Apple iPhone 5

Apple · iPhone

iPhone 5

Released September 2012

The iPhone 5 is Apple's 2012 iPhone, with a taller 4-inch Retina display, the A6 chip, LTE, the Lightning connector and an anodised aluminium body, suited to collectors and anyone comparing older iPhones.

Model history · 6 models, 2007–2012
  1. 2007iPhoneCompare
  2. 2008iPhone 3GCompare
  3. 2009iPhone 3GSCompare
  4. 2010iPhone 4Compare
  5. 2011iPhone 4SCompare
  6. 2012iPhone 5
Screen
4″
Display
LCD, 60 Hz
Chip
A6
Memory
1 GB
Storage
16 GB – 64 GB
Main camera
8 MP
Zoom
–
Battery
1,440 mAh
Weight
112 g

What reviewers say

Both reviews praise the iPhone 5's slim, light redesign, larger screen and good camera, and CNET welcomed 4G LTE and the faster A6 chip. Both criticise Apple Maps as unfinished; TechRadar also found it expensive and the software ageing, and CNET noted the new connector made older accessories need an adapter.

From techradar.com and cnet.com

Display

Screen size
4″
Resolution
1136 × 640
Sharpness
326 pixels per inch
Panel
LCD
Refresh rate
60 Hz
Peak brightness
500 nits
Display type
Retina display; 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display
Pixel density
326 ppi
Brightness detail
500 cd/m² max brightness (typical)
Screen protection
Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on front
Display features
800:1 contrast ratio (typical)

Performance

Chip
A6
Memory
1 GB
Storage
16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB
CPU
Dual-core 1.3 GHz Swift (GSMArena); 1 GB of Elpida LPDDR2 RAM (iFixit)
GPU
PowerVR SGX543MP3 (GSMArena)

Cameras

Main camera
8 MP
Ultra wide camera
None
Telephoto camera
None
Optical zoom
None
Front camera
1.2 MP
Main camera
8-megapixel iSight camera with autofocus, tap to focus, face detection and LED flash
Front camera
FaceTime HD camera with 1.2MP photos
Video recording
HD (1080p) up to 30 fps with audio; improved video stabilisation
Front video
HD (720p) up to 30 fps
Camera features
Panorama; photo and video geotagging

Battery and charging

Battery
1,440 mAh
Video playback (maker's claim)
Up to 10 hours
Wireless charging
None
Battery life detail
Talk time up to 8 hours on 3G; standby up to 225 hours; internet use up to 8 hours on 3G or LTE and 10 hours on Wi-Fi; video playback up to 10 hours; audio playback up to 40 hours; 3.8 V, 5.45 Wh, 1,440 mAh (iFixit)
Wired charging
Charging via USB to a computer or power adapter

Design

Type
Standard
Weight
112 g
Thickness
7.6 mm
Height × width
123.8 × 58.6 mm
Materials
Anodised aluminium body with diamond-cut chamfered edges and glass inlays
Colours
Black & Slate, White & Silver
Sensors
Three-axis gyro; accelerometer; proximity sensor; ambient light sensor

Software

Operating system
iOS
Software at launch
iOS 6

Connectivity

Mobile network
GSM model A1428: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA, GSM/EDGE and LTE (bands 4 and 17); models A1429: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA, GSM/EDGE and LTE (bands 1, 3, 5, plus 13 and 25 on the CDMA model)
SIM
Nano-SIM (GSMArena)
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 4.0
USB
Lightning connector; 3.5 mm headphone jack (GSMArena); video mirroring and video out up to 1080p through the Lightning Digital AV Adapter and Lightning to VGA Adapter (sold separately)
Positioning
Assisted GPS and GLONASS; digital compass; Wi-Fi; cellular

Storage options

Storage
16 GB
32 GB
64 GB

Pros and cons

Pros

  • 4-inch Retina display at 1136 × 640, taller than the iPhone 4S
  • LTE and dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n on 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
  • 112 g and 7.6 mm thick, against 140 g and 9.3 mm for the iPhone 4S

Cons

  • 1.2MP front camera
  • Up to 225 hours of standby
  • Lightning needs an adapter for older 30-pin accessories

Closest rivals

Model
ScreenDisplayChipMemoryStorageMain cameraZoomBatteryWeightReleased
4″LCD, 60 HzA61 GB8 GB – 32 GB8 MP–1,510 mAh132 gSept 2013
4″LCD, 60 HzA71 GB16 GB – 64 GB8 MP–1,560 mAh112 gSept 2013
4.27″OLEDExynos 42101 GB16 GB8 MP–1,650 mAh116 gMay 2011

Previous model: iPhone 4S. Newer model: iPhone 5s.

Sources

  1. support.apple.com/en-gb/112016
  2. apple.com/uk/newsroom/2012/09/12Apple-Introduces-iPhone-5
  3. gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_5-4910.php
  4. ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+5+Teardown/10525

Photo: cdsassets.apple.com

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