What’s Better About the New iPhone 5?
Each year’s announcement is filled with the simultaneous feelings of excitement for the new features and the sadness that some of the dream list features didn’t make the cut. The average person is just wondering if the new iPhone is worth upgrading if they have an upgrade slot with their service provider. To help make this a simple process, below is my rundown of the new stuff the iPhone 5 brings.
First the less exciting, yet notable improvements:
As compared with the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5 will be 18% thinner, 20% lighter, have a taller screen (4″ diagonal), have an extra row of icons, 44% better color saturation with full sRGB, more network support HSPA+ & DC-HSDPA, better wireless N (Dual channel), longer battery life, 40% faster camera capture, better sapphire camera lens, smaller digital & reversible connector port (instead of the 30 pin), smaller nano-SIM, video face detection, ability to make still photos from videos, and new EarPod earbuds.
On the short-list of exciting improvement:
Front camera is HD 720p!
A6 processor which makes things 2x faster!
LTE support!
So is it worth the upgrade?
If you have LTE service, the answer is unquestionably YES, this is the upgrade you’ve been wishing for!
If you are the rest of us, the answer is still Yes. The upgrade to the front camera will make Facetime much more enjoyable and useful. The A6 doubling the performance speed and graphics will make the 4S start to seem sluggish (imagine that). So although it’s not the same thing as hearing there is built in wireless charging, FM radio, near field communication, or the kitchen sink, it is enough of an upgrade to make you notice going back to the old model. In the end, it’s about progressing forward, and as apps become more complex and graphics-heavy, you will feel better about using them if they are snappier. So if you have a lingering upgrade slot, take the plunge starting September 21st!
On a side note, it’s best to have your two-year renewals used on an even year anyway, because the odd year upgrades to the phone are always sub models (remember the 3G-S and 4S) that keep the same form factor but don’t usually add the fancy stuff. Upgrade now, skip the iPhone 5S next year, and get the iPhone 6 in 2014 (or if you’re like me, just keep alternating your spouse’s account in the odd years so you can have them all!)
See Apple’s comparison chart with the iPhone 5, 4S, and 4 at http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare-iphones/
First the less exciting, yet notable improvements:
As compared with the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5 will be 18% thinner, 20% lighter, have a taller screen (4″ diagonal), have an extra row of icons, 44% better color saturation with full sRGB, more network support HSPA+ & DC-HSDPA, better wireless N (Dual channel), longer battery life, 40% faster camera capture, better sapphire camera lens, smaller digital & reversible connector port (instead of the 30 pin), smaller nano-SIM, video face detection, ability to make still photos from videos, and new EarPod earbuds.
On the short-list of exciting improvement:
Front camera is HD 720p!A6 processor which makes things 2x faster!
LTE support!
So is it worth the upgrade?
If you have LTE service, the answer is unquestionably YES, this is the upgrade you’ve been wishing for!
If you are the rest of us, the answer is still Yes. The upgrade to the front camera will make Facetime much more enjoyable and useful. The A6 doubling the performance speed and graphics will make the 4S start to seem sluggish (imagine that). So although it’s not the same thing as hearing there is built in wireless charging, FM radio, near field communication, or the kitchen sink, it is enough of an upgrade to make you notice going back to the old model. In the end, it’s about progressing forward, and as apps become more complex and graphics-heavy, you will feel better about using them if they are snappier. So if you have a lingering upgrade slot, take the plunge starting September 21st!
On a side note, it’s best to have your two-year renewals used on an even year anyway, because the odd year upgrades to the phone are always sub models (remember the 3G-S and 4S) that keep the same form factor but don’t usually add the fancy stuff. Upgrade now, skip the iPhone 5S next year, and get the iPhone 6 in 2014 (or if you’re like me, just keep alternating your spouse’s account in the odd years so you can have them all!)
See Apple’s comparison chart with the iPhone 5, 4S, and 4 at http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare-iphones/