The iPhone 5 is a smartphone that was designed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the sixth generation of the iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 4S and preceding the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. Formally unveiled as part of a press event on September 12, 2012, it was released on September 21, 2012.[12]
The iPhone 5 featured major design changes in comparison to its predecessor. These included an aluminum-based body which was thinner and lighter than previous models, a taller screen with a nearly 16:9 aspect ratio, the Apple A6 system-on-chip, LTE support, and Lightning, a new compact dock connector which replaces the 30-pin design used by previous iPhone models. This was the second Apple phone to include its new Sony made 8MP Camera, first introduced on the iPhone 4S.
Apple began taking pre-orders on September 14, 2012,[2] and over two million were received within 24 hours.[6] Initial demand for the iPhone 5 exceeded the supply available at launch on September 21, 2012, and was described by Apple as “extraordinary”, with pre-orders having sold twenty times faster than its predecessors. While reception to the iPhone 5 was generally positive, consumers and reviewers noted hardware issues, such as an unintended purple hue in photos taken, and the phone’s coating being prone to chipping. Reception was also mixed over Apple’s decision to switch to a different dock connector design, as the change affected iPhone 5’s compatibility with accessories that were otherwise compatible with previous iterations of the line.
The iPhone 5 was officially discontinued by Apple on September 10, 2013 with the announcement of its successors, the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C.[13]