Apple Unveils the Long Awaited iPhone 5…..is it Worth the Upgrade?

Amidst all the fanfare and pageantry that Apple Inc. is known for when unveiling their newest gadget, yesterday marked the long awaited and highly anticipated arrival of Apple's newest smartphone....The iPhone 5.  However, was all the hooplah a bit underwhelming?  In my opinion, yes.  But, don't take my word for it.  Here are a few improvements to the newest member of the iPhone/Apple family.

Bigger Screen
The body of the iPhone 5 has been elongated, adding about a quarter inch to the screen height without changing the width. This will allow for HD video to display in its true 16:9 format and give game designers more real estate to work with.  While the body is longer, the iPhone 5 is 18% thinner than the iPhone 4S — and 20% lighter.

Faster Processor
The brains of the iPhone have been given a significant bump and now have a faster processor than even the new iPad. According to Apple, the new A6 chipset will result in applications loading twice as fast, graphics running smoother and photos capturing 40% faster.

The Camera
The camera has gotten 25% smaller, has better low light processing, and can produce panoramic images. The video camera can shoot 1080p HD video, has improved video stabilization, and allows you to take still pictures simultaneously while you shoot video. Apple's video conferencing app, Facetime, will now transmit HD video, and Facetime can be enabled over cellular networks and WiFi alike.

LTE Data & Battery Life
The new iPhone will connect up with AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon's faster LTE data networks. This will mean significant increases in web browsing and download speeds. This data network is a notorious drain on battery life, so Apple made a big call-out that the battery life of the phone will remain consistent if not a little better (10% improvement overall) than battery life on past iPhones. They claim 8 hours of talk time, 225 hours of stand-by, and 8 hours of LTE web browsing.

Smaller Dock Connector
The 30-pin dock connector that has come standard on every iPhone to date was certainly due for an upgrade. It takes up a lot of space, and it was big entry spot for dust and moisture. Apple has introduced an 80% smaller connector they are calling Lightning that can be plugged into the phone in any direction, offers faster data transfer, and better durability. But given the $3 billion a year accessory market for iPhones and iPads, this switch will be painful and costly as users are forced to buy extra charging cables, docking speakers/alarm clocks or cases.  Apple will be selling adapters for $29 that will ship in October.

IOS 6
The IOS operating system has over 200 changes, the biggest of which is turn-by-turn navigation using Apple's own maps and 3D bird's-eye images. There will be deeper social media integration within the operating system for posting to Facebook and Tweeting, and the web browser will now allow a full screen view that takes advantage of the bigger screen.

Price, Timing, and Design Options
The new iPhone will come in black and white with a new, brushed metal back. It will be available for pre-order September 14^th and in stores September 21^st. The 16GB model will retail for $199, 32GB for $299, 64GB for $399. The iPhone 4S goes down in price to $99. Initial countries where the iPhone 5 will be available: United States, Canada, UK, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, France, and Australia, Availability in more countries by the end of the year.

What We Didn't See
The online rumor mill did a very good job guessing what the iPhone 5 would look like, but a few out-there predictions that didn't come true: no T-Mobile iPhone, no liquid metal back, no holographic projector or wafer-thin design.

The iPhone 4S was only a superficial upgrade to the device, and I did not run out and upgrade like millions of people did.  I was biding my time patiently and waiting for the iPhone 5 to come out and it is finally here.  I will most likely end up upgrading, I can use the bigger screen and faster processing speed.  I just wish the design was a little different.  Something Apple seems to be stuck on is the look of the iPhone.  With Samsung nipping at your heels Apple, here's hoping for a radical redesign of the iPhone in the future.....

Still....I can't help but feel that Apple engineers are working on their powerpoint presentation, at this very moment, trying to explain how much more badass the iPhone 6 is.  Sad.