Last year around this time we all thought we'd already be talking about the iPhone 5, but when Apple showed off its new phone, it was the iPhone 4S instead. Today the company once again held the tech world captive while it presented its new smartphone, and this time it is indeed the much-anticipated iPhone 5.
Key upgrades to the iPhone 5 include: A larger, four-inch Retina display, updated camera technology featuring panorama mode, 18% thinner and 20% lighter design than the 4S, and an all-new processor offering up to double the speed for apps and games.
The iPhone 5 will cost the same as the iPhone 4S when it came out a year ago: $199 U.S. for 16GB, $299 U.S. for 32GB, and $399 U.S. for 64GB, all with new two-year agreements through the carrier of your choice (check our Early Termination Fee calculator to see how much it will cost you to switch). Pre-orders will open on Friday, September 14, with phones shipping on September 21.
As the myriad rumors leading up to the event have indicated, Apple's new handset is indeed a complete redesign, though it's not necessarily as big of a change as we saw when the rounded iPhone 3GS form factor was abandoned with the more industrial-looking iPhone 4. The iPhone 5 looks a lot like its predecessor, though its body has been stretched to accommodate the larger, 4-inch screen. The rear of device does away with the monotone coloring of the iPhone 4, instead favoring a two-tone look, with a middle section set off by a no-gloss matte finish on the black model, and a brushed aluminum back on the white version.
The screen is by far the most noticeable change, and although Apple devotees have enjoyed upgrades along the way — like ultra-sharp Retina display technology — the iPhone 5 is the first phone to break the 3.5-inch display barrier that has been in place since the original iPhone.
The new four-inch screen also features Retina resolution (326 pixels per inch), and while it may not be as large as some of its Android competitors, the new screen's added real estate will definitely please iPhone fans hungering for extra pixels. The larger screen affords an extra row of apps on the phone's home screen, meaning an additional four icons on each page.
The new phone is 18% thinner and 20% lighter than the iPhone 4S, making it the thinnest and lightest iPhone yet, despite its larger size.
The other very important feature of the iPhone 5 is its support of 4G LTE, bringing it up to par with the latest Android smartphones on the market. Of course, whether or not you'll be able to benefit from this inclusion is largely up to your provider's coverage area. The iPhone 5 will be available through Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon, so you'll have plenty of choices in this regard.
The iPhone 5 also features an upgraded processor — Apple's new A6 — which offers up to double the graphical performance for apps and games.
Photo buffs will be pleased to learn that the new handset's camera capabilities have received a bit of an overhaul as well. The lens remains the same 8 megapixels, but features a new dynamic low-light mode for optimal photos in imperfect lighting conditions. The camera is also 40% faster than before, and also features a new built-in panorama mode which can capture multiple shots and stitch them together, resulting in a huge 28-megapixel image.
