Apple unveiled their anticipated iPhone 5 to the world at a media event in San Francisco, California on Wednesday September 13.
Hoards of iPhone obsessed fanatics have been waiting in anticipation for months with rumors swirling around the web about the new phone what features to expect. Many of the features that fans and Apple insiders predicted had come true with some new suprises as well.
The new iPhone is the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever and has been redesigned featuring a 4-inch Retina display. It also has ultrafast wireless technology and a A6 chip for fast performance.
They've also upped the battery life and changed to iOS 6 software which includes over 200 new features such as the new Maps App and Passbook.
According to an Apple press release, the suggest retail price is "$199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model. iPhone 5 will be available from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 5 will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK on Friday, September 21, and customers can pre-order their iPhone 5 beginning Friday, September 14. iPhone 4S will also be available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 4 will be available for free with a two-year contract."
At the media event on Wednesday, the press got their hands on the iPhone 5 for the first time and had mostly glowing things to say about the new phone. Everyone from the New York Times to the AP was in attendance. Here is a roundup of what the press is saying about the new phone:
The New York Times:
"Not many rumor mills predicted the improvement in the camera. It's an eight-megapixel model with an f/2.4 aperture, meaning that it lets in a lot of light. The panorama mode is the best you've ever seen: as you swing the camera in an arc in front of you, a preview screen shows you the resulting panorama growing in real time. I took only two panorama shots in my limited time with the iPhone 5, but they came out crazy good.
At first glance, there's really only one cause for pause: Apple has replaced the 30-pin charging/syncing connector that's been on every iPhone, iPad and iPod since 2003. According to Apple, it's simply too big for its new, super-thin, super-packed gadgets.
Apple will sell two adapters, a simple plug adapter for $30 or one with a six-inch cable for $40, to accommodate accessories that can't handle the plug adapter.
That's way, way too expensive. These adapters should not be a profit center for Apple; they should be a gesture of kindness to those of us who've bought accessories based on the old connector. There's going to be a lot of grumpiness in iPhoneland, starting with me."
"Apple's made this one lighter than before, and while the outgoing flagship never really felt heavy, this one feels impressively light. After all, it's both taller and lighter. The display -- which meets sRGB color specification -- now has an integrated touch layer, and Apple's not holding back when it calls it the "world's most advanced display." Sure enough, it looks beautiful. Of course, displays across the industry have been becoming increasingly sexy to look at, and Apple's newest most certainly pops when you ogle it. Is it better than the 4S? For sure, but it doesn't make the 4S' panel look dated by any means. The anti-glare measures implemented are highly appreciated, too."
"The larger screen really comes to life, though, with what is perhaps its coolest feature - a tool called "Panorama" that automatically stitches together a series of pictures into a majestic vista. Panorama can be turned on simply by going into the iPhone 5's camera mode and then selecting it on an option menu. Once it's activated, an arrow guides you as you slowly pan the camera around whatever scenery you desire (if you move too fast, Panorama tells you to slow down and also advises you if you are moving the camera too high or low). Once you are done, you can look at the panoramic shot within seconds and zoom into whichever areas of the picture look most interesting."
"Last year's iPhone 4S always felt like an incremental upgrade rather than a true step change, and although it sold wonderfully for Apple and brought some interesting additions, few would argue against the suggestion that it opened the door for competitors.
As a result, this year's launch was perhaps most important for Apple since the very first iPhone arrived back in 2007.
The new phone certainly feels different - and although there will be the odd naysayer, the overwhelming majority will feel that the iPhone 5's design is a good step on from the now ageing chassis of both the 4S and 4. What is perhaps more suprising is just how much snappier this feels than the iPhone 4S. The A6 chip clearly has a significant amount more grunt under its smaller hood - but what is surprising is that you can immediately tell when you use the device alongside its predecessor."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
