After months of rumors and leaked photos, Apple iPhone 5 is finally here.
iPhone 5, unveiled at a media event in San Francisco Wednesday, has been one of the most eagerly awaited gadgets this year. Let's look at five of its best features:
1. Thinner and Lighter: Yes, an iPhone that is thinner and lighter is welcomed news. Though this might not be too obvious from the presentation, it certainly will be when you hold it. Apple claims iPhone 5 is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than iPhone 4S.
Improved Battery Life: iPhone 5 will provide a better battery life than its predecessor. iOS 6 working with an A6 chip will make iPhone 5 a power-efficient smartphone. The worry factor is LTE, which drains the battery. But Apple has worked a way out by giving its users eight hours of LTE-enabled browsing, up to 8 hours of talk time, and up to 10 hours of video playback time.
4G LTE Connectivity: Long-Term Evolution makes access to Internet data ultra fast. It can reach speeds up to 20 megabits per second. Downloads will be ten times faster with LTE. But users need to check the carrier coverage maps as it will not be available everywhere.
Bigger Screen: Jumping from a 3.5-inch screen to a 4-inch screen isn't exactly a leap when compared to Samsung's Galaxy SIII, which has 4.8-inch screen. But an extra screen space will mean more icons and more navigating options and HD movies without letterbox. Added to this is the Retina display outputting resolution of 1136x640 making images and video look stunning.
A6 Chip: This chip, which is an improvement from its predecessor A5, will make iPhone 5 twice faster than iPhone 4S. Launching of apps, loading of webpage and other things can be done instantly. This chip will make gamers happy as it offers faster graphics.
Though there are many other features like the camera or the lightning port, the above features stand out. Windows-based and Android-based phones are more prominent when it comes to home screen customization and Android is clear ahead with its notifications, data management and voice recognition.
Pre-orders of the device started at 12:01 a.m. PT (3:01 a.m. ET) Friday.
The iOS 6 update will be available Sept. 19.
