Every gadget freak knows about the iPhone fever. Every new iPhone launched in the market creates a huge buzz. Despite being hugely popular, the iPhone 5 has a number of problems that have troubled users. This article lists some of the most common problems and the possible solutions for them.
The rumor mills worked overtime, every leaked photo and information created a buzz, and then with a lot of hullabaloo the iPhone 5 was released with a tag line ‘Loving it is easy. That’s why so many people do’. So, are we really loving our iPhone 5? Considering the successful 5 million sales in the first week, most would agree. Then there are some who wouldn’t, considering that Apple received the biggest customer backlash following the iPhone 5 launch in 2012. This is because even with a number of additional features, like a smaller casing, bigger screen, and fast 4G connectivity, there have been a number of issues plaguing the users of this smartphone.
From its lack of innovation and nicked cases to the extremely disastrous mapping software, the iPhone 5 has had some serious glitches. Here are some of the most common iPhone 5 problems and their solutions.
Common iPhone 5 Problems and Solutions
Remember ‘AntennaGate’, the pervasive antenna problems with the iPhone 4, which happened only when the phone was held in a certain way? Well, ScuffGate may not be that serious a problem, but it has really broken the hearts of many iPhone 5 owners. For all those people who are unaware of this term, ScuffGate refers to the scratches and nicks on the iPhone’s anodized aluminum coating. These scratches often reveal the shinier bare aluminum underneath.
Unlike the iPhone 4/4S, which has an extraordinary ability to slide off even the flattest-looking surface, the iPhone 5 has a better grip and is easier to hold, thanks to its anodized aluminum back. This feature was also supposed to make the phone scratch-resistant. Unfortunately, this does not really happen. When aluminum is anodized, it goes through a finishing process that is essentially an etch and dye process that gives it color. There is no protective finish on top of that to save it from scratches. This is the reason that many users, especially the ones with the black version, complained of chipping. Many times, eager customers received their iPhone with scratches and nicks during shipping.
When Apple released iOS 6, it came with a host of new features. One of these features was its own maps app, which it conveniently replaced with Google Maps. Apple Maps was supposed to be awesome with its turn-by-turn navigation, and Siri integration. Unfortunately, the experimentation failed badly.
Angry customers, in an uproar over the performance of the new Maps app, flooded Twitter and forums with complaints about Apple maps. Other than the bad functionality, one of the key failures of this feature was inaccurate data of many places. It located wrong addresses, mislabeled cities, and did not even provide transit directions.
It seems like we are forever destined to hear the battery life woes of iPhone models. Every new iPhone brings with it a list of complaints about the weak battery life. The iPhone 5 seems to follow this trend as well. Users complain of the battery draining within hours of fully charging their phones. Apple, on the other hand, claimed that the iPhone 5 has 225 hours of battery life while on standby, compared to 200 for the iPhone 4S. So what could be causing this problem? A faulty battery or some app on iOS 6?
- Restart or reset your device.
- Turn off Wi-Fi or 4G LTE.
- Reduce the screen brightness.
- Turn off notifications and location services.
- Manually check for email.
If nothing works to resolve battery life issues, try to perform a Restore. Remember to take a backup of your data with iTunes before doing so.
Searching…searching…searching…connected (Whoopie!)…connection lost (F**k). If this is a common problem with your iPhone 5 Wi-Fi, then you are not the only one facing it. Users complain that their iPhone 5 just refuses to connect to Wi-Fi, and when it does connect, it drops the connection. Moreover, grayed-out Wi-Fi with low signal strength is a common occurrence, and can happen even when you are standing just next to a router.
- Check and verify if airplane mode is off.
- Reset the network settings.
- Check if the device has the latest software updates.
- As a last-ditch effort, perform a software restore in iTunes.
One of the best features of the iPhone is its camera. Unfortunately, this has also been plagued with a problem. Users have complained of an ugly purple haze creeping into the edges of their photographs. Why does this happen? According to Apple, the extremely thin image sensors used in the iPhone 5 generates lens flare. This happens when a bright light source is just out of the frame at an angle. This allows the light to be reflected off the surfaces inside the camera, creating the purple haze.
- Change the angle when taking the picture. (In short, hold it right!)
- Shield the lens with your hands.
Even if your white iPhone 5 is free of ugly nicks and scratches, watch out for another problem. As many iPhone 5 users have found, there is a small flash of light that comes from the top of the device. You can observe it between the display glass and the aluminum antenna. This light leakage is observed when you are in a dark room or in low light. Although not a significant problem, considering the amount that users shell out for an iPhone, they do have a right to feel a bit irritated with the build quality of the device. Other hardware problems include a slight rattling noise when shaken. This is apparently due to a loose battery problem.
Intermittent screen flicker, especially on the virtual keyboard in the App Store, and an unresponsive touchscreen are some common screen troubles which hapless iPhone users have to contend with. The unresponsive touchscreen seems a problem with consistent detection of multiple swipes, especially while scrolling diagonally. Quick scrolling causes the iPhone touchscreen to stutter, slow down, and sometimes even completely freeze. Although this problem may not affect general users, avid gamers could face problems during games that require frequent and quick swiping.
A common problem reported by many users is that of the date and time bug on the iPhone 5, which randomly changes the date and time. Sometimes the date is off by a day; other times by as many as 15 days. A majority of the people complaining were Verizon Wireless subscribers. Right now, Apple and Verizon are passing the buck back and forth, blaming each other for the issue, which sadly remains unsolved.
Some people also complain of faulty chargers and home buttons. Others are miffed with the Lightning connector which replaced Apples venerable 30-pin connector. Although Apple is selling two separate Lightning adapters which connects with your accessory and leaves an open connector for the latest iPhone and iPods, users are not too enthusiastic about shelling out the extra $29 – $39 bucks for it. Despite these problems, the iPhone 5 continues to be a widely popular smartphone and has many loyal users. If Apple comes up with the hardcore solutions to these problems, it would be great for customers. Well, if they can’t, then just wait for the next iPhone. iPhone 5S, anyone?