The iPhone 5 Unleashed

The phone everyone has been excitedly talking about has finally arrived, the iPhone 5. Yesterday the Apple Corporation unveiled their new phone as well as the phone’s new features.

Many of the new features of the iPhone 5 include a lighter product, a 4-inch display, an A6 processor, 4G LTE network, and more.

“In short, the “world’s thinnest smartphone” is a whole new phone, matching many of the rumors that had been floating around about its introduction for months.” (ABC NEWS)

However, despite previous rumors that the iPhone 5 will be given a huge viewing screen, the screen size comparison is not that much different. The iPhone 4 and 4S are 3.5 inches diagonally, that’s half an inch smaller than the new iPhone 5. The new phone’s size has only increased in height and not width.

The small increase in size made a few people disappointed in their hopes for a phone with a bigger screen. Many have asked why. In the iPhone 5’s promotional video, lead designer Jony Ive explains that, “By making the screen taller, but not wider, you can see more of your content, but still comfortably use it with one hand.”

“The not so subtle message: Holding the 4.8-inch screened Galaxy S III in your hand sucks.” (Business Insider)

Despite the disappointment in the size, there are still other features that leave consumers happy with their new phone. A feature many will enjoy is the phone’s new physical look. The iPhone 5 will have two options in color, a two-tone black and slate or silver and white. The back of the phone will be completely made of metal.

Another of the features that have made people happy is the decreased in weight. Made out of glass and aluminum, the new iPhone is now at 7.6 mm (0.3 inches) and weighs 112 grams. The iPhone 5 will thus be 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than its predecessors.

“Think 20 percent lighter isn’t a big deal? Pick one of these up and you’ll feel the difference: the iPhone 4 may have been dense, but the iPhone 5 is a featherweight.” (CNET)

However, for those who are planning on buying the iPhone 5 and have earlier versions of the iPhone, please be aware that the iPhone 5 will not be compatible with the older universal chargers. The new phone’s cable connector, called Lightning, will be 20 percent smaller than the previous ones. For those who have the older Apple products, there will be adapters available to help.

In addition, the iPhone 5 will include the new A6 processor, making the phone enter a realm of new and updated features. Consumers will be able to download their songs 1.9 times faster and browse the Web 2.1 times faster. With the new processor, the iPhone will be twice as fast as the 4S and will have a huge increase in battery life.

For those who enjoy using the iPhone cameras, they will be happy to see the new product having a 44 percent increase in color saturation and an upgraded iSight Camera.

“While it remains an 8-megapixel camera, the same as what you find in the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5’s camera will have new better low-light capabilities and a panorama mode, Apple said.” (ABC News)

There are a variety of prices for the new iPhone that not surprising to most Apple buyers. The prices are: $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB. Consumers can start pre-ordering their phones on September 14. Shipping though won’t start until September 21 for the following nine countries: U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Japan, Germany, and Canada.

Only time and practice will tell whether the iPhone 5 will live up to the promises and expectations.

Photos courtesy of Methodshop.com via Flickr.