[GCX]

Looks nice but I feel less excitement as every year / iteration goes by. The look of the OS is really dated. I think the smartphone market really has nowhere left to go but faster with different styles, the biggest innovation was a display that also functions as the method of input ..... everything else is just bells and whistles. This is not Apples fault obviously but the excitement around portable devices is starting to fade for me.

There's always room for innovation, someone just has to come up with it first.

[Tadale]

Couple of questions from someone who has never upgraded through Apple before

I bought my first iPhone last year, and my wife bought hers in 2010. Her contract is up, but mine's not, and we want to buy out of AT&T and get on Verizon while keeping our old numbers and getting two iPhone 5's. Is their a good way to do that through Apple's online store?

[BruceLeeRoy]

One other thing. Currently I am "grandfathered" into the unlimited data plan from AT&T. Will I still be able to retain that with the new contract?

[reKon]

People will never be satisfied any more, lol. Are you guys looking for something in design or what? iPhone has LTE now still with good battery life for its size and one of the best cameras on the market.

Or is it about iOS 6, because I could perfectly understand that.

[Solideliquid]

So are you guys saying you are going to go Samsung or Nokia to make me feel like I shouldnt rush to preorder? Trying to steal my preorder huh. I won't let you.

[Dave_6]

Hell, I'm excited but I'm still rocking a 3GS that I got over two years ago. I'll take one in black please...

[Delusibeta]

One other thing. Currently I am "grandfathered" into the unlimited data plan from AT&T. Will I still be able to retain that with the new contract?

I will be prepared to bet good money that the answer to your question is "no".

[VPhys]

So I've always wondered this about iPhones. Since the battery is sealed and you can't get to it, is there a Sim slot or the Sim permanently sealed inside the iPhone? One of the best things about GSM phones was you could take out the Sim from one phone and pop into the other Can this be done with an iPhone ?

[Piggus]

One other thing. Currently I am "grandfathered" into the unlimited data plan from AT&T. Will I still be able to retain that with the new contract?

Same here. I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, but if ordering online we need to call AT&T.

[Phoenix]

It looks too long! Needs some width

That's what she said...

[Cloudy]

Will the CDMA version have a sim slot?

[CrankyJay]

at least mention why you guys are disappointed or "meh" about it. I've been on board since iPhone 1 and I think it's great. a nice solid upgrade to my iPhone 4.

As someone mentioned before, the power increases sort of get diminishing returns at some point unless you bump up your software.

I guess for camera stuff and pushing more pixels that helps, but as it stands the way I use my iPhone 4 currently I don't have a need to upgrade, not even for LTE.

Was hoping for NFC but I guess that's a bit too soon until retailers get on board with that stuff.

I think the other thing tricking people out is how it looks...it really does just look like a taller iPhone 4...which is fine, but it can go a long way in people thinking it's just a more beefed up 4S.

[TommyT]

One other thing. Currently I am "grandfathered" into the unlimited data plan from AT&T. Will I still be able to retain that with the new contract?

Yes... BUT be careful. A lot of people reported that when going through the checkout process there was a little box that was auto-checked or something which, if left that way, would put you into some new contract that would take you out of this.

I will be prepared to bet good money that the answer to your question is "no".

I'd take that bet with you. Was that way with the 4S - being able to retain your unlimited data.

[TheExodu5]

It is a little longer, is that really such a big deal? Personally, I am happy about the slightly larger screen.

The problem is: it's not really larger in practice. Web pages or the home screen won't look any larger...there's just a bit more vertical resolution. That extra vertical space is, IMO, largely useless.

[LeleSocho]

I don't know how have they done it but they almost sold me on this thing when just some hours ago i thought that this was the worst iphone upgrade ever made.


Fucking Apple.

[Rad-]

Just appearance wise, the phone looks a bit dull compared to 920 and S3.

[Bggns]

Question to those of you who buy these phones at full price.
Lets say you're scheduled for a phone upgrade sometime in May of 2013 but you want an iPhone 5 NOW, you pretty much HAVE to buy it at full price. What I'm want to know is. does switching my phone to an iPhone 5 affect my scheduled "upgrade" does it get pushed back/reset?

I want to know so incase I want to upgrade to a iPhone 6 i could use the upgrade instead of again having to buy at full price.

Is this what you guys do?

( Im with verizon, checking to see if any other verizoners do this )
( Im aware I can just call, but I'm at work and can't do that for another couple of hours)

[planar1280]

What a dissapointment. It looks slightly better than the 4s but other than that it's pretty much the same fucking phone.

Hmmmm lets see here.

4 inch screen vs 3.5 (iPhone 1 to 4S was the same 3.5 inches)

2x Graphics performance (same leap as 4 to 4S)

2x CPU performance (same leap as 4 to 4S)

Back camera has much better low light performance (same leap as 4 to 4S)

Front Camera is 720p (biggest leap in facetime/skype/video chat yet)

3 Mics (iPhone 1 to 4 had 1 mic)

Thinnest smartphone (biggest weight loss since 3GS to iPhone 4)

Lightest iPhone yet (biggest weight drop since 3GS to Iphone 4)

LTE (desired in the iPhone since iPhone 4 2 years ago)

pretty fucking dissappointing...

[SmokyDave]

It is a little longer, is that really such a big deal? Personally, I am happy about the slightly larger screen.

Nah, it's not a big deal at all. Functionally I'm sure it's an improvement. I'm talking purely from a visual design point of view. It's sort of like the difference between the '62 250GTO and the '64 250 GTO, both beautiful but one's just a little bit nicer.

[FStop7]

People will never be satisfied any more, lol. Are you guys looking for something in design or what? iPhone has LTE now still with good battery life for its size and one of the best cameras on the market. Or is it about iOS 6, because I could perfectly understand that.

Look at the jump there was from iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4. Big step forward.

Honestly I don't see half of that in the step from 4S to 5.

[TommyT]

Hmmmm lets see here. 4 inch screen vs 3.5 (iPhone 1 to 4S was the same 3.5 inches) 2x Graphics performance (same leap as 4 to 4S) 2x CPU performance (same leap as 4 to 4S) Back camera has much better low light performance (same leap as 4 to 4S) Front Camera is 720p (biggest leap in facetime/skype/video chat yet) 3 Mics (iPhone 1 to 4 had 1 mic) Thinnest smartphone (biggest weight loss since 3GS to iPhone 4) Lightest iPhone yet (biggest weight drop since 3GS to Iphone 4) LTE (desired in the iPhone since iPhone 4 2 years ago)

That was an obvious troll post (to which you're replying)...

[kewlmyc]

Meh, I'll wait for iPhone 5.5

[LordCanti]

My only two complaints are the headphone jack placement, and the mostly unimproved camera. The Lumia is most likely going to be a bag of hurt in terms of software, but dammit that camera seems like it would be enjoyable to use.

I realize that the headphone placement is a matter of opinion and usage (for instance, people that want to dock and listen to music with headphones are SOL), but the camera being mostly unchanged is kind of brutal.

[entrement]

So a different industrial design is what people were looking for?

[Synth_floyd]

It's longer, thinner/lighter, new chip, new dock and some other internal tweaks. I'm still not sold on the stretched out screen but otherwise seems like a nice update.

[Epix]

Is the Jonathon Ive video available on youtube?

[dc89]

Meh, I'll wait for iPhone 5.5

So the iPhone 4SSS?

[planar1280]

Look at the jump there was from iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4. Big step forward. Honestly I don't see half of that in the step from 4S to 5.

the biggest leap from 3GS to 4 was retina display and a new design. Front facing camera was useless until iPhone 5.

Apple kept the best design and made the screen bigger.

[BruiserBear]

Hmmmm lets see here. 4 inch screen vs 3.5 (iPhone 1 to 4S was the same 3.5 inches) 2x Graphics performance (same leap as 4 to 4S) 2x CPU performance (same leap as 4 to 4S) Back camera has much better low light performance (same leap as 4 to 4S) Front Camera is 720p (biggest leap in facetime/skype/video chat yet) 3 Mics (iPhone 1 to 4 had 1 mic) Thinnest smartphone (biggest weight loss since 3GS to iPhone 4) Lightest iPhone yet (biggest weight drop since 3GS to Iphone 4) LTE (desired in the iPhone since iPhone 4 2 years ago) pretty fucking dissappointing...

Exactly. I'd love to hear what more people wanted out of this phone. A slightly wider screen? OK, maybe that's a valid complaint for some, but after that? At this point it's going to be kind of hard to blow people away with a new phone. They're already capable of some pretty amazing things. We just take them all for granted at this point.

[Auron_Kale]

Need gaf advise. My contract with At&t has been up for 2 years and I am planning on renewing it with the Iphone 5 on the 14th. Of my options: -Ordering the phone on apple.com -picking up at the apple store -Ordering through at&t What is the easiest and quickest?

Apple.com

Put my pre-order for the 4S down, set the delivery to my workplace and basically had the mail center sign for me and they delivered right to my desk. Did the same thing for my ipad 3. Also, I loved being able to just walk into the Apple Store on Stockton/Market to pick up accessories while there was a huge line waiting to go pick up the same items that were delivered to me.

[Cloudy]

So a different industrial design is what people were looking for?

I personally like this design better than the ones before iphone 4.

[amrihua]

It looks too long! Needs some width

Only a few millimeters longer. Glad it ain't wider.

[Doodis]

Upgrading from the 4, so it's still a pretty decent jump for me.

Question is, do I go 32G or 64G? My 4 is always maxed out, half full of music and half full of apps, but if I switch to iCloud for music, I can cut things down significantly.

What size is everyone else getting?

[hyp]

As someone mentioned before, the power increases sort of get diminishing returns at some point unless you bump up your software. I guess for camera stuff and pushing more pixels that helps, but as it stands the way I use my iPhone 4 currently I don't have a need to upgrade, not even for LTE. Was hoping for NFC but I guess that's a bit too soon until retailers get on board with that stuff. I think the other thing tricking people out is how it looks...it really does just look like a taller iPhone 4...which is fine, but it can go a long way in people thinking it's just a more beefed up 4S.

as an instagram user, i did wish for a new camera but the 4S camera is pretty damn good from using my wife's phone. the performance increase is always most important for me as well as retaining great battery life. iOS never bothered me because apps are where it's at. but overall, very happy wo what was shown.

[Madridy]

$30 for the adapter...

[3N16MA]

Exactly. I'd love to hear what more people wanted out of this phone. A slightly wider screen? OK, maybe that's a valid complaint for some, but after that? At this point it's going to be kind of hard to blow people away with a new phone. They're already capable of some pretty amazing things. We just take them all for granted at this point.

Some people want Apple to completely alter iOS for the sake of change. I think most of those people do not even use an iOS device.

[Deadly Cyclone]

.5" screen addition new charging cable Nothing else, thats how I saw it.

Yeah, double the processor is nothing really.

Some solid upgrades across the board!

[Tobor]

So a different industrial design is what people were looking for?

Crazy people.

[reKon]

Look at the jump there was from iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4. Big step forward. Honestly I don't see half of that in the step from 4S to 5.

Ok so it's the design changes then...

Spec wise you have to like what you're getting IF the LTE battery life is truly solid.

You would be getting solid battery life on LTE (which is faster than wifi in some cases), slightly better camera, much better CPU/GPU performance, and all inside I still (IMO) sexy design.

Like I saw earlier a week ago in another thread, that iPhone 4 design is something that they definitely want to stick with because of how good it looks. So it's similar to what they do with the Macbook Pros maintaining the similar design each year.

My main thing that pushes me away from the iPhone is iOS and it's lack of innovation. It really brings a stale experience compare to the ROM of jellybean I'm running. They're adding things like turn by turn voice nav and that's great, but there's still a lot of things that need to be done. Second thing would the screen size, which is not "perfect" (just a load of bullshit from people who haven't used a bigger screen size for an EXTENDED period, so they don't know what the hell they are talking about...)

[TommyT]

Upgrading from the 4, so it's still a pretty decent jump for me. Question is, do I go 32G or 64G? My 4 is always maxed out, half full of music and half full of apps, but if I switch to iCloud for music, I can cut things down significantly. What size is everyone else getting?

I have a 16gig 4S and I've never approached filling it. So no need for the extra space unless I'm going for just the resell value.

[effingvic]

probably the best looking phone since the iphone 4. that white is so sexy

[Deadly Cyclone]

Apple.com Put my pre-order for the 4S down, set the delivery to my workplace and basically had the mail center sign for me and they delivered right to my desk. Did the same thing for my ipad 3. Also, I loved being able to just walk into the Apple Store on Stockton/Market to pick up accessories while there was a huge line waiting to go pick up the same items that were delivered to me.

Do they deliver it the same day it launches?

[dc89]

$30 for the adapter...

Nearly $41 in the UK :(

Balls to this country and how we get ripped off.

[Newline]

I don't get why they made it so the back has two weird glossy strips at the top and the bottom. Just doesn't look right to me, if I do get this phone it will be the first I will look forward to slipping in a case.

[GCX]

Exactly. I'd love to hear what more people wanted out of this phone. A slightly wider screen? OK, maybe that's a valid complaint for some, but after that? At this point it's going to be kind of hard to blow people away with a new phone. They're already capable of some pretty amazing things. We just take them all for granted at this point.

In raw numbers it's substantial upgrade but Apple is known as company that introduces new bold things that we didn't knew we even wanted. That's why people have bigger expectations for their reveals than the competition's.

[Phoenix]

So a different industrial design is what people were looking for?

What Apple (and other) phone providers are starting to experience is that the market is becoming jaded. The jumps in technology aren't as visible anymore and the "numbers" don't necessarily push people to upgrade anymore. The phones are all starting to meet a minimum "good enough" quality. Samsung is going to have the same issue getting people off the GS3. PC companies have had the same problem for YEARS.

As this starts to happen more and more the "look/design" of the device or the solutions that it provides start to become far more important than the spec bumps. We're nearing that point, though some in the industry would say that we're already there and that outside of a couple of new features (NFC/new charging tech) there aren't many big technology changes coming up that will force people to want new hardware. It will become a solution game - which is the game that Apple has been playing for a while by blocking out older phones from new OS features. This isn't something that Android does so those players may have a harder time at it.

[Cloudy]

probably the best looking phone since the iphone 4. that white is so sexy

Weird. I had a white 4s but I'm going black now. Just looks better IMO..especially with the black sides

[Auron_Kale]

Upgrading from the 4, so it's still a pretty decent jump for me. Question is, do I go 32G or 64G? My 4 is always maxed out, half full of music and half full of apps, but if I switch to iCloud for music, I can cut things down significantly. What size is everyone else getting?

If you plan on keeping the phone for a 2-year contract (or plan on reselling after a year), get the 64. Most of the bloat won't be from music, but rather apps/photos.

I'm currently rocking a 64G 4S and I have about 8gb left due to apps (I've culled, but still are bloated), movies, photos & music (iCloud simply backs up for me right now, and it's good enough).

[Friedreich]

So a different industrial design is what people were looking for?

I think people wanted mostly superficial changes or at least the drive-by posters did. Completely revamped look for both the OS and phone just because. Change for the sake of change.

A spec bump might as well be considered irrelevant to most.

[vaelic]

what a snoozefest of an upgrade.......

the decline of Apple...