Apple announces the iPhone 5

As we all expected, Apple has announced the iPhone 5 at Apple's media event. The iPhone 5 is made entirely out of glass and aluminium enclosure that's 18% thinner than the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4 and weighs 20% lighter than the previous models at 112 grams. It has a 4-inch 1136 x 640 pixel (326 pixels per inch) Retina Display giving it the same width as the iPhone 4S but taller.

The phone also features in-cell technology that was previously rumoured that allows the display to be even thinner since the touch sensors are integrated into the display itself instead of a separate layer.

The new iPhone also has LTE connectivity using a single chip for voice and data and a dynamic antenna that can switch connections as needed. The LTE connectivity will be compatible with all of the major cellular networks in the US plus others in Europe and around the world. The iPhone 5 also gets improved Wi-Fi connectivity with dual-channel 802.11(n) capability.

The new iPhone also has a new A6 processor that is twice as fast as the iPhone 4S (which carries the A5 chip). The A6 processor is also 22% smaller and more efficient. The battery life on the iPhone 5 will offer 8 hours of 3G or LTE talk time or browsing or 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing or 225 hours of standby time. 

The iPhone 5's rear-facing camera doesn't get  resolution bump, keeping it at an 8-megapixel sensor, though the sensor is thinner and the lens cover is sapphire crystal. The camera function gets a new dynamic low-light mode and faster photo capture. The front-facing FaceTime camera will offer 270p HD video capture with the ability to take photos while recording video. 

The iPhone 5 gets an additional microphone, bringing the total to three compared to the two present in the iPhone 4S. The microphones will be located on the bottom, front and rear of the iPhone 5 to improve voice recognition and noise cancellation. Apple's new EarPods earphones are also included. 

The iPhone 5 will come in black or white. The black will have a anodised aluminium back while the white version will have a raw aluminium back. The iPhone 5 will cost $199, $299, and $399 for the 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models with a contract. The iPhone 4S will be reduced to $99 and the iPhone 4 will be free with a contract. 

Pre-orders for the iPhone 5 will begin on Friday, September 14 and apple will begin shipping the new device on September 21 in nine countries including the US and Canada. The iPhone 5 will become available in additional countries next month and in 100 countries by the end of the year.