iPhone Hardware

The iPhone 5 may be a technical achievement by Apple, but as always happens when you produce tens of millions of copies, something is bound to go wrong. Reports from early adopters of the latest generation iPhone have been overwhelmingly positive, however there are some users who have experienced problems. None of these have stemmed the record-breaking sales that started on launch day.

Some Apple fans might be waiting to pull the trigger on an upgrade until early iPhone 5 issues are worked out. Often an iOS update will solve some problems, while others are manufacturing glitches that can be returned under the Apple Care warranty. So what has been making headlines in the "needs improvement" department? Here are the top 5 problems, issues and complaints revolving around the iPhone 5 launch.

With the iPhone 5 rumor mill going crazy, it's easy to think that all of the hardware and software details have already been revealed. In reality, it's not until devices start getting into the hands of everyday users that some surprises crop up. For all of the rumored features that don't come true (like a totally waterproof iPhone 5, for example) there are always some unexpected positives that come our way.

For one, even though the iPhone 5 camera has the same basic specifications as the previous model, low-light photo quality is superior. Video quality comparisons have also shown the iPhone 5 camera to be a significant step up over the iPhone 4S. Of course, these reports combined with the fact that the front-facing FaceTime camera is now HD means imaging has taken another step forward on the iPhone 5.

Looks like one lucky Apple customer already received an iPhone 5 in the mail. While the rest of us are waiting until Friday for the first round of pre-orders to arrive, here are some unboxing photos thanks to a tip sent to BGR. So what does the unboxing tell us about the iPhone 5?

For one, that's a new charger that has been redesigned to deliver more power to the iPhone while charging via the Lightning cable. The Lightning to USB cable is packaged along with Apple's completely revamped EarPods with remote. iPhone 5 owners will get the same EarPod carrying case that comes when they are purchased separately.

Once a new Apple product hits the market, it doesn't take long for someone to disassemble the unit to see what makes it tick. In classic fashion, iFixit did just that to the EarPods, even though they are not designed to be opened or repaired. Despite this drawback, there are several design improvements beyond just acoustics.

The EarPods are the first Apple earbud headphones to utilize paper cones in the speaker diaphragms as opposed to all plastic. Not only should this improve frequency response, but it results in a more durable speaker that will better resist tearing. Other durability improvements were also spotted in the teardown.