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Neither side is flush on the 4/4S. By making only one side flush on the 5 it's easier to tell which side you grabbed as you pull it out of your pocket/purse/bag so you know to flip it the correct orientation before you ready the device in front of your chest/face.

Every Android phone I've owned is similar in this respect (as are the 3GS and below) but my 4S not so much. This move is for the best.

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I never had an issue figuring out the front or back. Usually my fingers run over the home button or the ear piece which is what tells me what the front is. Honestly, I didn't even feel the edge till I repeatedly turned the phone around quite a few times, which is when I looked at it. Not sure this would let me determine what the front was, but that might be my personal opinion, or my insensitive fingers.

I have calloused hands. I always have a hard time telling front from back, top from bottom on the 4/4S.

Very annoying problem for me as well.

I think the iPhone 4/4S is a revoltingly bad industrial design, and am utterly flummoxed by the acclaim it's received. The iPhone 5 looks pretty good but I haven't actually held one yet.

That's what I was thinking too, the asymmetry is ergonomic.

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