iPhone 5 reviews roll in, cutting-edge design, fast
updated 07:06 am EDT, Wed September 19, 2012
iPhone 5 reviews positive, despite some small reservations
Reviews for the iPhone 5 have started to roll-in ahead of bricks and motar sales that start this Friday. Leading the charge, as usual, are Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal and David Pogue of the New York Times who have historically been afforded the opportunity to review Apple’s devices ahead of others. Mossberg says that ‘Apple has taken an already great product and made it better,’ while Pogue says that iPhone 5 buyers will be ‘in for a treat.’
For Mossberg, highlights of the new iPhone 5 include its one-handed usability, despite the increase in screen size saying that he found it easier to hold and use than the Samsung Galaxy S III. He said the reduction in weight, solid battery life and the design is ‘gorgeous.’ On the downside, Mossberg said the loss of Google Maps was not offset by Apple’s new Maps app with ‘Flyover.’
Pogue argues that the larger screen is nice, although it does not make as big an impact after following in the footsteps of much larger displays often seen in flagship Android handsets. The thinness and lightness of the iPhone 5 along with its super fast 4G LTE speeds coupled with its blazing A6 processor also make it a standout. The biggest downside for Pogue is the new Lightning adapter, which he calls a ‘jab in the eye’ to loyal iPhone users who may have collected peripherals with 30-pin connections over the years.
Others to get their hands on the new iPhone 5 for a full review include Pocket-lint, Engadget, CNET, Daring Fireball and USA Today. For Pocket-lint, the iPhone 5 isn’t likely to draw Android switchers back, but still concludes that it is ‘cutting edge’ from a design and hardware perspective. Engadget highlights the iPhone 5’s top marks in performance benchmarks, but believes OS is in need of a revamp despite being the ‘best iPhone yet.’ CNET says that the iPhone 5 ‘easily secures its place in the top tier of the smartphone universe,’ while Daring Fireball recommends users should buy one if they can afford it. USA Today simply says that the iPhone 5 is ‘a gem.’
MacNN will be bringing readers a traditional in-depth review of the iPhone 5 that our site specializes in over the coming days. With the iPhone 5 smashing all previous pre-order records, the hype is very real. As Jony Ive puts in Apple’s iPhone 5 promotional video, the contemporary smartphone has become a device that users engage with more personally. Making the right smartphone choice has become increasingly difficult with great number of choices that users have today and we will do our best to help make that decision easier in our iPhone 5 review.
Mac Elite
Joined: 01-16-00
Whining about updates to a nearly decade old connector reminds me of all the griping about having to buy USB devices/converters when the iMac was introduced.
Get over it.