Has there ever been less of a reason to upgrade?

[nyc_rock]

There was NOTHING worth comparing to Siri upon release...nothing.

Maps on the other hand had Google Maps to compete with, so the aim might have been a bit high (but has worked great for me personally).

There may not have been anything to compare Siri too at release, but the point is still valid. This is not the same Apple. The Apple that would never release something until it was 100% ready.

I still think the fingerprint scanner will be better than the Atrix though.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

The improvements to the 5S from the 5 were pretty much on par with what I expected. I already made my
decision over the summer that I wouldn't upgrade from my 5 and my decision hasn't changed after the
unveiling. But it's not because of what people here are complaining about. The camera and speed of the
phone are great improvements. So if I was on an iPhone other than the 5, I'd absolutely upgrade. But who
knows. If I could weasel my way to a 5S somehow in the coming months without losing much money on my
5, I'll probably do it. But I won't use an upgrade on it.

 

[ejb222]

There was NOTHING worth comparing to Siri upon release...nothing.

Maps on the other hand had Google Maps to compete with, so the aim might have been a bit high (but has worked great for me personally).

Are you serious?! When Siri was released it may have had character, but it was just as functional than the competition. Siri and TellMe - a fair comparison - YouTube

And in regards to Google Maps...the AIM wasn't a bit high. That is the competition. Apple used Google Maps...then dropped it. Then tried to compete and still can't. Google Maps is in most respects the standard. Just like you would consider the iPhone the standard. People need to compete...not make excuses like, well maybe the bar is too high. That is rediculous. Especially since APPLE dropped the ball on maps. Drop one of your best features and try to replace it with your own software that was so bad that the CEO had to make a public apology. Geet some perspective man. If it was Android using Apple maps and then dropped the ball with Google maps, you'd be laughing all day long.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Obviously, the introduction of Siri was the big deal with 4S. And the fact that you couldnt run Siri on the 4 made the upgrade even more pronounced. Yes, you cant run a fingerprint scanner on the 5 I view that differently. The 4S had the computing power to run Siri, the 4 did not. That tells you something about the perceived bump in processing power. Also, the market was very different then. Apple was still way out in front of everyone else. The 4S was acceptable when you are a mile in front of your competition. The 5S is much less acceptable now that Android has passed, or at least equaled, the Iphone.

Understood.......Thanks.

 

[21stNow]

There was NOTHING worth comparing to Siri upon release...nothing.

Maps on the other hand had Google Maps to compete with, so the aim might have been a bit high (but has worked great for me personally).

Vlingo was a decent competitor to Siri when it came out.

 

[jcarlos100]

if it was the iphone 6 i would of expected more but since its the S its fine by me

 

[ejb222]

There may not have been anything to compare Siri too at release, but the point is still valid. This is not the same Apple. The Apple that would never release something until it was 100% ready.

I still think the fingerprint scanner will be better than the Atrix though.

Not only was the competition competitive with Siri or better(actual text conversation and FB chat talk to text) but didn't this very site run a huge article on how Siri fell seriously short of expectations. They ran a similar article with a poll of how many people actually used Siri effectively on a day to day basis, and the results were not even favorable. I really dont get the selective memory of you guys...even with the articles on this very sight. Why dont you go through the forums and see all the I wish Siri would...threads etc. Come on! Get real!

 

[finn5975]

I see several of our annual posters have come back to pay a visit. Interesting to see that such an 'insignificant' product can stir up enough emotion that one would go out of their way to type complaints once a year before riding off again into the sunset.

 

[taylorh]

I can honestly say, this is the weakest upgrade in the Iphones lifetime.

I guess if you felt that a finger print scanner was something you were really hoping for.

Man was I hoping to be surprised at today's announcement.

by the way, Apple stock is down 10 bucks and dropping since the announcement.

Processor is 2X faster
GPU is faster
Added fingerprint sensor
Improved camera
64 bit processor
More (the most) LTE bands
Added/improved LED flash

Are screen size and external body the only things that count as "major" updates? I mean they already have LTE, they can't add 5G this year. They could have done NFC, but would that have made it major? I just don't get what people are expecting Apple to put in to these phones EVERY YEAR to make it a more significant update.
This phone is not an upgrade from the 5, it's not supposed to be. It's supposed to be incremental improvement from the 4S or earlier.

No one is innovating any faster in the mobile phone space as far as I can tell except for Nokia (athem, Microsoft.)

 

[jerome g]

I share the same sentiments with a lot of the others. I lee finitely would have liked better battery life.
The upgrades are substantial to me and numbers will not tell the whole story, i.e. twice as fast processor and camera spec numbers, it will be evidenced with real life use. The phone will be faster and take better pics. An app opening in 1 second vs 2 seconds may not sound like much but will be appreciated when moving from app to app and other thing during daily use.
I think people do get hung up on physical looks, but it's what's inside that really matters.
Maybe an analogy would be getting a stripped down Mustang with cloth seats and regular stereo (which is still a nice car) versus a loaded Mustang GT with leather seats and premium sound system (which is a Really nice car) the difference will be realized with the use of the car, not so much the looks. (I know, the GT does look a little different, but mostly the same)
It is all subjective, for some the regular mustang is fast enough and stereo sounds fine, others like the faster car and blasting the tunes.
So, my point is-who the heck would get the regular Mustang ?

 

[tgp]

I can honestly say, this is the weakest upgrade in the Iphones lifetime.

I guess if you felt that a finger print scanner was something you were really hoping for.

I don't think this upgrade is weaker than others. The difference between the 5 and the 5s is as big as other "s" upgrades.

The difference is that Apple now has competition. We were expecting a big leap over the competition. Two years ago when we went from the 4 to the 4s, Apple was clearly and unarguably the leader. Today we have Android phones that overall are every bit as good. Sure, not as good in every area, but better in some. Maybe instead of comparing the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 5, we're subconsciously comparing it to the Galaxy S4 or the HTC One or the Moto X and hoping for a bigger differential.

 

[goodevening]

I have a 4s and I am ready to upgrade to the 5s. I have used the LTE on my husbands 5 and I am excited to get access to that. I like the S variants of the phone because at that point they have the internal and external issues figured out with the new designs.

 

[twitch3488]

Dont get me wrong, if you have been using the 4S for two years then yes, you will see a huge difference between the two. Then again, you would have seen a huge difference between the 4S and the 5.

But as I said before, I think the Iphone 6 will be out sooner rather than latter. So if you get the 5S, you will be locked away from what should be a really big upgrade in the 6. Hey, just one mans opinion.

My question is, what makes you think the 6 would come out any earlier than next fall. The kids at Cupertino have been pretty consistent with staying on a yearly release schedule for the phone for quite some time. Don't get me wrong, I would love for the iPhone 6 to come out in 6 months but I just don't see the reasoning behind it. IMO.

 

[END]

I can honestly say, this is the weakest upgrade in the Iphones lifetime.

I think it is one of the more impressive upgrades.
I wrote in another thread that you are getting all this and more over the 5 -

- New CPU with two times the performance.
- GPU has two times the performance.
- New M7 Chip sensor hub.
- Improved camera with F/2.2 aperture
- 1.5micron pixel patch
- New dual LED flash
- Fingerprint scanner
- More LTE bands
... and more.

This is a pretty good bump.
You have to look more at the internals and not so much the exterior, though it does look a bit different there as well.

 

[ADGrant]

If you are an iPhone user absolutely the camera features are enough to upgrade but they definitely are things that are and have been in plenty of phones. The fingerprint reader is cool but it's more of a business thing. The 64 bit processor is one of those things that the general population will go huh.........to. They have no idea what that does or even means, it just sounds cool. I don't think today was enough to sway the market share back towards iOS.

They're just more phones in the mobile market, nothing that makes them standout from the others. Apple just has a way of making their announcements big deals, Apple is a marketing company and they're very good at it, nobody can deny that. But Apple as a tech company anymore is average, they offer the same stuff most everybody else does.

Not other phone has a flash system that can vary its color temperature. Actually no other camera has a flash system that can vary its color temperature (including Nikon or Canon). No other smartphone has a 64bit OS or CPU either. The general population knows that 64 is twice as much as 32, I am sure the Apple marketing machine will do the rest.

No other phone currently on the market has a finger print scanner either.

You may have a point on the pricing, but Apple is not offering the same stuff everyone else is. Quite the opposite in fact.

 

[thatotherdude24]

Not other phone has a flash system that can vary its color temperature. Actually no other camera has a flash system that can vary its color temperature (including Nikon or Canon). No other smartphone has a 64bit OS or CPU either. The general population knows that 64 is twice as much as 32, I am sure the Apple marketing machine will do the rest.

No other phone currently on the market has a finger print scanner either.

You may have a point on the pricing, but Apple is not offering the same stuff everyone else is. Quite the opposite in fact.

They do know 64 is more than 32 but they aren't going to know what that means nor will the notice a difference in how the phone works.

I did acknowledge the fingerprint reader, it's something that we will see how it goes after launch.

Nobody else does have color changing flash, you are correct. But slow motion, burst mode and all that stuff has been done before.

I'm not saying the phone is a bad phone it's just another phone.

 

[Richard Nieves]

I think today was a let down. Apple attempted a budget phone and failed. Yes the 5C is $99 on contract but it's $550 off........that's not budget, prepaid is actually coming back and there are much cheaper alternatives than the 5C. If this was Apple's attempt to stop Android from dominating overseas I don't think it will work.

If you are an iPhone user absolutely the camera features are enough to upgrade but they definitely are things that are and have been in plenty of phones. The fingerprint reader is cool but it's more of a business thing. The 64 bit processor is one of those things that the general population will go huh.........to. They have no idea what that does or even means, it just sounds cool. I don't think today was enough to sway the market share back towards iOS.

They're just more phones in the mobile market, nothing that makes them standout from the others. Apple just has a way of making their announcements big deals, Apple is a marketing company and they're very good at it, nobody can deny that. But Apple as a tech company anymore is average, they offer the same stuff most everybody else does.

I am curious what you (or anyone else who are disappointed) were expecting/want).

I have seen a lot of disappointed comments. But let me recap this years big events that "disappointed people"

The new Xbox one looked extremely impressive, yet it got so much heat, even excluding all the things they changed that I agree we're unfair)

The new moto X, androids first official google phone. It has tons of customization options and is optimized with android opposed to being added on to other manufacturers phones only to be ruined with skins.

Ios 7 got an initial hate period

Now the iPhone 5s which, as someone who knows a little about photography can say that the upgrades to the camera alone are pretty significant. The fingerprint scanner may seem gimmicky, but for businesses and government, this is a major feature. 64 bit architecture is a mobile first. It may mean nothing to average people, but it will help with games and intensive apps. The new motion sensed will help with apps like health apps or map apps and use less processor power.

I totally understand people have opinions, and we are all in titled to them, I just am very curious what people actually want! This phone seems like it is no less awesome than any other big phone. Screen size does NOT make a phone better or more innovative if that is the issue. It seems like leaks or high expectations are causing way too much negative attitude towards new products. We have phones that are as powerful as computers in our pockets! Technology does have to slow down as it gets better

I want to know what would have made this phone "better" personally, I like that apple doesn't change exterior aesthetics on "s" phones because it allows accessories to build up better as the work for both models. I think this is actually more impressive then the galaxy s4 and right with the htc one.

(Please note, if I seemed frustrated at all it is not at you, its at the floods of people who are disappointed in general as if they expected an iPhone made out of real gold lol )

 

[thatotherdude24]

I am curious what you (or anyone else who are disappointed) were expecting/want).

I have seen a lot of disappointed comments. But let me recap this years big events that "disappointed people"

The new Xbox one looked extremely impressive, yet it got so much heat, even excluding all the things they changed that I agree we're unfair)

The new moto X, androids first official google phone. It has tons of customization options and is optimized with android opposed to being added on to other manufacturers phones only to be ruined with skins.

Ios 7 got an initial hate period

Now the iPhone 5s which, as someone who knows a little about photography can say that the upgrades to the camera alone are pretty significant. The fingerprint scanner may seem gimmicky, but for businesses and government, this is a major feature. 64 bit architecture is a mobile first. It may mean nothing to average people, but it will help with games and intensive apps. The new motion sensed will help with apps like health apps or map apps and use less processor power.

I totally understand people have opinions, and we are all in titled to them, I just am very curious what people actually want! This phone seems like it is no less awesome than any other big phone. Screen size does NOT make a phone better or more innovative if that is the issue. It seems like leaks or high expectations are causing way too much negative attitude towards new products. We have phones that are as powerful as computers in our pockets! Technology does have to slow down as it gets better

I want to know what would have made this phone "better" personally, I like that apple doesn't change exterior aesthetics on "s" phones because it allows accessories to build up better as the work for both models. I think this is actually more impressive then the galaxy s4 and right with the htc one.

(Please note, if I seemed frustrated at all it is not at you, its at the floods of people who are disappointed in general as if they expected an iPhone made out of real gold lol )

I think the disappointment from people comes that the rumors were right so there were no surprises. I guarantee you if there were no rumors about what we were going to see or if the rumors were wrong the excitement level would have been greater, not just for me but for everybody.

The rumors pointed to the 5C was going to be the budget phone to help iOS grow in markets where android is taking over (poor markets) this is where part of the disappointment is for people and myself because the budget phone turned out to be not so budget and maybe in Apple's eyes the 5C was never meant to be a budget phone, if that's the case then it's priced just fine.

I feel the same about the Moto X, it was supposed to be a budget phone, it's not even close to being one. In fact to me the Moto X is a middle of the road phone priced as a high end phone. What no company has been able to do (arguably Nokia has with the 521 and LG with the Nexus 4) is make a budget phone but not make the phone suffer because it is a budget phone. People aren't spending money on phones like they used to, I know a lot of people in the past few months ago have gone with the iphone 4 because it was free.

The iPhone 5S, I mentioned in another post on imore if apple would add the fingerprint reader and then give people a way to attach documents from within the mail app that would be huge in business. The fingerprint reader is nice fine get me wrong but I see it more beneficial in business. Nobody can deny the hardware camera improvements are impressive (other phones have had dual led flash though, Lumia 1020 and 928.) but it's very impressive. The software camera features aren't new, the Samsung Galaxy series has a lot of camera features as well does the Windows Phones. You could even do most of that on iOS with apps. So the camera software side is what it is. The 64 bit processor won't matter for a while i dont think, technology isn't at a point where it's a must have in a phone yet. I don't think it will be a selling point to the general population either, they have no idea what it means and neither do their buddies so it doesn't have that 'bragability' factor, the fingerprint reader does have 'bragability' however and will probably be the biggest selling point to the general population.

I'm not saying the new iPhones are bad phones by any means nor am I saying Apple has lost its touch. Apple has a totally different way of doing things than other OEMs so it's always going to seem like they're behind. Apple releases new phones once a year whereas everybody else releases phones every few months, a lot changes in 1 year of technology so of course other manufacturers will have it before apple does and based on where technology is at in apples refresh cycle Apple may be first on some things, thats how technology works. I don't think the iPhone 5S is a top end phone nor do I think it's a bottom end phone, it's just another phone that gives people options, certainly the iphone 5S is higher than the 5C.

To be honest I don't know what Apple could have done differently nor do I think anybody actually knows what they want in a phone. I too am on your side, people complain about a lot of the top dog phones but when given the opportunity to say why they're complaining the answer is I don't know.... Uhhhhhh what? You're think this is the best phone on the market right now, nothing wrong with that. Personally I think the galaxy note 3 is, the price is insane but it's an impressive phone. If you ask 10 people what they're top phone is you'll get 6 different answers, thats the plus to the time we live in, choices and competition.

Hopefully I answered a lot of what you talked about in your post. I'm not a fan boy of either side, I've got better things to do. If iOS works for you, use it.... If windows phone works for a family member, tell them to use it..... If you like Android for a tablet then use it. Technology is growing too rapidly right now to limit yourself.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4

 

[swarlos]

I am curious what you (or anyone else who are disappointed) were expecting/want).

I have seen a lot of disappointed comments. But let me recap this years big events that "disappointed people"

The new Xbox one looked extremely impressive, yet it got so much heat, even excluding all the things they changed that I agree we're unfair)

The new moto X, androids first official google phone. It has tons of customization options and is optimized with android opposed to being added on to other manufacturers phones only to be ruined with skins.

Ios 7 got an initial hate period

Now the iPhone 5s which, as someone who knows a little about photography can say that the upgrades to the camera alone are pretty significant. The fingerprint scanner may seem gimmicky, but for businesses and government, this is a major feature. 64 bit architecture is a mobile first. It may mean nothing to average people, but it will help with games and intensive apps. The new motion sensed will help with apps like health apps or map apps and use less processor power.

I totally understand people have opinions, and we are all in titled to them, I just am very curious what people actually want! This phone seems like it is no less awesome than any other big phone. Screen size does NOT make a phone better or more innovative if that is the issue. It seems like leaks or high expectations are causing way too much negative attitude towards new products. We have phones that are as powerful as computers in our pockets! Technology does have to slow down as it gets better

I want to know what would have made this phone "better" personally, I like that apple doesn't change exterior aesthetics on "s" phones because it allows accessories to build up better as the work for both models. I think this is actually more impressive then the galaxy s4 and right with the htc one.

(Please note, if I seemed frustrated at all it is not at you, its at the floods of people who are disappointed in general as if they expected an iPhone made out of real gold lol )

Awesome insight on the S class upgrades staying with the same chassis because how many people with multiple cases for the 5 would be upset if they couldn't use those anymore because of a design change?


Carried by a raven from The Wall.

 

[Richard Nieves]

I think the disappointment from people comes that the rumors were right so there were no surprises. I guarantee you if there were no rumors about what we were going to see or if the rumors were wrong the excitement level would have been greater, not just for me but for everybody.

The rumors pointed to the 5C was going to be the budget phone to help iOS grow in markets where android is taking over (poor markets) this is where part of the disappointment is for people and myself because the budget phone turned out to be not so budget and maybe in Apple's eyes the 5C was never meant to be a budget phone, if that's the case then it's priced just fine.

I feel the same about the Moto X, it was supposed to be a budget phone, it's not even close to being one. In fact to me the Moto X is a middle of the road phone priced as a high end phone. What no company has been able to do (arguably Nokia has with the 521 and LG with the Nexus 4) is make a budget phone but not make the phone suffer because it is a budget phone. People aren't spending money on phones like they used to, I know a lot of people in the past few months ago have gone with the iphone 4 because it was free.

The iPhone 5S, I mentioned in another post on imore if apple would add the fingerprint reader and then give people a way to attach documents from within the mail app that would be huge in business. The fingerprint reader is nice fine get me wrong but I see it more beneficial in business. Nobody can deny the hardware camera improvements are impressive (other phones have had dual led flash though, Lumia 1020 and 928.) but it's very impressive. The software camera features aren't new, the Samsung Galaxy series has a lot of camera features as well does the Windows Phones. You could even do most of that on iOS with apps. So the camera software side is what it is. The 64 bit processor won't matter for a while i dont think, technology isn't at a point where it's a must have in a phone yet. I don't think it will be a selling point to the general population either, they have no idea what it means and neither do their buddies so it doesn't have that 'bragability' factor, the fingerprint reader does have 'bragability' however and will probably be the biggest selling point to the general population.

I'm not saying the new iPhones are bad phones by any means nor am I saying Apple has lost its touch. Apple has a totally different way of doing things than other OEMs so it's always going to seem like they're behind. Apple releases new phones once a year whereas everybody else releases phones every few months, a lot changes in 1 year of technology so of course other manufacturers will have it before apple does and based on where technology is at in apples refresh cycle Apple may be first on some things, thats how technology works. I don't think the iPhone 5S is a top end phone nor do I think it's a bottom end phone, it's just another phone that gives people options, certainly the iphone 5S is higher than the 5C.

To be honest I don't know what Apple could have done differently nor do I think anybody actually knows what they want in a phone. I too am on your side, people complain about a lot of the top dog phones but when given the opportunity to say why they're complaining the answer is I don't know.... Uhhhhhh what? You're think this is the best phone on the market right now, nothing wrong with that. Personally I think the galaxy note 3 is, the price is insane but it's an impressive phone. If you ask 10 people what they're top phone is you'll get 6 different answers, thats the plus to the time we live in, choices and competition.

Hopefully I answered a lot of what you talked about in your post. I'm not a fan boy of either side, I've got better things to do. If iOS works for you, use it.... If windows phone works for a family member, tell them to use it..... If you like Android for a tablet then use it. Technology is growing too rapidly right now to limit yourself.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4

Yes you did, thanks. I only ask because I see it so often in all technology blogs and I agree it's likely all the rummers and leaks. I wouldn't consider myself a fan either. I give props to Motorola and while I agree it should have been cheaper, it's still a good phone because it is optimized. Android as a whole is impressive in many ways, but sometimes it's open nature is just as good as it is bad. Carriers and manufacturers truly butcher the awesomeness that android is. I like ios and the iphone because I can rely on them. I also find the camera and apps tends to be better on ios. (In my opinion). Did not know Nokia had dual led flash, I thought it was I xenon light?

Anyway good response. The best part about technology is choice! I will likely upgrade to the 5s and then wait it out to the 6s if I stay with apple. Who knows, something android might change my mind by my next upgrade