iPhone 5 / iOS 6 Released...will you live?

[spuwho]

Did you get your iPhone 5 yet?

You might be surprised to see that with this version, Google was 'kicked off' as the default mapping/search application.

Biggest impact?

Apple Maps doesn't have public transportation included in the directions.
Not as intuitive as Google Maps

Otherwise, I think the world will keep moving.

[Lunican]

JTA never sent their transit data to Google so no loss for Jacksonville.

[Overstreet]

As long as my $49 Iphone 3g keeps on working I'll be fine.

[carpnter]

iOS6 doesn't really add anything extraordinary, it probably should have been called iOS5.5.

Passbook is unimpressive , and there are very few companies taking advantage of it and you have to download those other apps to actually utilize passbook.
The map app, according to many, is lacking. 
The panorama picture ability looks pretty neat, although I have not used it yet.
The auto brightness feature downright sucks, it sets the display way too dark.
Pulling podcasts out and putting them in a separate app is nice, I don't have to go through the music app to get to them now. 

I give this upgrade a solid "meh"

[The Compound]

I get a new iPhone every year, but I wait until Im due for an upgrade, trade in my old one for $185 or so and usually only spend $25 out of pocket for the new phone.

[mbwright]

I just wish I had a phone that worked anywhere for calls.

[KenFSU]

I switched from an iPhone 4S with iOS 5 to a Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.1 and have never looked back.

Apple's hardware just blows everything else out of the water, but iOS itself is just so infuriatingly restrictive. It shouldn't take a jailbreak and multiple Cydia tweaks to do something as simple as hide icons I don't use, put more than 8 apps in a folder, send more than five pictures in an email, etc.

Completely understand why the simplicity of the iPhone (or more specifically, iOS) appeals to so many people, but man, as stunningly beautiful as the hardware is, the operating system is really starting to show its age relative what Android and even Windows Phone 8 is doing.

I'd love to see competing platforms put enough pressure on Apple that they are forced to innovate rather than iterate a hell of a lot more on the iOS end.

[JeffreyS]

I like the IOS 6 upgrade specifically the Map is better functionality but I know some have had some issues. The additional options when answering the phone (remind me to call back or a one button text response) are nice.

I had an Android phone prior and frankly the iPhone is missing a few of the features I liked on
android. Both platforms are great.

[RiversideLoki]

I upgraded my ipad, I left my 3gs as 5.1.1. I do like 6, but I'm not crazy about the maps and I hate that youtube is gone. I just added icons for maps.google.com and youtube.com to my home screen and that fixed that until official google apps are released. But I like Siri, it's much better now than when I played with it on the 4s and is actually useful.

[ben says]

I upgraded my ipad, I left my 3gs as 5.1.1. I do like 6, but I'm not crazy about the maps and I hate that youtube is gone. I just added icons for maps.google.com and youtube.com to my home screen and that fixed that until official google apps are released. But I like Siri, it's much better now than when I played with it on the 4s and is actually useful.

I have the 4S. Hated Siri, took too long and never worked. You seem to like it now..how much better is it? Specific examples?

[RiversideLoki]

Well, the new iPad has the faster A5X processor, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it. But the upgraded Siri has better voice recognition than I recall on the 4S. Response time for searches is extremely quick, but I'm on WiFi, so I suspect that may have something to do with it. Searches over cellular data are bound to be slower. I still find myself having to phrase things extremely literally.

I'll tell you what, though, it's a friggin' miracle not having to enter my apple ID password every time I update apps.

[ben says]

I'll tell you what, though, it's a friggin' miracle not having to enter my apple ID password every time I update apps.

Amen!!

[peestandingup]

I switched from an iPhone 4S with iOS 5 to a Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.1 and have never looked back.

Apple's hardware just blows everything else out of the water, but iOS itself is just so infuriatingly restrictive. It shouldn't take a jailbreak and multiple Cydia tweaks to do something as simple as hide icons I don't use, put more than 8 apps in a folder, send more than five pictures in an email, etc.

Completely understand why the simplicity of the iPhone (or more specifically, iOS) appeals to so many people, but man, as stunningly beautiful as the hardware is, the operating system is really starting to show its age relative what Android and even Windows Phone 8 is doing.

I'd love to see competing platforms put enough pressure on Apple that they are forced to innovate rather than iterate a hell of a lot more on the iOS end.

I agree. I'm a big Apple fan, but iOS is completely boring now & uninspiring. Its basically nothing but rows of static icons (that just sit there & do nothing) for launching apps. Android, for the most part, is the same thing & based their design on what Apple was doing.

I actually had the Galaxy Nexus & ended up selling it. Jelly Bean is TONS better, but the camera was shit. Plus, I felt like a lot of the 3rd party apps just weren't up to snuff, esp when compared to the iOS versions of the same apps. Rarely have I seen an app on Android that was as good as the iOS version (besides the Google made ones). I don't know why that is, but I wish it would change. I really get tired of Apple getting all the development & everyone else getting the scraps.

You're right about Windows Phone 8. I've had a couple Windows Phone 7 devices & absolutely love the OS, the live tiles & everything about it. They did their own thing & its actually really good. I might end up getting one of the new Nokia phones. They need more apps though. That's the only thing holding me back from going all in on Windows Phone & Windows 8 in general. If they do & the Surface tablet ends up being any good (and priced right), I might just be an MS fanboy.

[carpnter]

I'll tell you what, though, it's a friggin' miracle not having to enter my apple ID password every time I update apps.

I still keep looking at the phone waiting for the prompt to enter my password when I update an app.  That is something Android did correct right out of the box. 

[ChriswUfGator]

I am getting to where I don't see the point in upgrading anymore, there is becoming less and less of a difference with each new product apple puts out. They've resorted now to artificially limiting even their own updates to only current-generation hardware (e.g., no Siri on iPhone 4) to force people to buy new ones. It's all so formulaic. A few minor software tweaks, another megapixel or two on the cameras, marginally better processor, and wash, rinse, repeat 12-13 months later. Which is silly, it just forces people to adhere to an artificial timeline. What it mainly accomplishes is getting people to jailbreak. A lot of people. I can't remember the last time I played with a friend's iPhone that wasn't jailbroken.

I have friends with HTC, Samsung, etc., phones, and the android OS is way ahead of apple at this point. I think I'm going to go a different direction when it's finally time to do something new.