Apple takes wraps off iPhone 5, 4-inch screen and all - CNET

Apple's Phil Schiller showing off the new iPhone 5.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

As expected, Apple has announced the iPhone 5.

The object of much anticipation and speculation over the last several months, the iPhone 5 delivers much of what industry observers had expected. The smartphone is made of glass and aluminum and all of the buttons are in the same places. According to Apple, the device is 18 percent thinner than the iPhone 4S, measuring just 7.6mm. It's also 20 percent lighter than its predecessor at 112 grams.

One of the biggest additions is the new 4-inch display, besting its predecessor's 3.5-inch screen. The device once again comes with the Retina display and has the same 326 pixels per inch found in the iPhone 4S. In terms of resolution, users can expect 1,136 x 640, Schiller says. The screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The new 4-inch screen in the iPhone 5.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

With the bigger displays comes more space for your goodies. In fact, Apple says that the device will be able to accommodate a fifth row of icons. Previously, Apple's iPhones only supported four rows of icons.

Apple says that it has updated its software, including iLife, iWork, and the native apps, among others, to accommodate the larger display. In addition, the company will allow developers to update their apps to accommodate the larger screen.

Moving onto the Web, Apple announced that, as expected, the iPhone 5 will come with support for 4G LTE service, delivering what it calls, "Ultrafast Wireless." The device's LTE service will be available in the U.S. on Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T networks.

In addition, Apple says that the platform will offer up HSPA+ and DC-HSPDA. On the Wi-Fi side, the device will boast support for 802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz signals.

Apple's ultrafast wireless is coming to the iPhone 5.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

Performance-wise, Apple is making some big promises, thanks to the launch of the A6 processor. According to Schiller, the chip is 22 percent smaller than the previous A5, available in the iPhone 4S, but is twice as fast and doubles the graphics performance of its predecessor. Saving an image from an iPhoto app, for example, is 1.7-times faster on an iPhone 5 than on the iPhone 4S.

Despite the LTE and better chip, Apple is promising strong battery life in the iPhone 5. The company claims it'll deliver 8 hours of 3G talk time and 8 hours of LTE browsing. On standby, the device will last 225 hours on a single charge, the company says.

Apple showing off its new iPhone 5 camera.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

Given the popularity of the iPhone's iSight camera, it's not surprising that it has been updated, as well. According to Apple, the camera now comes with an 8-megapixel sensor and 3,264 x 2,448 resolution. Backside illumination, a five-element lens, and better low-light performance are just a few of the upgrades that have made their way to the iSight. Users will also be able to take panoramic shots, thanks to built-in software.

As one might expect, the camera also supports video capture. Apple says that the lens will deliver 1080p video and facial detection for up to 10 people.

More to come...

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