iPhone 5 live video Q&A – we answer your iPhone 5 questions
The iPhone 5 has launched and Which? has got their hands on one. At 4pm today we’ll be live streaming video as Deputy Tech Editor, Andy Vandervell and Deputy Editor Which? Computing, Rich Parris open the box and give their first impressions of the phone. They’ll be looking beyond the PR spun stats and glossy pictures to find out if the new iPhone is really as good as Apple claims it is.
We’ll also be answering your questions. Whatever you want to know about the iPhone 5 we’ll try and answer. Does the bigger screen really make it easier to navigate? What does a sapphire crystal really do and does it make the camera better? How does the iPhone 5 compare against the iPhone 4S? and is it really worth upgrading.
Sign up for a reminder below to join Andy and Rich at 4pm on Friday, September 21 or you can pop your question in the comments below. During the event we’ll also be revealing how you can enter our free, open to all competition to win an iPhone 5.
You can warm up for the event by reading our iPhone 5 key features to see what the big changes are on the iPhone 5 or take a look at our mobile phone reviews and find out what the competition can offer.
Win the iPhone 5
For your chance to win the new iPhone 5 all you need to do is read our iPhone 5 first look post and leave a comment at the bottom. We’ll pick the best comment – be it the most insightful, the most interesting or the funniest – and the phone could be winging its way to you.
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Dick
The announced release of iOS forces users to accept Apple’s own mapping/direction system which by all accounts is seriously inferior to Google’s. More importantly it restricts consumer choice in this important area. This is very akin to Microsoft’s position with Internet Explorer until the EU Competition Directorate rules that Microsoft must allow users to install a browser of their own choice and not restrict its operation in any way.
Maybe Which ought to act on behalf of its members in opening a case with the EU (or OFT) on this topic
Gary
> More importantly it restricts consumer choice in this important area.
Restricts? I think you’re mistaken. It’s true that, out the box, there’s only one Maps app preinstalled. But visit the iTunes App Store and look at the available app categories… (You know, Business, Education, Games, Lifestyle, etc.) There’s a category specifically for mapping related apps – it’s called “Navigation”. Looking at the iPad free apps section, it’s currently offering 1,984 apps. And then there are 5,323 pay-for apps. I’ve not even bothered looking at the iPhone side (although, of course, there will be a degree of overlap). Restricted consumer choice? I don’t think so.
> This is very akin to Microsoft’s position with Internet Explorer…
I think there’s a subtle point you’re failing to appreciate in the Microsoft/Apple comparison you’ve drawn, though I might be mistaken since I’m not a lawyer and it’s a while since I followed any coverage of the case. I think part of the “problem” with Microsoft was that they were imposing their will on every hardware manufacturer who licensed Windows. In this case, Apple are exclusively responsible for both hardware and software.
It would seem that Apple’s initial offering is indeed less useful than the previously available Google-based app. But, since the data is delivered from the server side, it’s nothing that can’t be tweaked and improved behind the scenes and won’t require countless app updates.
I’ve only spent a few minutes playing with it this evening so far, but have found no serious problems – though I’ve never been a heavy user of this particular app. But, I’m very interested in it’s potential to replace my aged dedicated TomTom GPS. Of course, that will depend on the quality of the underlying map data.
Torera
I’d like to get a 32GB iphone 5; could you please advise re which network would be best for me? Thanks
Gary
Umm – whichever one provides best coverage where you would be using the new device? Ask family, friends, neighbours or colleagues to find out what their experience at the same locations is like. Once you’ve done that, you’ll probably find your options considerably simplified.
scoosh
Is the new map system really as bad as everyone is claiming and is it much worse than Google Maps?
Peter Day
oops, reply in the wrong place
graeme1101
The new maps app is terrible. No street view, low resolution, many areas in black and white and many areas obscured by clouds. Also, upgrading to io6 means you lose the YouTube app. Very disappointing as I used this app frequently.
RobK
Is there any useful improvement in the performance? Is it quicker to switch on? Does it handle multiple apps better? I know there is more under the bonnet but does it actually feel quicker in a meaningful way?
Peter Day
Depends if you are happy to find a place marked as an airport where no airport exists, or if you are happy that the most prominent feature anywhere seems to be the nearest Apple Store.
Gary
> if you are happy that the most prominent feature
> anywhere seems to be the nearest Apple Store
That’s a little misleading. Where local businesses, or whatever, exist, they’re no more nor less prominent that Apple Stores. In fact, it could be argued that some people would find the grey icons used for the Apple Stores to be harder to spot than, say, the purple-backed icons used for pubs and clubs. Try turning on Satellite or Hybrid views to see what I mean.
Jen
I hope this is the right place to ask questions?
I have seen the new Iphone has a super long screen, they’ve not widened it but they have made it longer.
I just wondered how this works with viewing things like youtube, bbc-iplayer and web pages? Would you not get empty spaces when turning the handset 45 degrees? Does this not then make the extra length a bit of a waste?
Assuming the longer screen size eats more battery power, is it not just an extra drain that many could happily do without?
They work so hard to increase the battery power and just an hour or so seems to be celebrated and used as an advertisement feature, why do this to the screen which would further restrict the battery life when many pages wont actually benefit from it?
Or am I looking at this the wrong way?
s2bear
I ordered one from Vodafone, the rep explained over the phone that I wouldn’t be able to use the iPhone on their 4g network until sometime in 2013 when Voda’s 4g network was introduced, until such time it would simply work on 3g and switch to 4g when available. I did some research and I have read that the current UK iPhone 5 is not capable of operating on either of the frequencies that Vodafone or o2 are bidding on. If this is true, I was misled and the phone I had ordered would never have worked on 4g with Vodafone. Blatant mis selling or lack of understanding from the rep? I cancelled the order and will wait and see how things develop.
Peter Day
I don’t remember Which doing a live Q&A when Samsung launched the Galaxy Nexus phone (the first one to run Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean – so I can only assume that today’s promo event for Apple (sorry, Q&A on the newest iPhone) is further evidence of the status of Which as a bunch of Apple fanboys. Where is the critical coverage of the dreadful Apple maps?
Andy Vandervell
We’ll certainly be discussing that exact issue during the Q&A and feel free to ask any questions about it when it starts. We can’t guarantee to answer every question, but we’ll do our best.
Carl
Why didn’t Apple put NFC in?
Rory Boland
Hi Carl,
Apple have said that they see their Passbook application as sufficient for now. I’m not sure I agree – seeing as it isn’t contactless.
The more likely reason is that NFC hasn’t really taken off and isn’t available in some of the territories where the iPhone sells. If NFC technology becomes more widely available, then I imagine we’ll see NFC in a future iPhone.
Kim
What about 4G, is it working for you now and is it a feature that alone makes the iPhone 4 worth an upgrade?
rowan
is the new charger input a micro usb?
Andy S
The competition link is not working
John
Similar experience to s2bear comment re 4G & Vodafone
Richard Lucas
2 Questions.
1. How does the audio recording quality and sensitivity compare with the iPhone4? I use mine to record meetings and am very pleased with the range and quality.
2. Is it possible to record telephone calls on the iPhone 5. This feature has been locked in previous phones.
t barton
it looks to all intents and purposes that the first contributor looks like a apple employee if there are plenty of navigation apps is google one of them and if not why
John
What we have is the replacement of the very good google maps with an app that is very poorly made. The two key things with a map is it is accurate and clear to read. At the moment you cannot trust the accuracy of the maps as they have missing details and other details that are just wrong. The clarity is also very poor especially in the satellite view which is blurred, often black and white and sometimes there are just large gaps. Street view which I used to use a lot has also gone. I am now using google maps on the web and would happily delete the apple mapping app.
Gary
> …the first contributor looks like a apple employee
barton – given the criticisms from the first contributor (Dick), I can’t believe you really mean him. Therefore, I assume you are referring to me and my response to him. To address to your suggestion that I must be an Apple employee, let me assure you that I have never been employed by Apple in the past nor expect to be at any time in the future. I have, however, worked as an IT professional for about 25 years and, as such, consider that I have reasonable experience as an “industry observer” and that I can present factual information in a neutral manner.
Using your own narrow logic, presumably you are an employee of either Samsung or Google, yes?
> if there are plenty of navigation apps
I think I already explained that, and in a manner which allows you to verify it for yourself.
> is google one of them
You already know the answer to that.
> and if not why
So that narrow-minded whiners can feed their conspiracy theories and then clog up ‘teh interwebs’ as they collectively toss their iRattles out their iPrams.
Or, leaving that brief outburst of sarcasm aside, perhaps Google haven’t actually written one yet. (I’m not sure – was the previous app actually written by Google? Or was it really an Apple app which simply licensed the use of Google data? It was always distributed as a core part of iOS, so I’m inclined towards thinking that the previous Maps app was written by Apple.)
Or if Google have written one, they have not yet submitted it to the App Store.
Or if they have submitted it, have not yet had it approved.
Paul sankey
It seems a lot of money to splash out for a phone, that will not work on all networks, apple should have delayed selling in the uk until it’s available on all the major networks
Gary
Can’t you imagine the reaction – the outcry – if they did that? It would be even worse than the outcry over the problems caused to some users by the occasionally dodgy data used by their new Maps app!!
Besides, if the absence of 4G coverage in the UK bothers you, don’t buy one. Simples! And let the rest of us who are prepared to accept that we can only get 3G data speeds (if we’re lucky!) get on with using the new features. There’s much more to the new phone than simply the ability to use 4G signals (where available).
t j rose
I’ts the best screen I’ve ever seen.
thomasmason
New iPhone 5 – initial verdict very positive (faster, lighter and bigger screen). Shame about iOS 6 maps, which is ****, but you knew that already.
jevelyn
The new iPhone 5 seems excellent, but the main stumbling block is the matter of the Internet connection speed. No matter how fantastic the phone frustration results if the connection is slow – and that’s nothing to do with the phone, but to do with the provider. There also appears to be the prospect of built-in obsolescence, given that some features might force one to upgrade on a regular basis. I’d like to have this phone, but I’m not obsessed with having the latest technology. Thank Which?
olly
Well I gota very old I.phone 3GS with a cracked screen and the Volume very poor, as iam hard of hearing this has been a problem hearing conversation & texting wrong words has got me into some sticy stuations. :@ Lol
So i bourght a Tom Tom dock station for my Tom Tom App which I need for my job, as the A 2 Z booklet / Map is to small to see text I mean. Hence the next question. I paid £89. For the TomTom holder for my I.phone 3GS years ago as voloume is louder via the Tom Tom holder ..! Yippee I can Hear via the Holder.
Now heres the Question will the New I.phone 5 , fit in my Old Tom Tom Holder :@@@
And will this new I.phone 5 have a better volume so I can hear it ?
But would love one win one to try it out :))
minty
Hi-gh Five
Phil
The iPhone is useless to an immature person like myself.
I type “5318008″ into the calculator and turn it upside down, but the screen rights itself.
Matis
Wooh ! It’s like the 0xB1680085 for Microsoft :p
Matis
I want it, because actually, I have an old iPhone 3GS, so I haven’t Siri, and I want it for some reason, and lot of new functionalities like new earphones and new charger… And the must-have : the real big screen :p
So, please choose me for the contest :)
PS : there was a first game no ? Why does it disappeared ?
iphone 5 screen protector
Even though the title of your blog is very short but still it is catchy enough to manages the attraction at first sight and conveying the gist of the whole matter