iPhone 5
By: JP Miller
The best publicized change to the sixth generation iPhone is the screen. However, the first change you may notice when you pick up the new iPhone is not the screen, but rather the weight. Both of these changes are substantial and are a significant step for a product that has maintained the same screen size and a similar weight for five years.
In addition to the change in hardware, the software the iPhone runs on, iOS, changes substantially as well. In this review we’ll go over both the physical changes to the iPhone as well as the differences in software.
Screen Size:
One of the most common complaints from consumers about the iPhone to this point has been its small screen size. Apple has set out to eliminate that complaint with the iPhone 5. The new iPhone has a four-inch screen, still smaller than most android rivals, but larger than the 3.5-inch screen of the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S.
The differentiating factor between the new iPhone and many of its rivals is the aspect ratio. The aspect ratio is the ratio between the length and width of the screen. Most smart phones use a 3 x 4 ratio. Similar to most TV screens, those phones use black bars when they play a HD movie. Because the new iPhone 5 is taller and not wider, the phone has a 16 x 9 aspect ratio and the new 1136 x 640 screen will (in landscape mode) not have those black bars. Instead the movie will play across the entire screen of the phone.
In their press conference for the new phone, Apple executives said that the primary reason they wanted a phone that was only taller was to keep the iPhone a one-handed device. Apple executives claim that large android devices (like the 4.8 inch Samsung Galaxy SIII) are hard for most people to use with one hand and are easier to drop. The taller but not wider screen should avoid this problem.
The increase in screen size is Apple’s way to catch up to the competition. This catch up puts a surprising twist in the hands of consumers with a completely different screen size.
Weight:
Saying the iPhone is lighter doesn’t give justice to the magnitude of the change. The 5 is 25% lighter than its predecessor. The phone is extraordinarily light, almost to the point where you could genuinely feel as if you aren’t holding anything.
According to Apple, this was accomplished through two major changes. First was the switch from heavy glass and steel in the structure of the phone to an ultralight aluminum alloy in the band around the phone and on the rear of the phone. Second was a reduction in the volume of the device. Despite being taller than the previous iPhone, the 5 is thin enough that the volume of the device is actually less than the previous generation.
A reduction in weight has a substantial impact on the feel of the device and is a welcome change to the iPhone. Though it requires some getting used to, the phone has a distinct advantage over the competition because of its weight.
4G:
The iPhone 5 has finally gotten 4G network capabilities. About a year after most android rivals, the iPhone brings the technology in without the terrible battery issues that plague most 4G phones. Beyond that, the addition simply adds faster data, making using the phone a much smoother and faster experience.
Other Hardware Changes:
As with most new phones, the iPhone 5 is thinner than its predecessors, dropping a whole 2 mm and becoming the thinnest (as a whole) phone in the United States. The reduction has little influence on the overall feel of the phone but makes it more comfortable to carry around in a pocket.
In recents speed tests the iPhone scored above any other phone sold in the United States. Part of this is due to it being the newest phone in the crowd and part is the entirely Apple-designed A6 processor.
Something that people carrying an iPhone 4 or 4 S were always conscious of was the shattering. The all-glass design was ripe for ruining someone’s day. The new iPhone replaces the glass back with a split glass and aluminum one. The addition of the aluminum unibody that attaches to the frame of the phone has resulted in a significant durability boost. Tests done by the blog Phandroid determined the iPhone is more durable than its closest rival, the Samsung Galaxy SIII. This is a welcome improvement that makes cases far less necessary.
Software:
The other half of the new iPhone is its new software iOS 6. The new software adds a number of features, many of which are available to older iPhone models. The sixth generation software is an evolution of older versions of the software that looks pretty much the same. Some of the new features are Facebook integration, Passbook, and updated Siri (the addition of Siri in the third iPad), and various improvements to Apple’s default apps.
Facebook has finally gotten the integration that Twitter got last year. You can now post text or photos from almost any app and from notification center. In addition, you can now sync your Facebook contacts into the contacts list on your iOS device. All in all, the update doesn’t do to much but makes using the social network on your phone simpler and easier.
Passbook is Apple’s first foray into the world of the phone as a virtual wallet. While not allowing you to use the phone as a credit card, passbook allows for users to add gift cards, coupons, loyalty cards, and tickets to concerts, movies, flights, and sports events. Because the app is new there are only a few notable supporters: the MLB, Starbucks, and Target being the largest. The app will continue to be more useful as time goes on and will likely turn into a full fledged wallet for your phone.
Siri on the iPhone 4S was cool but not very practical for every day use. The update in iOS 6 is a massive upgrade that helps a great deal. Despite this the feature is still not extremely useful. The addition of Siri to the new iPad and the newest iPod touch does show that Siri is moving to all Apple devices eventually.
The iPhone 5 is not as groundbreaking as the original iPhone was, but I would be surprised if we ever saw anything quite like it again. The iPhone 5 is a substantial update that puts the iPhone back at the top of the smartphone kingdom and presents a very good option for consumers looking for a new phone.
Credit to: phandroid.com, apple.com, and geekbench.com for durability tests, hardware information, photographs, and processor tests.