The iPhone 5 was officially released on Sept. 14, 2012.
The device, which debuted Friday, has the new A6 chip, retina display, a thinner look and faster processing. But are all of those “new” features really that special? Is a small chip and a bigger screen display actually worth the upgrade?
Customers cited the phone’s new features as their biggest draw. The new design sports a larger screen while cutting down on weight from previous models. Perhaps the most anticipated aspect, though, was the addition of 4G LTE.
Senior Conley Rozek has bought the iPhone 5 because her old iPhone only had the 3G data plan. “I’m buying a new one because at least for me because my phone is as slow as molasses, doesn’t have flash, cracks a ton, and is just not quality.”
The phone does, in fact, have a larger screen compared to its predecessor. But Apple’s advertisement, “The biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone,” is a bit misleading as the iPhone 5’s four-inch screen is only .5 inches larger than the iPhone 4’s 3.5 inches.
The screen is still smaller than the Android’s and the only advantage to the newer screen is the fifth row of apps. In addition, the phones only have eight hours of battery life. Are you willing to risk it?
Along with many new features, the entire bottom is new: the headphone jack, the larger, redesigned speakers, a different type of shape, and a much tinier lightning connector port.
Will buying a new iHome and other iPhone systems be worth it due to the new charging port on the iPhone?
The iPhone 5 will also require customers to buy new cases, new headphones, new docking systems, and much more. Customers may be upset, but they must understand that Apple did this on purpose.
Requiring you to buy new things to accessorize your iPhone 5 will lead to more revenue for Apple. Smart move by Apple, isn’t it?
The top three disadvantages of the iPhone 5 according to MobileDownloadAtoZ.com, are: the lack of SIM card slot, the lack of 30-pin connector and the lack of a headphone jack.
The most radical change for customers would be the lack of a headphone jack. Many customers have complained that there is no headphone jack, according to MSN.com. “This would suck since none of my vehicles have any kind of Bluetooth capabilities and won't in the near future,” said Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, an iPhone 5 reviewer.
With the fact that all the past generations of iPhones have recently received iOS6 update, which contains 200 new features, is the iPhone 5 even worth the money? Is it that much better than the iPhone 4?
“I am not buying the iPhone 5 because I have an iPhone 4 and it runs perfectly, however, the bigger screen and panoramic camera shot seems pretty cool, but I love the iPhone 4 I could not imagine life without it,” said senior Preston Arguello.
Some think this is true. With all the new features, with its weight, the larger screen, the more durable back, and new port system, some people are happy with the new technology.
Senior Danielle Marcello said, “I am considering buying the iPhone 5 but it's too expensive right now. It's cool how it's lighter and not so thick. I love my iPhone 4S because Siri is very helpful.”
Apple sold 5 million iPhone 5s over the opening weekend, according to Apple. They were expecting to sell from six million to ten million iPhone 5s. They said their worst case scenario was to sell at least six million.
Is it as futuristic or as exciting as the iPhone 4 or the original iPhone? No. Does this change the smartphone game? No. Other smartphones beat it on features here and there: if you want a larger screen, go with a Samsung Galaxy S3. If you want better battery life, go with a Droid Razr Maxx.
But, if you want a great, all-around, beautifully engineered smartphone that covers all bases, the iPhone 5 is the fit for you.