iPhone 5

iPhone 5 photo gallery

Everything you need to know about Apple's taller, thinner, faster, lighter, brighter iPhone 5

Apple's iPhone 5 was released on September 21, 2012. It features a taller screen, blisteringly-fast Apple A6 processor, LTE 4G and DC-HSPA networking, a new Lightning connector, and iOS 6.

Key features: 4-inch 16:9, 1136x640 326ppi Retina display, Apple A6 chipset, 8mp/1080p video, F2.4 iSight camera with 28mp panoramas, LTE/DC-HSPA+/EVDO data, Lightning connector.

Pricing: $199/16GB, $299/32GB, $399/64GB on contract. $649/16GB, $749/32GB, $849/64GB off contract.

Availability: 100 countries, 240 carriers.

iPhone 5 buyers guide: How to choose the perfect iPhone model, color, capacity, carrier, and more.
iPhone 5 users guide: How to set up your iPhone and start using iCloud, Siri, Notification Center, iMessage, FaceTime, Calendar, Mail, Photos & Camera, and more.
iPhone 5 apps: Best free iPhone apps, Best free iPhone games, app vs. app shootouts, and more
iPhone 5 accessories: iMore store, Amazon.com

More coverage

First iPhone 5 reviews

By Rene Ritchie, Tuesday, Sep 18, 2012 a 9:54 pm

Those major media outlets, technology sites, and journalists who had early review units of the iPhone 5 have now posted their reviews. Here are the links and a snippet of their takes.

iPhone 5 packaging caught on camera

By Allyson Kazmucha, Tuesday, Sep 18, 2012 a 3:54 pm

If you're wondering what your iPhone 5 will come packaged in, here's your answer. In traditional Apple fashion, the box will be simliar to previous versions with nothing but an angled photo of the iPhone 5 on the front and writing on the side.

Fox Five reports on iPhone 5 lines in New York, then tells viewers it has a laser keyboard and holographic display

By chrissyboy6969, Tuesday, Sep 18, 2012 a 9:24 am

I'm sure you have all heard the old saying, "never let facts get in the way of a good story", well Fox News has certainly done just that. During a report by Fox Five which is aired in New York, a reporter was telling the story of how lines were already forming outside of the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue in anticipation of the iPhone 5 launch. Fox Five then inexplicably cut to a video showing an ultra-thin device which was actually a concept done way back in August 2011 and nothing like the iPhone 5 that we all saw announced last week. The report then goes on to explain some of the new features of the iPhone 5 and again they are all amazingly incorrect.

Why you shouldn't expect early upgrade eligibility for the iPhone 5

By Allyson Kazmucha, Monday, Sep 17, 2012 a 12:57 pm

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If you're itching to grab the the iPhone 5 on release day, probably the first thing you checked was your upgrade eligibility. Odds are, if you purchased the iPhone 4S last year, you aren't eligible this to upgrade yet this year, and so you'll have to pay a higher price to snag the latest and greatest from Apple.

In the past, AT&T and many other U.S. carriers have made exceptions when it came to upgrades for iPhone, but they're not anymore. And despite our expectations, they're not obligated to.

iPhone 5 buyers guide

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Sep 17, 2012 a 11:07 am

There are a lot of decisions involved when it comes to buying a new iPhone, or any phone for that matter. Once you've decided you do indeed need a new phone, you still have to decide if the new phone you need is an iPhone. While we still believe the iPhone is the best choice for most of the people most of the time, there are a lot of great phones on the market these days and there might be one better suited to some people's individual needs. And let's say you do decide the iPhone is perfect for you, then comes the choice of model (iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4), color (white & silver or black & slate), storage capacity (16GB, 32GB, or 64GB), and carrier network (in the U.S., AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint are the major ones). And what do you do with your old, broken phone when your new, hot phone arrives?

Enter iMore's 2012 iPhone buyers guide. If you need help deciding what to buy, we've got your back. And if you've already decided, just bookmark, email, Facebook, or Tweet this so we can help your friends and family and you can get on with enjoying your new iPhone!

iMore show 313: Smartly compromised

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Sep 17, 2012 a 9:41 am

Rene talks with Guy English of Kicking Bear and the Çingleton Symposium about media bias, Apple's iPhone event, and the ramifications of iOS 6 and the iPhone 5 in the gaming industry and more. This is the iMore show Sunday edition.

Apple announces first day iPhone 5 pre-orders top 2 million

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Sep 17, 2012 a 9:04 am

Apple has just announced that pre-orders for the brand new iPhone 5 broke 2 million in the first 24hrs, smashing their previous record for the iPhone 4S last year.

AT&T announces record pre-orders for iPhone 5

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Sep 17, 2012 a 8:52 am

AT&T has put out a rather barebones press release to say that, based on pre-orders, the iPhone 5 is their best selling iPhone ever. Since AT&T was the launch carrier for the original iPhone back in 2007, that includes all versions of the iPhone sold to date.

Should Apple have included wireless charging in the iPhone 5? [Poll]

By Georgia, Sunday, Sep 16, 2012 a 4:13 pm

One of the many things we didn't get at Apple's big iPhone 5 event was wireless charging. Palm has inductive charging all the way back to 2009 and the original Palm Pre and TouchStone. Samsung incorporated resonance charging into the new Galaxy S III, and Nokia showed off wireless charging with the upcoming Lumia 920. Apple, however, is sticking to wired and the new Lightning.

Apple SVP of Marketing, Phil Schiller, recently said:

[Wireless] charging systems still have to be plugged into the wall, so it’s not clear how much convenience they add. The widely-adopted USB cord, meanwhile, can charge in wall outlets, computers and even on airplanes. Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated.

But what do you think? Did Apple lose a step by not including wireless charging? If so, is it a big enough problem to be a deal-breaker to you or just one more minor annoyance? Do you think Apple is still waiting but will introduce wireless charging one day? Could you care less? Or are you happy Apple is sticking to traditional, albeit smaller, hardline power solutions?

You know the drill! Vote up top and leave me a comment below saying why you voted the way you did!

iPhone or something else: Which phone should you get?

By Rene Ritchie, Saturday, Sep 15, 2012 a 6:03 pm

Just because Apple has released the new iPhone 5 doesn't mean you have to race off and get it. Crazy, I know, particularly coming from the biggest iPhone enthusiast site on the web, but that just goes to show you how true it is. When the time comes for you to get your next phone, whether it's today or next year, and iPhone or something else, you should look at what's on the market and decide what best suits your needs.