Apple unveiled its next generation iPhone to crowd of journalists and Apple enthusiasts. The handset features several notable improvements including LTE and a larger, 4-inch display. We at IntoMobile weigh in with our opinions on new and notable devices and the iPhone is no exception. Read on for our thoughts on Apple’s new iPhone.
Blake Stimac
While it’s hard to be underwhelmed about the new iPhone 5, the announcement seemed to be less exciting than it could have been due to the incredibly accurate leaks we’ve seen over the past months.
The new design is different enough, but it still doesn’t stray too far from the 4S’ design. The 4 inch display is a welcomed addition, enough if it still isn’t HD, per say. Nonetheless, the iPhone 5 will bring in some serious cash for Apple, and I don’t think anyone can question that.
What’s almost as impressive as the iPhone 5 is that the 4S is now only $99. This also isn’t surprising in the least bit, but if you’re looking to get your first iPhone but aren’t looking to spend $200+, there’s a lot of value in the iPhone 4S.
At the end of the day, it really didn’t matter what Apple announced. It will still outsell its predecessor and that’s all that really matters to Apple.
Kelly Hodgkins
The iPhone 5 is exactly what we expected — a slightly larger, LTE-equipped version of the iPhone 4/4S. As an iPhone 4S owner in an area without LTE, I don’t see any compelling reason to pay full retail or break my contract for this device.
If I lived in an LTE area, though, I wouldn’t hesitate to sell my 4S and grab this next generation model. The iPhone 5 is a compelling option when you factor in the high-speed LTE connectivity, FaceTime over 3G and cellular plans, like Verizon Wireless Share Everything, which include mobile hotspot. On top of all that cellular goodness, you also get a top-notch mobile camera and access to the largest App Store available.
Charles West
I yawned more than a few times during this presentation. Apple didn’t reveal too much of anything we haven’t heard for months already. The company was its typical conservative “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” selves. There were no radical changes with the user interface at all, which is disappointing for someone like myself who’s grown quite bored of the iOS look and feel. I truly believe at some point Apple will have to revamp its iOS UI, because quite frankly, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean still looks better than iOS 6. If Apple continues to go for the usual solid spec increase, instead of amazing or game changing, then it runs the risk of being lapped even more by Android.
Besides that, the camera improvements were good, but I’d love to run the iPhone 5 camera up against the Nokia Lumia 920 PureView camera — because on paper, I wasn’t convinced it was better than Nokia’s offering.
The only real improvement I cared about was the change Apple did with its iTunes library, as it looks a bit more fluent now. I also found it interesting that the iTunes Store sort of resembles the user interface on Apple TV, is this something we should read more into as Apple continues to woo big cable companies? I guess time will tell.
Anthony Domanico
Sure, we may not have been surprised with what Apple launched today, as most of the information was leaked well in advance. But the iPhone 5 is still an extremely solid device, and is easily the best iPhone released to date. And that’s not an insignificant accomplishment, as the iPhone line has propelled Apple to over 30% of the smartphone market share. Needless to say, Apple could have unveiled the iPhone 4S2, and it would have sold like hotcakes. The fact of the matter is, this is a major revamp as opposed to a minor upgrade; Apple completely revamped many components of the device, including the system-on-a-chip, and the front and rear facing cameras. Oh, and they made it significantly thinner. The iPhone 5 will be the best-selling iPhone yet, and isn’t that all that really matters?
George Tinari
For roughly the first thirty minutes or so into the event, I was totally disappointed. Apple was just announcing everything we already heard in the rumors — a 4-inch display, redesigned aluminum back casing, and 4G LTE. I was starting to think we weren’t going to be surprised at all. Thankfully, I was somewhat wrong. No one really reported anything about major improvements to the camera, which is what we got, and while there was speculation about the A6 chip, there was also skepticism that Apple would double CPU performance after it just did last year. The one thing I’m not totally sold on yet is that design. I didn’t like it in the leaks, that dark aluminum paired with the black in particular, and I’m unsure of how I feel about it now. Other than that, yes I love the iPhone 5, and yes I’m pre-ordering it on Friday.