Are we spoiled or have smartphones stagnated?

[Cod3rror]

If you think about it, this iPhone 5 is as much of an upgrade as previous iPhones.

Yet people aren't impressed, they want something more.

I'm wondering, are people just bored and spoiled of phones? I have a feeling that no matter what Apple introduced yesterday, people would still scream that it's nothing special.

Or have smartphones truly stagnated?

It was bound to happen... happened to PCs, happened to Laptops and now while there were some big and fast advancements in the smartphone industry, it was bound to slow down and become more of a linear, evolutionary progress.

 

[AznTakumi]

I'm Pretty sure people weren't happy because about 100% of the information for the iPhone at the press conference was leaked. Also I'm a little dissapointed because the iPhone 5 is essitentially a taller iPhone 4/4s. There is a significant designed changed when compared to the iPhone 3GS- iPhone 4.

 

[mantan]

It's not as big as previous upgrades.

3/3GS-4 was a retina display, HD camera and FaceTime. All big leaps for the time.

The 5 is LTE and a panaromic camera (been around for 2 years).

It's incremental change with the added cost of adapters and extra cords for a new connector.

It's a better phone. But the first major release (don't count the S models) I'm not going to preorder.

 

[The Phazer]

Apple decided to focus on thinness instead of making major improvements, and Lightning actually seems to be an active step backwards.

It's not really about stagnation. it's about if the old iPhone was thin enough.

 

[tdream]

If you think this release was disappointing and underwhelming wait for the iPhone 5s/6. What else can they do? More facebook/twitter integration? Siri? Finally add NFC?

 

[Small White Car]

Every technology goes through a flurry early on when people are still figuring out obvious improvements (app store! cut and paste!) and then it eventually reaches the point where new scientific discoveries are needed to change it a lot (new super battery?)

What people forget is just how basic the past updates were. Remember how happy we were over cut and paste? How that was a major feature at the time? Can you imagine any gesture like that exciting people on the iPhone 5?

iCloud document syncing is actually a way WAY bigger deal than cut and paste, but people say "who cares?" now instead of hyperventilating over little changes like they did back in 2008 and 2009.

That's just the way it works with any tech. Seeing the 6th of something can't be as exciting as seeing the 2nd.

 

[KPOM]

Apple decided to focus on thinness instead of making major improvements, and Lightning actually seems to be an active step backwards.

It's not really about stagnation. it's about if the old iPhone was thin enough.

I'd say a faster processor, richer screen, LTE, and better battery life are good. The 4S is pretty heavy feeling compared to other phones.

I think that the "disappointment" among tech writers and even some in the mainstream press (the WSJ had 2 articles about how "boring" the iPhone 5 was, though they both said it would sell well) is that all the details were leaked in advance. If the leaks were intentional, then my guess is Apple will change course next year. If the leaks were unintentional, then Tim Cook needs to quadruple down on secrecy next year and has his work cut out for him.

I'm quite happy with the iPhone 5. It has what I was looking for: LTE, decent battery life, and a good size. There were no "one more things," but what do people expect? Even Steve Jobs had "just one more thing" only a handful of times. Some of them, like the original MacBook Air, were seen as disappointments.

As for the market itself, I think things have hit a plateau at least for now. Does anyone think Samsung has anything "magical" in store for the Galaxy SIV? Chances are it will be like the SIII, except with a faster processor and GPU, perhaps a lower-glare screen, better battery life, and some minor cosmetic changes. If they go to a 4.9" screen from a 4.8" may some tech bloggers will go gaga but I doubt it. It will take another significant change, such as foldable screens becoming commercially viable, before we see a big shakeup. Whether that comes from Apple or someone else remains to be seen.

 

[tann]

It seems the only thing people look for to wow them in phones now is something like a MASSIVE screen or super fast processor (i.e. people are amazed that a phone has a quad core etc).

There surely can't be much more they can do past making phones faster. Software is where the future lies.

 

[KPOM]

I'm Pretty sure people weren't happy because about 100% of the information for the iPhone at the press conference was leaked. Also I'm a little dissapointed because the iPhone 5 is essitentially a taller iPhone 4/4s. There is a significant designed changed when compared to the iPhone 3GS- iPhone 4.

Part of that is the laws of physics. The technology doesn't exist yet to quadruple the resolution again, and even if it did, it wouldn't be much of an improvement to the human eye. If Apple were a follower they could release a 5" version, but again, is that really an improvement? Foldable screens may be the next big thing (as they would allow the phone to adapt its size), but it will take some design genius to make it right, and the technology is still a few years off.

The next big thing likely isn't a smartphone. We don't know what it is yet, and likely won't until someone comes out with it.

 

[nostresshere]

If you think this release was disappointing and underwhelming wait for the iPhone 5s/6. What else can they do? More facebook/twitter integration? Siri? Finally add NFC?

Agree

We just want our phones to slice bread - and toast it too!

 

[donrsd]

I liked the upgrade.
The screen size alone (16:9) is welcomed for me & my family. I am also excited about how the new processor allows me to surf LTE and still have the same battery life. I dont understand why people think that alone isnt a huge feat!!??

Try one of those crummy android phones and use 4G. Your battery (and their batteries are huge) are gone within 2-3 hours.

Its the internals that get me excited.
The camera is great too. No need for more megapixels for the crowd who doesnt understand that more MP diesnt equal better picture
Make the optics even better, better background lighting & better HDR sound great to me.

Fantastic upgrade & Im happy I sold my 16gb ATT 4S last week for $450 + $20 shipping
64GB ATT iPhone 5 here I come!!!

 

[The Phazer]

I'd say a faster processor, richer screen, LTE, and better battery life are good. The 4S is pretty heavy feeling compared to other phones.

We'll see, but to be blunt I don't think the battery life will be better in practice. It'll be worse than the 4s, which in turn was worse than the 4.

We know the spec of the battery, there is only so much physics defying to be done.

 

[Marli]

I think people are disappointed as Android development is outpacing, and has passed IOS development..

The same old iOS is dated.. It's the Windows 3.1 of the mobile world

 

[FuNGi]

Part of that is the laws of physics. The technology doesn't exist yet to quadruple the resolution again, and even if it did, it wouldn't be much of an improvement to the human eye. If Apple were a follower they could release a 5" version, but again, is that really an improvement? Foldable screens may be the next big thing (as they would allow the phone to adapt its size), but it will take some design genius to make it right, and the technology is still a few years off.

The next big thing likely isn't a smartphone. We don't know what it is yet, and likely won't until someone comes out with it.

True. I feel like this is an excellent refinement and under-the-hood advance in the iphone's technology. They improved virtually everything. The issue is the perception of the consumer. There is a perceived diminished return because the previous iphone's were already great. More retina won't help, improving an already great camera won't help allot, and making a fast processor even faster only saves fractions of seconds switching between apps. The 4S over 4 was nice but each increment better is actually smaller. It's like that with mac processors too. I'm pretty sure for the academic work that I do that I will never need a processor that is faster than my quad-core 2 Ghz i7. That line of marketing will never impress me because I can't perceive the difference.

 

[tdream]

Agree

We just want our phones to slice bread - and toast it too!

When things go belly up for Tim & Co we might see iOS on a toaster

 

[SprSynJn]

I think people are disappointed as Android development is outpacing, and has passed IOS development..

The same old iOS is dated.. It's the Windows 3.1 of the mobile world

What exactly does Android do that calls for that? And what makes you think Apple is not choosing to not include all those features? What makes all these Android "fanboys" think that iOS cannot do what Android does? I think it's pretty obvious that while Android is copying the PC route, Apple is following the route they have been going down with their computers. Keeping it simple and hassle free of useless features a select few utilize.

 

[pdutta2000]

I think people are disappointed as Android development is outpacing, and has passed IOS development..

The same old iOS is dated.. It's the Windows 3.1 of the mobile world

This is the key problem with Apple. The OS just feels old. For some reason us iOS owners have to jailbreak the phone in order to get a lock screen with some real information. Instead I get a passbook app that really doesn't mean much because I can do the same thing with currently available apps. Apple's not innovating they are just consolidating when it comes to iOS. I have no doubt that the iPhone 5 will be an amazing piece of hardware. I just don't like the idea of that hardware running the same old OS.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Every technology goes through a flurry early on when people are still figuring out obvious improvements (app store! cut and paste!) and then it eventually reaches the point where new scientific discoveries are needed to change it a lot (new super battery?)

What people forget is just how basic the past updates were. Remember how happy we were over cut and paste? How that was a major feature at the time? Can you imagine any gesture like that exciting people on the iPhone 5?

iCloud document syncing is actually a way WAY bigger deal than cut and paste, but people say "who cares?" now instead of hyperventilating over little changes like they did back in 2008 and 2009.

That's just the way it works with any tech. Seeing the 6th of something can't be as exciting as seeing the 2nd.

well to be fair the new features added to iOS the pass 3 years or so have been pretty much catch up features. This includes iCloud. That was a catch up feature. iOS 6 bring really nothing new to the table that is not a catch up feature.

 

[KPOM]

I think people are disappointed as Android development is outpacing, and has passed IOS development..

The same old iOS is dated.. It's the Windows 3.1 of the mobile world

Let's not kid ourselves. Android has pretty much stagnated, as well. It had a lot of catching up to do. Before 4.0 it was downright laggy. In terms of freshness, Windows Phone 8 is the leader, which is partly why the tech crowd seems oddly enthusiastic about the Nokia Lumia 920.

iOS's UI hasn't changed much, but then neither has the Mac since OS X first came out. Where we are right now is a mature market. It's Hertz vs. Avis, Honda vs. Toyota, and Hilton vs. Marriott. People will have their own preferences, but the improvements, while significant, are much more incremental. Put a 2013 Honda Accord next to a 1998 Accord, and you'll notice a lot of differences, but if you kept buying new Accords or Camrys every few years you wouldn't have noticed as much.

 

[tann]

Let's not kid ourselves. Android has pretty much stagnated, as well. It had a lot of catching up to do. Before 4.0 it was downright laggy. In terms of freshness, Windows Phone 8 is the leader, which is partly why the tech crowd seems oddly enthusiastic about the Nokia Lumia 920.

iOS's UI hasn't changed much, but then neither has the Mac since OS X first came out. Where we are right now is a mature market. It's Hertz vs. Avis, Honda vs. Toyota, and Hilton vs. Marriott. People will have their own preferences, but the improvements, while significant, are much more incremental. Put a 2013 Honda Accord next to a 1998 Accord, and you'll notice a lot of differences, but if you kept buying new Accords or Camrys every few years you wouldn't have noticed as much.

Very good analogy! I too believe that over the next year or so phones will become more and more about refining (and that is indeed what apple is doing now). Every now and then something new might come along.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Absolutely spoiled. These forums aren't representative of the entire population of iPhone owners and future iPhone owners, but I have to say that what I see on these forums and others is comical at best. Many who complain are sitting next to their iPhone now and I would guess, like everyone else, the phone performs the tasks it is intended for quite nicely. I've stopped worrying about internals and started worrying more about whether it will perform.

 

[mzjin]

It's not as big as previous upgrades.

3/3GS-4 was a retina display, HD camera and FaceTime. All big leaps for the time.

The 5 is LTE and a panaromic camera (been around for 2 years).

It's incremental change with the added cost of adapters and extra cords for a new connector.

It's a better phone. But the first major release (don't count the S models) I'm not going to preorder.

The 5 is:

2x Performance A6
Screen size
LTE
Battery life, weight, thinness

iOS6 introduction
New Ear Pod headphones
Improved WiFi, speakers, microphones

My 4S is getting sold right after I get my 5.

 

[Cod3rror]

I think people are disappointed as Android development is outpacing, and has passed IOS development..

The same old iOS is dated.. It's the Windows 3.1 of the mobile world

Has Android outpaced iOS? I don't know...

Android is like say a BMW, with each new release the car is completely different.

iOS is more like a Porsche 911, it stays the same in principle and is just refined and improved.

 

[SprSynJn]

Very good analogy! I too believe that over the next year or so phones will become more and more about refining (and that is indeed what apple is doing now). Every now and then something new might come along.

And I would be very content with that.

 

[stickybuns]

Yesterday, I decided to take a little walk through the cell phone department at the local Best Buy. Wishing to confirm whether or not my ambivalence towards the iPhone 5 was indeed disappointment or it was something else, I looked through the various Android phones to see if anything would catch my eye.

• Bigger display? No, thank you. I like having a small phone.
• More mega pixels for the camera? Maybe if I was planning to make poster sized prints, but I think I'd prefer to use a DSLR for a task like that.
• Higher resolution screen? As long as I can't see the pixels, I'm good.
• NFC? If I have to ask, "What's that and why do I need it?" it can probably wait until it's in wider use.
• 3D display?

And then I realized something: I am not disappointed in the 5 so much as I am truly happy with the 4S. Although there are certainly phones that are quantifiably better than mine, none of those features are things for which I have actually asked.