Apple iPhone 5: big innovation takes a holiday

(MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY After disappointing expectations of a major new model last year, Apple (AAPL) announced the iPhone 5 today. Let there be no doubt, the device will sell a boatload of units. However, the changes seemed all incremental improvements -- new features that were nice, but none that catapulted Apple ahead and left all rival Android phones in the dust.

Pictures: Apple's new iPhone 5, iPod devices

Since the iPhone 3, Apple has worked on an alternating release schedule for the devices. One year would bring a major single number release and the next year saw an "S" incremental improvement. Last year, many people expected the iPhone 5 but Apple released the 4S.

However, the iPhone 5 seems more like another incremental release. Yes, it has LTE support, which means the device can use the faster data networks that carriers have been putting into place. But a number of competitors have had LTE models for a year or more. Other than that, consider some of the major features that Apple promoted:

• There is a glass and aluminum model as well as white and black ones.
• It's 18 percent thinner than the 4S and 20 percent lighter.
• The screen has grown longer to 4 inches with a height-to-width ratio that shows HD video. Apple's apps were adapted to make use of the increased screen space that also has been available on other phones for some time. (Apps originally designed for the smaller iPhone screen will work with black borders, like a letterbox display of a movie.)
• The touch sensor is not incorporated onto the display, not only helping make the unit thinner, but eliminating the air gap between and increased reflections. Amazon (AMZN) has already announced this feature as part of the new Kindle HD.
• Wi-Fi connections can now use the faster 802.11n technology, which other vendors have had.
• A new A6 chip speeds performance significantly, according to Apple. And other vendors had already begun to move to faster 4-core chips.
• There's longer battery life, as happens over time with all vendors.
• The camera has moved to 8 megapixels -- again, not a rarity. Other changes include a "smart filter" to improve low-light shots (possibly at the cost of lower resolution) and a new panoramic image mode -- nice touches both.
• Siri can make posts to social networks.

There are other features, as well, but the sense is small improvements with many putting Apple into the position of finally catching up with competitors. And there are also things that might ultimately become a pain in the wallet for customers. The LTE feature makes high data use easy, which could mean some big surprises when phone bills come in. And the new design requires a new connector, meaning that old plug-in equipment and cords will need adapters.

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Apple's new iPhone 5, iPod devices

Doubtless the hardcore fans will argue that Apple is revolutionary, blazing trails and creating amazing products. But from a more detached view, the company's pace of major innovation seems to be slowing. For example, there didn't seem to be anything new that was the equivalent of a Siri or Retina display.

Perhaps much of this owes to the rapid maturation of the smartphone market. There are many vendors all trying to race ahead of each other, which raises the bar for what will be eye-catching.

The question is even with the heavy sales you can expect for the iPhone 5, has Apple shown why it focuses so much on patent suits -- because it can't keep up the same level of innovation it once did? And would the 5 have been significantly different had Steve Jobs lived?

[iMeres845]

I completely agree with Erik Sherman, because a majority of the iPhone 5 features come with the iPhone 4s. The reasoning for this is because the iPhone 5 was thought to come out until Apple released the 4s before hand. Friends and I have been wondering if the new upgrade is worth the purchase or not. Most of the new features are small physical changes instead of improving the phone internally, which makes me lose interest. Apple even changed the size and shape of the charger, which means previous apple products will not work with it. They have added LTE support, which mean the device can use faster data networks. Although this seems desirable, it could run up my phone bill. Not to mention, it isn't an extravagant feature seeing that plenty of phones have had LTE support for some time now. Hopefully Apple will release the next iPhone with improvements from the iPhone 5.

[TottalMedia]

Well, the problem is that Apple has dug their own grave with all their law suits. I mean, if they sue everyone with anything that looks remotely close to their own designs, then what happens is that all other designs are now in possession by others. This means that the only place Apple themselves can feel safe is if they don't change anything because as soon as they would change their icons or their "rounded corners" someone else would pop up and say: "Hey, we already own that design"

So Apple has dug their own grave. From iPhone 4 to 4s and now 5 nothing has changed in terms of style and apparence.

And for the obvious reasons, there will be no changes in the future either.

[icecoldstone]

Apple should have focus more on Research and Development instead of Litigation.

[makeinu]

"And would the 5 have been significantly different had Steve Jobs lived?"

No.

It's not that Apple is no longer in the innovation game. They still are, but there's a time and place for "Wow, jeebus, that's new!", and there's a time and place for "Hey, that's not new, but it's an improvement over what we had". And that's where the iPhone 5 sits.

Unlike the various Android folks, most of whom are simply making changes just to say they're "innovating", without really considering the impact on usability.

I find it surprising, personally, that after decades of pursuing smaller, lighter, portable phones, the trend in smart phones seems intent on replicating the giant bricks of the 1980's. Really? I should need a murse and three hands to carry and use a cellular phone?

I'm looking at you, Samsung Galaxy Note Planet Edition III XSL.

[cpa1410]

Thats really funny, because i own a samsung note my mate has an iphone and he himself said that his little iphone was looking rather toy like in operation to my super mini computer that fits perfectly in my pocket. And where did the brick come from when describing a galaxy not, its wafer thin with a glossy super amoled screen. Im running google chrome on ios4 to surf the net with power and speed no squinting required flash with this is fantastic. My flatmate never uses his internet on his iphone he said its just not up to speed or size and said he uses it to txt and place a call which usually drops out on him. I purchase all around the globe on this device. So your comment here is really silly, if you want to txt and talk buy the little iphone, if you want a super mini pc all wireless, that also makes calls go galaxy note. So your comment is rather silly.......

[Raj4_2012]

no big surprises... no new design...

[john30319]

As an Apple shareholder, I think the iPhone 5 is a profound disappointment. Either Tim Cook is incapable of wearing Steve Jobs's shoes or we are nearing the limitations on smartphone technology, because this looks a lot like Samsung's offerings and is completely lacking in the sort of (non-aesthetic) ingenuity I've grown to expect from Apple. Apple's cult following guarantees the phone will generate a ton of sales, but I think this phone represents the top for everyone's favorite fruit company.

[eriksherman]

I've also wondered whether we're hitting some limitation of technology. After a point, do you get to a natural plateau in what a given product can or should do? Or is it more a matter of waiting for the next brilliant combination of ideas (like connecting electronics and phones) that may have to come from another company?