So, now that Apple has officially announced the iPhone 5, how many of you plan to upgrade?
I’ve been pondering a return to iPhone for more than a year. Getting Ice Cream Sandwich on my Nexus S placated me for a while, but that was a mixed bag for me. Earlier this week, I got the Jelly Bean upgrade, and in addition to adding Google Now and a few other minor bells and whistles, it seems to have calmed down the Phone app, my biggest pain point to date with ICS.
So far, the only issue I’ve noticed with the Jelly Bean upgrade is that my corporate email and calendar stopped syncing. After a day of waiting, I just deleted and re-added that account, and now, everything is copacetic again.
I’ve read comments about the underwhelming nature of yesterday’s announcement, but I’m not sure what these people expect anymore, after years of incremental innovations.
Two things from the announcement stood out for me, LTE and a bigger screen, both items high on my wish list for the iPhone.
One thing that won’t go away but does give me pause is the iTunes integration. Android’s ability to bring all your data onto a new phone by magic is pretty solid. Syncing to iTunes, even OTA, feels janky.
For now, the iPhone 5 is at the head of the class as a replacement phone, if I decide to get one. I won’t stand in line or anything, but by Christmas, I should make a decision. By then, I expect we’ll see the next generation of Nexus phones from Google, something I hope they don’t discontinue.
I’m very much looking forward to that, given that Project Glass will soon be in production. It’s safe to assume that Google will show some whizzy interaction between its many devices, phone, tablet and glasses. Should be very cool.
Or maybe I should go retro and dig out my ancient Motorola RAZR and rock that like it’s 2005.
What about you? Find the comments.
I like it…you’re bringing RAZR back. I didn’t see a compelling reason to switch from 4s, but that is just me. I do agree that the bar is set high and folks expect big changes with each announcement.
I’m struggling to upgrade from a crappy HTC Wildfire. Why? I’ve always got a tablet with me and I’m rarely out of Wifi range. The Nexus 7 is treating me much nicer than the iPad 1 was. I do look with envy at the GalaxyS3, but it won’t fit in my pockets, so it’s a little pointless for me.
I’m starting to think of a phone as just a phone again and a tablet as the smart device I carry. I reserve the right to change my mind again at any point. 🙂
Cheers
Tim…
Yeah, I might just kick it old school and enjoy all my disconnected time again. If I only I knew where it was. I get why people expect a lot. I remember seeing the original iPhone in January 2007 and how badly I wanted one. That’s a tough act to follow, Jobs or not.
Interesting point. I actually err on the phone side, given that it: a) fits in my pocket and b) can provide network for my laptop. That leaves the tablet out as the extra bit. I am concerned that the iPhone 5 might not fit in the pocket, which is a deal-breaker. Too many first world problems 🙂
Nope. Just got a Samsung Galaxy SIII to keep the SII company. iphone 4S traded in. I’ll use my wife’s if I need to do research. I do still love my BlackBerry too – agreed on the retro gig.
You like those Galaxies then? Not a fan of carrier add-ons, hence the Nexus route I like to take. Plus, they’re quite large, not pocket phones. The RAZR would be so joyfully retro, texting by number pad and all. I need to find it.
love them, large screen great for games, photography, etc.
Very nice phones, the screens are larger than my entire Nexus S. Still, not an easy phone to tote. I am intrigued by the Galaxy Note though; the stylus is key to making a tablet (or any touchscreen) more productive, at least for me. No one’s finger is pixel-perfect 🙂
I had a Nexus S, in fact I got the SII as a replacement on insurance when the screen cracked. It’s not that difficult to carry, a lot better than the iPhone. None of the ass-dialing from my back pocket for a start, and slimmer. I don’t make that many calls to be honest on any cell phone, so that aspect is not a priority for me. Tried the Nexus 7? Played with it in duty free in LHR. Just didnt see to have the fit and finish and build quality of the Kindle Fire and iPad was well ahead (but then it does cost more). I love my Fire too.
Interesting. I’m still philosophically opposed to carrier-ware on top of Android. Have not tried the Nexus 7 yet, looks pretty nice, but tablets of all sizes are generally meh for me.
Not sure who pays your mobile bill, but I overheard a couple of guys at work chatting yesterday. The LTE speed makes it harder to get out timely warnings if you are approaching your download limit. Or as one of them phrased it, you can download $150 worth of surcharged video in less than 10 minutes.
Nice, that will be an issue. I think iPhone plans are all pretty hefty on the data side, but this could be an interesting showdown between carriers and users that might require Apple’s intervention.
Torn here: Like the Apple ecosystem for stability, but any innovation is coming out of the ‘Droid world rather than Apple these days. Not a fan of the new big screen: want my phone to fit in my shirt pocket and also like working everything one-handed (my fat, stubby thumb can’t manage the longer reach).
Also not thrilled about switching out power cords and peripherals from my current iPhone 4 – very little value-add for the expense. And nobody has LTE coverage here in Salt Lake yet, so it’s a moot point in my considerations. Not planning on doing any FaceTime over cellular (that need has been met by another, more stable app).
Leaning toward just upgrading to the iPhone 4S. If I decide to take a real leap instead of an incremental move, I’ll leave the iPhone and pick up a Samsung (but that’s not likely). Thinking a bit more about my wallet this go-around – liking the idea of trailing edge technology.
I read a post somewhere about the relative stability of Android vs. iOS. So far, Jelly Bean has been a welcome upgrade, ironing out a number of janky annoyances w ICS. I don’t have an iOS 6 capable device, but between 4 and 5, I noticed some flakey stuff. Plus, the reliance on iTunes makes it feel old.
The net is that Android is a very capable alternative, so it’s all about ecosystem, price, personal preference. But who are we kidding, it’s always been about those 🙂
Your problem w Android will be the screen size. All the high-end phones have huge screens; my Nexus S might be the smallest one. Unfortunately, this won’t change since the OS shines on the higher spec phones.
FWIW, there’s not a big difference between the 4 and 4S from what I’ve seen. Might as well stay on the fence.
I’ve found myself doing communication tasks only on the phone, which may really lead me back to a feature phone. Tim’s point about tablets, especially the smaller ones, is a valid one.
Network is the only issue though . . . .