulkier. The iPhone should be better? Specifically in what way? > [@](#): > > The iPhone 5 is hardly BAD, but it might be the first time where Apple will launch a phone that will legitimately be “just as good” as the competition. Now, maybe this says more about how hard the competition is working, but it still boils down to a simple fact: the iPhone is no longer head-and-shoulders above the pack. I agree with you on this assessment. I still don’t see what more they could have done with this new release. The “WOW” days of smart phones are over for the time being. They’ll get faster and lighter and use less power and maybe have some gimmicky shit like 3D video but that will be it. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544/120 "2012-09-15T14:56:51Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > Apple devices are partly popular due to momentum, but their legitimate strength is that they simpyly work reliably and simply. There’s not an Android phone on the market that can make that claim. This is just not true. Android itself is reliable and has a simple, easy to use UI. Most of the flagship models from the various manufacturers will work just fine straight out of the box with no messing around. And if you don’t like what a given manufacturer has done with their skin, there’s always a Nexus available somewhere with bone stock Android. I agree that Apple’s low number of SKUs isn’t really a downside for them from a development and support perspective (the predictability it gives them is certainly an edge for competitors allowing them to beat Apple to market). But can we please stop parroting Apple FUD about Android? Most people using Android are happy with it and aren’t secretly longing for an iPhone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-reactions/634544.md?page=7)