Apple announces Iphone 5 with 4in screen, A6 chip

GADGET DESIGNER Apple announced the long rumoured Iphone 5 today, which boasts a 4in screen, a faster processor and support for EE's 4G LTE network.

Unveiled at a high-profile event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Apple's sixth generation smartphone matches up nicely with the months of online speculation.

Chief amongst the phone's features is a 4in 1136x640 Retina display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Thanks to this larger display, the Iphone 5 screen squeezes in a fifth row of icons, and Apple claims that you'll be able to see more in its Calendar and Mail applications. Apple also boasts that the 4in screen is the most advanced available on the market.

This display sits in the handset's redesigned chassis, made entirely from glass and aluminium. It might have a larger screen, but the Iphone 5 is also touted as the world's thinnest smartphone, measuring just 7.6mm thick, 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than the previous Iphone 4S.

However, Apple still manages to squeeze in its new A6 processor, which the firm claims is 22 percent faster than its prior smartphone chip.

However, the camera hasn't been upgraded very much, with an 8MP sensor sitting on the rear of the Iphone 5. However, Apple says it's far superior to the one found on the Iphone 4S, thanks to its f/2.4 aperture, backside illumination, built-in panorama mode and ability to capture images 40 percent faster than before. There's a new and improved HD camera on the front of the phone too, and the ability to capture HD 1080p video.

LTE is also included, and Apple confirmed that the Iphone 5 will support EE's just announced 4G LTE network, which is excellent news for UK consumers.

Other specifications include three microphones for improved call quality, a new smaller 'Lightning' dock connector, black and white colour options and, thankfully, longer battery life. Apple claims that the Iphone 5 will last for eight hours of 3G talk time and 225 hours on standby.

Of course, the Iphone 5 will also come preloaded with the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system, IOS 6, which includes a completely reworked mapping system, Siri improvements and the ability to make Facetime calls over a 3G connection. µ