I'd love to know just what, EXACTLY, is it that people actually expected. NFC? When it's not well supported yet in retail, has
security concerns that need ironing out, and isn't exactly a standard yet?
Is it wireless charging? Something that is slow, horribly energy inefficient, does not completely negate the need for wired charging or connectivity, and would add more bulk and complexity to the device?
An even larger screen? So you can have an extra column of icons in addition to an extra row? How do these monsters even fit in a pocket? They don't even fit in my hand, and I have rather large hands.
Widgets? That has nothing to do with the hardware and everything to do with the OS. Apple may yet add support for them at some point, though everything they have ever done with the iPhone and iOS suggests they are committed to energy efficiency. Live widgets wouldn't be in the spirit of that.
If battery life isn't your priority, then fact of the matter is you aren't the customer Apple is catering to, no more than I am interested in a Samsung or HTC with poor battery life, among other deal breakers. People complain that Apple is "late to the game" with LTE, while conveniently ignoring what a battery drain LTE has been on every other phone on the market. Heck, most of those phones HAVE to be so big because they need to accommodate a bigger battery. Apple has the patience to wait until the tech is better balanced and is something I and many others happen to appreciate. As for the rest of the iPhone 5, it's faster across the board, dramatically so in some respects. The camera, I suspect, will once again prove to be best-in-class. The screen has been improved in color accuracy and other aspects. They shaved more weight off, yet still has really great battery life despite all the upgrades to the components. And people aren't impressed? *** is wrong with you people?