September 12 saw the much-anticipated launch of what Apple themselves call ‘the biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone’.
Features wise this was their most leaked handset to date, although it appears the sleek new design has already silenced the Internet Doubting Thomases.
Lacking the much vaunted ‘transparent display’, slide-out keyboards and many other rumoured features, the latest model boasts a 4 inch display and new glass design, becoming the sleekest and slimmest model yet.
With a subtle upgrade to the exterior, Apple has focussed on the internal aspects. For the impatient user, a faster processor means apps, emails and web pages appear instantly. Working with the EE network in the UK, the highly anticipated 4G has been incorporated.
Apple has developed a new 8MP lens, with the iSight camera being arguably the stand out feature of the new model. Whether it be a beautiful sunset or a glimpse of a Z-list celebrity, it is hard to go anywhere without someone taking a snap on an iPhone. The World’s most popular camera now has a stunning panoramic feature and Face time HD camera.
So yes, it looks smart and has a better camera but is it really any better? In the age where smartphones are set to takeover paying by plastic, Apple has failed to include Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which we at underscore are seeing more and more in our retail adventures. With over 400million active credit cards on record, has the brand missed out on something that rivals such as Blackberry have already harnessed?
Redesigning the charge point, moving away from the 30-pin wire in favour of the lightning port should lead to less cracked charge sockets, however it comes at a price to the user. No longer fitting on any standard docking stations, a Lightning to 30-pin adapter is available but you will need to dig another £25 out of your wallet.
Apple customers will already be forming a queue outside their nearest store as it becomes the new must have gadget, but with Apple’s smartphone rivals upping the stakes, is this highly anticipated release just going to attract the Brand followers? And have they innovated enough to make this the stand out gadget all it is hyped to be? We brand lovers at underscore will wait and see – probably right outside our nearest Apple store…