IT Pro Verdict
Taking this a standard alone, the iPhone 5 is a superb device. However, it just misses out on an Editor's choice award because it's not quite the giant leap forward from the iPhone 4S in terms of features. Yes, it is insanely quick and we've finally got the 4in screen, but it is expensive. Upgrade if you've got a iPhone 3GS or 4, but wait for the next edition if you've got the 4S.
Apple has set the bar high with previous editions of the iPhone and although there were skeptics when the device was announced, we can confirm this is the best iOS device to date.
Changes have been made to the design, and even though we found the iPhone 5 initially appeared to look like a stretched version of the 4S, we've grown to love the design - it's beautiful.
Latest News
15/03/2016: Rumours abound of the iPhone to directly replace the Phone 5 and iPhone 5s. Dubbed iPhone 5se, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive with many reported sightings of the new design of an iPhone with a 4in screen.
But some sightings have been dismissed. One videofrom Beeep shows a person buying what is purported to be an iPhone 5se that is similar in size to an iPhone 5 but with iPhone 6 styling. Unsurprisingly, the phone is not shown to power up.
Refreshed design
Although the general appearance of the iPhone 5 is similar to the iPhone 4/4S, there are three big design changes: screen size, the use of aluminium on the back and the inclusion of a brand new connector.
The most noticeable change is the increase in the display size. The iPhone 5 packs a 4in Retina Display, which is a good size and fits into the hand comfortably. Whilst this may not sound like a massive increase over the 3.5in screen on the iPhone 4 or 4S, there are clear benefits.
Apple has made the iPhone larger, but has not sacrificed comfort
By increasing the size to 4ins, Apple has finally changed the aspect ratio to 16:9, which means the whole screen is now able to display video content making those pesky black bars a thing of the past.
However, at present not all apps have been modified to take advantage of this extra screen space. Commonly used third party applications, such as Angry Birds, will not be displayed in full screen, but this should be remedied soon enough. Ironically, it's Google leading the charge, with the web giant having already updated its Chrome app to match the aspect ratio.
Apple has also upped the resolution of the display to 1,136 x 640, which makes colour saturation higher and means there are 18 per cent more pixels. In brightness terms, you'd struggle to notice the difference between the iPhone 5 and older generations but, when it comes to colour replication, the difference is noticeably especially compared with the iPhone 4.
Video playback is much improved especially when it comes to colour replication
The biggest stylistic change is the use of Aluminium on the back of the device, instead of glass. This helps to make the device featherweight (112g) and if you drop your iPhone 5 and are lucky enough to see it land on the rear, it is unlikely to smash. One thing we did notice about the Aluminum back is that it is just as prone as glass to getting grubby. Despite its excellent design and the sturdy back, the device still feels fragile when compared to Android and Windows Phone devices which come with anodised metallic casing or high-grade plastic.
We'd still recommend a cover as the device feels fragile
