It’s finally here and gone, the day Apple iPhone fans have waited – and lining up – for, the launch of the iPhone 5. With rumors of this phone predating the iPhone 4S, the public – at least the first two million who preordered – have an opportunity to get their hands on the fifth coming of the Jesusphone.
I have owned every single iteration of the iPhone since the iPhone 3G, but my I haven’t been this excited about a new iPhone since the iPhone 4. I’ve upgraded to both the “S” generations of phones (iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S), with their incremental upgrades and slight tweaks.
Anyone who says the iPhone 5 is the same as these “S” generations is dead wrong.
I’ve used the iPhone 5 now for just over 24 hours – after waiting what seemed like five-ever (more than forever) for my new iPhone to sync and restore (which was really only a few minutes, oh the anticipation!) – and already I’m blown away by some of the improvements that Apple has made. Immediately I noticed just how much lighter the iPhone 5 feels compared to the iPhone 4S. While I never felt like the iPhone 4S was a heavy load before, now after holding the iPhone 5 it feels like the iPhone 4S is one of my first “brick phones” from the 1990s. However, with Apple going this time with an aluminum backside, the iPhone still feels as sturdy as ever. This phone literally is light as a feather, stiff as a board.
Another immediate eye catcher is the new, larger screen on the iPhone 5. While the screen has only grew longer not wider, it is a joy on my eyes. I used to be green with envy when reviewing the larger Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy S III, now I feel like the iPhone has finally come of age. The larger Retina Display is eye catching, and is better with color, however, not as good as the Super AMOLED offerings of Samsung. To the untrained eye, the screen will look similar to the iPhone 4S, however, I’ve noticed better contrast with the colors on the screen, as well as better color reproduction. Everything feels a little more warmer on this updated display. The extra row of icons on the home screen is great for those who have a series of apps they use on a daily basis, but like having a lot of the preloaded apps on that first page as well.
The call quality is much improved on the iPhone 5. Now to be fair, I did switch from AT&T to Verizon with my new iPhone 5, so I can’t say the difference between the phones on the same carrier. Calls were clear, and the people I have spoken to have noticed an improvement in being able to hear me clearly. For the first time, the iPhone is actually a good phone.
LTE makes the data side so much more enjoyable on the iPhone 5. If you’ve never owned a LTE phone, then you will be blown away by the speeds LTE provide. In my initial tests, I was getting consistently over 29 Mbps download speeds and in the neighborhood of 10 Mbps upload speeds on Verizon’s LTE network. I don’t care what AT&T may put on the iPhone 4S, this is the real 4G iPhone we’ve been waiting for.
Users will also notice instantly just how snappy the new iPhone 5 is. Apple touted twice the performance over the iPhone 4S, and I was wrong thinking it was just a marketing ploy by Apple. This phone truly is the fastest phone I have ever tested or used. And the numbers prove it. In a recent test done by PC Magazine, the iPhone 5 bested all earlier iPhone models, as well as Android flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S III and Motorola Razr M. It doesn’t take a genius Samsung. Below is the results of the tests ran by PC Magazine.
Overall, the iPhone 5 is bar-none my favorite smartphone on the market now. It may not have the biggest screen, or the latest tech like NFC, but once again Apple has crafted an overall near-perfect user experience that Samsung and other Android manufacturers have tried to capture for years. The size is perfect for one-handed operation for anyone, and it’s certainly an eye-catcher.
Stay tuned to Mind Of The Geek for our full iPhone 5 review coming this week.
