After months of hype, Apple have finally launched the newest addition to the iPhone family, the iPhone 5.
The new handset will feature a slight design overhaul incorporating a larger 4” display, as well as the latest A6 processor chip – which is twice as fast as previous models. The new processor has been engineered to maximise graphical performance whilst optimising battery life.
Apple have really gone to town when it came to making the new model lighter and thinner – they have managed to make the iPhone 5 only 7.6 mm in thickness. They also reduced the size of the SIM card by 44% and the size of the camera, whilst improving its capabilities. Despite increasing the size of the screen to 4 inches, they have maintained portability, practicality and comfortable user experience, in stark comparison to other phones on the market.
The Genius’s at Apple have also optimised the retina display to support 16:9 ratio, equivalent to that of a widescreen TV display, thus vastly improving video playback.
The new device is the same price as the previous 4S, but is packed with more features than its predecessor.
As with the older models, the iPhone 5 will come in either black or white, but these have been combined with either silver or slate to provide a higher quality finish.
The interface has also been modified to include another line for apps and a more responsive display.
Apple have also released the iPhone 5 with a new charger, their new 8 pin connector, named ‘lightning’ which has a sleeker design and allows for faster connectivity. Apple also offers an adaptor to prevent your previous 30-pin accessories from becoming obsolete.
The improved battery life will allow up to 10 hours of video playback (perfect for watching movies), 8 hours of 4G internet browsing and 40 hours of audio playback.
Not only that, they have incorporated dual band 802.11n WiFi, allowing streaming of up to 150 Mbps.
As with the iPhone 4s, the 5 also features Apple’s iSight® camera, however the new model now has a sapphire crystal lens cover and panoramic photography abilities, letting you take even more stunning photos and videos.
The iPhone 5 also has enhanced audio capabilities, which aim to cancel out background noise, thus increasing voice clarity.
The headphones have also been redesigned to incorporate a more comfortable fit and greater audio capability, rivalling that of leading market competitors.
Features (courtesy of Apple.com):
Size and weight:
Height: 4.87 inches (123.8 mm)
Width: 2.31 inches (58.6 mm)
Depth: 0.30 inch (7.6 mm)
Weight: 3.95 ounces (112 grams)
Capacity:
16GB, 32GB or 64GB
Display:
• Retina display
• 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display
• 1136-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi
• 800:1 contrast ratio (typical)
• 500 cd/m2 max brightness (typical)
• Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on front
• Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously
Camera:
• 8-megapixel iSight camera
• Panorama
• Video recording, HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio
• FaceTime HD camera with 1.2MP photos and HD video (720p) up to 30 frames per second
• Autofocus
• Tap to focus video or still images
• Face detection in video or still images
• LED flash
• Improved video stabilization
• Photo and video geotagging
Battery:
• Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Charging via USB to computer system or power adapter
• Talk time: Up to 8 hours on 3G
• Standby time: Up to 225 hours
• Internet use: Up to 8 hours on 3G, up to 8 hours on LTE, up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi
• Video playback: Up to 10 hours
• Audio playback: Up to 40 hours
Location:
• Assisted GPS and GLONASS
• Digital compass
• Wi-Fi
• Cellular