Apple iPhone 5 - Review

Introduction

The iPhone 5. As in five million units sold over the course of a … weekend. Can't say no to that. This is the latest installment in the smartphone series that changed the mobile phone industry and we can understand people couldn't wait. Now, what is it they couldn't wait for?

The Apple iPhone 5 brings the long anticipated larger screen and more capable internals that we already know are ready to trade blows with the most powerful chipsets out there.

There's also the new slender, slimmer body that no photos really do justice to. If all of Apple's claims are true then the iPhone 5 is a real engineering masterpiece - double the performance in a more compact package without sacrificing anything in terms of battery life.

They could've done worse. A lot worse. But this is Apple telling you to prepare to be wowed. So you have every right to play hard-to-please.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM and quad-band 3G support with 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
• LTE support where carriers support it and CDMA support when sold by CDMA carriers
• 4" 16M-color LED-backlit IPS TFT capacitive touchscreen of 640 x 1136px resolution
• Scratch-resistant screen glass, fingerprint-resistant coating
• 1.2GHz dual-core custom-designed CPU, PowerVR SGX543MP3 GPU, 1GB of RAM, Apple A6 SoC
• iOS 6 and iCloud integration
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and touch focus
• 1080p video recording at 30fps
• 1.2MP secondary front-facing camera
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot
• GPS with A-GPS connectivity; digital compass
• 16/32/64GB storage options
• Accelerometer, proximity sensor and a three-axis gyro sensor
• Active noise cancellation with a dedicated secondary microphone
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack, stereo Bluetooth v4.0
• Excellent audio output quality (though worse than 4S)
• Apple Maps with free voice-guided navigation in 56 countries
• Voice recognition, Siri virtual assistant
• Supports HD Voice (needs carrier support too)
• FaceTime video calls over Wi-Fi and cellular
• Impressively slim and light
• Great battery life

Main disadvantages

• Aluminum body looks cool but is easy to scratch
• Proprietary connector, incompatible with previous-gen accessories (needs adapter)
• The new display is not proportionally bigger, but only taller
• Unadapted apps run letterboxed due to the unusual resolution
• nano-SIM support only
• Apple Maps app not up to scratch
• No USB Mass Storage mode
• No FM radio
• No stereo speakers
• No microSD card slot
• No NFC connectivity (though that may be nitpicking)
• Stuck with iTunes for loading content
• Mono audio recording in videos

Specifications

• GENERAL :           2G Network       GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - GSM A1428                CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - CDMA A1429
• 3G Network  :     HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - GSM A1428                CDMA2000 1xEV-DO - CDMA A1429
• 4G Network :      LTE 700 MHz Class 17 / 1700 / 2100 - GSM A1428 or LTE 850 / 1800 / 2100 - GSM A1429   LTE 700 / 850 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 - CDMA A1429
• Announced :       2012, September
• Status :  Available. Released 2012, September
• BODY :   Dimensions        123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm
• Weight : 112 g
• DISPLAY :              Type      LED-backlit IPS TFT, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
• Size :       640 x 1136 pixels, 4.0 inches (~326 ppi pixel density)
• Multitouch :        Yes
• Protection :         Corning Gorilla Glass, oleophobic coating
• SOUND Alert types  :       Vibration, proprietary ringtones
• Loudspeaker :     Yes
• 3.5mm jack :        Yes
• MEMORY :           Card slot              No
• Internal :               16/32/64 GB storage, 1 GB RAM
• DATA :    GPRS     Yes
• EDGE  :   Yes
• Speed :  DC-HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, LTE, 100 Mbps; Rev. A, up to 3.1 Mbps
• WLAN :  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot
• Bluetooth :          Yes, v4.0 with A2DP
• USB :       Yes, v2.0
• CAMERA  :            Primary                8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, check quality
• Features :             Simultaneous HD video and image recording, touch focus, geo-tagging, face detection, panorama, HDR
• Video :   Yes, 1080p@30fps, LED video light, video stabilization, geo-tagging, check quality
• Secondary :          Yes, 1.2 MP, 720p@30fps
• FEATURES :          OS          iOS 6
• Chipset :               Apple A6
• CPU  :     Dual-core 1.2 GHz
• GPU :      PowerVR SGX 543MP3 (triple-core graphics)
• Sensors  :              Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
• Messaging  :        iMessage, SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email
• Browser  :             HTML (Safari)
• Radio :   No
• GPS :       Yes, with A-GPS support and GLONASS
• Java :      No
• Colors :  Black/Slate, White/Silver - nano-SIM card support only
• - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
• - Siri natural language commands and dictation
• - iCloud cloud service
• - Twitter and Facebook integration

There are many sides to the Apple iPhone 5's story. You can, for example, look at the progress it makes and compare it to the last major Apple release, the iPhone 4. That one was truly revolutionary - or, as the saying went back then, resolutionary. It had the most impressive screen on the market, a camera that few could beat, an incredibly attractive design, and processing power that equaled the most impressive droids at the time.

In comparison, the iPhone 5 brings a modest screen update, which is nowhere near as impressive as a four-fold increase in resolution brought by the iPhone 4. The performance of the camera is basically identical to the one on the 4S, and while the phone looks nothing short of stunning, the finish threatens to deteriorate quite quickly if not looked after. Not to mention that it just lacks the wow factor of the iPhone 4.

All we're left with is a surprisingly solid chipset - and we mean a surprise that most quad-cores will hardly call pleasant. But at the end of the day, Apple has failed to live up to its own upgrade standard set with the iPhone 4. What we mean is the iPhone 4S could get away with many things but not the iPhone 5 - not a second year in a row.

Yes, another side to the story is the upgrader's dilemma. So you have an iPhone already and you love it, but you are looking for ways to take that iOS experience a step further. Is the iPhone 5 the device you were hoping to get?

If you own the iPhone 4, then probably yes. At this point your home-button is probably starting to give up on you (those are known not to age well), you are looking to get some extra speed and a little extra screen estate, without writing off the investments you made in apps and the iPhone 5 delivers that easily. True, the screen could have grown a little more and the anodized aluminum case could have been more durable, but the latest iPhone is still a worthy upgrade. And a real no-brainer if you own one of the older generations of the Apple smartphones.

 

Apple iPhone 4

Things are far less straightforward if you have the iPhone 4S, though. Sure, the iPhone 5 is faster and slimmer, but is that enough to warrant the pricey upgrade? Given that the 3.5" screen is so easy to manage with one hand, you probably won't really feel much difference from the slimmer waistline. The camera is the same and the pixel density has no room for improvement, so all you'll be getting is more speed (to what's by no means a slow device) and some extra height to the screen.

 

Apple iPhone 4S

Turn another page and you see the iPhone 5 right in the middle of a heated smartphone battle. The Android open-source army is as strong as ever, while Windows Phone 8 has finally emerged as a real alternative for those, who don't mind a closed ecosystem such as Apple's.

The new Apple has a couple of strong arguments in its favor. Firstly, the A6 chipset is one of the snappiest around and is ready to face anything you throw at it. It may not win every fight, but it will never suffer humiliating defeats either. Secondly, the iPhone 5 is arguably the best looking of all the smartphones around. That weapon would have been even more potent, had it not been for the aluminum finish quality issues.

However, the iPhone 5 was let down by what has been the lineup's greatest strength thus far. We are talking the iOS 6 operating system, which seems to be falling behind the curve. After the fiasco with the new Apple Maps some are even saying that iOS 6 is a step backwards from iOS 5. Now, we wouldn't go that far as the new OS release teaches the iPhone family plenty of new tricks, but we can't overlook the fact either that while Android finally caught up in terms of fluidity and smoothness, iOS is yet to match the functionality of its competitors.

That's why the Galaxy S III and the HTC One X will sleep well, knowing very few (if any) of their owners will be tempted to jump ship. The LG Optimus G will also be glad to know that it's entering a game with a very open end, rather than being brought to the slaughter.

     

Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III • HTC One X • LG Optimus G E973

The Nokia Lumias and the HTC Windows Phones will also probably find reasons to cheer in the fact that they are finally ready to trade blows with the iPhone, instead of taking the punching bag role of their predecessors. Even though the Microsoft platform still has a long way to go to match the two industry heavyweights, it now has more trumps in its hand than just the bargain price.

   

Nokia Lumia 920 • HTC Windows Phone 8X

The great news for Apple is that the closed ecosystem is yet again working in their favor. We wouldn't want to underplay the loyalty of Apple fans but a commitment like that is hard to back out of for purely financial reasons too. iPhone users can be anything from pleased, faithful and devoted, to addicted, but a tiny bit of that involves protecting their investment in apps, services and interconnected Apple devices.

Furthermore, if you are only now looking to join the Apple family, you don't need to look any further than the latest. The price difference is negligible between an iPhone 5 and a brand new 4S.

In conclusion, the Apple iPhone 5 is a very solid effort, a purchase which few are likely to regret. However, it fails to be one of the revolutionary products its maker is known for.

We are not sure if it's due to complacency or the innovation well has simply dried up, but Apple has let competition catch up and even take the lead second year in a row. Had the iPhone 5 come out last year, when everyone was expecting it, it would have been a trend-setter, but now it seems to be relegated to a follower and the worst part is the pricing department didn't even get the memo. Off contract, it's probably the most expensive smartphone in Europe.

Then again, the momentum gained will certainly help mask some of the iPhone 5 weaknesses and the unprecedentedly loyal user base will make the smartphone a success, in the profit game. And that's the only game big companies play, anyway. So, those maps will eventually get fixed and Apple will pat themselves on the back for a job well done. A nine-to-five job though, not the inspired and visionary piece of work we all know this company can deliver.

Then again, the momentum gained will certainly help mask some of the iPhone 5 weaknesses and the unprecedentedly loyal user base will make the smartphone a success, in the profit game. And that's the only game big companies play, anyway. So, those maps will eventually get fixed and Apple will pat themselves on the back for a job well done. A nine-to-five job though, not the inspired and visionary piece of work we all know this company can deliver.

iPhone 5: What it means for business professionals

Here’s  list of the most important new stuff in the iPhone 5 for those of you who use the iPhone for business tasks or carry an iPhone as your company phone.

The iPhone 5 is taller and thinner than previous models. Photo credit: Apple

1. Larger screen - The most significant change from the iPhone 4S (and all previous iPhones) is that the new iPhone screen has stretched from 3.5 inches to 4 inches. The aspect ratio has also changed from 4×3 to 16×9. That gives you more real estate for reading and viewing things on screen, but it also means developers are going to have to change their apps (existing apps will auto-fill the space with black bars). Apple’s Jony Ive explained the change when he said, ”By making the screen taller but not wider, you can see more of your content but still comfortably use it with one hand.”

2. 4G LTE capability - Apple has finally added 4G LTE capability to the iPhone. This is a feature that many Android devices have had for 18 months. Nevertheless, its inclusion is a welcome addition for business professionals who are heavy data users and want to be able to quickly download documents, spreadsheets, presentations, images, etc. The bad news is that 4G LTE runs on different wireless frequencies in different countries and the iPhone does not contain a universal LTE chip, so LTE roaming is going to be inconsistent depending on which LTE-enabled version of the iPhone 5 you get in your home country.

3. Faster A6 processor - With the iPhone 5, Apple is introducing the new A6 processor, which the company says is “up to twice as fast compared with the A5 chip” and “also offers graphics performance that’s up to twice as fast as the A5.” In general, the new chip should enable apps to launch faster, web pages to load sooner, and photos and graphics to show up and refresh more quickly.

4. Improved battery life (claimed) - Apple says that the iPhone 5 offers battery life improvements over the iPhone 4S, but didn’t get into the details. Interestingly enough, back when Apple unveiled the 4S and claimed that it offered battery improvements over the iPhone 4, the company said that the iPhone 4S would get 8 hours of talk time, 10 hours of video playback time, and 6 hours of web browsing time. On Wednesday, Apple claimed that the new iPhone 5 will get 8 hours of talk time, 10 hours of video playback time, and 8 hours of web browsing time over LTE. So, the only battery life improvement is in web browsing.

5. Metal backplate - The iPhone 5 switches from the glass backplate on the iPhone 4/iPhone 4S to a metal backplate. This is the first metal backplate since the original iPhone in 2007 (the iPhone 3G/iPhone 3GS both had plastic backplates). The most significant thing about that from an IT and business standpoint is that it is likely going to be a lot more sturdy and result in fewer replacements when the phone gets dropped.

6. Updated camera - The camera specs in the iPhone 5 are virtually identical to the iPhone 4S–which already had an excellent camera–but Apple had to fit it into a thinner package. There are also a few key feature improvements. The software now includes a new panorama mode. Apple says that the iPhone 5 takes photos 40%  faster and takes better low-light shots. CNET’s Josh Lowensohn reported that the new camera “combines pixels in the dark, which gives you up to two f-stops better performance in low light. That’s an impressive claim.” Since lots of different types of professionals–from real estate agents to health care workers to construction contractors–use the iPhone camera as their primary business camera, any improvements can have a positive impact. Apple also upgraded the front-facing camera on the iPhone 5 to 720p, which should bring notable improvements in video calling.

7. Audio improvements - Apple introduced several features to improve the audio quality of the iPhone 5. It increased the number of microphones from two to three. There are now microphones on the bottom, front, and back of the device and the front and back mics work together as an array to do beamforming. The iPhone 5 now features wideband audio (also sometimes called HD Voice), which Apple said will be supported by over 20 cellular carriers at launch. All of this is aimed at improving call quality so that you can make calls when you’re in noisy rooms and have a better experience when you’re doing things like dialing into conference calls from your iPhone.

8. New connector - In order to make the device thinner and potentially do faster data transfers, Apple replaced the old 30-pin connector that has been on its devices since 2003. The iPhone 5 features the new “Lightning” connector, which is all-digital and is 80% smaller. This will be a major pain for people who already have extra cables and dock connectors for their iPhone. There is an adapter, but Apple is charging an unconscionable $30 for it. The best thing you can say about this new connector is that it is reversible, so there’s no way to plug it in upside down. But, if you’re an existing iPhone user who will be upgrading to the iPhone 5 then you’re going to need to be prepared to buy adapters for your docks and/or buy some extras cables for your laptop bag, your night stand, etc.