For months, fans have waited in agony for the iPhone 5 to be released for sale. Many expected it to be the next smartphone revolution, the phone that would heavily transform the industry a la Apple once again.
Except that it all turned out the way many over-hyped topics end up: disappointing.
The initial disappointment for many arose when they found out the phone was not revolutionary but evolutionary. Still, it was going to be a great phone right? Not quite. For the entire buzz it generated, the Apple iPhone 5 failed to meet expectations.
One cannot fully discredit Apple for not reinventing the wheel again since coming up with a new revolutionary smartphone product is all but simple in one year - not impossible but hard. But to send out a product that seems to be half polished is unforgivable under Apple standards.
The phone seems to be unable to control its temperature; the battery life is nowhere near what Apple previously stated, the new iOS 6 updates and some particular apps can be likened to demos since they are all but fully practical (Maps) and regarding the camera, it apparently displays a purple haze in pictures when it shouldn't? The list continues and Apple responded to claims regarding phones arriving scratched by saying that aluminum normally does get scratched.
All of this prompts people who haven't made up their minds to ask them the following question: "Should I follow the buzz and go for the iPhone 5 or go for other smart phones like the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the upcoming Windows 8 Phone?"
This writer, encourages you to hold off for a bit if you can.
Apple is known for polish since most of their product releases are generally close to flawless. Technical glitches in Apple products are bound to happen but it is hard to recall Apple products with problems on the scale of the iPhone 5 where glitches and errors galore. Advocates may call this nitpicking from the Apple haters, but with the evidence provided on the internet, it is hard to deny that Apple ran the gun on this phone simply to please its fans. As has been the case, most of the glitches (WiFi, Screen Glitching) should be fixed sooner or later.
This could play out in one of two ways. Apple will fix the glitches during the next few months (which will benefit the patient) or they will take out a better version of the phone early next year. The latter scenario is less likely, but one thing is for sure: Apple will release another iPhone. And if they are really worth it, they will release something to overcome the backlash they have been receiving for the iPhone 5. Sales are great, but the criticism is something that won't go away quickly.
If you can wait some time, wait for Apple to inevitably release a better phone that doesn't have all these problems to begin with.