iPhone 5 — what we’re missing?!

Apple has finally announced the iPhone 5 and with it, some slightly significant improvements were made over the iPhone 4S. We look a bit closer and dissected some items to see what we’re missing.

Apple didn’t waste any time and started the announcement with the new iPhone 5.

The new iPhone is thinner (7.6 mm) and lighter (112 grams) yet is now taller than the previous ones at 4.0-inche diagonally. In the last 5 years that Apple has introduced the iPhone, this is the first time that they’ve actually increased the size of the display.

Apple iPhone 5 specs:
4-inch display @ 1136×640 pixel, 326 ppi
Apple A6 chip
16GB, 32GB, 64GB
HSPA+, LTE up to 100Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-band
Assisted GPS and GLONASS
Bluetooth 4.0
8MP rear camera, LED flash
1.2MP front-facing camera @ 720p
iOS 6

Apple also introduced new features like the Lightning connector, new set of EarPods, and the pure glass and aluminum design.

So, what is missing in the picture?

● Philippine Release Date. Apple did not mention the Philippines in its initial release date. Hong Kong and Singapore are going to get it on September 21. The next batch is in October and around 100 countries will get it by December. Are we expecting the iPhone 5 to be released by Smart and Globe this December, just like last year?

● iPhone 5 Price. Apple quoted price is the same as last year $199, $299 and $399 with 24-month contract for 24 months.

These are the prepaid prices of the iPhone 4S from last year. The iPhone 5 could be the same.

Smart iPhone 4S 16GB – Php33,200
Smart iPhone 4S 32GB – Php38,200
Smart iPhone 4S 64GB – Php43,200

Globe iPhone 4S 16GB – Php37k
Globe iPhone 4S 32GB – Php43k
Globe iPhone 4S 64GB – Php49k

● iPhone 5 LTE. Is the iPhone 5 compatible with LTE from both Smart and Globe? Apple did not say and according to their LTE map showed during the announcement, the Philippines isn’t included yet.

Apple website states that “Band support does not guarantee support on all LTE networks running on the same bands.”

Those are really important questions we don’t have answers yet. Your guess is as good as ours.

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Avatar for Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

68 Responses

  1. Avatar for Andre Andre says:

    Nakakatawa kayong mga bitter sa iPhone! Bobo nung naka 4S eh, kaya lang naman di yan bibili kasi nanghihinayang siya na hindi pa siya naghintay ng unti para iPhone 5 na sana nabili niya. Tama diba? Hater niyo rin eh noh, kung ayaw mo sa iPhone, ba’t naka iPhone ka? Bobo.

  2. Avatar for ecaps24 ecaps24 says:

    I like iPhone’s design but I don’t own one. It’s just too hefty for me financially. What I have is a Samsung Wave which I own for about 2 years. Just a piece of advise for smartphone buyers. You’ll really look cool if you own an iPhone but as time goes by, you’ll probably realize that what you need for a phone are just the fundamental functions. Why waste a huge bucks if you’ll just use it for texting, calling and alarms? I don’t like browsing and using apps in a small screen. So, if I were you, buy a basic phone, and tab with great specs. Surely, those will cost less than the adored iPhone.

  3. Avatar for anon anon says:

    Bakit andaming haters ng Apple dito? Wala kayong pakialam if we have the money to burn or if we think the iPhone is just better than the others. You have to admit, other than the specs, the design is a major factor why people will buy it. Other phones may have the upper hand in specs, pero in the end, nasa tao na yun. Design-wise, the iPhone is the superior one. If it can do the things I want it to, specs are just secondary to me. So even if I have the 4s, Ill still buy the iP5 coz i can and i want to. Sorry na lang sa mga haters na walang pambili and will try everything to discourage others. Pake nyo naman sa mga taong bibili, pera naman namin yan. And no, dont worry, di kami mamumulubi coz of it.

    • Avatar for ecaps24 ecaps24 says:

      Cool ka lang Apple fanboi. :) Alam naming madami kang pera.

    • Avatar for deadmau5 deadmau5 says:

      Kaw na mismo nagsabi. You ‘burn’ money for an iPhone.

      If anything, that attitude says you crave for attention. That post tells me the iP5 is merely a symbol for you.

      I would respect your opinion if you actually knew what you were gonna do with the iP5, but you sound like some person who goes to Greenhills just to jailbreak.

    • Avatar for wflower wflower says:

      Burn your money away. You and a gazillion others. What’s so cool about having the same phone as 20 other people in an elevator.

    • Avatar for Jiron Jiron says:

      “if we think the iPhone is just better than the others” That’s the thing. We know, and you know, that Apple could have made the iPhone better than what they unveiled! If I objectively want a new smartphone, I would cross out the iPhone 5 immediately. Why? Because, it is not a worthwhile upgrade from the 4S. No real new features that Apple once allured the consumers with. I’d even consider the iPhone 4S, heck even the iPhone 4, because there is not much these phones that the iPhone 5 can’t do.

    • Avatar for kit kit says:

      If you’re just gonna use it as a status symbol, forget it. If you won’t even use half of its feature, forget it. If you’re used to burning money, forget it. If you’re still dependent, forget it. If you are rich, then Apple is richer.

  4. Avatar for aki aki says:

    IMAGINE?
    LATEST HIGH -END SMARTPHONE FLAGSHIP NG APPLE?

    but….
    only 1GB of RAM?
    only 8MP Camera?
    only 1136×640 pixel?

    ONLY 4″ Inches Screen? at pinahaba lng ?
    (in my opinion sa panahon ngayon di yan sapat sa paggamit ng internet surfing and browsing, or watching a videos sa c.p.)

  5. Avatar for aki aki says:

    walang maipagmamalaki na bago

    halos lahat ng magandang spec.ay meroon na sa ibang mga flagship smartphones.

    pinahaba lang nila ang iphone 4’s mukhang payatot tuloy…

    LG’S OPTIMUS G. is much better.

  6. Avatar for R2 R2 says:

    I’m not an iphone fan but i like the way they improve it’s size making it tall rather than wider, it just fits in one hand unlike other high end smartphone now. But of course it’s still depends on what you want. :)

  7. Avatar for Mark Mark says:

    Anong walang NFC? Meron kaya… NO F*CKING CHANCE ;-)

  8. Avatar for shen shen says:

    iphone-5?

    Only 1GB of RAM?
    Only 8mp Camera?
    Only 4″ inches Screen for a High end Smartphone?

    they just made iphone 4’s longer.
    NOTHING MORE INTERESTING.
    Optimus G. is way better!

  9. Avatar for Cocopako Cocopako says:

    Kung maiimprove lang sana bb, wala sinabi ang iphone na yan

  10. Avatar for jpesarza jpesarza says:

    You people should stop hating nonsense, why do you care if people wants to look cool or just hype about their iPhone? Don’t be a sore hater, you should consider the fact that there are others who did their due diligent research and come out satisfied with each purchase.

    • Avatar for Blue Blue says:

      I wish you performed your own due diligence with your grammar. That said, just as it is the right of those who insist on buying an overpriced paperweight like iPhone, it is the right of others with better reason to call the stupidity of Apple sheep.

    • Avatar for kamote kamote says:

      wow, diligent research? the iphone? really?

  11. Avatar for john stan john stan says:

    Now that you’ve mentioned it, do you have any use for NFC in the Philippines? Is it really that much important to have it as a feature?

    • Avatar for deadmau5 deadmau5 says:

      You’re right, same with LTE where exactly can you use LTE in Manila? let alone the Philippines.

      bottom line is we can’t use the full potential of smartphones in this 3rd world country of ours.

    • Avatar for psikick psikick says:

      agree with deadmau5… there was a time when itunes had no philippine market support, but people still bought the iphone… fact of the matter is, dito sa pinas, apple equals cool daw… kahit talo sa specs at functionality compared sa ibang phones marami pa rin bibili kasi cool…

    • Avatar for Jojo Jojo says:

      Having a LTE / NFC, is having next to the latest tecnology… means ready ka na sa next implementation in time here sa Pinas. The phone depreciation di agad magbaba kong ang specs ay near to the latest technology… otherwise we are open lagi to open our wallet sa mga companies na yun :)

  12. Avatar for radioactive_balut radioactive_balut says:

    Nothing new on the table aside from an additional grid of icons? Yun lang?

    ho-hummmm…

  13. Avatar for dolf17 dolf17 says:

    agree. they must develop or create a “new” model. i’m disappointed with this iphone 5. there’s no WOW factor….

  14. Avatar for Kevin Kevin says:

    Mark my words and mark them well: Apple left out NFC on this thing because it will be featured in the next iPhone 5S next year. And the hype continues…

    • Avatar for Marcelino Marcelino says:

      I concur. Samantalang ang ibang smartphone companies ay FULL-BLAST na. Sila naman, relax na relax at nagpalaki lang ng screen, nag-upgrade ng processor, at naglagay ng aluminum sa likod, YUN NA YUN.

      Masyadong nagpapa-relax etong Apple. By the time they realized it, napag-iwanan na sila.

      I’m not even excited about iOS6. It’s the same shit.

  15. Avatar for Marcelino Marcelino says:

    Ang iPhone 5 ay para lamang sa mga loyal customers ng Apple. Why?

    New dock connector, new sim card (nano), and an old design from 2010 since iPhone 4.

    If you’re a die-hard Apple fan, go for it.

    In my case, since I own a 4S, I don’t think it’s practical and worthy to upgrade to iPhone 5.

    IN MY OPINION, the Note 2, Razr HD, Xperia T, and Lumia 920 are more worthy of our HARD-EARNED money.

  16. Avatar for alainL alainL says:

    4″ screen?! WOW! So big! Unbelievable!!

  17. Avatar for Ken Ken says:

    definitely an upgrade, but that’s what’s wrong with it. Apple is supposed to bring something revolutionary instead of evolutionary

  18. Avatar for Edu Edu says:

    A big YES!!!
    Smart runs on LTE 2100mhz and 1800mhz.
    Globe runs on LTE 1800mhz.
    iPhone 5 A1429 GSM MODEL supports these bands.
    Look here http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/

  19. Avatar for Gerard Gerard says:

    It looks like apple stopped pushing on innovation, and have focused its resources for litigation.

    Nothing new or impressive from the company that says “Think Different”.

    • Avatar for leeto leeto says:

      Well Gerald, Apple they really “think different”. That is why they are now focused on litigation and not on innovation.

  20. Avatar for leeto leeto says:

    I have an Iphone 3G pa, but that will be my last Apple gadget. Hirap sa MMS, bluetooth, no business card. If u upgrade, I have to go to IPhone store. As if im tied for life to go everytime to its store everytime I upgrade it.

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