Reports of Slow and Inconsistent Wi-Fi Connections on Some iPhone 5 Devices

Now that the iPhone 5 has reached the hands of possibly millions of new customers, there are reports that some customers are having a problem with the iPhone 5's Wi-Fi connectivity.

A thread titled Painfully Slow WiFi on new iPhone 5 on our own forums details some of the problems that have been seen by some customers. Byran85 writes:

I just got done setting up my iPhone 5 (as new, not restore). I was trying to download my music from iTunes when it seemed to be taking forever. I cancelled the downloads and then kept testing the WiFi in various other ways. Just loading the app store, my iPhone 4 will load anything faster than my iPhone 5 right now. I've rebooted the router and tried multiple devices and have narrowed the problem down to the WiFi in the iPhone 5. I've also tried using different bands, 2.4 and 5 both produce the same outcome. I launched speedtest.net app about 2 minutes ago and hit begin test. Its still "finding the closest server". I have also tried the reset network settings. Still the same issue.
The rest of the thread shows others with the same type of problem (slow to no connectivity), while others report simply slower-than-normal connectivity. The image on the right was posted by @I_Am_Lucas showing ~2.5Mbps (~300K/s) on his Wi-Fi network. Others have even reported speeds down to 0.5Mbps (~62K/s).

Some users have been able to isolate their problem to when connecting to WPA2 encrypted Wi-Fi routers, and found that moving to (the much less secure) WEP encryption or being unprotected can resolve the issue. Since Apple Retail Stores have unprotected Wi-Fi, the issue may not show up at all in-store. Some have reported success with iPhone 5 hardware replacements from Apple, but several users have reported no success after getting a replacement unit. It should be noted that there may be multiple Wi-Fi related issues that could be affecting users. A lengthy thread in Apple's own discussion forum also reflects the same issues amongst many customers.

One Apple forum poster received confirmation from AppleCare that Apple seems to be aware of the issue, but a resolution is not yet available:

Just spoke with iPhone AppleCare and they are definitely aware of the problem and Apple engineers are working on it. I asked if it was hardware or software related and she said the WPA2 issue seems to be software based and the non-connecting issue may be hardware based, but that they are still trying to identify the cause.
According to the AppleCare representative, they are still working on the issue. The issue seems to affect a small minority of iPhone 5 owners.

Apple got the iPhone 5's physical design right

iPhone 5 and 4S side by side. Making it a little longer and thinner makes a big difference.

(Credit: CNET)

With the iPhone 5, Apple did what it does best: come up with a good industrial design. But that's not always the case.
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.

Related stories

• CNET's iPhone 5 full review

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)

'Late' iPhone 5 Pre-Orders Being Delivered Early

Apple seems to be catching up on iPhone 5 pre-orders faster than they had previous estimated. We've received a number of tips that iPhone 5 pre-orders that were originally estimated to be delivered in early October are being shipped now with a delivery date of September 27th.


Apple had originally "sold out" of their initial batch of iPhone 5 devices within the first hour of sales and went on to sell 2 million devices in the first 24 hours. iPhone 5 delivery estimates remain at 3-4 weeks out at Apple's online store.

The iPhone 5 retail launch seems to have been relatively smooth, bringing praise from analysts.

"We are positively surprised regarding the pace of the rollout, since we had expected a bigger impact from component constraints," Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes said.

Apple may announce iPhone 5 sales numbers on Monday. Last year, Apple announced 4 million iPhone 4S sales on the opening weekend.