As part of the European Union standards for smartphone chargers I was hoping they would have gone for the microUSB standard, but it looks like they'll just issue a converter to get around the guidelines.
The microUSB standard was never going to work for apple as the dock port provides many more functions than simply charging and data transfer, such as line audio out, digital audio out, composite and component video out. Personally I'm glad that the dock ports size is being reduced as it always struck me as being somewhat fragile.
Anyway I won't be in the market for a 5 just yet as I recently had to pick up a 4S due to the gradual demise of my old, loved, 3G.
It is a strange move. Apple products main appeal are that they look pretty and are seen to be cool and funky. The new iPhone looks awful and really old fashioned against its competitors.
The problem is where else can you go with a phone. 5 years ago the original iPhone was groundbreaking, now everybody else has caught up and in a lot of ways overtaken, and rather than up their game, Apple are now busy in the courts trying to stamp out the competition.
If the 5 is really only going to have a modest increase in screen size then it's going to put it behind the rest or the pack, and at that point I would only recommend it to those who's existing computing setup is mostly Apple. Which I may say is the only reason I picked up a 4S rather than a Samsung S3.
Even so, the 4S is way overspecced for my needs. Apart from checking the trains, trams and weather, it's used only as a standard phone, and as a mobile data conduit for other devices, hence I really can't see what the 5 would offer me anyway. I survived quite happily with the 3G for over 4 years until the battery life became just too short for even my basic requirements.
The iPhone 5 will sell because it's Apple and because they have the App market share to themselves. Apple run a slick operation and I'd say their only really major drawback is that they're not bringing the latest technology to retail as quick as others and that's because they outsource everything.
I've gone with every new iPhone version since 3G and see no reason why not to stick with them.
I'll stick my neck out and say that I think the iPhone 5 will be great. I have the 4S and the only thing I miss is a bigger screen, other than that its the perfect smartphone for me. I also think that after the 4 and the 4S the iPhone was well due a facelift, and this particular one looks pretty smart. I much prefer it to the anodyne Galaxy S3 shape with its rounded corners and curved back.
I had no apple products at all until my other half gave me his iPhone 3GS last December (he upgraded to the 4S; in the UK after 1.5 to 2 years you can often upgrade for "free" if you stay on the same monthly package).
Although his phone runs faster than mine, and the screen is lovely, mine can run exactly the same apps and once they've loaded up they appear just as fast.
What can Apple do with the iPhone 5? Make it a lot bigger like people are saying they want? Unlikely, as if it was Galaxy S3 size, people would buy it and not bother getting an iPad as well.
Also, when I was in HK recently it seemed everyone on the metro was carrying one of those Galaxy things (probably cos the iPhone users were able to get the phones into their pocket...). And the Galaxy looked odd. Too big to be a phone, and plasticy.
Maybe it is the way to go, maybe not. The problem for Apple is that the iPhone was a stunningly good product (I was an instant convert when I got my 3GS) so how can you improve it in a big way? I don't see how they can.
To be honest that's the thing I miss most from the 3G. The curved back made it fit nicely and comfortably in my rear jeans pocket, especially when sitting. Now with the 4S it just feels like I've got a great big lump there.
Personally, I would like to see them innovate again in surprising ways.
Sure a bigger screen will be nice, but it would be nicer still without making the phone longer, i.e. find a way to reduce the top and bottom borders.
I love that daily mail link.... never shy to use the word "fury" in the tabloid are they. Sensationalist trash... apple are trying to innovate with their new connector and they are more than free to do so in my opinion. Im sure there will be a cheap adaptor available if they do.
I would also be happy if they could innovate somehow to actually improve call quality. over mobile networks it is fairly shocking compared to skype etc.
aside from that, I think they already showed their software cards with the recent ios6 walkthrough, which looks like a solid update, especially the mapping.
I have never owned an apple product so far. The reason has nothing to do with their innovation, capabilities, performance,etc. The only reason why I didn't want one is that once you enter the circle you need to everything with apple and its products. You want to have a song, you need to go to itunes, you want to transfer a photo, you need apple again, you want to face-talk with some body, they need to go to apple as well This might be very comfortable to some people; however I don't feel free. I know that I am not free with other manufacturers as well, but I just don't want feel it with every action I make.
Hence whatever design they make, I will not be interested unless they give people some freedom in what to do with their phones/ gadgets.
Its all part of Steve Jobs' 'Control the whole Widget' approach which some may see as dreadful and arrogant, but I just see as enhancing the user experience.
When I was on Android, I tried and tested several apps that would download and sync podcasts for my daily commute. None of them worked properly, and so I eventually gave up listening to podcasts. I also wanted a program to organise and sync my music to my handset, so I tried the most popular - Doubletwist. Again, constant issues of duplicate files, stuff not copying, not recognising the SD drive etc.. hours spent poring the forums, only to find out that the developers were blaming Samsung, Samsung CS didn't have a clue.. blah blah blah
Finally I wanted to have daily backups of my photos and videos so I relied on the clunky, idiosyncratic Samsung Kies software. On a good day it would do as it was told, on a bad one it would delete photos off my phone, dump them into a temp folder on my C: drive, refuse to copy stuff, hang my computer requiring a reboot etc.. etc..
End result sh*t user experience. So I fully embrace iTunes which does all the above, quickly, efficiently and accurately. With long days in the office, and several hours commuting each day I simply don't have time to dick about with something as elemental as my phone, so for me the tried and tested Apple way is good enough, even if it a little prescriptive.