Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I'm not sure what you think wireless charging is, but it doesn't allow you to charge the device from anywhere in the house or have it charge while you walk around with it. Wireless charging means putting your device on a charging mat that's plugged into a power outlet. It's wireless but not contactless.

If you're using a cable you actually can use the device while it charges. A charging mat, however, doesn't allow you to do that. It's appreciably worse as a charging solution in almost all ways. It's fancy and high tech but it serves almost no useful purpose.

As for NFC, fine. It's a nice bit of tech. Would have liked it but it's not a big deal.

12 megapixels? Why? How large due you want your photos to be? I'm always perplexed when people tout megapixels as a big deal. I thought we'd got passed that.

Because the fact that apple didn't even bother to update the camera from the 4s shows how either lazy they become, or cost oriented they are.
 
Right. Apart from the fact they DID update the camera that is. Details, details.

New processor (custom designed, not off the shelf), new screen (first ever in cell touch screen), new dock connector (custom designed), new chassis (built to astonishingly high levels of tolerance for a mass produced device), new speaker system, new noise reduction mics, new wireless technology (one of if not the first use of the latest LTE chip), new battery, new facetime camera, new sim card standard, new pretty much everything you can think of... but the fact that they kept the same number of megapixels on the main camera (while improving the lens, reducing the size by 25% and adding other image processing improvements) means they're lazy.

OK.
 
On paper? NFC is a standard (a set to be precise), no need to "come together". That massive infrastructure is already being rolled out, NYC cabs has it, Tube in London has it, hell even the local bus to my parents house have NFC. And that's what i want to use it for - a quick method for small amounts. But nooo, because Phil Schiller doesn't get out more often we get a half-backed solution that requires everybody to implement something new... Passbook and Ping, book it!

It's debatable whether NFC is worse or better than cards - for me NFC wins 4-0. And btw... it is not on by default.

I'm not sure you'r 100% right about the tube in London - the Oyster Card system uses RFID, not NFC.

A lot of shops do use NFC but they can be used fairly easily with most credit and debit cards these days. For me that's a far better solution than using my expensive smartphone to make payments - what if I'm making a call at the time? Even if I'm not I still have to tap a big and bulky (in comparison to my credit card) device against the reader.

If all shops and services accepted payments from an NFC enabled phone there would be an advantage in that I wouldn't have to take my credit or debit card out with me - I'd have a couple of items fewer to lose or have stolen. But since most places don't I'd still have to take them.

I know that NFC can be used for more than just transactions but it does seem that 95% of the arguments in favour of it are about using it to replace credit and debit cards - and the problem is that doing so isn't possible right now and likely isn't going to be for a good couple of years yet.
 
Video I'd guess

I doubt USB 3.0 support was completely left out of the specification. It could just wasn't much benefit in them including it...most users don't yet have it on their computers and storage memory in current devices may not even be fast enough to actually take advantage of it.... so they opted for a cheaper USB 2.0 cable for the time being.
 
No 4G support in Sweden (or any European country except for Germany and UK). That means no iPhone 5 for me.

Barely any in the UK frankly. Everything-Everywhere did a crooked deal with a stupid government caught short on its responsibility for provisioning but for everyone else they'll have to wait til next year at the earliest.
 
There are a bunch of food stores, in the UK at least, that offer wireless payment. Pret, McDonalds and EAT come to mind, but I know there are more.

My Barclaycard has been NFC enabled for a few years and I really wouldn't knock it until you try it, it is convenient. Fingers crossed for iPhone 6...

If you can already do that with your credit card, why do you want it in your phone?

Since there are lots of places that don't take NFC payments you would still have to take your credit card with you so there's no added advantage there.
 
Schiller is wrong on NFC, no use? PAYING for stuff is about the biggest use one could imagine. Freeing of us more unnecessary paraphernalia (coins, cards etc) in our pockets is part of what the iPhone has always done. Just because some people think it's niche or not widely used doesn't make it so when many of us encounter it in mainstream use every day. I do believe Apple is simply covering themselves here because other factors, probably centred around cost & profit lead them to omit it this time round.

Wireless charging? Less so. That does seem like a gimmick to me; while it eliminates the need to plug the phone in, you can't use the damn thing so what new use or need does that satisfy? It seems awkward and pointless to me.
 
NFC is insecure. There is already a hack where the attacker can hack your phone using NFC by just standing near you. No other connection with the phone needed. How cool is that!

I suspect that Apple will not use NFC and will instead use an optical approach. The shop keeper or taxi cab carries an optical scanner and when you pay the bill you display the necessary information in a code on the display, kind of like the mobile device boarding passes we use now.

NFC for payments is more secure than swiping your card. All of the credit card processing companies have already gone on record with this fact.

The infrastructure is expanding rapidly - at least outside the US - and I too am someone who uses it almost every day.
 
next innovation should be solar powered. not necessarily to never need to plug in to charge, but enough to extend the battery by a significant amount

My phone would never charge with this. It's either in my pocket or in my office or house when I'm not talking on it. It's never sitting in the sun...
 
At some point Apple needs to make a change in order to get the devices smaller and prepare for the future. They decided 2012 was the right year (between MagSafe 2 and Lightning). Let's face it. 9 years is a long time for a proprietary plug.

----------



In due time. Apple is playing it slowly when it comes to mobile payments. NFC's other main use is for location-based settings (e.g. put an NFC tag in a car to automatically change settings in the phone). I'm guessing Apple would rather find a software solution for that rather than use physical tags all over the place.

----------



They give away a free Micro-USB adapter in Europe.

Its not free
 
I think it's a voluntary code, not legislation. In any case, the standard is based on the power adapter and the standard, but not the plug into the phone. So long as the thing that plugs into the wall can offer power over micro usb, it fits. The shape of the adapter at the phone end, however, is up to the manufacturer. So, you should be able to plug your iphone into anyone's power supply, but you will have to bring your own cable.

Apple look to be releasing a micro-USB to Lightning adapter to comply with the code, at least you can use a standard micro-USB/USB cable for most of the way

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MD820/lightning-to-micro-usb-adapter
 
a loto f people also don't realize, even if you see a NFC terminal does it even mean it's activated, retailers have to pay extra to be able to receive NFC payments, so many of the smaller retailers don't enable it as it doesn't justify the cost, much like American Express, all card readers can read AM cards, but not all retailers accept them.

even though i'm a bit fan of NFC, it's just not practical yet.

Actually both Visa and MasterCard reduce your transaction fees for NFC payments as a merchant. They are more secure than swiping the physical card.
 
Is NFC the same technology as the paypass devices that mastercard and visa use? If so, almost every store in Australia has it now. For me it's not the end of the world that it's not in the phone, tbh, I'd prefer to have a card as I always seem to lose my phone. But it may have been useful.

Until it's in use EVERYWHERE you'd still have to take a card with you. I think that's the main point - this technology offers little value through integration within the handset until it can be used as a complete replacement for cards. Even then I'd be happier using a card.

For example, I use the tube every day for work. Now, imagine they implemented an NFC system at the turnstiles so I can use my phone to tap in. Not only would that mean I'd have to fumble about for my phone and risk dropping it as people push through but it would give pick-pockets a great chance to nab it from me. While I'm passing through going IN the thief heading out at the gate directly next to mine can just reach over and swipe my phone. Because there are people behind me pushing to get in after me I'd be completely unable to give chase! All that risk for the sake of not carrying around a little plastic travel card? Not sure it works for me. Worse still, if I forgot to charge my handset I'd be unable to get to work!

----------

Schiller is wrong on NFC, no use? PAYING for stuff is about the biggest use one could imagine. Freeing of us more unnecessary paraphernalia (coins, cards etc) in our pockets is part of what the iPhone has always done. Just because some people think it's niche or not widely used doesn't make it so when many of us encounter it in mainstream use every day. I do believe Apple is simply covering themselves here because other factors, probably centred around cost & profit lead them to omit it this time round.

You won't be free from cards and coins until NFC is in use EVERYWHERE. Until then you'll still need to carry around as much paraphernalia as before in order to be able to pay for stuff where NFC isn't in use - most places.
 
Wireless charging is a pointless gimmick.

It takes something as simple as plugging in a $19 cable, and makes it expensive and complicated in the sense that you can't charge your device and use it...unless you plug in the cable.

What's the point? Dump the middle man.

I don't see the value in NFC yet. I say it's another 4 to 5 years away from being a major part of our daily lives. Maybe sooner if Apple pushes the tech.

As of right now, I don't care. Not opposed to it, I just don't see the value at this time.
 
NFC is awesome, I don't care what the haterz say

You don't need it. I can't think of a reason to have NFC over people using passbook or banks themselves building out their apps to handle mobile payments.

----------

Won't carrying around a charging plate be more hassle than using the cord. I was thinking making the phone at least some what solar powered would be a way to wirelessly charge. However I think a Matt is more cumbersome than a cable for charging.
 
I'm upset the new connector doesn't support video or ipod out. That makes using my iPhone 5 useless with my recently purchased car audio.
 
NFC is awesome, I don't care what the haterz say

Awesome, yes, but maybe not quite ready yet for 'Primetime'; wider retail/commercial adoption is needed.

If it adds no appreciable value then including it only adds cost and complexity.

Agreed.

I agree with everything he said.
I am highly confident that Apple could update it to usb 3/thunderbolt without changing the "lightning" connector.

Who says they can't make a Lightning to USB 3 or even Lightning to Thunderbolt cable?

If it's possible, and their laptop and desktop product lines support Thunderbolt and/or USB 3.0 already, why not do it now?

Good point!

I'm sure Apple will gladly sell you a USB 3 Lightning cable next year for $29.

LOL :)
 
Exactly on NFC is were Schiller goes off the rails - there are plenty of places where NFC would be a good option: taxies, busses, subways, vending machines, etc. Those are places were passbook won't do jack for You.

But kudos to Apple marketing for making a non-function look like something revolutionary - but passbook won't be a real "killer" feature before it get's more enhancements like NFC.

Don't be too quick to knock on Apple. Quite a number of their features can be sleeper hits, they lie dormant for some time because rearing their heads and then, we realise their full potential. Itunes was one, I foresee siri and passbook possibly being others.

I recall reading that these companies can readily have apps designed to enable payment via passbook. Given the popularity of iPhone, that any iphone which upgrades to IOS6 will have passbook, and the demographic of iphone users suggests they are more willing to spend, this means you basically will have an entire army of NFC-enabled apple smartphones ready to tap on Sep19.

It makes sense. Many more people are going to upgrade to IOS6 than recontract to Iphone5, and Apple saves money by not having to install NFC chips in their phones. Business have to choose between supporting passbook or NFC, and if they can choose only one, I am betting they will opt for Apple (for reasons stated above). So it seems Apple wants to kickstart their own proprietary NFC system that works only on their IOS system.

Imagine eating at a restaurant which allows you to pay via your iphone but not any other android phone. It's sneaky, it's clever, it borders on dirty-handedness, it's uniquely Apple. :D
 
And all the brains at apple couldnt think they could just use a USB connector to plug in that wireless charging device? Then you can use it at any place you can use the current charger.

Once more I think they rather shave a mm off the thickness then include things people actually can use.

For a Samsung Galaxy, adding wireless charging costs you $90. I wouldn't want to pay $90 for wireless charging, nowhere near it.

The USB connector is usually the USB connector on my MBP. So you think instead of plugging the phone into the Mac, I should plug the mat into the Mac, then lay the mat somewhere, then put the phone on it? What do you think is less work?

In the car, the iPhone 5 plugs into any cheap old USB charger. Do you think instead of plugging into that charger, I should plug a mat into the USB charger, then lay the iPhone on the mat, and hope it doesn't fall down while I'm driving?
 
Reading your comment make thinking that's currently impossible to use coffee machines...

Seriously take your coins and pay, same process since years ;)

Reading your comments make me think to not buy iPhone 5 but use instead this communication method:

image.jpg
also established since decades

But also serious: that's what's called technological evolution ... I just don't like heavy coins in my pocket; never have the right amount etc. every day I have to ride four busses/train.

Last experience in NYC as tourist:try to ride a bus without coins: no luck. Bills ? No way and no change on a Sunday morning. Only heavy quarter and dollar coins ...

NFC (prepaid) is much more user friendly.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.