Apple iPhone 5 review
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Review: September 2012 |
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Last updated October 2012.
Phone rating: 
In a nutshell: The iPhone 5 is
the best iPhone yet, with a larger display, faster processor,
improved camera, super-fast 4G and ultra-thin design. But the
retail price is higher than ever, and some will criticise the
fact that its screen size still lags rival phones and it has
no NFC chip for wireless payments. We've deducted one star for
these factors and the problems with Maps.
Best Buy: Dialaphone
(16GB Black) or Dialaphone
(16GB White).
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iPhone 5 - thinner, lighter, faster
So, after months of speculation, the new iPhone has been announced and will be
in the shops by the end of September. And it's not called anything silly - just
the iPhone 5. It's the thinnest, lightest, fastest iPhone ever, but also the most
expensive, so let's take a closer look.
Longer & thinner
 The
iPhone 5 looks very much like the iPhone 4S,
but it's longer. The reason it's longer is because it has a larger 4 inch display.
It's exactly the same width though, and that's because the display is the same
width as before. It's just had a bit added to the top. An extra row of apps now
appears on the home screen. Keeping the width the same means that you can use
the phone single-handedly exactly as with previous models. It also means that
the aspect ratio has changed to a conventional 16:9 widescreen format, which is
a benefit when watching video.
The number of pixels in the Retina display has increased in the vertical direction
and remains the same as before horizontally, giving a resolution of 1136 x 640
pixels. As usual, the Retina display is impressive, but we can't help pointing
out that it's not a HD screen, like those of the Samsung
Galaxy S3 or the new Sony Xperia T.
An increase in screen size from 3.5 inches to 4 inches is welcome. 3.5 inches
was looking ridiculously small compared to rivals with screens up to 4.8 inches
or more. Apple haven't made the leap needed to catch up with its competitors,
but nevertheless any increase in screen size is positive. Existing iPhone users
will appreciate the extra space, whilst feeling that it's an incremental change
rather than a completely new look and feel. Existing apps will work with a black
edge above and below until developers have time to update them to make use of
the increased screen area.
A cynical viewpoint might be that Apple didn't want to make the jump to an
even larger screen in order to hold something back for the iPhone 6. But there
is an argument that keeping the width the same and adopting a conventional 16:9
format means a seamless transition for existing users and apps.
Did we mention thinner? At 7.6mm, it's astonishingly, vanishingly thin! It's
also significantly lighter too. Apple have clearly worked hard to miniaturise
every component to make it fit into the reduced size. It uses a nano-SIM card,
which is 44 percent smaller than a micro-SIM. The old 30-pin connector has been
replaced by a new Lightning connector. A Lightning to 30-pin adapter will be
available to buy for around £25, so you won't have to replace all your
accessories. The screen has been made thinner by integrating the touch technology
into the display layer, a bit like the Super AMOLED screens used on Samsung
phones. The result is an even brighter and clearer display.
The design of the iPhone 5 is similar to that of the 4S. It's available in
a choice of two-tone colours - Black & Slate or White & Silver. A high
quality aluminium housing is used for the casing, with an anodised aluminium
back with inlays along the top and bottom made of ceramic glass (on the White
& Silver model) or pigmented glass (on the Black & Slate model). The
build quality and materials used clearly demonstrate why Apple products are
so highly regarded.
A6 chip
The processor that powers the iPhone 5 is a new A6 chip. Apple aren't being very
open about whether this is dual-core or quad-core, but they've said it's twice
as fast as the A5 chip used in the iPhone 4S. Since the old A5 chip was very fast
indeed, we don't think there'll be any complaints in this department.
4G
The addition of 4G (LTE) in the iPhone 5 isn't really a surprise, as it first
appeared in the new iPad, but it could be a game
changer. With T-Mobile/Orange now given the go-ahead by Ofcom
to roll out 4G in sixteen UK cities this year, and the other operators to follow
in 2013, 4G will finally become a reality for many UK phone users.
The benefit of 4G is that it offers much faster data rates than 3G - up to
100Mbps, which is as fast as fibre optic broadband.
The device also supports dual-band WiFi at speeds up to 150Mbps.
iOS6 and Maps
A new version of iOS has been created for the new iPhone. iOS6
doesn't bring very much that's new, but it does include an improved version of
Siri, the voice-activated intelligent assistant and it brings a new Maps app.
It's no secret that Apple hates Google. So being dependent on Google Maps must
have really hurt. Now Google Maps has been kicked off the iPhone and replaced
by Apple's own version. It's not a copy you see, because someone
might get sued if it was, but it's a way of displaying your location on
a mobile phone and finding a route to your destination.
Maps can show you directions on screen in 2D or 3D and give turn-by-turn voice
directions too. It can also display real time traffic information. Flyover displays
interactive photo-realistic views of major cities in 3D. You can also do a local
search to find restaurants, hotels, etc.
But it didn't take long for people to find that Maps doesn't always work. There
are many errors in Maps. Some of the most spectacular include showing bridges
with sharp plunges, moving the location of an airport, changing the capital
of Israel and turning hospitals into supermarkets.
After being used to the brilliant Google Maps, this simply isn't good enough.
It isn't good enough to replace a fully functioning app with a broken one. Apple
realised that and CEO Tim Cook issued
an apology. Apple, he said, is "working non-stop" to fix this
problem, so watch this space.
FaceTime HD
At first glance, the 8 megapixel camera included in the iPhone 5 is no better
than the previous model. But Apple say that it has improved low light capability
and faster photo capture. A new Panorama feature has also been added. As before,
it's equipped with autofocus, an LED flash, face detection, image stabilisation
and geotagging. It can record full HD 1080p video at 30 frames per second. It's
a very capable camera, and the new iPhone must rank among the top 10 best camera
phones, although it isn't a match for phones like the Nokia
Lumia 920 or Sony phones using Exmor
R technology.
The secondary front-facing camera has also been upgraded, making FaceTime video
chat possible in HD (720p). Another improvement is that you can now make video
calls over a 4G connection and not just Wi-Fi.
New EarPods
 Another
new development is the inclusion in the sales package of redesigned headphones,
called EarPods. According to the Apple hype, "their design is defined by
the geometry of the ear." You might have imagined that other headphone manufacturers
have thought of this before, but Apple says no, they're the first.
In any case, they promise to deliver great audio quality as well as comfort,
and they're provided free with the phone.
Battery life
Apple claim that the new A6 chip uses less power than the old A5 chip used in
the 4S. That's quite plausible, but it doesn't necessarily mean improved battery
life overall. There's a lot going on in the new iPhone and all of it uses power.
Apple are quoting a figure of 8 - 10 hours use from a single charge, but we bet
that's under idealised conditions. Don't be surprised if you need to recharge
your phone before the sun goes down.
Cost
The iPhone 5 will be available in 16GB, 32GB or 64GB versions and in a choice
of black or white. The basic 16GB version is expected to cost £529 in the
UK, which is about £50 more than the 4S model. That makes it the most expensive
phone on the market. You're looking at a two-year £30/month contract plus
an upgrade charge. Ouch!
Conclusion - the best iPhone yet?
It's frighteningly expensive. It doesn't have NFC (Near Field Communication technology
for cashless payments.) It's still got one of the smallest screens on any modern
smartphone (even entry-level Android phones have bigger screens), and it'll lock
you into Apple's restrictive content system and extract every remaining penny
from your pocket.
On the other hand, it's clearly the best iPhone to date. Despite criticism
that it hasn't changed much from the 4S, there are some new features here that
existing users will clearly notice if they choose to upgrade. The 4 inch screen
is a welcome move in the right direction. 4G will deliver real benefits now
that Ofcom has cleared the way for Orange/T-Mobile (Everything Everywhere) to
start rolling out 4G this year. The updates to the processor and camera are
nice to have. And the new gorgeously thin design is the icing on the cake.
We originally awarded the new iPhone five stars. But then the Maps issue came
to light and we thought, "Oh no, not again!" Because it seems that
every new iPhone has some huge unexpected problem, from non-existent reception
to diabolical battery life. And now MapGate. When you buy the most expensive
product in a shop, you expect it to work perfectly. And Apple are now building
a solid reputation for making products that don't work first time. They
may be "working non-stop" to fix them, but that's what's supposed
to happen before they release the product.
You'll need to have deep pockets to afford the iPhone 5, and also to carry
it around. And you'll need to put up with the Maps problems until they've been
fixed. Also, check your phone for scuffs and scratches, because people have
been reporting problems with quality control. If you can put up with all of
this, then the iPhone 5 will be a great upgrade for anyone who loves the Apple
experience. But Apple can no longer claim that "it just works," because
it quite clearly doesn't.
Features of the Apple iPhone 5 include:
- iOS 6 Operating System
- 8 megapixel camera with touch autofocus, LED flash and Panorama
- Video camera: Full HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second, HD (720p) secondary
camera for FaceTime video calling
- Retina display: 1136 x 640 pixels (4 inches) touchscreen
- Music player
- Video player supports 1080p Full HD playback at 30 frames/second
- Voice control, voice memos
- Siri intelligent assistant
- Messaging: SMS, MMS, email
- Assisted GPS and GLONASS with digital compass and Maps app
- Memory: 16GB, 32GB or 64GB plus iCloud
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), 3.5mm headphone
jack
- Size: 124 x 59 x 7.6 mm
- Weight: 112g
- Quad-band GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) plus UMTS/HSDPA (850, 900, 1900,
2100 MHz) plus 4G LTE
- Talktime: 8 hours
- Battery standby: 225 hours
Apple iPhone 5 User Reviews
Love your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other
people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review this
phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a forum, so
please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear words or offensive
language, and please, no advertising!
Average rating from 55 reviews: 
Reviewed by Mark from UK on 31st May 2013
After ditching iphone 4 and 4S for the galaxy S and S2 due to their lack of
competition against Samsung I was finally hoping the iphone 5 would be back
on the playing field sadly it is not. I feel it lacks in every way possible
compared to its competitors I stuck with it for a month hoping it'd improve
or id find that reason to keep it instead just got more put off with it. Will
be going back to S3 for sure!
Rating:  Reply
Reviewed by Toni Paneto from Germany on 30th Apr 2013
2 months now with iPhone 5 and i always enjoy the sound quality when I capture
videos. The only problem is that everyone walking around with iPhone now and
after 3GS we all look the same.. I purchased a carbon sticker and i don't get
bored from the same exactly design over and over. I also get mad when some talk
about oranges(Galaxy S3-S4) when we talk about Apple..
Rating:  Reply
Reviewed by Steve from Southend Engerland on 26th Mar
2013
Droped calls all the time, dodgy wifi, flimsy, gave it to my sister, gone back
to N95 8GB.
Rating: Reply
Reply by KDM from UK on 27th Mar 2013
Seriously? You have given up one of the best phones on the market and Gone back
to a phone that was first released in 2007? Wow!..... Oh btw... *dropped *England
Reply by Steve from Southend on 31st Mar 2013
KDM *Gone - capitalization mid sentence? What you simply must understand is
that my N95 8GB just functions better than the iphone I gave away. It is possible
to carry a spare battery for a start, I can customise all I like, I can install
anything I like without some overlord from apple getting in my way and when
it fell off the table on to a marble floor the screen did not break. PS as for
Engerland - I am from Southend and I support Millwall and Engerland at football
so for me it is the proper way to say it.
Reply by KDM from UK on 31st Mar 2013
Yes I can understand anyone's reasons to choose a mobile phone, we all have
our reasons why we pick one phone over another. Surely you must have done a
small amount of research about the iphone before you got it? You would have
known that you can't install third party apps unless you jailbreak it. I too
have dropped my iphone a couple of times and so far it hasn't been damaged.
I have no problem with wifi connection and it is one of the best made mobiles
there is, it's not 'flimsy' at all, and the call quality is perfect, no dropped
calls. Sure, I agree, it would be nice to be able to carry a spare battery but
I have a charger in my car and a charger at work, I would guess that most people
with smart phones have the same set up. Anyway, each to their own and I hope
you enjoy your N95 for another 6 years or so... PS You may pronounce it 'Engerland'
but the proper way to spell it is England. :)
Reviewed by Glen from Uk on 23rd Feb 2013
I've had all the iPhones except the 4s. Went from a 4 to a samsung s2 then to
the s3. Got a 64 gig for the right price and all I can say is wow, really missed
the smoothness of them. IOS is a little dated compared to android but it is
less clunky and laggy. Love the build quality do the 5 and the feel glad I went
back love it
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by CS from England on 2nd Feb 2013
Don't listen to anyone else. If you have an iPhone or had one,get an iPhone
5.You will be disappointed if you swap and will expect things to be as easy
as it used to be with iPhone, they won't be.You will need a car charger or office
charger, or just an adapter, that's all. Iphone is easy, intuitive and quality.
Just think, you get what you pay for. Why would you pay less for a better product?
Why? If you want a bigger screen buy an iPad mini or iPad. I bought a Galaxy
Note 2 and ended up returning it and buying and iPhone 5. Apple is easy, iTunes
works great. I have an iPhone 5 and I'm happy again.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Tony from UK on 6th Mar 2013
Absolutely agree. Went from iphone 4 to a Galaxy Note 2, but now changed to
the iphone 5. I missed the simple reliable interface among other things.
Reviewed by LM1980 from UK on 22nd Jan 2013
I am by no means an apple fanboy, but apple do make exceedingly good phones.
I've had every version of the iphone but also have had top end android handsets
and blackberries but after a few months with them I always end up going back
to an iphone, either the latest one or the version I had. Since the wife got
her iphone 5 I have always thought what a waste of time apple took to design
a phone that is only slightly taller instead of keeping the same ratio screen
as the 3.5" iphones but made it 4.3" or so.
Anyway, I was finding my iphone 4s 16gb of storage restrictive considering androids
can come with 16gb and can be extended via SD cards. So I decided to look around
for a new phone.
As I have unfortunately fallen victim to apples ecosytem (apple tv 3, itunes
match etc) I ended up getting the iphone 5 which I said was pointless. I got
the 32gb version. From previous experience I know 32gb doesn't mean I'll get
32gb, but when I saw 28.8gb I was a little surprised. 3gb missing, I'd expect
2gb. Small issues really. After carefully reducing my music collection of 31gb
to a playlist to 20gb leaving 7gb (just under) for other apps etc I am more
than happy. I don't watch films on my phones as I prefer larger screen experience.
overall impression other than screen size negative is a very good phone. I prefer
the metal back rather than the glass on the 4 and 4s, but prefer the 4s handset
weight. The 5 feels a little light.
5 out of 5 for what the phone is, but I hope the next iOS release (iOS7) will
bring a slight change to what the UI is like now. Basic rows of icons is a little
dull now.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Ken from UK on 17th Jan 2013
It does everything it supposed to do brilliantly but it is so boring. Agreed
the UI need revolutionary update and build quality could be better, but a fantastic
phone that does what it says on the tin
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Steve from UK on 14th Jan 2013
I have had problems with connectivity, battery life, and email set-up - so much
so that I'm taking it back to my provider and will go back to Blackberry. A
great disappointment from an avid Apple supporter!
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by SKT from UAE on 23rd Dec 2012
I've been using it for a week now ,upgraded from Iphone 4 .
It's a great phone. Weight ,Speed , screen clarity and size is perfect. Battery
needs an improvement but it's fine for a smart phone. As a user need I consider
this is the best phone at the moment for my use . Maybe others won't agree on
this but again it's all about your expectation and needs . So you decide based
on your own need .
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Mo from UK on 18th Dec 2012
I have had the iphone 5 for 3 weeks now and I used to be an android man before.
Still am to be honest. Anyway, I am with O2 and I am very happy with the phone
now that google maps is back. Regarding battery life, I got 5 days out of it
the second time I had it fully charged. The trick is turn off your wifi, bluetooth
etc if you don't need them. I must say that I am an average user and generally
I get 4 days out of it. The phone has one of the best batteries I have found
in smartphones. It was difficult adjusting to the restrictive iOS at first but
I got used to it. If you want the iphone 5, get it. If you want the battery
to last then turn off the things that you don't need. It is a good phone and
will what you want and do it well. I have docked a star below due to thr restrictive
iOS. Oh, like all the other phones I have had, get a screen cover and case/wallet
for it if you want to keep it in mint condition.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Mint from Uk on 17th Dec 2012
I keep this one short
Just simply the best mobile phone ever.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by David from uk on 15th Dec 2012
Best phone out there.... not sure why everyone has had problems...it does what
it does with speed and agility....battery life is fantastic...wifi brilliant
and build and finish superb.... this phone is a serious piece of kit and all
the naysayers wrong.... there are reasons why the 5 hasn't a bigger screen and
no NFC.... phone fits hand nicely and pocket well....bigger screen would be
awkward..have seen people struggle with other phones.... NFC.... new technology
and lots of bugs to be ironed out and security an issue still...wait till the
6 for that little baby.... nope...maybe expensive but you get what you pay for
and this phone is well worth it.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Harry from UK on 14th Dec 2012
iPhone is the best on the market in my opinion except one thing - wifi. Thousands
of users including me (see: discussions.apple.com) have reported slow, unreliable
wifi which constantly drops on the iPhone 5.
I'm still having this problem where the wifi would drop unexpectedly and am
worried this is a hardware problem and can't be fixed with a new iOS update.
I've tried everything from changing routers, router settings, and wifi settings
on my iPhone.
I have tried Galaxy S3, HTC, Blackberry and Nokia but I prefer the iPhone 5.
If only Apple could listen to their customers and fix problems with their iPhone
or at least drop the prices. Hopefully this wifi (and maps) issue would be rectified
with a future update and apple won't brush it under the carpet like they usually
do and pretend everything is okay.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Bob from Scotland on 11th Dec 2012
iPhone 5 is my first iPhone and I love it. My previous phone was a HTC Desire
which I thought was great. On the face of things the iPhone 5 doesn't warrent
the extra cash but having used the phone for about 2 months and now getting
used to it, I can say that it is worth the extra outlay. I love the rock solid
build quality, the fast peocessing, the crisp display and the great battery
life. ios just seems so much more logical than android, I feel already that
I would struggle if, after only 2 months, I went back to the HTC. Obviously
I cant compare it to previous iPhones, but in its own right its top notch. My
only slight disappointment is the camera. If the subject is still, then the
photos are brilliant, if however my dog moves slightly even in good light the
image blurs. Still, I didn't buy it for a camera!!
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Mark from UK on 15th Nov 2012
Had it about a month now, great build quality but in terms of improvements from
the 4S, I had a 4S and to be honest it just isn't really much better. I sold
my 4S for £300, and in all honesty I regret shelling out the further £230 for
the 5. If you have a 4, get one, but not if you own a 4S, wait for the next
one!
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by BC from UK on 15th Nov 2012
I have had iphone and android, just selling my Samsung Galaxy s2, as my iphone
arrived and is so much smoother and more consistent in flow and performance.
It feels so nice to come back to ios, and you would only appreciate the OS after
leaving it and coming back after a while.
4 stars as the hardware is not a great upgrade from the 4s.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Martin from England on 5th Nov 2012
Firstly lets get it straight, I am not an iphone hater, I have owned the iPhone
3GS, 4, 4S and unfortunately now the 5. I bought this as a replacement for my
now out of date 4S, how wrong could anyone be. My iPad iPod and iMac are a pleasure
to use.
Firstly when the 5 was announced my first reaction was "well what have they
done to justify this hype" I did not see any major leaps foreward from the 4S
so I held off for a short time.
I received what I expected to be my nice shiney new iphone 5, but the box was
just about the only impressive thing I have received. The phone itself had chips
along the edges of the screen and the metal casing was shoddily painted to say
the least, but I persevered placing it in a specially bought case.
On using the phone daily I found that the screen although a little bigger did
not really enhance the iphone experience, in fact worked against it. I find
myself now taking a call and instead of reaching a few millimetres with my finger
and locking the phone one handed, I have to now have to use two hands one to
hold the phone and one to lock it, all for a tiny extra longer screen.
Google maps still do not work properly, I want to find where I am going, I don't
want a 3d image of the building as I hopefully will be standing right outside
it as I did using my old 4S using the 2D viewer.
The salesman at the car phone warehouse said its thinner and sleeker, what an
idiot am i, slimmer the 4s was hardly a unwieldy thing in the first place. In
reality it's about 3mm which to be honest is hardly worth the mentioning once
its in my pocket.
Final straw came today when I opened my nice expensive case to find small flecks
of paint from the back plate rattling around inside. Listen when you spend in
excess of 500 on a phone I expect it to be top build quality not a second rate
half arsed attempt at a premium product.
To say the least it went back today, and what did the salesman say to me, oh
yeah that is a common problem with these. I'll send it back to apple and you
will get it back in a few weeks. Erm no if its a known problem fix it before
you sell any more faulty phones.
I had a Samsung galaxy S2 that I had as a work phone so I exchanged it for a
s3. My god what a difference, I now have a working phone that has been designed
to be used rather than an after thought after the pure look, I now have a phone
with ergonomic ally designed features allowing me to use the phone one handed
again, the paint has stayed attached to the phone shell where it's supposed
to be and the features also make it a lottery advanced that the iPhone ever
was.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by BC from UK on 4th Nov 2012
I have had two now, both turned up with chips marks on them, so forget it, looks
to me the black paint will fade quickly making the phone look worn, just like
the 4s was out to correct the 4, a 5s will be out to correct the 5.
looking at the nokia lumia 920.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Ianj from UK on 29th Oct 2012
Just got my "5" In terms of quality materials and construction I don't see anything
else even approaching it. Everything works too. Great screen now it's a little
larger and so simple to use. I know they are expensive, but not that much more
than the competition. I think you get what you pay for, a premium product.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by unknown from UK on 25th Oct 2012
I'm not an iPhone fanboy but have owned each version since release. I have now
gone the way of the Android with a Galaxy S3 (not the 4G one).
Since upgrading from the 3GS which was in my opinion the best iPhone. The reason
why I say this is down to iOS 4.3.3
Again in my opinion this was the best iOS version. More so when jailbroken.
It removed almost 90% of its limitations compared to Android.
A review on the iPhone 5 is why I wrote the above, but since I now have a Galaxy
S3 it seems odd that I do.
Well I think the latest version is not what it should have been. Come on Apple.
Look at what other manufacturers are doing. All Apple have done is tweaked iOS
5 to have a few extras and called it iOS 6. The handset, wow, it has a 16:9
screen ratio so we can watch movies without black bars. The screen is to small
to watch movies. Yes build quality is fantastic, but this doesn't warrant such
a high price.
Apple have changed the type of plug/connector. There goes my BOSE dock. I am
not going to pay another £25 for the adapter, why should I.
I just don't understand what Apple had in mind when they came up with the iPhone
5. It didn't impress me at all.
I believe there are several problems with the iPhone 5. Not to sure how many
issues there are but since my wife (me) upgraded her 4 to have iOS 6 she has
had problems and I keep having to reset network settings for it to connect to
the web and itunes/store etc.
The last time I had an Android device I wasn't dead keen on it. I think it was
2.3 or lower. Now on 4 or 4.1 I am blown away by how far it has come.
iPhone 5 - 2 stars
iPhone 4S - 4 stars
iPhone 4 - 3 stars
iPhone 3GS - 5 stars
Galaxy 3s - 5 stars
Rating:  Reply
Reply by KDM from UK on 26th Oct 2012
I'm confused by this review... did you actually own an iphone 5? You say "I
believe there are several problems with the iphone 5"... did your 5 have these
"problems?" You talk about your wife's iphone 4 having problems with network
connection, did you have this problem with your 5? (there are fixes for wifi
problems if you search the web btw) and you can buy an adapter for the 5 for
less than a tenner (I spent more on a case) if you search the web too, so your
Bose system will still work with the 5. All in all a confusing review, and I
think more geared at earlier versions of the iphone rather than the iphone 5
Reviewed by Martin from Uk on 20th Oct 2012
Is anyone else having problems with IOS 6 with home Wifi? I like this phone,
specially the build quality. I just can't get Wifi to work fully at home. Apple
support have no cure and don't admit the problem despite hundreds of pages on
Apple forums on the subject. I give the phone 4 stars but IOS 6 one star. Disappointed
with Apple
Rating: Reply
Reply by Mike from UK on 22nd Oct 2012
Yep, same problem with my iPad (3)
Reply by Martin from Uk on 28th Oct 2012
Problem now solved. You need to have an up to date router for it to fully work.
Now it's working I believe it deserves four stars mainly due to good build quality,
good battery and excellent screen :-)
Reply by Mike from UK on 1st Nov 2012
I have the latest BT router and WiFi is beyond unreliable!
Reviewed by kafu from England on 19th Oct 2012
Got the I phone 5 on upgrade it went back, exchanged for the Samsung s3 which
is fantastic. I have always been an android user so going to iPhone was a bit
risky. I have an iPod touch so I sort of knew the layout of the phone. For me
it's so restrictive in what you can do & very boring. Everything Is through
iTunes which I find very UN user friendly. Also it's the specs, it baffles how
this phone is the most expensive phone yet it's not the best phone! In all honesty
all iPhone user would for better staying with your 4s and wait & see what the
next iPhone brings you because this one is not much of an upgrade. IPhone have
fallen behind, if your a die hard iPhone user you will probably like this phone,
if you want, sheer power, entertainment, a great screen & and no loan needed
to buy a phone then go for the Samsung s3 or the HTC one x. Or the Samsung note
2 for roughly the same price as the iPhone but streets better it'd just very
big!
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Goatman from UK on 18th Oct 2012
A simple good & bad points list for you all
The GOOD- Build quality is second to none, with premium materials used. Amazing
light weight, but also very rigid. Screen is eye searingly bright, colourful,
contrasty & sharp. Screen size is a great balance between area & corner reaching
ability. Ios is, as always, beautifully simple with some useful tweaks. New
charging port is great, bi directional will take off!
The BAD- Still prefer the curved back design of the 3GS over the hard edged
4, 4S & 5. Phone designers, take a look at the shape a hand forms when holding
a phone! Apple, you had it nailed a few years ago........ Teeny tiny sim re
design is surely not necessary? Charging port adapter for £25? You guys are
now officially taking the **** with pricing!
All in all, superb stuff
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Garry from Manchester uk on 17th Oct 2012
This is a follow up to the review I submitted earlier on. I was fairly Luke
warm about the phone compared to my 4s which I have given to my wife. However
now that I have used it for nearly a month I can understand why apple is so
highly regarded. It is the user experience which for me is on a different planet
from anything else I have used. The biggest improvements from the 4s is the
call quality and the colourful screen. The best endorsement of this device for
me is that I have both a 17 inch laptop and a desktop with an apple 27 inch
display and I use the phone for browsing 95% of the time. At the moment I am
on holiday in Hong Kong and I am typing this over breakfast one handed. I did
try out the galaxy s3 and note2 and I think they are great phones as well, but
this phone is so satisfying to use that I have no regrets about upgrading from
the 4s. To me I am more concerned that an operating system works than being
able to use widgets, customise, etc. also there is an apple store in Manchester
and they help you with technical queries even though I did not buy the phone
from them. Sure it had a scuff mark on it from new but I have quickly forgotten
about this. The cameras panorama app is exceptional. I am using a 2k slr and
lens combination while on holiday but some of the best photos I have so far
are the panorama photos of the Hong Kong skyline lit up at night. I am not a
fanboy I am just telling you as it is. I will continue to assess all phones
from different manufacturers from time to time but at the moment this iphone5
is giving me everything I need from a phone
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Fiona from Brum on 15th Oct 2012
On Friday 19th of October I will have had it for 4 weeks and I am bored already.
When is my upgrade?
Rating: Reply
Reply by Fozzy from Uk on 16th Oct 2012
I paid for a sim free one. Exactly the same, bored after 2 weeks or so. I've
just bought an htc one x to replace it. It's a good piece of kit, it's just
so dull, should come with a pipe, cardigan and a packet of Werthers Originals.
Reply by Ken from UK on 16th Oct 2012
Me three, boring beyond words! And now the proprietary chip thing in the cable
has really frustrated me. The last iPhone for me after having had 4 iPhones,
an iPad and an iPod touch.
Reviewed by Anastazija from Canada on 15th Oct 2012
Hate the iPhone 5 - only because of the nicks on the aluminum (sides and on
the bottom.)
Nicks were there, right out of the box.
Carrier refused to do anything about it.
I should have stayed with the iPhone 4.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Trent from England on 14th Oct 2012
Ok, let us be clear IT IS NOTHING SPECIAL. It is just an iPhone 3Gb in new clothes
and on high supplement vitamins (5 is my main phone but 3g is my player phone).
However that said, it is so easy to use (probably too easy) that setting it
up to go doesn't take even a GCSE in English or Maths to be able to use it.
Nice build, good screen, useful camera, boring Internet interface, reasonable
voice calling capability but brilliant hype.
All in all, an average phone that has the magical ability to appear to be more
than it really is.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Alton from Wales on 15th Oct 2012
You must mean 3GS? Overall one is in agreement on your review of the phone.
It just has not evolved enough
Reviewed by David from Australia on 11th Oct 2012
Had the Htc One X from the day it was released and have had nothing but trouble
with it , it has been exchanged 3 times and every one that I have had has poor
battery life , poor call quality and just plenty of software issues. Decided
to bite the bullet and get myself iphone 5. Best money I have ever spent!! Just
a better phone all round. It's been 3 weeks and problems so far , battery is
getting better with each week and the camera is amazing. Highly recommended
.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Dave B from Uk on 23rd Oct 2012
Agree with you about the HTC One X , I had nothing but trouble with mine! Did
yours get red hot!! iPhone 5 far better!
Reply by David from Australia on 24th Oct
2012
Yes it did , forgot to mention overheating problem. Phone would heat up and
then turn itself off. Have no regrets in getting iphone 5.
Reviewed by Adam from UK on 11th Oct 2012
Not impressed,I upgraded from my 4s and to be honest there is a problem 'BATTERY
LIFE' its pants,I had to reach for the charger by lunchtime with small amount
of use,my 4s would give me a day and a half.. I tried all the usual tricks so
squeeze more ot of it,no joy,chatted to few Apple friends who upgraded and they
have they same problem!
Battery life is a problem,the black ones are a finger print magnet too,I was
not impressed returned it to the store and got a refund and guess what I was
not the only person to have returned one with battery issues,I am now back on
my 4s and sticking with it for now.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Jass from UK on 10th Oct 2012
Avoid avoid avoid!!!...had for 1 week and returned it...glade i did that...and
bought HTC one x..much better phone...Apple is ripping people off...Launched
new phone with one extra app (map) which doesn't work properly and slightly
large...Steve Job must be really frustrated up der...it has battery issue..camera
issue..
Rating: Reply
Reply by Brad from Australia on 10th Oct 2012
My iphone 5 battery life is much better than the HTC One X that I had before
it , One X camera is good but iPhone is a long way ahead of it. If you really
don't like Apple and think they rip people off then it makes you wonder why
you got yourself an iPhone , if you really did.
Reply by Jass from UK on 11th Oct 2012
Wanted something new..thats why I bought it..I'm not what you mean by Iphone
is a long way ahead of HTC one X???????????...only Apple's fan boy say these
things, I can understand but practically is not true (other way around)...are
you sure you ever had One X?..Anyway I don't wanna argue with it...just gave
my honest opnion so people don't waste their money...
Reply by Brad from Australia on 11th Oct 2012
The problem is anyone who defends Iphone or Apple products gets the usual come
back that you must be an Apple fan boy.I have owned and used HTC One X for around
3 months and yes it is a great phone but I consider the Iphone 5 better for
myself for everyday use. The Iphone does get better battery life than the One
x and the camera on Iphone is way ahead of the camera on the One x , you only
have to read all the review sites that say the same thing , its not my opinion
its just the way it is, One X camera is good but the Iphone 5 camera is better.That
does not make me a fan boy.Most of the user reviews on different sites that
completely put down Iphone 5 seem to make it very clear that they do not own
an Iphone and are only posting comment to be able to put down Iphones . I now
have Iphone 5 which I use for work and I have One x that I use as my personal
phone, my wife also has the Samsung Galaxy S3. I think they are all great phones
it is just that when I need a phone I can rely on for work I always seem to
end up back with an Iphone.
Reply by Jass from UK on 16th Oct 2012
coming back to the camera..Iphone5 gives u pink n green shades in front of bright
light and answer from Apple is don't hold camera front of bright light...don't
take a shot when is sunny day..its ok in UK bcoz we hardly see sun but not sure
in Aus...I found HTC so easy to do things..like printing..uploading document
on websites..so easy which u can't do Iphone...anyway end of day ..all matter
wat u like n wat works for u.
Reviewed by William from Great Britain on 4th Oct 2012
Funnily enough I'm actually typing this from my iPhone 5. I bought the phone
today on a 2 year contract, the 32GB version in white. I noticed when I first
opened it, how light it was! It was almost a if there is nothing inside it.
Also it is lighting fast for web browsing, the camera quality is outstanding
and it feels like a really nice phone! I would definitely recommend it for anyone
who is looking at buying one 5 stars.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Lauren from UK on 6th Oct 2012
A case of the emperor's new clothes me thinks! Nice phone, nothing interface
and nothing new to write about. What it could have been! I being an owner of
this new iteration, like my phone but it doesn't feel special.
Reply by Daniel from UK on 7th Oct 2012
Having owned the Iphone from having a 3GS, 4 & 4S I can also say the 5 is outstanding,
it's an improvement over what was an already outstanding device, not a case
of emperor's new clothes me thinks.....
Reviewed by Dave from Australia on 2nd Oct 2012
Been using samsung galaxy s3 for a couple of months but could not resist Iphone
5 when it was released last week as I had Iphone 4 in the past and found it
to be a great phone. Iphone 5 is a very good phone , great for calls with better
reception than what I was getting with S3. Camera is also better than S3 and
it is nice to be able to place a smaller phone in my pocket as I found S3 a
bit big for my liking.The one thing I have found with Iphone 5 is terrible battery
life. I have been running out of battery by mid afternoon where the S3 got me
through the whole day with still around 30 to 40 percent left. As i use the
phone for work and am not always in a position to be charging the phone all
the time I am thinking of just going back to using S3. This is a shame as I
really like the Iphone and have tried everything people have suggested on forum
sites but with no improvement.I am not saying S3 is not a great phone as it
very much is , I just prefer Iphone and find them easier to use. The Iphone
5 to just feels like a bit of a let down after being told that it would have
better battery life.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Sam from Leeds on 2nd Oct 2012
Have you spoke to apple about the battery? I'm having great battery life better
than iPhone 4S.. Maybe you need a replacement handset if its not holding charge
Reply by Dave from australia on 4th Oct 2012
Got replacement phone today , see how this one goes.
Reply by John from Ireland on 4th Oct 2012
I agree with Sam. I am getting two full days of battery power before charging.
The same usage with my S3 was one day, granted it was a bigger screen though.
Reply by Stephen from Cyprus on 10th Oct 2012
How is the new battery going?
Reply by Dave from Australia on 17th Oct 2012
Had 2nd phone for about two weeks now and battery life is much better , really
glad I stuck with this phone and didn't swap for something else.
Reviewed by Martin from UK on 1st Oct 2012
Well Ive had the phone for a week now so feel I can write a fair review. Before
this I had the I Phone 3GS which I loved.
The positives first, battery lasts ages if you dont use it, longer than the
3GS but drains quicker if your on it doing things. I'm getting almost 2 days
use out of it. The screen quality and speed is light years ahead of the 3GS.
The phone itself feels very solid and the bigger screen works well in landscape
mode for writing texts although u can also speak in to the phone which picks
up sppech very well.
The negatives, its very expensive. Miss the traffic of google maps which just
worked a lot better. SIRI is a gimic as you have to press it to make it work.
Worse of all is the operating system which is looking very dated next to the
Windows phones.
Conclusion, Despite the negatives I love this phone. Its fast, works well and
feels like its well made. If they could update the operating system it would
get five stars. If your a 3GS owner wanting to upgrade then you wont be disappointed
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Fozzy from UK on 30th Sep 2012
Bought a 64gb version sim free in white. Love the build quality as always and
it is exactly what you come to expect from an Iphone. Battery life is on a par
with most smart phone devices. I have no issues with it except one. It's just
an elongated Iphone 4s. Take away that extra 1/2 inch and when put in a phone
case (like most Iphones are), most people couldn't tell the difference. I also
have a Galaxy Note, S3 and Razr Maxx, the Iphone screen is still too small by
todays standards. As someone who paid £700 for a new sim free Iphone 5, I would
only recommend it if you have no previous Iphone 4 incarnations. If you have,
save your money.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Victor James from Uk on 30th Sep 2012
Had an iPhone 4 before this one which was over 2 years old. Was happy with it
all the way and the IOS 5 update was fantastic. A 5 star phone all the way for
me.
Holding this new one in one hand and the old one in another hand, I could really
appreciate how much slimmer/lighter it was. The bigger screen is a nice touch.
It's the right size for a phone, wouldn't want it any bigger. Styled very well
too. Has an upmarket feel and still feels small.
I like how iCloud just seamlessly transferred everything from the old one to
the new one. The speed of this thing is really good, most of the time it's lightning
fast on 3G. Siri is decent. Facebook integration is nice to have. Mail VIP is
useful too.
I really want to give it 5 stars. But unfortunately the maps spoils it. Can't
do streetview anymore and there are some inaccuracies. I hate not having google
maps on my iPad anymore because of ios 6. I really want to go back to ios 5
So I am downgrading this from 5 stars to 3 stars. Unfortunately apple have put
their pride (against google) before their paying customers.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Scott from UK on 30th Sep 2012
Sorry but its pants stick with a Galaxy S3 if want the next big thing.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Mark from Uk on 30th Sep 2012
Great review thanks so much
Reviewed by Mikey from UK on 28th Sep 2012
Ok, had it a week now. Here is the down low (no not that type)
1. Siri is useless
2. Form factor is ok, should be wider, like 4.3 inch screen
3. Bought a case before I got phone so I don't know about scratch issues
4. IOS 6 is no great upgrade
5. Useability is where this phone really shines, sadly without a glitzy interface
(shame)
6. Maps work, it really does.
7. Camera should be 9.6 mpx and front 3.2 (for FaceTime to really work)
8. iTunes is a marmite moment and I hate it but Apps Store new look is an improvement
9. Battery is great if you don't use it but for a few calls, but begin YouTube,
mail, Facebook and battery is really poor
10. As a phone, absolutely marvellous
11. Internet browsing is better with Chrome than safari
Overall a good phone with a really dated look. However unless Wp8 or Rim 10
come up with something special, it will be king for another 12 months.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Jayne from Scotland on 29th Sep 2012
That is the best summary of the iPhone 5, I have seen and the issues around
dated interface and poor battery do need to be addressed, otherwise the contenders
willl in 2 years, remove the gloss from Apple's halo. It is not a 5 star phone,
4 yes, 5 no.
Reviewed by John from Ireland on 28th Sep 2012
Its a beautiful phone! Its bigger yet it feels smaller. It feels very good in
the hand and made of good quality materials. iOS 6 is a nice upgrade. Before
I bought my new iPhone today I was aware of the scuff gate problem so I opened
my device in store and thoroughly examined it and found 3 marks, 2 were tiny
and the third was bigger so changed it for a second one with no problem. Please
guys thoroughly examine your device before you leave the store!
Anyway I am going to give the new iPhone 4 stars and have withheld the last
star for the scratching issue and for what I feel to be an ageing OS as well
as not big enough changes to the form factor. But still a great handset.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Merv from Uk on 27th Sep 2012
Well. As you do unwrap. It. Look at it first impression is that it is lighter.
And thiner But not a lot bigger its what. It dose that counts. Out. Of choice.
Of hand set I prefer. Samsung s3. But on what I get out of performing. My every
day use. The iPhone comes. Top I hate. It but love it for the functions. It
dose for me. I have scanned. Thou the iTunes. Apps. And android. Apps. The apps
on iPhone that I have bought. Work. 100%. The apps I have bought on android.
70%. That is the down fall. The iPhone 5 signal. At the moment. Is the strongest.
I have had for long time I have bought a case that makes it look. Bigger. Connection.
To my Bluetooth is 100%. On my Samsung it was not so good. Shame. The bottom
line is the iPhone. For me works. all day with out any problems. And that's
what I need.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on 27th
Sep 2012
Thank. You. Merv for the. Review.
Reply by Pedro from UK on 3rd Oct 2012
Merv, appreciate you taking the time to review the phone but your use of punctuation
made it almost impossible to read! Very disjointed...
Reviewed by Ste W from United kingdom on 27th Sep 2012
This phone is mint, the quality and feel is superb and in my opinion is is way
ahead of the rest, love Siri and just all in all a quality phone, you get what
you pay for, it's a solid piece of kit
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Keith Farrow from UK on 26th Sep 2012
I migrated to the 5 from a HTC Desire. A very good phone.
First thing I noticed about the iPhone 5 was just how much faster everything
was. It will load a web page on a 3G signal as fast as my HTC did on WiFi, as
for loading under WiFi, well it is on a different planet. Whilst on the subject
of signals, this phone will get a signal in places that my HTC never did, 3G
is picked up in far more places.
Everything about this phone is slicker, screen responsiveness is great, music
is superb quality and camera pictures sharp.
It feels a really high quality phone, build quality seems superb and it is really
easy to hold. I'm not a lover of the massive screens on some new Android phones,
the whole thing gets too big, I wanted a phone not a tablet. Apple for me have
got the size spot on.
Siri seems to work very well for me.
What do I not like? Well I miss the Android ability to configure the phone exactly
as I want, you sort of have to accept what Apple decide is best for you.
There is one area though where this phone fails dismally............battery
life.
Even when I manually turn off all unused apps, the battery is still struggling
to get through the day. Turn on Bluetooth or maps and it just eats the battery.
Apple you have let the phone down big time. This failing reduces the phone from
outstanding to merely good. A phone is of no use if it will not work, no matter
how well the rest of it is designed. A real shame.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Neil from Uk on 1st Oct 2012
Interesting, maybe a fault with your battery. I use my phone with Bluetooth
and I'm charging every other day! I'm amazed by it. I'm writing this at 2202
with 22 %battery having not charged since yesterday morning. I surf, email,
text and watch the odd video during the day
Reviewed by Max from uk on 26th Sep 2012
I have been an avid follower of the iphone, this is the 4th version I have owned.
But although is saddens me say - it will probably be my last.
Iphone has lost its feel good factor, apple feel that they can release the smallest
of changes and keep thier audience chained to them. But not me, may even consider
selling it on and moving to the darkside.
RIP Stevie Jobs
Rating: Reply
Reply by Haroon from UK on 27th Sep 2012
Why spoil a winning formula. Apple have got a great product which is the envy
of the world. I love my iphone 5 (i upgraded from iPhone 4). If it wasn't for
the original iPhone, there would be no tablets or consumer oriented smartphones
at all.
Reviewed by Ross from UK on 25th Sep 2012
I've been an Android user for the past 18 months with the wonderful HTC Desire
HD. That was a fantastic phone, but I missed my 3GS and the apps I had purchased
from before, so I thought I would give Apple another try. I was very close to
cancelling after I read the reports of Scuffgate in the news. My White 64Gb
arrived and I opened it to be confronted with 6 nicks on the bottom, the phone
itself was still sealed but dirty. After seeking details of returning my phone
I had a closer inspection and the nicks (or what I thought were nicks) rubbed
off. Cleaned with a microfibre cloth and the phone was pristine apart from a
bit of fluff which has entered the casing. This really is unacceptable to send
out phones like this. I have never, ever encountered this even with the cheapest
of handsets.
Anyway. Now that the phone has been used a couple of days, I must say it's incredible.
It's fast, light and does everything better than my last fews smartphones. It
connects quickly to my car for Bluetooth, gets better connection at places I
struggled before and Siri is working well with my Scottish accent. The battery
seems to be holding up too. I have all the settings on and it's not getting
drained too fast (maybe that's after having the desire HD - it's battery was
pitifully small - And yes you could replace it if you wanted but it was horrible
to get the cover off)
Last thing. Get a case. It's far too easily damaged. I know this is something
Apple products have always been like, but it's getting old now. You can't even
look at it, but it's threatening to be scratched.
5 Stars for the phone. 1 star for the state it was in when it arrived and minus
one for the Apple store in Aberdeen that had no accessories at all. Nothing.
No cases, no adapters, screen covers etc (not sold out - they'd never even had
any stock). Thank goodness for Carphone Warehouse.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by First Time Apple Buyer from UK on 23rd Sep
2012
This is my first iPhone and to be honest I would consider myself an android
fanboy. Previously I have owned an HTC hero, HTC Desire, HTC Desire S and most
recently a Samsung Galaxy S3.
My only reason for buying the iPhone is that I'm supplied an iPad and iMac in
a job I'm about to start so I wanted a totally compatible phone.
I bought the phone from Apple on Saturday am and my first thought on picking
up the demo instore was that the home felt like a children's toy compared to
my S3.
Although I was taken by the solid feel, I think my opinion was formed more due
to it's small feel vs the substantial S3. Putting the iPhone on top of the S3
it's pretty much the same size as the S3 screen!!
I went ahead and bought it thinking that if I can't get along with it I'd give
it to my wife and live with comparability issues.
Here I am just over a later typing this a complete convert. This phone is just
incredible. What is most incredible though is that in many areas the S3 wins...I
think the S3 has abetted screen, more adaptable with widgets etc, bigger screen
for viewing media spring to mind.
But I can't put this iPhone down. Once getting used to the smaller size (which
will actually be a godsend given how much I travel), it just feels superb in
hand and does everything I want really well. I find it at least as fast as the
S3 if not faster and genuinely find iOS6 a work of art (let's not discuss maps
though).
The battery on the iPhone wipes the floor with the S3 which with moderate use
often needed a blast of juice by 7pm.
The most pleasing discovery is the music player and ear pods...the S3 was pants,
I'm currently listening to The Who and loving it.. Next long haul flight will
be a breeze!!
So in summary, if you want the best phone on the market in terms of paper specs
then go and buy and S3. If you just want the best phone then get an iPhone 5.
But do me a favour, don't go waving it around outside the Apple store wearing
designer glasses and sporting a man bag!!
Rating: Reply
Reply by First Time Apple Buyer from UK on
24th Sep 2012
Please forgive the typos in my review
Reviewed by Haroon from UK on 23rd Sep 2012
I upgraded from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 5 and quite simply this is the best
phone I've ever had. The phone is incredibly light and is effortless to use.
Absolutely outstanding!
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by xenon from uk on 22nd Sep 2012
Bit of a let down .... galaxy S3 is better
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Iceman from Luton UK on 22nd Sep 2012
I hardly write any reviews but after reading some reviews I am compelled to
give you my personal experience of the iPhone 5. I am a bit perplexed to read
how people jump to buy an apple product then they begin whinging. I have had
the iPhone 5 since yesterday and in one word I would say its Amazing. Very solid
and classy build, very responsive and fast processor and an absolutely stunning
display. And the apple customer service is without a doubt the best.
I have used the Samsung S3 for a month and this phone is way better in every
aspect. Looks,build and the classy IOS and if your S3 goes wrong you have to
send it off and wait for three weeks twitching your thumbs. The S3 has a known
problem of overheating!! Now the only downside i have noticed so far is that
battery is similar to 4S and that could be because it hasn't been charged fully
!
I would highly recommend to anyone it's a brilliant phone with a solid and stable
iOS. If you want to be an iPhone wannabe then buy Samsung, HTC or any other.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by bc from uk on 22nd Sep 2012
Firstly, I'm not an apple hater, had a 3gs &4s, just amazed that with all the
premium hype it turns up like someone had dropped it, just google this, scuffgate
and see the many users and aritcles
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Bally from UK on 22nd Sep 2012
Sublime, build quality is like my BMW, superb. And why should my phone be plastic?
It should be built to last, look like it really is worth the money, will still
within my contract work...I love htc also but I have just upgraded back to iPhone,
it's fast, new screen and display are awesome, Siri is really slick now, tinternet
is blistering fast, 4g is going to be out of this world, the new casing is classy
looking...battery good, panoramic camera is unreal.I do miss android for personalising
home and apps the way I want, but you can't have everything eh...
I know there are apple haters, just like Manchester United haters now... Or
Liverpool haters back in the day...but the fact is, when success is apparent,
people naturally hate something...
I rest my case...
If u can afford it buy it, if you can't, get an S3, Sony or Nokia free on a
£20 p/m contract and keep hating lol
Rating: Reply
Reply by Sam from Leeds on 23rd Sep 2012
Well said.. Nothing worse than a squeaky plastic phone!!!
Reply by Scott from Dumfries on 24th Sep 2012
Funny, I have a plastic-backed Galaxy S2 which when I bought it, some folk said
"Oh, it's so flimsy compared to an iPhone!". However, I have found it to be
very solid and have had no issues with it whatsoever and I believe the S3 is
better again. On the other hand, the number of iPhone owners I know who have
had to replace cracked front screens or back plates because they have breathed
on it is unreal...
Reply by P Stonhead from UK on 27th Sep 2012
Worst I've got a BMW and an iPhone 5 review ever
Reply by Bally from UK on 29th Sep 2012
And it's a brand new M5...lol boo hoo for you P Stonhead...it goes nice with
my iPhone 5 Must be a Nokia mars bar owner, remember them because he/she does
lol
Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on 30th
Sep 2012
OK, that's enough BMW humour, boys.
Reply by Jay from UK on 14th Oct 2012
I'm fed up with apple fans saying "you only buy Android because you can't afford
iPhone," fact is the Android flagships are just about as expensive a the iPhone
maybe 5 quid a month less, we Android users are not envious that you have an
iPhone and we don't, we could have had one but choose something else because
maybe we want to send stuff visa Bluetooth or use or phones as USB mass storage
devices or even just carry a spare battery that we can swap over ourselves when
our big screens and multiple cores deplete the first one. I don't hate apple
devices but I do hate people who think they're better than me just because they
have an iPhone and I have a galaxy s2.
Reply by Freddy from UK on 22nd Nov 2012
Got given an Iphone 5 as a work phone last month and I already had an S2 as
a personal phone. My personal contract is about to run out too on my S2, so
was in a dilemma, to stick with just the Iphone 5, or upgrade to s3???? Neither,
my S2 is still the nuts, got 3 spare batteries to take with me again this year
to Reading festival so I don't have to join the hideous queues to charge my
phone or pay £25 for a pants little rip off charger. My contract was £26 a month
900 minutes, unlimited texts + 1.5GB of Data. Find me an iPhone with a contract
like this. Doubt i'll even upgrade to the S4, just cut my contract down, best
part is, the maps still work too.
Reviewed by G from England on 22nd Sep 2012
Mine too looks as if its been used previously for a while out of the box. its
a good phone, but it has no groundbreaking features, which we have come to expect
from high end smart phones. It seems like another "filler". i went from galaxy
s2 and have used galaxy s3, and the screen quality on the Samsung cannot be
matched. Id say 3/5.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Mark from Uk on 22nd Sep 2012
Well it seems the apple haters are out. I wonder if they have actually got one
or not? I have and it's great not sure where they get that the quality is poor
from. It feels solid and has a nice bright screen that is responsive and clear.
The feel of the phone is really quick and very little lag. As for the first
reviewer If your phone is damaged tell apple about it and they will replace
it there customer service is great. I think it comes down to of you like apple
product you like them and you would be happy with the new phone. I went from
a 3GS and I'm very happy. I didn't get an android phone because they have gone
to big I need a phone I can get in my pocket and the latest android phones are
just to big. And I'm not just a apple fan boy as I have an android tablet. Why
do I have one because its better and cheaper than an IPad and it suits my needs.
So basically buy the phone that best suits your needs and lets stop the hating.
Rating: Reply
Reply by John from Ireland on 22nd Sep 2012
Who is hating? Seems like people are just leaving their feedback and their opinions...
You can't call people haters just because their opinion of a product is different
from your own. Even though i think the new iphone is great not everyone will
agree, thats life.
Reviewed by Mike S from UK on 21st Sep 2012
Just my iPhone 5 upgraded from the 4. In terms of speed it's streets ahead,
loading safari pages over wifi is like 10 times faster, I'm impressed with that.
You tube vids load much quicker. I tested my 4 and the 5 over the same wifi
connection. I like the new form factor looks cool in white, also the lighter
weight feels beefed in the hand. Siri seems slower than expected, but never
had the 4s to compare to.
The camer in low light with flash on is definitely better, not sure so much
without the flash. The speaker is loads better, and I'm sure the Air Play sound
with my Zeplin is better too.
Still a few more things to test but so far I'm pleased and impressed.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Garry from England on 21st Sep 2012
Like the previous reviewer mine was not perfect out of the box-it came with
minor scuff marks around the edge. The phone itself-I noticed that it was faster
than my 4s but not dramatically so. The 4s became significantly faster once
I had downloaded iOS 6 on to it and also benefitted from a full screen option
when browsing. The screen on the 5 has a less greenish and more natural tint
to it, although there's not much in it in this respect. The extra screen size
is useful as the text comes out larger than on the 4s (in landscape mode), and
is easier to read. Some may complain about the light weight having a detrimental
effect on perceived quality, and I can understand this. However this makes the
5 easier to hold in 1 hand despite the larger screen, so I can understand apples
thinking behind this decision to reduce the weight. I do not use apple or google
maps so cannot comment on this. The camera I feel has definitely not improved
from the 4s, the photos taken so far coming out less sharp than the 4s and also
the photos do not fill up the screen, having black bars on either side. I obviously
cannot comment on battery life yet as I just purchased it today. Overall so
far I feel that although the screen enhancements are welcome, I think the camera
needs improvement (possibly this can be done through an early iOS update), and
I am aware of the problems encountered in apples maps replacement. Because I
use the phone mostly for browsing the phone represents a decent enough upgrade
for me, but I can understand if others are underwhelmed by this phone. I bought
the phone intending to give the 4s to my wife, and I would say that overall
it is better than the 4s but it is not worth upgrading unless at the end of
a contract as the 4s with an ios6 download gives you 90% of the performance
of the iphone5
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by bc from uk on 21st Sep 2012
mine has just arrived, box is unmarked, yet the unit has chipped marks around
the edges, shame, poor and rushed.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Ken from Birmingham, UK on 21st Sep 2012
Oh my days, just got home and all I can say is, What have I done? Or more to
the point what have Apple done? Having had a 3G and 4! I had set my heart on
a Windows Phome 8 device but got pulled in by the smoke and mirrors of Applle.
The elongated form factor is down right ugly (hugly), the feel is cheap, the
phone doesn't look or feel isn't the quality that the 4 or 4S have. What have
I done?
I genuinely thought I was getting the latest state of the art device and deliberately
stayed away from the Galaxy S3 because it is a cheaply constructed device, but
so is this new iPhone!
What have I done?
Anyone with common sense who reads this should consider WP8 or any top class
Android device, as this is a real let down.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Sam from Leeds on 21st Sep 2012
Nothing cheap about the feel of this iphone!!... I had all iphones including
the 4 & 4s & just now I was looking at my old 4s & holding it & it felt cheap
& fat!.. This is sleek & beautiful. & the screen is big enough without being
massive.. A lovely designed piece of equipment from apple
Reply by Paul from UK on 21st Sep 2012
Well what can i say, i had mine delivered at 10.00am and its fantastic. I have
had a Samsung Galaxy S3 and anyone that claims it is better is just fooling
themselves. Ken from Birmingham should sell it if he doesn't want it as there
will be millions that do. Sorry but if you cant spell Apple you should probably
stick to Windows anyway. What have you done, you have purchased a really superior
product that will give good service,be reliable and easy to use, look great
and if you look after it you will be able to sell it next year for iPhone 5S
or 6. I really do wish Microsoft luck with their windows 8 Phone because Apple
need some competition as they aren't getting enough at the moment. I am not
an Apple nut or fanboy i just like the quality phones they make.
Reply by MikeHunt from UK on 24th Sep 2012
@Paul. Apple aren't getting enough competition at the moment.... A quick Google
to check their smartphone market share should set you right on that one. As
a hardware manufacturer they are top, but when you look at the OS penetration,
Android is wiping the floor with iOS. Yes they make most of the profit, but
they don't make most of the smart phones.
Reply by Paul from Uk on 25th Sep 2012
@very clever name. Apple aren't getting enough competition at the moment...I
was referring to quality competition, there are lots and lots of phones made
using the Android OS so it's obvious that they will have a larger share. Samsung,
HTC, Sony just to name a few, all make great premium products, they just dont
feel as good. In reply to Ken from Birmingham though, seriously 1 star for iPhone
5??? He got home with it and considered "the elongated form factor down right
ugly" and the "feel is cheap", so ken went to the shop, where they were on display,
didn't look at them, didn't feel them, he just bought it! What has he done....I'll
leave it there!
Reply by Freddy from Uk on 22nd Nov 2012
@Sam Lmao! 4 & 4s feel cheap now? is that because as soon as 12:00am hits on
the day of the new iPhone release anything other than the new iPhone becomes
pants. You're an idiot mate, i'll probably be seeing you in the Darwin awards
dying of exposure queuing up for the next release because you didn't wanna be
caught on the day of release with something other than the new iPhone whattaberk!
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