All Things iOS - Apps, iPhones, iPods, iPads - Discussion

Where are you buying it since they don't have it in stock yet? 25 out of 28 online stores carrying the unlocked D5503 here currently have it.

EDIT: To avoid further clutter in the iOS thread, I've edited my post instead of making a new post with a quote. The purpose of this post is all in the question. I thought Vogelbung's country of residence was England, where you can get it from Sony Mobile Store and a few others, so I became curious as to where "here" is.

 

I said I'll buy it as soon as it's available here.

 

Lol it's even quoted.. Good job

So your big problem with the iPhone right now is call quality? Is that only on the 5S or have you tried a 5C? Sure it's not as fancy, but it wouldn't surprise me if the call quality was better with that plastic back.

 

I think my biggest problem with the iPhone is that the only thing I like about it is how it does media overall - e.g. the wireless sync and flexibility in terms of podcast loading and updating (i.e. via app or desktop, full playcount sync across all iDevices). But aside from the plethora of iOS-only apps (most of which I won't use daily) running iOS two-hander actually seems like a major downgrade in practically every non-media respects to me over a WP-Android two-hander on a daily basis.

Problem is, I really like the way iOS handles media and the choice of where to sync from in general. I could have dealt with the way WP7 did it had they kept that going, but WP8 is a whole different beast - and still inferior IMO.

 

I didn't realise they sold-SIM-free direct actually. Thanks for the heads up.

 

If you really like it just for media, why do you need an i Phone? Grab yourself an iPod Touch and you'll have access to all the media options and on-the-go apps you like, but you don't have to rely on it for phone calls. Although seeing as how you already have the iPhones, just put them on media duty. Sure, it's not idea carrying multiple devices like that, but you'll get the best of both worlds assuming you can find an Android or Windows phone to use as a phone.

 

Simple, for the reason I put down earlier. I use Bluetooth/headset for calls and music, so unless there is a BT headset which can reliably pair to two devices simultaneously (and I haven't come across one) the media device *has* to be my first-hander. The same situation obviously even if I was to go wired.

 

The Phiaton Chord MS 530s have a lot to brag about on paper, with multipoint connecting being one of their neat features. Unfortunately, I don't think you'll be blown away by the sound or the comfort (the positive reviews seem to be done by laymen), but maybe they'd be worth a try from a utility standpoint? Admittedly, I have no experience with Phiaton or other multi-pairing products. You may already have deemed these headphones unreliable or otherwise unfeasible.

 

The Plantronics Voyager 510 seems to have multipoint connecting feature as well. Reading through the reviews though, it sounds like there may be an issue with media playback. I imagine you've come across this one already as well..

 

There is one other proviso - it has to be a jacked headset, since I use my own phones. The Samsung HS3000 is about the best of the bunch, but quite apart from the abysmal design its not infallible and the call controls are usually messed up - I cant pick up calls on the phone I want to even if I have it paired to both.

 

Looks like 4.3-4.5" to me.

 

Anyone still using iphone 5?

I might get an at&t version (used.. hmm) as my Note 2 just drains battery especially on 4G. My experience with iphone 4s in the past has been that iOS 7 drains the battery quicker even with the moving wallpaper and all the reporting settings turned off. Is the iPhone 5 much better or is it just 4G + an extra set of rows?

 

I'm using an iPhone 5. The A6 used in 5 is alot faster than the A5 used in the 4S. IMO iOS7 is really only meant for the newest Apple devices like 5/5S/upcoming 6. The battery life is a bit worse than iOS 6 but meh, I've already gotten used to it.

 

I think the LTE is a significant add to the iPhone 5.

Battery life is a little worse than the 4 but I chalk that up to bigger screen and 4G.

I like the smaller form factor of the 5S even if it means a smaller screen. I hope the leaks of the 6 are true as it's a bigger screen without making the phone much bigger.

 

While 7.0.x was a dog on my 4S, 7.1 feels much like 6.x did. Very impressed with it so far and should do a more than adequate job of tiding me over until the iPhone 6 comes out.

 

That's also a negative in itself. A larger screen without making the physical device larger doesn't give them much room, at all, for a bigger battery... which you're going to want with the bigger screen sucking down more power.

But then, Apple has been able to work magic in the past... the 5/S has a tiny battery anyway, and it's not too bad. It doesn't have anywhere near the life of the 3000+mAh Android devices in most tests, but it's modestly capable. It's just that everyone I know with a 5S is in constant need of a charging brick.

 

Interesting, I'll look for 7.1 for my iPhone 5.

I hope the 6 comes out soon.

 

Am I the only one who is against going bigger? I mean c'mon! Have everyone forgotten the time of Nokia 8210 and the likes? Everyone was fighting for smaller phones. My brother has an i5 and for me my i4 is more comfortable to use. I would really loved if Apple kept at least one device at the "old" 3.5". Also I'm probably among the few that doesn't like iOS7 (my brother as well). After almost 3 years with 4.3.3, last week I've updated to 6.1.3 and I'll keep it this way until it dies on me. Next phone, I'll look elsewhere.

 

3.5" is just too darned small, especially if you browse webpages alot, it's ALOT more scrolling. Coming from a Nexus 4 (4.7") the iPhone 5 was already pushing too small IMO. If Apple can enlarge the screen without adding fat/bulk, then I'm all for it.

 

I'm eligible to upgrade this month, but will hold off. If the tidbits of info about the A8 CPU, upgraded GPU, and new WiFi chipset are all true, the iPhone 6 is going to be a beast. As such, I don't mind the wait too much, especially since iOS 7.1 has breathed some new life into my 4S.

 

I certainly don't want the iPhone to go "phablet", but I wouldn't mind it a little wider. That is one of the things I do like about the Android options is their bigger, wider screens. I'd like to see something like that in the iPhone. I certainly don't need a 20 megapixel camera or anything ridiculous like that, though.

 

Instead of making the iPhone incrementally larger again, I think they should make a 4.0 inch iPhone Air (aka iPhone 6) and a 5.someting inch iPhone Pro.

Also, no side bezels seem like a recipe for accidental screen presses all up and down the sides. I'm skeptical.

 

Do you all really think Apple will take the iPhone 6 to the phabulous level?



They will do as they always have done. A small (not tiny) jump in screen size, a moderate jump in internal specs, and a ridiculous amount of marketing.

 

This is also the company that would NEVER release a 7" tablet, right?

"7-inch tablets are tweeners: too big to compete with a smartphone and too small to compete with the iPad." -- Steve Jobs, a couple years before the release of the iPad Mini.

That's why I think Apple SHOULD offer an iPhone Pro at the phablet size while keeping an iPhone Air at exactly its current size. Instead of incrementally increasing the iPhone's size until some people find it too big (it's small size is a selling point for some buyers), offer two sizes. Just like they did with the iPad.

 

I said Apple, not Steve Jobs. I don't see the iPhone going phablet anytime soon. Mainly cause I suspect Jony Ive's been getting his design ideas from a Ouija board.

 

The iPad comes in two sizes (Mini and Air).
The iPod, discounting the models without a screen, comes in two sizes (Nano and Touch).
The MacBook Air comes in two sizes (11 and 13).
The MacBook Pro Retina comes in two sizes (13 and 15).
The iPhone...doesn't?

Jonathan Ive's vision is compatible with at least two sizes of devices when we're talking tablets, ultraportable laptops, and performance laptops. I don't see why his vision is incompatible with two sizes of phone.

 

I don't see it as a major issue, especially if the footprint isn't THAT much bigger, Apple I'm sure could get away with it, hopefully they don't do an iPhone 5crap with the 6.

 

:laugh:

You didn't get that reference, did you?

That's what I was thinking. If Apple stays the course with the iPhone, it will bump the screen size up a bit, and the resolution a whole lot more. I just don't see them going from a 4" iPhone screen to a 5.5" screen size on the upcoming 6, or even for a Pro version of the iPhone. I think that's what the iPad Air was developed for. It was the a choice between a slate size iPad or a phablet sized iPhone Could you imagine the iPhone 6's overall dimensions with a phablet screen? That's way too much a size jump. Apple's current MO has always been about minimalism in outward design.

 

I think there might be 4.6" and 5.5", of course all speculation, but 2 different iPhone sizes I don't think would really hurt them, in fact it might take people who want a tablet/phone/Note buyers to Apple who always wanted an iPhone but wanted a larger screen. 4.6" would be a good upgrade, close to alot of flagship phones of last generation (Galaxy S 2/3, Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Moto X, Moto G). 5" is IMO at the edge of getting too large. I wouldn't say Apple's current MO is about minimalism, the 10" iPads (not counting the newest Air) are still pretty large footprint (mostly due to the bezel). I like the iPad mini alot better, even though only 1.1" smaller, it feels way lighter/less bulky over the normal iPad. Of course the Air is nice, but I still don't want a 10" screen, my vision isn't that horrible yet.

 

See now, I'm the opposite. If I were to get an iPad, it would be the full size version. To me, slates are only good for specific-commercial or business based situations. Not retail/home consumers.

A 4.6" screen size is what I would guess the new iPhone would be sporting as well.

But I've read too many of these types of articles to reaffirm my suspicions that Apple want to keep the iPhone as just a smartphone and not blur the lines.

iPhone 6 Phablet Product Name won’t be ‘iPhone,’ report says | BGR

Of course, only time will tell.

 

^In the same way they haven't released a touch-screen laptop, I'd say.

Still, the 5S and the 5C was the first time they released multiple versions of the iPhone (even if one was just the old model rebranded), so coming out with two size options doesn't seem too far-fetched.

 

With the iPad Mini retina, you get all the benefits of the normal sized iPad, A7, QXGA+ screen, without the bulk/weight (comparing it to the old iPad, even the Air). I don't need a 10" screen, but my iPhone's 4" screen is a little small to watch media content on.

 

Hence the iPad mini. Knowing Apple, they wouldn't want two of their products to be that close in competition with each other. The MBA 13" and MBP 13" are OK since they are both of the laptop variety. But a phablet iPhone will hurt iPad mini sales. Why carry and iPhone & iPad mini when you can get an iPhablet that does both? Oh, Apple, you think you're so darned clever...

Apple is "emulating" the tic-tock roadmap of Intel with their iPhone model refresh. Bring out the base model (iPhone 4) then do a refresh with better hardware capabilities (iPhone 4S).

 

Apple is nowhere near afraid of cannibalizing one of their product lines. They've done it soo many times it's practically part of their strategy.

 

Name one since, say...the iPhone 3G.

 

The iPod Touch/Nano ate the sales of the iPod.
The MacBook Air ate a large part of MacBook Pro sales.
The iPhone ate into the sales of the iPod Touch, and by extension the iPod.
The iPad Mini ate royally into the sales of the full size iPad (4th Gen and Air).

And those are just the recent ones. Apple has no problem persuing a new product line at the expense of another of their own. They plan for it, actually. It doesn't even touch their bottom line. They phase in-and-out different product lines at will with the ease and security that no other OEM can touch.

 

I'll give you the iPhone eating into the iPod touch's marketshare. The rest is just "consumer choice". In those instances, people still bought an iPod/Macbook/iPad, even if it was the lesser model of each product. In the case of the iPhablet, people are either gonna buy an iPhone/iPad combination, or an iPhablet. Now they can jack up the price substantially on the iPhablet, but still, which consumer choice will net them more money?

 

You can look at it how you want; cannibalization or "consumer choice". It has the same net effect... a new product line takes sales away from an existing product line. The iPod, iPhone, and MacBook Air are all vivid examples of product line cannibalization, though.

Now, as to what people will buy... I'll understand when they start sales, because Apple customers have really unusual purchasing patterns.

 

OH, YEAH?!?!? WELL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE....!!!

...



The way I look at product line is iPad is a product line, Macbook is a product line, etc., etc. To me, cannibalization only occurs when someone say, buys an iPad over a Macbook instead of buy an iPad and a Macbook. Its why I think Apple's marketing team is so stellar. They've isolated each product line to fill a certain niche. Macbook is meant to be a laptop, iPad a tablet. We don't have anything in the middle ground, so you might as well get both. Doesn't mean the consumer actually needs both.

Rather ingenious.

So yeah, you can buy a Macbook to take the place of an iPad, but not vice-versa.

As far as Apple customer's spending habits:

 

But then, you'd be really surprised at just how many people buy an iPad over a MacBook because they're net-consumers instead of productionists. They won't get the value out of a MacBook, so they buy an iPad. That is sales taken away from the MBA line. Same happens when someone realizes they can get 10+ hours of battery life out of the 13" MBA, so they buy that instead of the iPad. Apple has set their product lines up better and better since the iPod/Touch days, when the iPod Touch almost instantly stopped sales of the traditional iPod. They're not afraid of cannibalization, but they do try to avoid it as of late.

As far as the spending habits... agreed. But their purchasing habits are not in line with traditional products or OEM's. Apple customers have a very keen knowledge of when they need to purchase what, because of Apple's dedicated, and predictable, roadmap. Every other OEM is a gamble.

 

Yet. They haven't released one yet. But where do you think this is heading?

 

And see that is why I don't think Apple will jump onto the phablet bandwagon. Why would they risk hurting the sales of both the iPad and iPhone at the same time? They'd make more from someone buying an iPhone and iPad than if said person were to get an iPhablet instead.

I will have to strenuously disagree with you on that point.

Exhibit 1:



Apple has proven it can manipulate its consumer base into buying the latest and greatest with only a moderate amount of ricketa-racketa.

 

I think that's unfair. I know plenty of people who buy Apple because they don't need Alienware level performance, don't mind pay money for Apple, and want a stable experience. I bought my iPhone solely because Verizon Wireless didn't have any decent Android phones at the time of purchase. When I go back to a SIM carrier, I'll likely look at the Nexus 5, the next flagship Sony phone, or the newest iPhone.

 

I think Apple WILL release two sizes of phone this year, if not, they SHOULD.

Many people still like the smaller form factor of the iPhone 4/5 (me included) and if they can give a small screen size bump (removing bevels) and an increase in resolution, that would work for many people. If the also release a bigger iPhone, maybe not phablet size like the Note but more like the size of the Galaxy S, that would work for the crowd that wants Android size but an iPhone ecosystem.

I've read an earlier comment that removing bezels will result in erroneous screen presses but I don't see that as something common. I don't hold my iPhone overlapping the side/front like you might do with a tablet, I hold it on the sides so there won't be any mis-presses.

So whether it's an iPhone 6 (or New iPhone) and an iPhone Pro, iPhone Max or iPhone XL, I do think there will be size bump. And they'll keep the 5c around for the bargain market.

Next year, we'll see the iPhone 6s, and iPhone 6c and maybe an iPhone XLs.

 

I'd be willing to consider jumping from Android to iOS if they had a 5" or larger phone. I'm not certain I would (giving up Swiftkey Flow would be hard), but I'd give it serious consideration with that sort of hardware...I really like the design and refinement of iOS 7. Hardware that's only 4" or 4.2" is a non-starter for me though. I can't be the only one.

 

And in those instances, said consumers actually did their homework and have tried the other OS's. But said people only represent a very small percentage of the Apple consumers. The rest buy Apple purely for fad value. And I mean that exactly as I wrote it.

 

If someone sticks with the first OS they use because it works well for them and they know how to do what they need to do with it, they're not using it "purely for fad value." They're not changing what isn't broken.

Both iOS and OSX offer stable, easy-to-use setups that do everything your average user wants to do with minimal hassle. Other OSes can do "more" or do it "better," generally with longer learning curves attached, but for someone who doesn't want to invest the time in those longer learning curves, an Apple device may be the best tool for the job. Fads have nothing to do with it.

When a baby boomer with minimal computer literacy tells me they want a device for home for doing email, facebook, Amazon.com, and Netflix, I generally refer them to an iPad. Not because me or they care about the "fad" value, but because, in that fact pattern, it's the best tool for the job. It'll be easy for them to learn, easy for them to use, and I won't have to deal with as many follow-up "how do I do X" calls.

 

But then how do they know Windows/Linux/Android doesn't work for them if they aren't even willing to try it?

Change can be totally necessary even though nothing is broken. This is the same thing I've been going thru with the teenager. She is unwilling to go with anything other than a Mac. She had a Windows desktop ~10 years ago. But its so far back, she can't remember if Windows XP was easy for her to use.

Her excuses have ranged from mildly stupid to totally bass-ackwards.

Teenager: I have to have another MBP! They're ultra-portable!

Me: So's a Dell or Lenovo...

Teenager: BUT! Mac does great with my Youtube and Facebook!

Me: So does Windows 7 & Firefox. You should try it sometime.

Teenager: But Mac will manage all the photos from my DSLR!!!!

Me: That's because it had a memory card slot. We can get you a Windows notebook with one as well.

Teenager: HA! But Appstore doesn't work on a Windows!

Me: Correct. You can't install Appstore apps on a Windows machine. But iTunes and Appstore do work. Appstore will just make you install your downloaded apps on to your iPhone.

Teenager: Your Dell laptop only gets 90 minutes of battery life!

Me: It's also 10 years old. The newer ultrabooks and smaller notebook models will get the same battery life as your old MBP.


This went on for another 30 minutes or so.

In the end she was told to shut up because she who is not paying for the new laptop has no say in what brand she will get.

So yes, this line of conversation has struck a nerve with me. I've been dealing with this thorn in my side for 7 weeks now and have no more patience to spend.

And baby boomers aside (cause I'd recommend an iPad or Kindle Fire for them as well), most people who choose Apple over PC do so for the same reason many people choose Lexus over other auto brands. They want functionality and style (or whatever passes for style these days). Most rank and file PC notebooks have great functionality. But aren't stylish. Macbooks are extremely functional as well. But Apple puts the emphasis on them being stylish and therefore charge more for that. Style isn't something you can measure.. Like all art, it is subjective to the opinions of the person who's judging it. So charging more for a notebook because it's purported to be stylish is buying into a fad.

Could said users get more functionality if they went with a PC instead?

Maybe.

Does that mean Macbooks aren't functional?

Absolutely NOT. Macbooks and OSX are prized for being easy to use and buttery smooth.

But for the prices Apple's charging, you'd think the Macbook Pro could split the atom and sing the star spangled banner.

But it doesn't. Yet Apple charges above and beyond for it's products. Why? Because they market it as a fashion accessory. And with all other fashion motives, most people don't think rationally when researching and buying such an item.

PS: I'd never in a million years put Lexus on the same level as Apple. Not even I am that cruel to defame Apple in such a manner as to compare it to Lexus.

 

I've never tried learning Esperanto because English works just fine for me. I like Windows, so I haven't tried replacing it with Ubuntu. I married my wife without ever seeing if I prefer relationships with men. Being a non-smoker works well for me so I never tried cigarettes to see if they'd work better. I became a lawyer without first trying being a mechanic, a surgeon, a cage fighter, or a test pilot, just to see if I prefer those jobs. Etc. "Not messing with something that is working well" is something most people do all the time.

The MBPR 13 costs $1299 for a Haswell i5, above-FHD resolution, comparable build quality to the best Windows consumer ultraportables, and an OS that is better optimized for above-FHD resolution than Windows 8.1 currently is. That's pretty much in line with what you can expect to pay for a Yoga 2 Pro, a Vaio Duo 13, an XPS 13, etc. You might be paying an "Apple tax" of about $100, at most, with that model.

If I was you, I wouldn't spend the time fighting someone and teaching them another OS when they can get the OS they're already familiar with, paired with good hardware, for about the same price as a similar Windows machine. What do you gain by fixing what isn't broken?

 

And the new non-retina model starts at $1199. Reman starts at $999. Apple tax is a lot steeper these days...

We could right now get her a decent name brand with an i5 Ivy Bridge for around $500 from Fry's. My frustration arises from the teenager trying to dictate terms on replacing a notebook. Plus there's a whole nuther side to this story I will keep of the forums...

I would consider your above comparisons to be very extreme. Comparing OSX to Windows in terms of functionality is more subtle. Like comparing the Apple to the Orange. Or...coffee to tea. Messing with something even though it is working well has been the hallmark of R&D forever. Without it, we would not have HDTVs or the internet. It has always been my mantra to ask, "What is a better way of doing this?"

Better might mean faster, cheaper, or easier to use/implement. In this case, OSX may be easier for the teenager to use as she is accustomed to it, but a PC Notebook is what we can afford right now. I with you that it will be far less hassle to get her a MBP than to fight with her on using a PC Notebook. But right now, if she wants a new notebook, that is what she will have to settle for. But I have no doubt that function-wise, a PC notebook will be just as good as a Macbook for her.