Johannesburg, 14 Sep 2012
The iPhone 5 was one of the most highly-anticipated product reveals in consumer technology history, and the reaction from both industry and consumers has been fairly mixed.
A recurring theme among analysts is the lack of “wow” and surprise at the lack of surprise, following the unprecedented leaks prior to the launch.
The iPhone 4S also arrived last year amid a backlash over Apple unveiling an incremental update, rather than the already anticipated iPhone 5.
Consumers have taken to the social networks to express their opinions of the new device, and sentiment is split between die-hard Apple fans and those who are disappointed. Some of the top comments on Twitter include the following:
“The iPhone is not just a phone, it's a piece of art. So simple and yet so beautiful.”
“It's basically the same thing but who cares, it's the new iPhone I have to have it.”
“Bit disappointed in Apple. They just did the Android thing; bigger screen, faster CPU, ta daaa, new phone. Nothing really innovative.”
“Here we go again with the iPhone 5. Apple continues to play catch up with Android phones and all the fan boys call it innovative.”
“Wow Apple came out with something I could have got last year on Android. So innovative. Let's sell 10 million.”
Big seller
Despite the sense of disappointment, analysts remain convinced the iPhone 5 will be a big seller. Principal analyst at Informa Telecoms and Media, David McQueen, says while the iPhone 5 offers few surprises, it promises a significantly better user experience.
“The iPhone 5 release has provided a much-needed physical update of the device, despite the screen not being the largest in the smartphone market, and it still lacks NFC and wireless charging.
“While the new hardware may not quite stack up against other products expected in the market, it is Apple's ability to create stylish, desirable products attached to a rich set of services that it hopes can still set it apart to create differentiation.”
With the price of the iPhone 4S being reduced along with the launch of the iPhone 5, McQueen says he anticipates total iPhone sales to reach close on a company record of 50 million in the fourth quarter.
“However, Apple won't have it all its own way to the end of the year, as it faces continued pressure from Samsung and now Nokia with its new range of Lumia devices running on Windows Phone 8. In combination, the strength of these devices and platforms will combine to give the most competitive and intriguing smartphone quarter for a number of years,” says McQueen.
Really the best?
Dan Lyons, Newsweek magazine's technology editor and creator of the satirical blog 'The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs', wrote before the iPhone 5 announcement: “Somewhere up there, I can hear Steve screaming.”
Lyons also questioned if the incremental updates were the best consumers could expect from “an outfit that claims to be the most innovative company in the world”.
“This is the sixth version of the iPhone, and the user interface still looks almost exactly like the original iPhone in 2007. The hardware on the iPhone has been the same for two years, since the iPhone 4 and 4S were virtually identical.
“Now, having had two years to plot and scheme, Apple's renowned designer, Jonathan Ive, has replaced the tiny 3.5in (8.9cm) screen with a slightly-less-tiny 4in (10.2cm) screen? Wow. Knock me over with a feather. What do you do with the rest of your time, Jony?”
Easily duped
Adding to the debate around the new iPhone, American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel conducted an “experiment” in which he duped Apple fans into thinking they were seeing the new iPhone 5 when in fact it's just the 4S. The video has gone viral on YouTube with over 1.2 million views.
The people in the video, thinking they were getting hands-on time with the next-generation iPhone, commented it was “noticeably better” than the 4S, and some even went so far as to say the screen certainly appeared bigger and the handset was both thinner and faster. Some people who were iPhone 4S users didn't even realise they were looking at the exact same device.
Pre-orders for the new phone open in select countries today, and iPhone 5-related topics are already trending on Twitter. One of the most popular hashtags at the moment is “ButUGotThatiPhoneTho” and pokes fun at the lengths people will go to just to have the latest Apple gadget:
“Ducks are feeding YOU bread at the park... #ButUGotThatiPhone5Tho”
“You eat cereal with a fork to save milk #ButUGotThatiPhone5Tho”
“You parked at McDonalds, using their WiFi #ButUGotThatiPhone5Tho”
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