In the news, the new iPhone 5 by Apple is once again taking to the stage. Speculation sites are churning out rumors from the next iPhone to the iPad Mini. As with every Apple product launch some of the rumors are accurate, but Apple’s famous secrecy, both external and within the company itself, always leaves the consumer guessing until the item is actually on-stage.
What can we expect from the iPhone 5?
You can be sure that it is packed with plenty of new features. Historically we can expect a few things from the iPhone 5, such as a better display, faster graphics, a faster processor, a better camera, and perhaps longer battery life. Apple has consistently improved these aspects of the phone with previous iPhone launches. We can also reasonably expect the device to be thinner and weigh less.
The New iOS
The next iPhone is equipped with iOS 6, Apple’s newest mobile OS, which was announced earlier this year. Known features of iOS 6 include Apple’s new mapping service, improvements to Siri and email, re-designed App and iTunes stores, and Facebook integration. With the growing use of social media in the average person’s life, Facebook’s inclusion is not only a wise step forward for Apple, but it is quickly becoming a requirement. The ability to share photos and videos from the iPhone’s camera app to Facebook is a much needed addition.
Goodbye Google?
iOS 6 users will notice a quick departure from all things Google, thanks to the increase in competition from Google’s Android devices. The default locations map is said to be powered Apple with assistance by Bing and Yelp. Google’s YouTube is no longer installed by default either. YouTube will now have to be downloaded from Apple’s App store.
New Accessories?
There are a lot of buzz about a new charging cable. The current docking cable is the same one that came with early iPods. It is a company-wide standard used for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod product lines. Only the iPod Shuffle has a different docking cable, but that is due to the device’s small size. Changing the cable will force consumers with older devices to have two charging cables, which is something Apple has always avoided. From car chargers to audio docks, anything that requires the plug will likely have to be purchased again by consumers.
4G LTE?
The iPhone 5 is rumored to be equipped with 4G LTE. It makes sense with the iPhone being available on a variety of carriers, many of whom have 4G LTE networks. What this means for the general consumer is faster internet speeds.
In the end we must ask, is the iPhone 5 worth the hype? The answer is yes. The iPhone 5, with the expected basic hardware improvements, iOS 6 integration, and 4G LTE capability, will continue to dominate the mobile phone market.
