The iPhone 5 was announced yesterday and the world seemed to go “ho-hum”? I do actually like Apple’s iPhone. I owned the first gen and 3G version before making the switch to Android. But after reading the specs and updates Apple has done with this device it seems to me they are busy playing catch up instead of leading the pack in the smartphone wars. Has Apple finally lost its innovation and ability to give us technology that others want to try and strive to reach? Read on to find out!
iPhone5 Specifications
Take a look at the specs of the iPhone5. If your already an owner of a Galaxy SGS III or HTC One X – you won’t be impressed. I wouldn’t call this a “giant leap” for Apple but more like a “small skip” in the right direction.
OS: IOS6 – Updated from IOS5
iPhone5
Dimensions: 4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 (123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm)
Weight:
- 3.95 oz (112 g)
- the average is 4.1 oz (118 g)
Display
- Physical size: 4 inches
- Resolution: 640 x 1136 pixels
- Pixel density: 326 ppi
- Technology: IPS LCD
- Colors: 16 777 216
- Touchscreen: Capacitive, Multi-touch
- Features: Light sensor, Proximity sensor
Battery
- Stand-by time: 9.4 days (225 hours)
- Talk time (3G): 8.00 hours
Hardware
- System chip: Apple A6
- Processor: Dual core, ARM Cortex-A15
- Graphics processor: Yes
- Built-in storage: 16 GB
Camera:
- Camera: 8 megapixels
- Flash: LED
- Aperture size: F2.4
- Features: Back-illuminated sensor (BSI), Auto focus, Touch to focus, Digital image stabilization, Video stabilizer, Face detection, Geo tagging, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR), Panorama
- Camcorder: 1920×1080 (1080p HD) (30 fps)
- Features: Video calling
- Front-facing camera: 1.2 megapixels
Speakers: Earpiece, Loudspeaker
YouTube player: Yes
Internet Browsing
- Browser: Safari
- Supports: HTML, HTML5
- Built-in online services support: YouTube (upload)
Technology
- CDMA: 800, 1700/2100, 1900 MHz
- GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
- UMTS: 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
- LTE: 700 MHz Class 13, 850 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz, 2100 MHz
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s, HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS, EV-DO Rev.A, EV-DO Rev.B
- Positioning: A-GPS, Glonass, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning
- Navigation: Turn-by-turn navigation
Connectivity (Network/USB)
- Bluetooth: 4.0
- Wi-Fi: 802.11 a, b, g, n, n 5GHz
- USB: Yes
- Connector: Proprietary “Lightning” USB connection.
- Features: USB charging
- Other: Computer sync, OTA sync
What Comes in the Box
- Phone
- Accessories: Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic, Lightning to USB Cable, USB Power Adapter, Documentation
New Look and Size
With the iPhone 5 they have moved away from the glass back which is a good thing. The size of the 4″ screen means that it is a little longer but not wider. This means it should still be comfortable in your hand unlike the HTC One X or Samsung SGIII.
Still has the same button layout as the 4 and 4S. But the major design change like I stated before was the removal of the glass back. It now has a very smooth aluminum back as well as beveled edges so the phone shouldn’t cut into your hand while holding it.
iPhone 5 White
iPhone 5 Black
New Headphone Design
Finally after about 10 years Apple has re-designed its headphones. Although I haven’t had a chance to check them out for myself the new design looks like they will be more comfortable than the older headphones.
iPhone 5 EarPods
SIRI Feature Updates
- Hopefully you’ve read the articles on my site but if your a fan of SIRI you’ll be happy to know that they have updated SIRI.
- Better voice recognition to better understand what you are asking SIRI. i.e. “Text my wife I’ll be home in 15 minutes” should translating to texting your wife (if you have her phone number programmed into the phone correctly that is!)
- It will now be able to do things like get your favorite sports scores and stats.
- Partnering with Yelp and Open Table you can not only find your favorite restaurant but make a reservation as well.
Read More: Vlingo vs. Siri – Which is Better?
Apple Maps and Navigation
Sky View and Navigation
Apple moved away from using Google and introduced their own Maps and Navigation. And I can tell you that it looks pretty slick. Along with the new “Sky View” (which works for a lot of the major cities in the U.S. and Europe) it looks like it will be giving Google a run for its money – which is a good thing for iPhone owners.
You can see on the right an example of the SkyView and Turn by Turn Navigation that Apple is now using for their line of iPhones.
Pass Book
This is probably the coolest update for the iPhone. Apples site can explain it better than I can so I just ripped from them lol:
Tickets, passes, and more.
Passbook keeps things like airline boarding passes, movie tickets, and gift cards all in one place. Everything’s there — ready for scanning — right from your iPhone. You’ll find Passbook-enabled apps on the App Store. And you can get gift cards and more from participating merchants.
Time and location based.
Passbook is time and location based. So your passes and tickets automatically appear on your Lock screen when and where you need them. Arrive at the airport and your boarding pass pops up. If you’re waiting to board the flight and your gate changes, Passbook tells you. And if you decide to grab a coffee on the way to your new gate, your gift card appears when you walk into the cafe.
DND Mode
Finally a phone that has a true Do Not Disturb feature! This means it will not only mute your phone but will turn off Notifications as well. Although this is a relatively minor feature. I wish it was implemented on other devices like my HTC One X. If I want to DND? I have to either A) Turn off the phone or B) Turn on Airplane mode.
Pros and Cons
So I’ve listed the stats and the feature updates for this phone. But is it really worth it? I’d say if you already own an iPhone 4S? Then wait for your service plan update before getting it. If you coming from an older version or just want to switch from Android to Apple? Then I’d say sure go ahead and make the swap.
Pros:
- Larger Screen:With the 4″ screen getting longer but not wider – means that it should still be easy to handle
- Updated Hardware: With the new A6 Processor and 1 Gig of onboard RAM – this means that things should be a bit snappier when running apps etc. on the device.
- IOS: Although geeks think it is more like an “Operating System for 2 Year Olds” (Which is true… my son who is 2 can easily use the iPhone lol) It is a simple easy to use interface that has a quick learning curve for those making the switch to a smartphone.
- Updated SIRI and Apple Maps/Navigation
Cons:
- Still no External Micro SD support.
- Unable to access Battery – so get your Apple Care warranty now and save some money later.
- Unable to Customize UI. If your an Android user you know you can do just about anything you want to the UI (User Interface) With IOS your stuck with what you get.
- Proprietary USB Connector. Although they have finally updated to a smaller USB – it is still proprietary to Apple instead of the typical Micro USB connector that are inter changable with most other smartphones.
Lack of Innovation?
To me this just doesn’t feel like the huge update people were hyping this phone to be. To me it seems like a mild refresh with some minor tweaks to the OS and on board Apps. With other manufacturers already having offered things like bigger screens, the ability to take pictures while shooting video, and Google Maps/Navigation already available the iPhone 5 just seems to be playing catch up instead of leading the pack like it had done in the past.
Availability and Networks
Although the phone was announced yesterday (9/12/2012) it won’t be available to the masses until 9/21/2012. What is interesting is that you will be able to purchase the phone from AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and Cricket? Still not word if T-Mobile will ever finally breakdown to Apple and start offering the device.
Same prices apply for those wishing to purchase it:
- $199.99 for the 16gig version.
- $299.99 for the 32gig version
- $399.99 for the 64gig version.
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