Facing competition from other smartphone makers, Apple finally unveiled the iPhone 5 this afternoon, featuring a bigger screen, an aluminum and glass back panel and LTE connectivity.
Apple CEO Tim Cook debuted the newest iPhone in San Francisco, calling the phone “an absolute jewel.” Made entirely of glass and aluminum, the iPhone 5 ups the screen size from 3.5 inches to four. The resolution is now 1136 by 640 pixels, enough to make applications running in landscape look gorgeous while keeping the phone comfortable to hold in one hand. Cook also said the screen has less glare, making the phone easier to use in direct sunlight.
The iPhone 5 is also skinnier than its predecessor, the iPhone 4S. Shedding nearly two millimeters of bulk and one ounce of weight, Apple called the newest iPhone the world’s thinnest smartphone.
Apple updated the insides of the phone as well. The iPhone 5 receives a new A6 processor, which will allow apps to launch and run in two seconds. Of course, it’ll also enable faster and better graphics performance. Even more incredible is that the chip is 22% more efficient than the A5 processor featured in the iPhone 4S, enabling longer battery life. Apple says you’ll be able to surf the web for eight hours over LTE and 3G and ten hours over WiFi.
The iPhone 5 also received a new dock connector. The new connector, dubbed “Lightning,” marks the first dock change for any iPod since 2003. The move frees up space for the hardware, but doesn’t add any additional functionality not offered by the old dock connector. Apple also mentioned that speakers are being made for the new connection and will sell an adapter for compatibility with older devices.
On Sprint, Verizon and AT&T, the iPhone 5 will sell for $199, $299 and $399 for 16, 32 and 64 gigabytes of storage, respectively. The iPhone 4S drops to $99 for eight gigs and the iPhone 4 becomes free on contract.
Preorders begin this Friday and the iPhone 5 will ship next Friday, the 21st. This will be the quickest iPhone roll-out in Apple’s history.
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