iPhone 5 launch

iPhone 5 launch

Apple has announced the new iPhone 5, offering a larger screen, 4G LTE connectivity and a slightly tweaked design.
The new iPhone 5 - the world's thinnest smartphone at 7.6mm (0.3 inches) - is made entirely of glass and aluminium, something Apple says is "unlike anything we, or anyone in the industry, has made before."

Thinner again

It's weighing in at just 112g (4oz), which is 20% lighter than the iPhone 4S, and has a 4-inch screen, which offers a 1136 x 640 resolution (326ppi) and has 44% colour saturation for more 'rich' colours... perhaps an effort to rival the deeper hues of the Samsung Galaxy S3's Super AMOLED HD screen.
This display gives you access to more apps on the screen, with five rows of icons and the standard four icons at the bottom - first party apps have been updated to make use of the extra screen real estate, and old apps will run with black bars to make sure they can run on the larger screen too.

4G and faster

As expected, it's now got a 4G chip inside, meaning superfast mobile broadband speeds from a single radio chip. It will run 4G speeds on EE in the UK (and possibly more) and in the US, there's access to Sprint, AT&T and Verizon's dizzying mobile speeds.
The chipset inside is the new Apple A6 chip, which is 22% smaller than the predecessor, and more energy efficient, and offers up faster loading speeds and graphics that look visually impressive - think close to console quality.

Battery snapper power

Hands on: iPhone 5 review

Apple is claiming 'incredible' battery life on the iPhone 5 that exceeds that of the iPhone 4S, with eight hours talk time, eight hours of 3G or 4G browsing, 40 hours of music and a whopping 225 hours on standby... although we'd be gobsmacked if anyone ever achieved those numbers.
The iPhone 5 camera sticks at an 8MP sensor, and offers up backside illumination, a hybrid IR filder, f/2.4 aperture and a 25% smaller sensor. Essentially the same as the iPhone 4S camera in spec, but with dynamic low light mode, precision lens alignment and sapphire crystal, that offers better dark snaps and strong scratch resistance.
Apple spent a long time touting the processing power of the iPhone 5 camera, thanks to the new A6 chip. This means 40% faster image capture, and a smart filter than helps make colours look a little bit more pure - and panorama mode is now added in, and a 'simple to use' method that results in a 28MP image.
The FaceTime camera is predictably onboard, but has been boosted to HD quality instead of VGA, and offers the same backside illumination as the rear sensor. Three microphones are present in the updated audio system, on the bottom, back and front of the iPhone 5.
Wideband Audio, which seems to be a lot like Orange's HD Voice function, enables wider voice spectrums, with 20 carriers (Orange included) supported at launch for clearer voice chattery.

Thunderbolt and Lightning

Apple has made the move we all expected and included an 80% smaller dock connector for the iPhone 5, dubbed Lightning to partner with the Thunderbolt port used on Macs.
There will be accessories to help you use those old docks and power leads - but let's be honest, Apple wants to create a whole new ecosystem of leads. It's an 8-signal connector, and will be digital for faster transfer speeds.

iOS 6 updates

Apple showed off the improvements we saw from iOS 6, which included superbly slick satellite imagery using Apple's new Maps app, PassBook for all your loyalty cards and tickets (with geo-locational tools so things automatically pop up on the lock screen) and the ability to share desktop tabs with Safari through iCloud tabs.
We saw the same again from Siri, with the ability to launch apps by voice, info on movies and scores from your favourite sports - and you'll be able to get your hands on iOS 6 from September 19.

• iOS 6: everything you need to know

Colour fun

In no change to tradition, the iPhone 5 will come in both black and white, with the former seeing an anodised finish and the latter offering a lovely aluminium back.
It's a departure from the previous singular design and hue, and will at least show those other people on the commute that you've got Apple's latest device.

Where's the NFC?

However, it's not all happy days: the iPhone 5 does not have Near Field Communication compatibility, which means you won't be using the iPhone to pay for your goods or travel on public transport.
This is a big blow for the networks and financial providers looking to convince users that using a handset as your main method of payment is a good idea... Apple seemingly thinks that NFC is not secure enough or not widespread to the correct level to chuck it into the new iPhone.

iPhone 5 price and release date

The iPhone 5 will cost the same as the iPhone 4S, and will ship on September 21 in multiple countries around the world, including the UK, US and Australia, coming on 240 carriers.
You can pre-order the new iPhone 5 from September 14, and it will come in the same storage flavours as before: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. Apple's iPhone 5 prices start at $199 in the US, with a PAYG price in the UK of £529 revealed so far.