The iPhone 5 is finally here, and it’s — in a word — different. The new iPhone is the most radical redesign of Apple‘s
flagship product since its inception, sporting a larger screen, a
different shape, more features and even new accessories in the box.
Company CEO Tim Cook emceed the proceedings, followed by presentations by executives Phil Schiller, Scott Forstall, Eddie Cue and others. In addition to the iPhone 5, Apple also unveiled new iPods, a revamped iTunes and brand-new earphones that will ship with every Apple portable product.
Now that it’s finally here, the smartphone has delivered on some
promises (LTE!) and fell short on others (no NFC?). First-time iPhone
buyers as well as current owners can now decide whether or not to get on
board the iPhone 5 ship before those pre-orders start to sail on Sept.
14.
The new model offers a lot that’s different from the old model, no question. Browse the gallery for the skinny on what the iPhone 5 can do for you, and let us know which feature matters most — or where the iPhone 5 falls short — in your eyes.
LTE
Lightning Connector
The new model offers a lot that’s different from the old model, no question. Browse the gallery for the skinny on what the iPhone 5 can do for you, and let us know which feature matters most — or where the iPhone 5 falls short — in your eyes.
Bigger Screen
The most noticeable change in the new iPhone
is its larger, 4-inch screen. The display actually isn't any wider than
the previous one, but instead extends length-wise to a 16:9 widescreen
aspect ratio. Its resolution is 1,136 x 640 pixels -- that's not quite
high-def, but it still has the same pixel density -- what Apple calls a
retina display. The taller screen allows for five rows of apps (plus the
permanent row on the bottom), and Apple says its colors are better,
too.
LTE
The iPhone 5 is the first iPhone with LTE
connectivity, and it's going to work on the networks of AT&T,
Verizon and Sprint, as well as many others across the globe. To
accommodate so many different LTE bands, Apple had to split the iPhone 5
into three different models, only one of which works on CDMA networks.
That's a departure from the "world phone" approach of the iPhone 4S, but
at least Apple was able to integrate both the LTE and voice radios into
the same chip, saving space in the device.
The 30-pin dock connector, which has been on Apple portable devices since 2003, is now obsolete, replaced with the much smaller Lightning connector,
the name being a play on the Thunderbolt connector on Apple's Macs.
Apple says it's 80% smaller than the old dock connector, and had the
extra advantage of being reversible (no more "getting it wrong" the
first time you try to insert it). Of course, the new jack means many old
accessories won't work with the iPhone 5 -- unless you buy Apple's $29
adapter, that is. Even if you do, the adapters don't support exporting
video, so you're stuck with AirPlay for that.
Thinner Design
All
this beautiful new technology means Apple was able to shave off a
couple of millimeters of thickness. Thanks in part to the new connector,
the combined-radio chip and integrating touch electrodes right into the
pixels, the iPhone 5 is just 0.3 of an inch thick. It's also lighter,
weighing just under 4 ounces.
A6 Chip
The
iPhone 5 sports a new processor, the ARM-based Apple A6. Apple claims
that it's twice as fast as the A5 chip in the iPhone 4S, and has twice
the graphics performance. Like its predecessors, it's optimized for iOS
to save power. The phone is rated to last up to eight hours of talk time
and 10 hours of video playback.
EarPods
Yes, those horrible white earphones that you get with every iPhone are finally getting an upgrade. The new earbuds are called EarPods,
and they have a ported design for deeper bass. Apple says it approached
the EarPods' design by crafting them to fit many different kinds of
ears first, then built speaker drivers to fit them.
Improved Camera
The
iPhone 5 has more camera abilities, too. The rear iSight camera is
still 8 megapixels, but now there's a built-in panorama mode that can
combine many photos into a single 28MP image -- an ability coming to the
iPhone 4S in iOS 6. The camera's also said to be 40% faster with better
low-light performance and improved image stabilization for video.
Finally, the front-facing camera is now an HD FaceTime camera.
Enhanced Siri
Siri's
learned a trick or two with iOS 6, and is now able to launch apps and
understand things like sports scores. Siri can even post tweets and and
Facebook updates for you. She's also conquering new territory by coming
to the new iPod touch.
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