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The problem seems to be people expecting 'killer' features with every single release of every device but the technology simply doesn't exist for this to happen. You can't put a 'killer' feature in a phone if it hasn't been invented yet, or isn't at a point where it's commercially viable or available in sufficient quantity. Apple, just like Nokia, Samsung, LG etc, can only include in their phones what is actually out there to put in them! The only new thing I can think of that we've seen this year is Nokia's PureView. Samsung, LG, Apple etc, haven't come up with anything new or any 'killer' feature this year.
 
I'm sorry but none of those features is a "killer feature". Not a single one of those makes me "need" the iPhone 5, which is the way I felt about many of the previous models.

And if Siri is the benchmark for a "killer feature", then I suppose iPhone 5 owners are in for a bit of disappointment. Great dinner party trick.

I don't mean to be rude, but a killer feature to you might not be the same as a killer feature for me.

All of the above are things that I would happily want from a modern day phone.

If you don't think that there is a killer feature then just don't buy it!! Vote with your wallet!
 
The problem seems to be people expecting 'killer' features with every single release of every device but the technology simply doesn't exist for this to happen. You can't put a 'killer' feature in a phone if it hasn't been invented yet, or isn't at a point where it's commercially viable or available in sufficient quantity. Apple, just like Nokia, Samsung, LG etc, can only include in their phones what is actually out there to put in them! The only new thing I can think of that we've seen this year is Nokia's PureView. Samsung, LG, Apple etc, haven't come up with anything new or any 'killer' feature this year.

How about a physical design that makes people drool? They did it with three of the previous phones. This design looks pretty lazy. Why can't they pioneer NFC?

And no, many of us don't expect "killer" features in every single release. But we did expect something like that in this release, because the last one was nothing more than a spec bump "s" release.

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I don't mean to be rude, but a killer feature to you might not be the same as a killer feature for me.

All of the above are things that I would happily want from a modern day phone.

If you don't think that there is a killer feature then just don't buy it!! Vote with your wallet!

Right, right. DUAL BAND WIRELESS!!! FINALLY, I CAN....... wait what can I do with that? Maybe sync marginally faster? Sure as heck won't improve my web browsing, video streaming, emailing, chatting, or anything else that's already bottlenecked at other layers.
 
How about a physical design that makes people drool? They did it with three of the previous phones. This design looks pretty lazy. Why can't they pioneer NFC?

And no, many of us don't expect "killer" features in every single release. But we did expect something like that in this release, because the last one was nothing more than a spec bump "s" release.

The iPhone 5 design makes me drool. NFC requires a substantial amount of collaboration with many many other bodies; Apple can't just whack NFC in the iPhone and have a fully integrated payment system in place without support from these other bodies.

What are these other 'killer features' that are missing? I'm genuinely interested in knowing what Apple could have put in there that people feel is missing which is both technically and commercially feasible!
 
the most undersold killer feature on iOS.

Yelp integration into iOS Maps. That. Is. Awesome.
 
The iPhone 5 design makes me drool. NFC requires a substantial amount of collaboration with many many other bodies; Apple can't just whack NFC in the iPhone and have a fully integrated payment system in place without support from these other bodies.

What are these other 'killer features' that are missing?

Well, you're about the only one drooling over this design.
 
It's not necessary to have a "killer feature" in order to make this a fine upgrade for those of us who skipped the 4s upgrade last year. I am using an iPhone 4 that works excellently & my son is using my older iPhone 3Gs with the same results. I'm upgrading this time in order to give myself a boost and pass on my very fine iPhone 4 to my son. We're both going to be very happy with the results. Isn't that the goal when upgrading?

If this time it's not right for you, just pass and wait for the next release. No harm, no foul. :)
 
I'm sorry but none of those features is a "killer feature". Not a single one of those makes me "need" the iPhone 5, which is the way I felt about many of the previous models.

And if Siri is the benchmark for a "killer feature", then I suppose iPhone 5 owners are in for a bit of disappointment. Great dinner party trick.

You can say that about any phone. I've yet to see anything on Android, or WP7.5/8 that's "Killer" and that I "Need". I NEED to make calls, read/write emails, send texts, and have contacts. Every phone made today has those features.
 
it's just a more refined, evolved iphone. if it works, why reinvent the wheel.
 
How about a physical design that makes people drool? They did it with three of the previous phones. This design looks pretty lazy. Why can't they pioneer NFC?

And no, many of us don't expect "killer" features in every single release. But we did expect something like that in this release, because the last one was nothing more than a spec bump "s" release.

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Right, right. DUAL BAND WIRELESS!!! FINALLY, I CAN....... wait what can I do with that? Maybe sync marginally faster? Sure as heck won't improve my web browsing, video streaming, emailing, chatting, or anything else that's already bottlenecked at other layers.

I believe you're now just commenting to provoke an argument.

I would certainly like to have dual band wireless, in fact it's one of the things I was disappointed to NOT see in the 4S. Of course there are other new features. Once again, if none of the new features/improvements stand out to you maybe you would be better off with another phone by another manufacturer, maybe one that has these killer features you so desire.
 
I believe you're now just commenting to provoke an argument.

I would certainly like to have dual band wireless, in fact it's one of the things I was disappointed to NOT see in the 4S. Of course there are other new features. Once again, if none of the new features/improvements stand out to you maybe you would be better off with another phone by another manufacturer, maybe one that has these killer features you so desire.

Actually I'm not trying to provoke an argument. I'm settling one. Most people would be hard pressed to consider dual band wireless a "killer feature" on a phone. "Evolutionary" and "nice" come to mind. "Killer" does not. To my knowledge, the *only* thing this will improve is wireless sync speed, and really only if you're constantly changing out gigs worth of media. It will not improve most other network functions.

All I am doing is agreeing with the OP that this phone has no features that most people would consider "killer". Of course, to you this means I need to go to another manufacturer and buy a different phone. Nope, I'll probably just stick with my 4s because this one has no killer features.
 
The killer feature is Passbook. We just don't know it yet.

In time, Passbook is going to grow into a wallet-replacement (or some form of it). It is debatable about how that is going to happen, but that is the long-term goal.

While Passbook could be cool, it is an iOS 6 feature, and will be on the 4S.

The new iPhone has LTE data (Which in my case will be faster than my 20 Mbps down Time Warner cable internet, unfortunately though it is metered) plus it has a larger screen. Those are its primary new features.

Looking at previous generations, there really aren't any "killer" features of the iPhone as they have all been evolutionary upgrades:

iPhone -> 3G = Faster wireless, lower price
3G -> 3GS = Faster CPU, better camera
3GS -> 4 = Retina display, new body design, better camera, front camera
4 -> 4S = Faster CPU, better camera, better antenna, Siri
4S -> 5 = Faster wireless, faster CPU, new body design, larger display, improved cameras

I think a lot of people were looking for new software features in which case I can understand their disappointment. But hardware wise, what did you people want?
 
Apple says its twice as fast in certain tests. I think you've been suckered in a bit by the clever marketing.

I don't think you understand, the actual performance difference of the processor they are using the iPhone 5 is over 200%. This isn't clever marketing it's cold hard measurements of processing power.


I've lost count of the number of desktops and laptops I've bought over the years. There is NO CHANCE upgrading from a 4S to 5 will feel like you upgraded a 2004 laptop to a current generation laptop. :)

The performance difference between the 4S and the 5 is identical to the average increase in computing power in laptops between 2004 and 2012.

No it does not rival desktop processors from 2008. Its still not even close yet. A core 2 duo I still 5-10 times more powerful. Arm is growing fast but they still haven't even gotten past the early days of netburst performance let alone the athlon 64 and x2, and then the core 2 duo. X86 still has quite a big performance advantage.

The processor they are using has a theoretical maximum performance of 68 GFlops. This translates to a performance difference that will slightly rival entry level Intel desktop processor from 2007 to early 2008, (assuming they didn't underclock it to save battery life, which may make it slightly slower but that's still like having the slowest formula 1 car when racing street cars)

Heres a sunspider I just ran on a few year old e machines with an athlon II x2. By no means the fastest x86 chip nor a high end machine.

http://www.webkit.org/perf/sunspide...idate-input":[15,23,16,32,17,16,16,16,16,23]}

It gets 269.4ms. No arm chip even comes close to that. The iphone is still stuck around 1600 ms. The lower the score the better.


That is a profoundly absurd test to compare the performance of a processor on. Sun spider is a javascript test, that tests your browser's javascript. It has about as much to do with comparing raw processing power as comparing the sound fidelity of CD's that have been put through a paper shreder. It's so far removed from the actual raw processing power that it is a completely meaningless benchmark.

The fact is that the average Cortex A15 based on the manufacturer's own claims has more floating point calculations per second than bargain level desktop processors from 5 years ago.
 
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