iPhone 5 review: Everything you need to know about Apple’s latest offering

There was a lot of anticipation around the launch of Apple’s latest offering, the iPhone 5, and after the launch, the reviews were mixed with some favorable reviews and some negative reviews. Certain new features in the iPhone 5 have been appreciated, while some have been called a hindrance. In this review, we will take a look at the different aspects of the iPhone 5 and briefly discuss them.

Design

iPhones have always been phones that fit comfortably in the hand and the most important advantage was that it could be used with one hand. The new iPhone 5 still fits perfectly in the hand, but at a reduced weight of 112g it feels light and there are some people who don’t like that. It’s something you’ll get used to and shouldn’t be a problem.

The increase in screen size makes the iPhone 5 123.8mm tall and people who have been using the iPhone 4S will not easily notice the increase in size. This is a good ploy from Apple, as it won’t turn people away who don’t like big screens. With the increased height, reaching the power button can be difficult with one hand, but you can still cover the entire screen with your thumb.

Both the ceramic white version and the anodized black version have a two-tone effect on the back and is something that is attractive to look at and under the finger. The sapphire crystal used on the back is durable and the two sections of pigmented crystal used on the top and bottom give a nice feel. Apple has tried to make the exterior of the iPhone 5 strong to try and minimize damage when dropped, but there have been reports of scratches and flaking appearing on the black anodized version.

Apple has made the antenna more powerful and this is a welcome change, but moving the 3.5mm audio jack from top to bottom has received some criticism as it can be awkward when headphones are plugged in. The new Lightning port that replaced the old 30-pin connector is also something many don’t like, as it means they’ll have to buy an adapter to use it with the many iPhone accessories, docks, and chargers they’ve bought.

The front-facing iSight camera has been moved to the center and the home button has been made more robust to reduce issues users have expressed with the home button on previous versions.

display

The resolution of the iPhone5 is still 326 ppi and the retina display is still one of the best. No changes to the screen can be noticed compared to the previous iPhone model and one major change is that the screen has been moved closer to glass, which increases brightness and sharpness. The screen is sharp, bright and clear with no oversaturation and is similar to the screen on the 4S.

vocation

Call quality has been greatly improved and with 3 microphones on iPhone 5, it’s easy to have a clear conversation even in windy environments and on the side of a busy street. The number of dropped calls has been greatly reduced and the efforts that Apple has made in this area have paid off. But then finding people to call is still very similar to previous versions and Apple has a lot of room for improvement when it comes to contacts.

FaceTime

FaceTime is back on iPhone 5 and it’s better than ever. With the improved iSight front camera, HD quality video calls can now be made as long as you have the network to handle HD video calls.

Messaging and email

Calling may not be the iPhone’s forte, but messaging is, and with the increased height you can see much more of what you’re typing. iMessaging is also available, but it still needs improvement and we expect it in the next updates. The simplicity and ease of use of email continues on iPhone 5 and is very similar to previous models.

Social networks

There is still a lot to be done for the integration of social networks and this is an area that is very disappointing in the iPhone 5.

Camera and Video

The camera is quite similar to that of the iPhone 4S and the only improvements are that photos can be taken 40% faster and the introduction of the new Dynamic Low Light mode which helps improve dark images considerably. Video recording quality has been greatly improved and now offers great quality video recording.

Other features

The new earphones (EarPods) aren’t that great and probably need to be worked on. Internal connectivity is excellent, as usual, and there are plenty of improvements on the gaming front. There have been mixed reviews about the battery life and more reviews on the battery are to be expected. 4G availability is great for users who have access to 4G connections and the connectivity is great. PC connectivity has never been a strong point of the iPhone and still isn’t. Other features like iCloud, Passbook, Reminders, Siri, Maps are very similar to the 4S and not much to talk about.

The iPhone 5 uses the iOS 6 interface and the changes to the new interface have many new features that will have to be discussed in detail.