After Apple unveiled the next-gen iPhone, the iPhone 5 Wednesday, the web was, predictably, inundated with social media users and tech experts giving their opinions on Apple's new device. While the experts were impressed, consumers seemed a little underwhelmed.
Tech blogs give positive response
Overall the response from the tech blogs was positive; though some questioned the lack of certain features on the phone, such as NFC, or commented on a perceived lack of imagination in the design, most were highly impressed by the world's thinnest smartphone.
Techradar.com ran a descriptive piece on the specs of the device but, in the headline, focused on the iPhone 5's lack of NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. http://goo.gl/IfMBL
Techcrunch.com got up close and personal with the iPhone 5 reporting that while "it's not earth shatteringly different than the iPhone 4s," but overall were impressed with the device. http://goo.gl/EG9k1
Mashable.com calls the device "the most radical redesign of Apple's flagship product since its inception." http://goo.gl/yLhVd
Wired.com, while stating that the iPhone 5 is "better than the iPhone 4S or the iPhone 4 or just about any other phone you can buy," also called the device "utterly boring". http://goo.gl/isuUl
Engadget.com calls the device "a beautiful thing" while noting that its elongated 4-inch display pushes the phone close to the realm of "big phones" which Steve Jobs famously claimed no one wanted. http://goo.gl/7gRlp
Social media users less impressed
On Google+, both "Apple" and "iPhone" were in the top five trending topics on the morning of September 13. While the majority of Google + users were simply sharing news and specs of the new iPhone, some members of the social network -- which, it may be argued has a slight Android/Google bias -- were claiming that the phone's new screen is a copycat of Android devices.
Google+ user Carlos Ferreira stated "Why is Apple making the iPhone bigger? To keep up with the top Android phones," TechTree.com used its Google + account to share a picture of a modified popular "innovation" meme mocking Apple; while user Mohd Nazreen Abdul Rahman referenced the recent Apple vs. Samsung lawsuit in a mocking post which read "Look, it's the new iPhone 5 Galaxy SII from Apple!"
Over on Twitter, reaction was also largely one of disappointment over the new iPhone 5. Twitter user Walid wrote "Steve Jobs was a legend, the very first iPhone AND the iPhone 4 were excellent pieces of innovation. But it all went downhill from there". User Charles was in the same vein of thought and attacked the so-called "fan boy" culture tweeting "Apple freaks won't admit they're disappointed with the iPhone 5. Even if Apple simply inscribed "iPhone5" on a bar of keysoap...they will buy." Luke Marson tweeted "Seems the iPhone 5 is more like catch-up than innovation, except for 4G. But that's expected since they are losing so much ground to the S3". Others such as Kocai attacked the high price tag of Apple's latest device, who noted "Interesting, iPhone 5 will cost $20 more than the new iPad."
The iPhone 5 will be available to pre-order from Friday, September 14.
