Welcome to the world, iPhone 5
Faster, stronger, thinner, lighter, and capable of leaping figurative tall buildings, details of the new Apple iPhone 5 have been announced by the smartphone giant. The most dramatic updates are not aesthetic, which could slow adoption rates, but with noise cancellation, faster apps, better charging, and sexier display power, sales will likely be through the roof, as with any of Apple’s innovations, small or large.
Apple’s vice president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller said that the iPhone 5 is the “most beautiful product” that Apple has ever made. Schiller says the most obvious change is that the device is taller than previous iPhones. “It’s because of your hand. It should fit there.”
iPhone 5 features and updates
The iPhone 5…
- will be available for pre-order on September 14th, shipping September 28th, or in stores by September 21st.
- runs iOS 6, Apple’s newest mobile operating system.
- has a bigger display (four inches), a 16:9 aspect ratio, and resolution of 1136×640.
- features five rows of apps instead of four.
- got an overhauled charger called “Lightning,” which is 80% smaller.
- offers 8 hours of talk time (3G) and 225 hours of standby use.
- made completely from glass and aluminum.
- comes in black and white.
- is 18% lighter than the 4S, weighing 112g.
- is 7.6mm thin, nearly the thinnest smartphone on the market.
- has 44% more color saturation.
- features two wifi antennas to boost internet speed.
- has 2.4ghz and 5ghz on 802.11n added to the device for faster internet.
- supports LTE and HSDPA + DC-HSDPA.
- has a new A6 chip, making the CPU and graphics two times as fast.
- comes with a smaller camera with an 8MP sensor.
- camera is 40% faster, and performs better in low light situations.
- camera now offers panorama mode.
- has a 1080p video camera, and three microphones (front top, front bottom, and rear).
- has front-facing FaceTime camera now capable of 720p resolution.
Pricing, carriers, and comparison chart
The iPhone 5 will offer storage options and pricing as is Apple’s norm -16GB, 32GB, and 64GB at $199, $299 and $399 respectively.
The device will be available on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon in the U.S., and T-Mobile supports unlocked iPhones.
Lifehacker offers in-depth analysis of what to consider when choosing a carrier when considering an iPhone 5, and Laptop Mag offers a comparison chart revealing iPhone 5’s features stacked up against competitors.
Roland Estrada
September 13, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Correction – iPhone 5 will be available to everyone in the US on September 21st both in-store and delivery, period. The only exceprion to this would some of the lesser carriers in the US. As a matter of fact, for the last couple of years, some lucky folks have gotten iPhone delivery one to two days before the actual release date. The 28th release date will be for a second set of countries.
In terms of “aesthetics” slowing down adoption rates one needs only to look at the the 4S adoption rates that were through the roof. I think the design is absolutely killer, unless you are a fan plastic-backed look-alike phones, then you are excused. Take a look a the video outlining the design and manufacture process on Apple’s home page. Even if you are not a design fan you’ll appreciate the level of attention to detail that has gone into the iPhone 5. iPhones designs are iterative. Much in the same way BMW designs cars. You know it’s a BMW.
jonrbell04
September 13, 2012 at 1:52 pm
@BoBarronCCIM are you getting one?
BoBarronCCIM
September 13, 2012 at 2:54 pm
@jonrbell04 it is likely says the 8ball