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iPhone 5 and 4S side by side. Making it a little longer and thinner makes a big difference.
(Credit:
CNET)
Until I got my hands on the iPhone 5 -- I picked one up on Friday -- I wasn't sure if Apple had nailed the design (hands-on videos and reviews go just so far).
Well, after 48 hours I'm pretty sure it did. It just looks and feels a lot better than the 4S (which I owned until Friday).
Thinness, in my book, is the foundation for coolness. But thinness isn't just an aesthetic bonus; it can be practical too. In this case, Apple stretched out the 4S just enough to allow for a bigger screen, while making it lighter and easier to hold.
Let's quantify that.
iPhone 4S:
- Height: 4.5 inches (115.2 mm)
- Width: 2.31 inches (58.6 mm)
- Depth: 0.37 inch (9.3 mm)
- Weight: 4.9 ounces (140 grams)
iPhone 5
- Height: 4.87 inches (123.8 mm)
- Width: 2.31 inches (58.6 mm)
- Depth: 0.30 inch (7.6 mm)
- Weight: 3.95 ounces (112 grams)
The two-toned back plate is a nice touch too. Not to mention that the metal-clad sides look better when there's about 0.7 inches shaved off.
And the front is more attractive too. The ratio of display area to non-display area (e.g., where the home button is) is greater for the 5 compared to the 4S.
So, my first impression is that the iPhone 5 seems to be a successful physical design.
But let me close with a cautionary note. The physical design of the last Apple product I bought, the third-generation iPad, was a disappointment. I agree with Raymond Soneira of DisplyMate Technologies that the resulting design was plan B for Apple.
Though it has a wonderful Retina display, it's noticeably thicker and heavier than the iPad 2 because of display assembly compromises Apple had to make. A newer product -- particularly in Apple's case -- shouldn't be thicker and heavier than the older model.
Let's hope Apple continues on the thinner, lighter trajectory of the iPhone 5 with future products, including the expected upcoming iPad Mini.
The iPhone 5 I picked up on Friday.
(Credit:
Brooke Crothers)
