Apple's First Lightning iPhone is Now Obsolete

[JulianStaples]

Still think the Black/Slate iPhone 5 is the coolest-looking iPhone ever made. 😎 Can neither confirm or deny that it has influenced my colour choices ever since. 😳

 

[frownface]

still got my mint condition 64gb white iphone 5 in my drawer.
Still the nicest looking model they've ever made. It was all downhill from there.

 

[jayducharme]

I still think the Lightning connector was superior to the current USB-C. It was smaller and yet held in place securely. But I guess 24 pins is better than 8.

 

[AlexESP]

“First Lightning iPhone” is a weird way to describe it. Sure, it was a nice improvement, but the connector is the last thing people care about in a phone, and the legendary iPhone 5 has many bigger things to be remembered for.

 

[Digitalguy]

This and the original SE are my favorite form factor and size

Agree. Personally I consider the 5 and SE first gen the "same" form factor and for me the best form factors are this 5/SE+ and the 13 mini. My current 17 pro is not my favorite but it's the best compromise I have found between having the best comera and a reasonable size (wish it was mini in size)

 

[Moonjumper]

What a wonderful SMALL phone! Bring it back with new innards!

Just add a full face screen as well. Maximises the screen size while still keeping the great overall size. By the time of the 5, the camera was good enough (although could probably do better now and still keep it flush), so no need for a bump. I really wish there was a new iPhone in that form factor. Everything can be fairly basic to keep the price point further away from the bigger phones than was the case for the Mini.

I had an iPhone 5 that I eventually replaced with an SE1, which I kept as long as possible until I moved to a 12 Mini. The Mini feels too big (I still have the SE for app development, so can compare easily), so I don’t know what I’ll do when it is obsolete, as there is nothing anywhere that size now.

 

[JosephAW]

Was watching a recent video of someone using a smartphone in Canada and it showed it was connected to a 3G network which technically would support the iPhone 5. 🙄📱

 

[subjonas]

Just another example of Apple’s planned obsolescence at work. Thanks a lot, Tim Apple! 😉

Yes! Apple definitely planned to eventually make this phone obsolete when they made it. Whether they knew it would be exactly 14 years later or not, who knows, but they knew it would be finite. So people are absolutely right when they say Apple is guilty of planned obsolescence--because there's no way Apple plans on supporting their devices until the end of time. But maybe it should be called "long-term planned obsolescence" for devices like this iPhone 5.

 

[840quadra]

The last device guaranteed* to run those old 32-bit apps that were never updated, especially games. I'm still happy to play a little Trainyard on mine now and then!

*Newer devices that aren't upgraded to iOS 11 can also do it

Big reason why my iPhone 5s is still on 10.3.3 is for this app compatibility.

Great nostalgia device that runs the old 32 bit apps faster than my (still working) iPhone 4, and with a slightly better screen.

Still do quite a bit of casual gaming on these, something neat about the simple early iOS games!

No camera bump is :chefs kiss:

Significant lens flare, and limited optics. Good camera at the time, but wasn't as good as some other options on the market.

 

[aespana]

I remember that I finished GTA Vice City on this phone. Worked perfectly.

I really really miss the small phones. It's very sad that we won't have small phones anymore.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

SAD! They should come out with an iPhone Heritage Edition with the superior Lightning connector.

 

[helloboo]

RIP iPhone 4, 4s and 5. The 5S was a punch in the gut to the competition.

these are my favorite iPhone as the camera lens is flushed and elegant

 

[JohnC1959]

Yes! Apple definitely planned to eventually make this phone obsolete when they made it. Whether they knew it would be exactly 14 years later or not, who knows, but they knew it would be finite. So people are absolutely right when they say Apple is guilty of planned obsolescence--because there's no way Apple plans on supporting their devices until the end of time. But maybe it should be called "long-term planned obsolescence" for devices like this iPhone 5.

In a very real sense, it's not Apple that causes an old device to be obsoleted but rather when the number of users of some device gets below some point it's not worth the cost to support. So in a very real sense it's the consumer that makes it obsolete. Clearly there are always some users that want to use such a device but they must bow to the whims of the much larger set of consumers. I suppose if Apple intentionally avoided improving products then they could sway this consumer behavior away from obsoleting devices.

 

[Black Belt]

Good riddance to that lighting ****

 

[danakin]

The only phone with lightning AND a home button without Touch ID!
That look is so unique and classic!

iPhone 5C would like a word…

 

[Sowelu]

The iPhone 4, 5 and X were my favorites. Those were standout iPhone moments for me.

 

[Churchman]

No bumps, lumps or cancerous camera protrusions on the back. It lays flat!

And not a lot of buttons to do this or that doohickieness action.

It was simple. And it just worked beautifully.

That’s art to me. Beautiful!

 

[Unregistered 4U]

“The connector for the next decade” and and to the appreciation of all the manufacturer’s that had just gone through the 30-pin to Lightning, they kept their word despite pressure to go back on it.

 

[psxp]

I have one here on my desk. Great device

 

[jjrtiger]

“The connector for the next decade” and and to the appreciation of all the manufacturer’s that had just gone through the 30-pin to Lightning, they kept their word despite pressure to go back on it.

Took a lot of years for hotels to catch up. They went all in on the 30 pin connector on their bedside lamps.

 

[CATiNTHESTORE]

Mental

 

[svish]

Good to know about the classification. It was a very good iPhone.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

One improvement I notice with new Apple devices, is the display QC.

Back in those days, it would be a lottery re if you got a screen with defective pixels or not.

Much better, now.

 

[Jamie0003]

All I can say is, thank you EU. Apple would still be using lightning today if it wasn’t for you. And it would suck.

 

[ChrisMac47]

Just add a full face screen as well. Maximises the screen size while still keeping the great overall size. By the time of the 5, the camera was good enough (although could probably do better now and still keep it flush), so no need for a bump. I really wish there was a new iPhone in that form factor. Everything can be fairly basic to keep the price point further away from the bigger phones than was the case for the Mini.

I had an iPhone 5 that I eventually replaced with an SE1, which I kept as long as possible until I moved to a 12 Mini. The Mini feels too big (I still have the SE for app development, so can compare easily), so I don’t know what I’ll do when it is obsolete, as there is nothing anywhere that size now.

I agree completely and am in the same position ... what to do when my 12 mini finally dies?