Prior to getting my iPhone, I had read every tech review on the web. Now after having used the iPhone 5 for about 3 weeks now, I would like to highlight some of my personal views on the device and some points that I felt were not mentioned in the official reviews. Please let me know whether you agree or disagree with me.
DESIGN
I think the phone design is well done. I agree with Jony Ive when he says that there is no point in making something new just for the sake of newness. Taking risks on a completely radical design would only serve to fix something that wasnt broken. Lets face it most smartphones look alike: a big screen with one or two buttons at the bottom. There really isnt a whole lot that could be changed visually.
The current design does feel less durable, in the sense that the case is not as scratch resistant as the previous generation. However, after using the 5, the previous 4S feels heavy and thick. This was only apparent after getting used to the current model for a while.
SCREEN
Not many reviews emphasized this point, but the 5s colour saturation is noticeably better than the previous generations display. It is very obvious to my eye, and makes the viewing experience that much more enjoyable.
With respect to screen size, the specs show only a modest increase from 3.5 to 4. However, the numbers do not properly portray the major improvement in usability with respect to web browsing. This is where, I feel, the screen size has the largest impact. With my 4S, I never enjoyed surfing the web due to the difficult readability in both portrait and landscape mode. However, by increasing the screen size by ½ an inch, landscape mode dramatically improves the web experience. Now, I feel less inclined to reach for my ipad each time I want to browse the internet. In essence, the larger screen size has made the 5 into a decent web browser, something the 4S never was.
I have never used an Android phone, but I believe that making the screen any larger would make the device difficult to place in a jean pocket, or to conveniently carry around. This, though, may be more of an issue for the guys than for the ladies.
LTE
In Canada, LTE is very fast. The increased speed is noticeable in iMessage and Whatsapp, which now have instantaneous reactions. Videos and downloads are much faster as well. However, I was surprised to see that web browsing is only slightly faster, so little in fact that I often switch back to 3G in the hopes of extending battery life. This is what I use my phone most for, and therefore LTE doesnt seem to have brought many benefits to me, personally. And has anyone noticed that even 3G speeds seem to be faster on the 5 than on the 4 and 4S?
MAPS
Isnt it a little bit overblown? Its definitely not as good as the previous maps app, but it has worked fine for me so far in the few trials I have performed.
CONCLUSION
I think Apple has done the right thing by improving the iPhone in every respect, rather than simply changing it for the sake of novelty. Change may not have been necessarily for the better, and thus they have avoided this mistake by taking an already great design and improving it. The phone is thinner, lighter, faster, and better in almost every way.
DESIGN
I think the phone design is well done. I agree with Jony Ive when he says that there is no point in making something new just for the sake of newness. Taking risks on a completely radical design would only serve to fix something that wasnt broken. Lets face it most smartphones look alike: a big screen with one or two buttons at the bottom. There really isnt a whole lot that could be changed visually.
The current design does feel less durable, in the sense that the case is not as scratch resistant as the previous generation. However, after using the 5, the previous 4S feels heavy and thick. This was only apparent after getting used to the current model for a while.
SCREEN
Not many reviews emphasized this point, but the 5s colour saturation is noticeably better than the previous generations display. It is very obvious to my eye, and makes the viewing experience that much more enjoyable.
With respect to screen size, the specs show only a modest increase from 3.5 to 4. However, the numbers do not properly portray the major improvement in usability with respect to web browsing. This is where, I feel, the screen size has the largest impact. With my 4S, I never enjoyed surfing the web due to the difficult readability in both portrait and landscape mode. However, by increasing the screen size by ½ an inch, landscape mode dramatically improves the web experience. Now, I feel less inclined to reach for my ipad each time I want to browse the internet. In essence, the larger screen size has made the 5 into a decent web browser, something the 4S never was.
I have never used an Android phone, but I believe that making the screen any larger would make the device difficult to place in a jean pocket, or to conveniently carry around. This, though, may be more of an issue for the guys than for the ladies.
LTE
In Canada, LTE is very fast. The increased speed is noticeable in iMessage and Whatsapp, which now have instantaneous reactions. Videos and downloads are much faster as well. However, I was surprised to see that web browsing is only slightly faster, so little in fact that I often switch back to 3G in the hopes of extending battery life. This is what I use my phone most for, and therefore LTE doesnt seem to have brought many benefits to me, personally. And has anyone noticed that even 3G speeds seem to be faster on the 5 than on the 4 and 4S?
MAPS
Isnt it a little bit overblown? Its definitely not as good as the previous maps app, but it has worked fine for me so far in the few trials I have performed.
CONCLUSION
I think Apple has done the right thing by improving the iPhone in every respect, rather than simply changing it for the sake of novelty. Change may not have been necessarily for the better, and thus they have avoided this mistake by taking an already great design and improving it. The phone is thinner, lighter, faster, and better in almost every way.
