Apple iPhone 5 review: Laws of attraction

28 September 2012
The iPhone 5. As in five million units sold over the course of a … weekend. Can't say no to that. This is the latest installment in the smartphone series that changed the mobile phone industry and we can understand people couldn't wait. Now, what is it they couldn't wait for?

Sort by:

  • S
  • Soledad
  • JaE
  • 29 Sep 2012

Can't believe you people get to wound up over a Phone!!???
You are fighting the battles for these huge corporations and taking it to heart if someone likes a different phone to you!!??
It's like fighting over religion for some of you people Android v Apple it's so stupid it's almost worthy of a mockumentary.
Just buy what phone you want to. I'm gonna get an iPhone because I have had both apple and android and I found prefered the apple iOS and I really don't care what anyone else has to say.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • LpI
    • 29 Sep 2012

    Anonymous, 29 Sep 2012It weighs 185 g for gods sake!!So tell me how it's going to hurt your hands so badly.
    The weight only makes the device feels much more solid (probably it's not going to scratch easily since it's not using a very thin metal layer you know), and also it's balanced with the phone size.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • 9Cn
      • 29 Sep 2012

      iii, 29 Sep 2012so lumia 920 come on and rock the world...It weighs 185 g for gods sake!!

        • a
        • androidlover
        • bJf
        • 29 Sep 2012

        Alui, 29 Sep 2012Can't believe(some) people still have freedom at this age. ... morecant believe people still post crap with their icrap.

          • D
          • AnonD-36622
          • MNu
          • 29 Sep 2012

          Alui, 29 Sep 2012Lol! Don't you know what "arguably" means?:) But ... moreI do...Nokia N9 (or the Lumias), SONY Xperia T, MOTOROLA RAZR HD, HTC ONE X/S...do I go on? Do you realize that this iPhone 5 design is the same since iPhone 4? Man, wake up!

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • MNu
            • 29 Sep 2012

            Man, you're one of those unexplained blind people!

            "BUT its maps app sucks (and apparently always has anyway which is the whole reason Apple wanted out - they might as well start from scratch on the painful road since Google was giving them a dud version..).

            So you think looking at the above points which one is most important to you? Is it the Maps? get something else for now... either on the App store, or another phone.

            iPhone is not supposed to be cheap and affordable. If that is a problem for you look elsewhere. Dont hate a brand cause its good and out of your reach. Work harder so you can get it!"

            1st - every other google maps user on iPhone was happy and didn't got mistaken with it until this new Apple maps (deal with it, don't lie...it doesn't take only 2 years of research to make maps...is why Google is better in this field, they have 10 years of research and experience...Even the CEO admit it and you come here telling otherwise...well, you really are well paid off by someone for that or you're simply the most dumb person on earth).

            2nd - If you see some difference on the camera from it's predecessor, you're even dumbier or a true believer! And the panorama thing, well I enjoy that on my $150 2011 Sony Ericsson LWW ahahaha what a ture revolution!

            3rd - what the heck are you, to tell people if they can't afford need to work harder! I'm against that things if can't afford, don't buy, PERIOD! Because are sick people in this world that can't afford putting food in the table for their childreen but actually can afford an iPhone...what a joke!!! But going forward...if tell you the iPhone is overpriced I'm not saying that I don't have the money to buy it...I actually have but I prefer spending it on one that deserves it like Motorla Razr HD or Sony Xperia V (and even though, almost less €200) because in the end spending €500 on a high-end is more than enough to be well served...and I mean well served! iPhone 5 total factory cost was around €200 and it is sold at €700, this sir is a Robbery!!!

              • A
              • Alui
              • mSu
              • 29 Sep 2012

              androidlover, 29 Sep 2012cant believe people still buy this crap in this age.They re... moreCan't believe(some) people still have freedom at this age. We should all obey you master!:))

                • d
                • darac
                • 0vS
                • 29 Sep 2012

                Wow, this is the one of, if not THE most complete and most objective iPhone 5 reviews on internet.

                  • A
                  • Alui
                  • mSu
                  • 29 Sep 2012

                  AnonD-73776, 29 Sep 2012"Secondly, the iPhone 5 is arguably the best looking o... moreLol! Don't you know what "arguably" means?:) But anyway, can you recommend a better looking phone?

                    • A
                    • Alui
                    • mSu
                    • 29 Sep 2012

                    AnonD-36622, 29 Sep 2012Man, why Apple's users are so blind? Why not accept the fac... moreHow would you like if a stranger would start criticizing you mother in public?
                    You are a stranger to Apple products, but still you have the arrogance to criticize them just from hearsay.
                    Nobody forces you to buy an iPhone, you're free to go to the competition. I, for example, criticize (if I feel the need) only the products I use (SGS3 -lower battery life than I would like, but still last one day with heavy use; Transformer Prime TF201-a bit slow and the Browser had problems with the Fash web-pages and the keyboard before the JB update, the sound volume is too low; and the iPad 2-very happy with it, no complaints-I could complain about the lack of Flash, but it's not supported anymore for Android devices either, so now, it would be unjustified to require it for Apple products).
                    So, you are either a troll, or an envious person;)! I wanted also to buy an iPhone 5 but when I saw the price(659€ for the 16GB unit) I decided to wait:). But nevertheless, I'll buy it one day. And trolls like you can't change my mind.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • nx2
                      • 29 Sep 2012

                      Although most of the visitors in GSMarena.com talked down about the new iPhone and how its not worthy but yet still you will find them in every Apple forms doing what they do best bashing Apple and praising Samsung/Android and their comments of hate keep piling up and keep rating down to the lowest, which bring me to one question? If you hate Apple & the new iPhone so much why you keep coming back?

                        • D
                        • Denzo
                        • 2CF
                        • 29 Sep 2012

                        AnonD-36622, 29 Sep 2012One thing I do know, that if your new iPhone 5 (if you real... moreYou are one crazy man.

                        First of all I used to have the mighty ONE X, and it had the best screen of any android, maybe any phone, when it came out. Still easily top 3 even today.

                        I have also had the SGS2. I have used the SGS3 but not owned it.

                        When I had battery issues on my iPhone 4 I was first one here complaining - although not as much as you. You are deluded if you think I spend my life making things up about phones I own. They are just phones, and im 30 yo. I can afford 50 phones.

                        I love technology, and any brand. I used to have HTC Desire (not HD just normal one) and I liked this phone too (but man battery was TERRIBLE!!)

                        ONE X I took back to shop because when i bought mine, one of the first, it had body issues, and the screen was getting ugly green banding issues down the side. Like bad static. Battery although at first good, after a couple of days and installing some apps it would die in the butt.

                        I posted the photos up, under the same name, DENZO, in the GSM-ARENA blogs. I don't know where it is now, but if you can find it, you will see me there.

                        Original - and 100% honest. I think you are the new one around here, leading the blind android army to some fight that doesn't exist.
                        Dont make up things in your head, then type it aloud cause someone might think you know what your talking about.

                          • i
                          • iii
                          • 6pe
                          • 29 Sep 2012

                          so lumia 920 come on and rock the world...

                            • D
                            • AnonD-36622
                            • MNu
                            • 29 Sep 2012

                            Denzo, 29 Sep 2012Better battery? better CPU? Better GPU? Better Screen? What... moreOne thing I do know, that if your new iPhone 5 (if you really have or if you're doing some kind of publicity for what I saw from your other post) gets "in trouble" you will not come back and say it beacuse your to proud to do that. At least, do you know what the plastc of SGS3 made off? I think not, is more resistant than your iPhone 5 alluminium body. But I'm not even a samsung build quality fan, let's talk about HTC One X or Motorola Razr HD, both make your i"Creation" blush! And they call themselves inovators...you sir are so illuded that makes me sick, atleast still exists honest iPhone 5 users outthere except you ;)

                              • D
                              • Denzo
                              • 2CF
                              • 29 Sep 2012

                              Hey guys so I thought I should post up a review of the iPhone 5, from my short experience with it so far.

                              I cant review all of it as I have only had a few hours (8) with it.

                              First of all.. after reading all the scratch issues I was very worried. I ordered a black one so it should have been even worse than a white one.

                              I can confirm my phone is sparkling.. black, not a scratch or dent - anywhere (- YET!!! LOL). (also, my partners one is white, and hers was also perfect).

                              So body is perfect and black looks amazing in person. I had the 4S in white so I went with the black this time. (and my girl went with the white so we just got different colours - anyway..)

                              1. Its now a perfect weight. Doesnt feel too heavy anymore like the 4S was. I didnt mind the weight of the 4S, but now I have seen and felt the lightness, its unbelievable.

                              2. The general speed. My goodness this phone is fast. Just when you thought the speed of the UI and apps were already as fast as possible, Apple proves me wrong.

                              Flicking about the apps, is just butter smooth now. Amazing how seamless it is really have not used anything like this before. No stutter, not even a hint of it. Perfect speed. Maybe in the future new apps and redesigned (fancy) UI stuff will slow this down.. maybe not? Its very snappy.

                              I can open a game so much faster than before. I can close it faster than before. Awesome.

                              3. Display. It really is nicer now. I am not an expert by any means, but I have looked at a lot of screens in my time with phones, (all iPhones, HTC Desire/ONE X, SGS 2, Nokia E6) but this is very nice. Blacks look blacker. Colours look more rich. Very happy with new screen. Videos fit perfectly.

                              4. Earphones. They are now very nice. Sound richer and bass is not tinny anymore, still stays clear when you turn it up. what else you want with from the OEM EarPods.

                              5. Build quality. It feels like a piece of Jewelery in your hand. Amazing finish.

                              6. Internet speed. This is not a reason I bought the phone for. I just wanted the lightness and screen, speed. I never had seen LTE in action before so it never fazed me. My goodness this is the most important feature of the phone to me.

                              Some tests I did. On my iPhone 4S using SPEEDTEST.NET's app, I got a speed of around 3-8Mbps DL, and around 0.65 Mbps UL.

                              From the same spot with my new iPhone 5, I ran the test again. Brace yourself! lol..

                              DL - 52.74 Mbps
                              UL - 27.48 Mbps

                              I dont know if this is great, good bad whatever.. but for me, this is amazing. It smashes my broadband ADSL 2+, which is hard to comprehend.

                              7. WiFi speed. It now connects to WiFi at greater distance which for me now means the whole of my house. and its speeds are quick like its hooked up via ethernet. Very impressed with this also.

                              8. Battery. Normally with my previous LiPo battery iPhones they are at their best on full charge/dsicharge cycles and after about 2-3 weeks.

                              Im on my first charge now, the whole time I have had LTE on, WiFi on, 5 email accounts, and whatever else, location services weather etc.

                              I have been listening to music for an hour, I have had the phone hooked up via Bluetooth to the car for about 2 hours and had Wifi LTE tethering set up at the same time (for about an hour) on my partners iPad. I have been checking it every 5 minutes (new phone). I have run speed tests, and in general been using the crap out of it with many things running at the same time (syncing drop box)(as well as the screen on), and even downloaded heaps of apps.

                              It is now 1AM and came off charge at around 7:00pm. (so about 5h 45 minutes so far) Battery has 69% left.

                              This leads me to believe that at almost maximum discharge (bar playing a hardcore game) it wil last at at least 15-20 hours.

                              when I start using the phone normally after the excitement calms down, I expect easy 24-36 hours. Easy.

                              My cons, would be that not all the apps fit perfectly yet, and a lot of people would mention MAPS as an issue, but I have used it, it was accurate, and the 3D thing is off the hook!


                              Anyway.. any problems arise with my phone, I will definitely be back here to post.

                                • D
                                • AnonD-36622
                                • MNu
                                • 29 Sep 2012

                                Man, why Apple's users are so blind? Why not accept the facts? Will it help you if I say I never liked iPhone but I have to admit that his predecessors were better (specially 4S). This isn't about the writer being biased towards Apple or Google. I already saw many reviews benefits Apple a lot even more than Google's. But times are changing, Google's and it's costumers (Samsung, HTC, SONY, MOTOROLA) are improving a lot, many of them even took the lead now...Apple will no longer be a reference in mobile industry (at least their latest creation) because their creativity touched the bottom floor. You have to make a list and see it for yourself...is the screen that good around competition, well we know the size isn't and the resolution either, man is not even HD...why be difference in this field? What they gain putting a different resolution from all we know? The hard part is you giving right now in Europe €689,90 pre-paid or €349,90 with 2 year contract for a device that isn't revolutionary like they claim, almost all apps that you buy right now don't are in pair with that resolution...well, at least the phone...is...Taller?!! An amount of money in this times of crises to a "masterpiece" that his body is easy to get scratched! Man, Apple don't love their consumers much, why the heck fans love them?! What about the camera? The same has the 4S, deal with it...they only ad it a panorama feature that already existed on others in the past and present (specially on 2011 Xperias's, please SONY do something about it). Is this revolutionary? From what I saw, any tiny cool change that iOS 6 has came up with, was already on Android OS (some in all type of ranges) sorry. And the adapters? Well this company isn't very good to it's costumers or are they? They could offer at least one or two adapters to iPhone 5 buyers...idiots! To finish, the one thing worth mentioning is the A6 chipset...the only thing they did well! Well, Apple may have given the first steps in creativity a few years ago (but then again, did Apple ever invented anything...no...they were great joining numerous of techs together)but all the experienced companies already shown us they really can create something above them and not overpriced! Sorry the long post ;) and sorry for stating what's obvious!

                                  • D
                                  • Denzo
                                  • 2CF
                                  • 29 Sep 2012

                                  AnonD-57901, 28 Sep 2012Just an overpriced peice of i-shit for i-stupids. Samsung ... moreBetter battery? better CPU? Better GPU? Better Screen? What else do you want ! LOL @SGS3 owners.. enjoy your plastic crap the SGS3 got owned.. does it even have 4G on it!?!?!?

                                    • D
                                    • Denzo
                                    • 2CF
                                    • 29 Sep 2012

                                    So it is just as good on camera - maybe better - even though its a lot smaller now, it has a battery that last forever (also in such a tiny package), It is as fast as anything on market CPU wise - its even faster GPU wise, then the screen colour reproduction and contrast is as good as anything - maybe the best on the market -and now its bigger. Its really light in your hand, its very durable (although might get scratched up easy on the metal parts), and it now has LTE on it and dual band wifi (a/g/n etc), and it has made everything a bit nicer and cleaner in the UI..

                                    BUT its maps app sucks (and apparently always has anyway which is the whole reason Apple wanted out - they might as well start from scratch on the painful road since Google was giving them a dud version..). And look, the new Apple maps I believe has the vector graphics, loads very quickly, will incorporate turn by turn navigation, and has that crazy fly over.. I guarantee in the future Apple maps will be competitive - at the very least.

                                    So you think looking at the above points which one is most important to you? Is it the Maps? get something else for now... either on the App store, or another phone.

                                    iPhone is not supposed to be cheap and affordable. If that is a problem for you look elsewhere. Dont hate a brand cause its good and out of your reach. Work harder so you can get it!

                                    Its like a Subaru WRX and a BMW 325.

                                    WRX is much cheaper, and faster but it is all plastic and doesnt have the class factor. I personally dont care, I used to have WRX, i cant afford a BMW - but you have to be real with yourself. BMW is nicer.. even if its slower, not as cool whatever.. But when you sit in a BMW you realise what its all about.

                                    later.

                                      • D
                                      • AnonD-51996
                                      • 0TF
                                      • 29 Sep 2012

                                      Anonymous, 29 Sep 2012808: http://www.esato.com/phonephotos/cam/nokia/808_purevie... moreWhy are you comparing the IP5's camera with Nokia 808's camera which has proven to be light years away from any other smartphone camera??? It has even beated a micro four-third camera, so it is non-sense to compare Nokia 808's camera with a smartphone camera...

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-29473
                                        • 2CI
                                        • 29 Sep 2012

                                        I would like to put out the theory that Apple may not just be using different screen suppliers for the iPhone 5, but possibly different speakerphone suppliers. I had a friends iPhone 5 to play with and when I tested the same Youtube clip at max volume on both devices at the same time, her iPhone 5 was noticeably louder than my 4S. However, a day later I tried the same experiment with another new iPhone 5 from my lawyer...and the same Youtube clip at max volume was a little softer than my iPhone 4S, definitely much quieter than what I heard the previous day... is anyone else finding the same thing?