Ever since the first iPhone was released in 2007, Apple has not only managed to improve features and upgrade hardware but also has come up with revolutionary innovations. However, for the first time, Apple and the new iPhone face the pressure of severe competition from handsets manufactured by Asian giants Samsung, Nokia and HTC. iPhone 5’s major rivals in the smartphone market are going to be, without doubt, the Galaxy S3, HTC One X and the Lumia 920. With iPhone 5 all set to match these handsets, we look where Apple has just caught up and where it has set a new benchmark.

Chipset – Twice as Fast:

The first assurance we got from the presenters was that the new A6 processor is twice as fast at crunching numbers and graphics.

Display – Larger with Retina Display:

The worst kept secret related to iPhone 5 features was the upgrade in screen size from 4S which has now been increased to 4-inches from 3.5-inches. Steve Jobs would never have taken the measure but the requirement had become a necessity with S3 and Lumia 920 boasting bigger and attractive displays. The screen resolution has been increased to 1,136×640 from 960×640 but the 326 ppi remain the same although it possesses a 16:9 aspect ratio. Retina Display, already present in the latest iPad, has also been incorporated meaning no pixilation will be visible to the human eye at typical distances.

Dimensions – Thinner and Lighter:

The upgrade in screen size was going to come at a cost and the size of the handset had to be compromised. iPhone 5 is 18 per cent thinner and 20 per cent lighter weighing 112 ounces with the phone width being intact to ensure comfort levels.

Camera – Nothing too Impressive:

The 8 megapixel is 25 per cent smaller in size with upgraded features having a resolution of 3,264×2448-pixels. New features include panoramic shooting modes, dynamic low-light mode and a front-facing 1.2-megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording.

4G LTE Connectivity:

Another much anticipated feature was the introduction of the 4G LTE connectivity in place of the 3G technology increasing the download speeds by ten times and will also be available in the UK through EE.

iOS 6.0 – A few Upgrades:

Synchronization of the iCloud with iOS 6 enables users to match the web browsing tabs you open on your Mac to Safari, and vice-versa. Voice assistant, Siri, has had its content and ability enhanced although question marks over its use outside the US will exist. Another addition is the Photostream Sharing which will give Facebook’s Instagram stiff competition.

Battery Lifetime – Improved:

Battery back-up time has also been improved with users now capable of getting an astonishing 8 hours of browsing time on 4G but this has to be tested thoroughly before any confirmation. The standby time has also been increased by another five hours to that of the 4S.

Pricing:

Apple have kept the same prices ($199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, $399 for 64GB) at which the iPhone 4S models were released to the market despite a significant increase in the manufacturing cost to ensure that they keep up their sales.

Let-downs:

1. No NFC:

NFC (near-field communication) is a simple feature that allows users to share pictures, websites, and other bits of data by placing your phone in close vicinity to another NFC-enabled device. It is surprising to see that Apple has failed to induct it in iPhone 5.

2. Camera Problems Unsolved:

The iPhone 4S camera was probably the best of its generation but there were complains about the lens speed and it seems that Apple has not taken any actions to improve upon it. Besides the obvious absent features, some analysts believe that the phone does not exhibit the typical Apple innovation and displays more incremental upgrades rather than revolutionary ideas – an example being the UI which is becoming stale.

iPhone 5 – Better But Not “Revolutionary”!

Revolutionary or not but Apple has almost matched its nearest competitors in terms of hardware upgrades and already has a better ecosystem. The iPhone 5 arguably is just like the iPhone 4, except its lighter, thinner, taller, faster and made of aluminum and glass. It may not be able attract many customers from S3 to the iPhone 5 but the Apple devout would surely be standing in the lines come September 21st.