Apple Introduces iPhone 5
The iPhone 5 was finally made available late last month and it’s the thinnest smartphone in the world. Sporting an all-new 7.6mm anodized aluminum body (eliminating the previous glass backing that many were disappointed with on the iPhone 4/4S), along with a 4-inch Retina display and improved battery life, it is 20 percent lighter than the iPhone 4S. iPhone 5 also comes with the new iOS6 operating system, bringing in more than 200 new features.
At the announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook did not waste any time to point out that the iPhone 5 will be a faster, leaner machine than its predecessor. To further that, Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing Philip Schiller says, “iPhone 5 is the most beautiful consumer device that we’ve ever created. We’ve packed an amazing amount of innovation and advanced technology into a thin and light, jewel-like device with a stunning 4-inch Retina display, blazing-fast A6 chip, ultra-fast wireless, even longer battery life, and we think customers are going to love it.” For the first time, high-speed LTE is being included in an iPhone. Apple has pioneered a unique single-radio LTE solution that provides blazing-fast speeds while fitting perfectly into a remarkably thin design. In addition, the iPhone 5’s new 4-inch Retina display delivers more pixels than the iPhone 4S, and with the taller (not wider) screen, it’s just as easy to tap, type and scroll.
A slight drawback if you already have an iPhone: Chances are you purchased a gazillion iReady products (i.e. speakers, speaker dock, charging accessories, etc.). Well, get ready to buy more, since the iPhone 5 has a new Lightning connector, which is smaller and supposedly more durable than the previous connector. On the plus side, it has an adaptive interface that uses only the signals that each accessory requires, and is reversible so you instantly connect to your accessories. A Lightning-to-30-pin adapter is available to connect your iPhone 5 to legacy 30-pin accessories.
This new iPhone features a new beam-forming directional microphone for higher quality sound, while background noise fades away with noise-canceling technology.
Plus, it comes with Apple’s new EarPods headphones that have a more natural fit and increased durability. On top of that, the new 8-megapixel iSight camera is 25 percent smaller and completely redesigned with a sapphire crystal lens cover, and has the ability to capture panorama images up to 28 megapixels.
Best of all, iPhone 5 comes loaded with the iOS6 mobile operating system. The new user features include an all-new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography, turn-by-turn navigation and the unique Flyover view. Passbook (the simplest way to get your passes in one place), new Siri features (more languages) and Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar also are notable additions. iPhone 5 comes in white/silver or black/slate and retails for $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB) or $399 (64GB).
If you don’t want to splurge on an iPhone, Apple also is offering up a new iPod touch and iPod nano.
The touch features the coveted 4-inch Retina display and retails for $299 (32GB) or $399 (64GB). If these are still in stock, hopefully you can find one at your nearest Apple Store, or order it online at Apple.com.
