As what we normally do, we buy most of the highly-anticipated gadgets so we can give you a more in-depth coverage and help you decide along the way. That includes the iPhone 5 which we got for an outrageous sum of money. Check out our unboxing and first impressions after the break.
We’ve been very eager to unbox this phone since yesterday morning but since I was still on a summit in Cebu, this just has to wait. The unit came from Singapore and hand-carried to Manila right after its release in Singapore last September 21.
Photo of the iPhone 5 box right beside the older iPhone 4S. Same material, just a bit taller/longer than the old one.
We got the white model with silver backplate at the back. The unit feels lighter on the hands despite its larger size (I kind of miss that bit of heft from the old iPhones).
The EarPods now comes in a small plastic box of its own which gives it a more premium look compared to the old earphones that come with the iPhone (as if the earpods were bought separately actually).
We can also (slightly) feel that the iPhone 5 is slimmer, the controls are buttons are in their usual places. The nano-SIM cradle on the right side is much smaller. The speaker grills at the bottom are much more prominent and the proprietary cable and data port reminds me of the ones in the Macbook Air, only smaller.
We managed to cut a microSIM to fit the nano SIM cradle on the iPhone 5 and we also had to download iTunes 10.7 in order to activate the phone (we will update once all that has been done).
From afar, the iPhone 5 doesn’t seem to be any different from the older iPhones (4/4s) but once you’ve held it in your hands, you will definitely notice the oddly taller (or elongated) size of the phone. I feel it’s a bit out of proportion.
More photos and video to come once we break in the iPhone 5 along the way. We felt a bit underwhelmed after the unboxing, not sure if there’s something we’re missing here.
Apple iPhone 5 specs:
4.0-inch IPS LCD display @ 640×1136 pixels, 326ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass
Apple A6 1.2GHz dual-core processor
PowerVR SGX543MP3 (triple-core)
16GB, 32GB, 64GB internal storage
1GB RAM
DC-HSDPA 42Mbps, LTE 100Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-band
Bluetooth 4.0
8MP autofocus camera, LED flash
180p video recording
1.2MP front-facing camera, 720p @ 30fps
GPS w/ aGPS support, GLONASS
iOS 6
You can also read our full overview of iOS 6 here.
We reported earlier that the iPhone 5 will probably be released by Smart and Globe some time in November. This gives the grey market sellers ample time to offer the phone at a much higher price. Initial reports on the ground saw prices of the 16GB iPhone 5 shooting up to Php50,000USD 852INR 72,230EUR 812CNY 6,205 a pop.
YugaTech.com is the largest and longest-running technology site in the Philippines. Originally established in October 2002, the site was transformed into a full-fledged technology platform in 2005.
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Amado says:
Yawn
Richardph says:
Still waiting mode
Bryan says:
I’m already contented with my iphone 4s. If apple would only make it easier to put media files on your phone much like android were you dont have to use itunes well that would be a different story.
Gary says:
Thats why the box is longer because of the bulky earpods case.
Migz15 says:
Another way to rob consumers. haha. :)
Dave says:
Yawn is right…
lalaland says:
at 50,000?! no deal!!
i better wait for nokia lumia 920!! that really gives me what i want even though i like apple’s iDevices! i’ll just get myself an iPod touch! only at 16k and its already 32GB and im pretty sure there’s a version with 3G/4G connectivity!
coz this pricetag is crazy!!!
MyMaria says:
Would love to see a black unit and see how it compares with the white one. Read a few not so good reviews with the anodized aluminum of the black & slate model as the coating somehow rubs off…
girlteki says:
50,000 pesos for 16 GB? ahahaha…ahahaha…ahahaha…then awkwardly silent
Office boy says:
Wahh luma na agad iphone 4s ko :( , less than 2 years pa contract ko
Edu says:
@Abe
I’m eager to know how then LTE fares in globe and smart. Please post it too. :-)
nexusboy says:
yuga pls do a scratch test haha. based on your impression, do u feel it will get scratches if not using a case? kasi sayang naman if one gets to spend fifty thousand pesos but no one would notice it kasi nga lalagyan ng case haha
Jayvee says:
Boring. I’d be much excited if this was the S3 or Lumia 920.
Edmilan says:
My 4S is still capable, will be skipping this one. But will be getting one for my wife who’s still sporting a 3GS with a damaged home button
BoRiS says:
nothing brilliant about it.. i won’t be updating to this one.. will wait for Galaxy S4 on February! ^_^
BuBu says:
BB user ako pero parang S3 pa rin ang pinaka the best sa kanila…
La+ says:
May hardware issue na agad, Iphone 5 users complaining about alluminum chipping.
http://www.gsmarena.com/certain_black_iphone_5_reportedly_come_with_dents_out_of_the_box-news-4844.php
Berkanoshow says:
Wish you could’ve gotten the black one as the white version do anything to differentiate itself from the 4s in the photos IMHO
Jay says:
I thought you couldn’t use your old microsim on an iPhone 5? The metal contact would be too big.
Kanto10 says:
lol kung 50k lang naman bili na lang ako ng bagong laptop. pinahaba lang naman ang iphone5 at pinanipis. Meron namang S3 jan
kenny says:
i wonder how many people would snatch it up this next few weeks only to find out that you need a nanosim.
procopiojose says:
dalawang uri lang nang tao bibili nyan… mayaman o social climber.. haha
dafuq.. gaguhan lang??
ironyuppy says:
The biggest turn off with this device is the price. Specially there are many smartphones in the market today that are better than this.
Agree, if I want an apple-like experience I would
simply buy an ipod touch. :)
primon says:
Seems no one’s impressed. I can’t wait for the Apple fanboys’ violent reactions.
jim says:
Hi, I think what I read in the comments does not always happen in the market. We all say, yeah this feature already a year out, an old feature of other phones, but guess what, people buy these things because these just works! I think only the tech people hate how the iPhone is the market leader just because the thing they all concerned about is the raw specs, hackability, how easy it is to insert pirated movies and music. iPhone captured the likes of normal consumer and business so they are positioned on top now.
jim says:
We are all brave to demolish this device because this is the web, the anonymity of everything saves us. But I guess in the real world, none of us would be showing up for a real debate. There are only some that would do but they’ll be left out in the dust since no one cares.
ronald says:
Im more interested in the “earpods” than the phone. Please review it if the sound is really comparable to those hundred dollar headphones that apple claims.
dunos says:
Wow… earlier article from this site says that iphone crap blah blah then site owner goes ahead and buys the unit….
Grabe… next time…buy the unit then have someone write an article, it makes much more sense.
Agreed with Jim… sino dito nakarinig of buying Samsung S3 or any Android phone with even 5000P more.
Ron says:
Sir Abe, does your unit has scratches on the metal band? It’s seems prominent both on the black and white versions. A lapse on quality control.
Mike says:
Looks great, hope local telcos will release it by Nov. After experiencing lots of bugs and crashes on Android, I’m moving on to iOS.
moe says:
ron, napansin ko din yan sa unit ko. i have the black one. ung metal band has paint chips, indicative of a rushed product. ung white ng wife ko wala naman ako napansin na ganun.
Marcelino says:
“We managed to cut a microSIM to fit the nano SIM cradle on the iPhone 5…”
So it is possible? How? Because I’ve read that it’s thinner and a micro-sim won’t fit the cradle.
Please confirm, Yuga. Thanks!
Gerard says:
It would be interesting to see how it fares against SGS3 on the local LTE. That’s one solid reason for iPhone users to upgrade.
tech.Bong says:
This all the more makes me want the Xperia V. Not that I wanted iPhone 5 in the first place.
Sherwin Reyes says:
If you already have an Iphone4s, will it be advisable to go for an Iphone5? Iphone5S might be on the way on 2013…
u8mypinkcookies says:
how much did you get it in SG? they allow walk-ins or for reservation only?
acuriousguy says:
did you buy that from the apple singapore website then apple delivered it here to manila? or is there another way? how exactly did you purchase it?
jehjeh says:
I’ve been waiting for Iphone 5. I skipped both Iphone 4 and 4s just for this one. Even though I’ve read a lot of reviews (good and bad), I will still buy it because of the apps. The fluidity of the iOS is just flawless. Not an apple fanboy cause this is the only Apple I own. I just love the premium feel of the Iphone. I will buy the white one because it just look awesome. :)
Awesomeness!!! says:
Wow iPhone 5!
I’ll buy this freaking awesome phone with premium feel and quality. no it’s just not a phone. It’s the revolutionary iPhone.
I’ve been waiting for this for a year. Anyway, its worth waiting. Will I be those one falling in line? No. I preordered.
Why iphone? It’s polished. Smooth. Apps and games are amazing! User-friendly UI. iOS with 200 features.
It has LTE. 4 inch screen. Panoramic shot. Nice earPods. A lots lots casemates. And top of all, it’s Apple!
You guys complaining can’t afford this.
S3? Yuck! It so plasticky cheap.
**sarcasm**
Jyu says:
sige mg s3 kayo nang sumakit ulo niyo sa sobrang daming problema hahaha
Jade says:
Impressive appearance and specification but the price are not. This phone is really expensive.
Name: says:
iP5 is how much in Singapore?
A says:
IP5 is how much in SGD?