Leaked picture of an actual iphone 5 (next to an iphone 4)

[Eug]

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/2/3286722/iphone-5-mockup-ifa-2012-video

Now that I have seen this video of the iPhone 5 mockup, I think it looks better than my iPhone 4 from the front, but worse than my iPhone 4 from the back.

Overall, a wash.

 

[Mopetar]

Yeah, the two-tone back doesn't look very good to me either. Otherwise it looks very similar to the iPhone 4 design. Putting the headphone jack on the bottom seems like an odd choice as well. I'm assuming that they did it that way because it's easier to cram the hardware in that way, rather than there being some other reason.

 

[Eug]

It keeps the cables on one side. More convenient and less messy.

 

[ViRGE]

It keeps the cables on one side. More convenient and less messy.

And far less convenient.🙁

 

[Mopetar]

And far less convenient.🙁

Yeah it definitely seems that way to me too.

However, part of me wonders how much it will actually matter. Is there any particular reason that the headphone jack needs to be on top or are we just accustomed to it being that way. If it's sitting in a pocket and we're just listening to it, the device orientation doesn't matter. I've never owned an iPod or other PMP before, so I'm not certain if there's a really good reason to have the headphone jack on top or if that's just how things have always been so that's how people think it should be.

Eug has a bit of a point that it makes cable management easier with everything on one side, but how often do you need to plug in both the dock connector and the headphone jack? I really don't think that comes up very often.

 

[ControlD]

Yeah it definitely seems that way to me too.

However, part of me wonders how much it will actually matter. Is there any particular reason that the headphone jack needs to be on top or are we just accustomed to it being that way. If it's sitting in a pocket and we're just listening to it, the device orientation doesn't matter. I've never owned an iPod or other PMP before, so I'm not certain if there's a really good reason to have the headphone jack on top or if that's just how things have always been so that's how people think it should be.

Eug has a bit of a point that it makes cable management easier with everything on one side, but how often do you need to plug in both the dock connector and the headphone jack? I really don't think that comes up very often.

I do it every day actually. When I have my phone in the car cradle (GPS use or just listening to music with Waze monitoring my route) I have a power connector in the docking port and the audio from the headphone jack running into my car's head unit.

 

[MrX8503]

Yeah it definitely seems that way to me too.

However, part of me wonders how much it will actually matter. Is there any particular reason that the headphone jack needs to be on top or are we just accustomed to it being that way. If it's sitting in a pocket and we're just listening to it, the device orientation doesn't matter. I've never owned an iPod or other PMP before, so I'm not certain if there's a really good reason to have the headphone jack on top or if that's just how things have always been so that's how people think it should be.

Eug has a bit of a point that it makes cable management easier with everything on one side, but how often do you need to plug in both the dock connector and the headphone jack? I really don't think that comes up very often.

When you put your phone in your pocket, it's now upside down. For the docking part I'm not sure, but I believe Apple's current dock has a 3.5m pass through.

 

[soccerballtux]

^yeah I never put my phone in pocket right-side-up unless I have to because I'm listening to music.

 

[Mopetar]

When you put your phone in your pocket, it's now upside down. For the docking part I'm not sure, but I believe Apple's current dock has a 3.5m pass through.

So?

Go ahead and put your phone in your pocket right-side up. Now reach in to take it out and bring it out. When you bring it out, you need to turn it in your hand so that it faces the correct direction if you bring it to your face or want to use it. If it's upside down in your pocket, when you pull it out, the orientation is correct without having to turn it.

The more I think about it, the more I think that we're just used to having the headphone jack on the top of the device so we just naturally assume that it's the correct position for it to be and anything else is unnatural. I'd honestly need to have two different devices to sit down and use them to see if there's other reasons that I'm not aware of where it would be better to have the headphone jack on top.

For the most part, I'm pretty sure that there's no difference. My bet is that Apple just changed it because it's easier to arrange the internals that way.

 

[Eug]

iPhone 4:

Nexus 7:

 

[ponyo]

My Samsung Vibrant has the charge port and headphone jack on the top. My Galaxy Nexus has the charge port and headphone jack on the bottom. I have no preference.

Maybe Apple is copying the Galaxy Nexus.

 

[Eug]

My Samsung Vibrant has the charge port and headphone jack on the top. My Galaxy Nexus has the charge port and headphone jack on the bottom. I have no preference.

Maybe Apple is copying the Galaxy Nexus.

Assuming there is a true top side up, then the best place is to have the docking port on the bottom. With the phone right side up, the FaceTime camera is at the top, and the home button is at the bottom.

If the docking port is on the bottom, I feel the best place for the headphone jack is also on the bottom. If it's on the top, then it's awkward, with the cable sometimes falling in the wrong spot, over the screen.

The only issue is that the stands that worked before with the iPhone 4 may not work properly with the iPhone 5, because of the location close to the left edge for the headphone jack.



That may be the spot where the stand's support is located. For example, I just ordered this stand off eBay:

Note that on the bottom left where the headphone jack would be, there is metal there to support the phone. With the iPhone 5 in portrait mode top side up on the stand, there is no way to plug in your headphones, unless you put the phone on the stand off-centre, which makes it unstable.

However, I don't care, because I bought it for the Nexus 7. 😉 I'll be mostly using it landscape mode mostly anyway. (I'd use the iPhone 5 in landscape mode mostly too when on a stand too.)

 

[Oyeve]

Yeah, the two-tone back doesn't look very good to me either. Otherwise it looks very similar to the iPhone 4 design. Putting the headphone jack on the bottom seems like an odd choice as well. I'm assuming that they did it that way because it's easier to cram the hardware in that way, rather than there being some other reason.

They did this for all of the iphone accessories. Non of your old accessories will work so iphone users will have to buy all new accessories. Its apples way of raping you even more. I am sure there will be new addons that take the headphone jack and do new things with it. Also, probably they they put the headphone jack on the bottom for whatever accessory to stick something in there to keep the device from falling out. If mag connector is true then these ip5 will topple out easily. Sticking a piece of plastic up its ass via the headphone jack may alleviate that.

 

[MrX8503]

So?

Go ahead and put your phone in your pocket right-side up. Now reach in to take it out and bring it out. When you bring it out, you need to turn it in your hand so that it faces the correct direction if you bring it to your face or want to use it. If it's upside down in your pocket, when you pull it out, the orientation is correct without having to turn it.

The more I think about it, the more I think that we're just used to having the headphone jack on the top of the device so we just naturally assume that it's the correct position for it to be and anything else is unnatural. I'd honestly need to have two different devices to sit down and use them to see if there's other reasons that I'm not aware of where it would be better to have the headphone jack on top.

For the most part, I'm pretty sure that there's no difference. My bet is that Apple just changed it because it's easier to arrange the internals that way.

If the headphone jack is on the bottom the user doesn't have to turn, flip flop, or do anything when pocketing the device.

The orientation is automatic when pocketing and removing.

Maybe Apple is copying the Galaxy Nexus.

Maybe copying their own iPod line.

 

[Aristotelian]

I think it looks quite nice. I wish that the screen was even bigger (GNexus range) with the higher PPI displays that Apple have been using.

After using a Galaxy Nexus, I can't stand how small the 4s' screen is. I wonder if the 5 would be enough to get me back into iPhones. The announcement date has not been confirmed, but is rumoured to be later in September, right?

 

[Anubis]

So?

Go ahead and put your phone in your pocket right-side up. Now reach in to take it out and bring it out. When you bring it out, you need to turn it in your hand so that it faces the correct direction if you bring it to your face or want to use it. If it's upside down in your pocket, when you pull it out, the orientation is correct without having to turn it.

.

this really isnt all that much of a big deal, i auto rotate the phone in my hand while taking i out of my pocket without even realizing it, it just spins in my hand

 

[TheStu]

this really isnt all that much of a big deal, i auto rotate the phone in my hand while taking i out of my pocket without even realizing it, it just spins in my hand

Seriously. I grip the top with two fingers and then it rotates as it comes out of my pocket.

Port on the bottom or top doesn't bother me, what does is when the lock button isn't on top.

 

[Eug]

iPhone 4:

Picture of my iPhone 4 with headphone cable in the way, over the screen

Nexus 7:

Picture of my Nexus 7 with headphone cable out of the way, at the bottom

Forbes: Seven Inches, Four Months, A Number One Sales Target: How Asus Built The Nexus 7

Asus made some changes to the design which the software-focused engineers of Mountain View might have missed – putting in two microphones to avoid muffling video calls when the tablet is being held in the left hand, for example, or moving the headphone jack to the bottom of the device, so the cable does not drape across the screen. However, as important as their hardware smarts will be, considerable value can also be found in Asus’ retail relationships.

 

[WelshBloke]

iPhone 4:

Nexus 7:

Both those photos are slightly misleading.
If you're using headphones they are going to be stuck in your ears not dangling down to the ground so the lead is just as likely to be in front of the screen for either of them.

Saying that I think that the placement of the headphone socket, top or bottom, doesn't matter.

 

[Eug]

Both those photos are slightly misleading.
If you're using headphones they are going to be stuck in your ears not dangling down to the ground so the lead is just as likely to be in front of the screen for either of them.

That's not true. I put my tablet on a stand which sits on the table. If my headphones are plugged into the top, the cable has to either go in front of, behind, or beside the tablet, onto the table, then towards me, and then up along my shirt. If my headphones are plugged into the bottom, the cable just goes to the table and then towards me, then up along my shirt. Try it and you'll see what I'm talking about. If you don't have a stand, you can still see what I'm talking about by holding the device in front of you just above the table.

That said, most of the time when I have my tablet on the stand, it's in landscape mode, so it comes out the side anyway. This is particularly true if I'm watching a video. For surfing though, it depends.

 

[Red Storm]

That's not true. I put my tablet on a stand which sits on the table. If my headphones are plugged into the top, the cable has to either go in front of, behind, or beside the tablet, onto the table, then towards me. If my headphones are plugged into the bottom, the cable just goes to the table and then towards me. Try it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

That said, most of the time when I have my tablet on the stand, it's in landscape mode, so it comes out the side anyway. This is particularly true if I'm watching a video. For surfing though, it depends.

I can't imagine surfing on a tablet that's not in your hands.

I personally like having the headphone jack on the bottom of my devices.

 

[ViRGE]

Saying that I think that the placement of the headphone socket, top or bottom, doesn't matter.

Having used both the 1st gen iPod Touch and the later iPhones, I can unequivocally say that having the port on the top is better. If it's on the bottom, it's getting in the way if where you want to put your hand. That's the exact spot where I put my pinkie to support the bottom of the device.

 

[WelshBloke]

That's not true. I put my tablet on a stand which sits on the table. If my headphones are plugged into the top, the cable has to either go in front of, behind, or beside the tablet, onto the table, then towards me, and then up along my shirt. If my headphones are plugged into the bottom, the cable just goes to the table and then towards me, then up along my shirt. Try it and you'll see what I'm talking about. If you don't have a stand, you can still see what I'm talking about by holding the device in front of you just above the table.

That said, most of the time when I have my tablet on the stand, it's in landscape mode, so it comes out the side anyway. This is particularly true if I'm watching a video. For surfing though, it depends.

This threads about the iPhone though. How often do you have your iPhone in a stand while using the headphones and looking at the screen?

 

[Mopetar]

Having used both the 1st gen iPod Touch and the later iPhones, I can unequivocally say that having the port on the top is better. If it's on the bottom, it's getting in the way if where you want to put your hand. That's the exact spot where I put my pinkie to support the bottom of the device.

Good point. I hadn't though of this before. Recently one of my friends was showing me his new phone with a 4.5" screen and the only way I could use it with one hand was to hold it with my pinkie to support the bottom. I don't know how much a 4" screen would change things, but it's possible that with headphones in, it might be difficult to use one handed.

 

[Eug]

You're holdin it rong. j/k

This threads about the iPhone though. How often do you have your iPhone in a stand while using the headphones and looking at the screen?

Me, not often, but my co-worker has his iPod touch on his desk in a stand all day long.