Apple iPhone 5 launched; Is it a must buy?

The new iPhone from Apple has got it all, a bigger display, sleek design, enhanced camera, better processor and a much-improved battery. But, this time, Apple has failed to introduce any revolutionary feature, like the Siri in the iPhone 4S . Instead, the company has focused on the design and the innards to make the phone stand tall in front of the competition. So the iPhone 5 is more evolutionary and hence raises a big question - Is it a must buy?

The iPhone 5 has gained some height and shed some weight. On the design front, it is sleek and has got the aluminium back. But that's about it. Looking at the images, it just looks like a taller version of the iPhone 4S. The display has been increased, by making the screen longer - Apple did not want to increase the width beyond 58.6mm as that would have made it harder to use with a single hand, the width of the iPhone remains the same at 58.6mm. The 4-inch screen will make space for another row of icons on the screen. However, the new, thinner display is bright and offers more clarity, though the Retina display of the iPhone 4S is also beautiful in itself.

Secondly, the A6 processor has replaced the dual-core A4 processor found in the iPhone 4S. Apple hasn't shared much details about the processor and has just said that it would be 2x faster and will offer 2x graphics performance over its predecessor. So, if you are into heavy graphic games and need extra power, the iPhone 5 is the one. For others, the iPhone 4S will continue to offer smooth, flawless operations with its dual-core processor.

The addition of LTE connectivity in the new iPhone is great but it won't be compatible with 4G LTE networks that are coming up in India. The iPhone 4S had an 8MP camera. All Apple has done is enhanced a few features like adding backside illumination, sapphire crystal and dynamic low light mode, panorama mode and ability to click images while capturing videos in the iPhone 5. On the battery front, Apple does claim to exceed the battery of the iPhone 4S.

Then there is the factor of the nano-SIM card in the iPhone 5. It is 15 per cent thinner than the micro-SIMs and cannot be chopped using cutters. So there is going to be some trouble for Indian buyers.

There is no denying to the fact that the iPhone 5 seems a better device. But the launch price of the unlocked version at »529 comes out to Rs 47,000. Considering the bad state of the Indian currency, the official launch price might vary between Rs 47,000 to Rs 50,000. Also, the launch of the iPhone 5 will bring down the price of the 4S, currently retailing at Rs 44,500. Our bet will be somewhere around Rs 39,000. While the iPhone 3GS has been discontinued, even the iPhone 4 prices will come down to Rs 30,000 from Rs 37,500. It the Indian Rupee would have not been so weak, the iPhone 4 could have been retailing around Rs 20,000 as well.

As the iPhone 4 is two years old, the iPhone 4S comes across as a good buy at the moment. But if you have the money to splurge, there is no stopping from buying the iPhone 5.