iPhone 5 vs. 4s

How much do people buy the hype about Apple's new iPhone 5? Jimmy Kimmel did a clever bit last night in which people on the street were asked to compare the new model to the iPhone 4s -- except that iPhone 5 isn't available yet, so they were really looking at the current model, but that didn't keep them from being impressed by what they didn't see...

Some analysts today are predicting that Apple won't sell as many iPhone 5's as originally thought, because they say the improvements aren't a giant leap forward. What they're neglecting is that a lot of people didn't buy the iPhone 4s -- despite the presence of Siri -- because they were waiting for version 5, which actually is a generation better than the plain old iPhone 4. Those analysts, many of whom always doubt Apple's strategies, will be proven wrong again. If you're an Apple shareholder (as I am), there's no reason to panic-sell.

As for the fuss over the new Lightning connector plug, several reports are trying to worry people by telling them their old iPhone/iPod/iTouch plugs won't work anymore or they'll have to buy an adapter. Completely false. The 30-pin plugs that used to be standard will still work with all of the previous models. If you buy the new models, they'll come with the Lightning connector, which is smaller and allowed Apple to make the entire phone thinner. If you have both old and new models, you'll just have to have different plugs available. It's no different that when we upgraded from the earliest iPhone models and our old iHome speaker dock no longer charged the newest iPhones. Somehow, we managed to adapt, and so will you. Believe me, consumers are not as stupid as some of these reports make them out to be.