So the long awaited iPhone 5 has arrived...
You will excuse me for being underwhelmed, but some of us are Android fans and don't care (Ed - that's just you Paul). However, judging by our Twitter feed at the time of the iPhone's launch in Cupertino it is likely to be a big deal when it arrives in Ireland. So how will the new phone affect motorists? Read on.
Exterior
The most important news surrounding the new iPhone is that it is bigger than before - length wise anyway. While the iPhone 5 remains the same width as all five previous iPhones it has grown half an inch in length and now accommodates an extra row of apps on the home screen. Additional row aside the size increase has been matched by an increase in pixel density so everything should be even sharper than before (no mean feat when you consider the Retina Display on the 4s).
The larger, clearer screen has obvious advantages but for drivers these are best illustrated with the new navigation system. Gone is the Google Maps of old to be replaced with an Apple built system complete with turn-by-turn directions.
It is not all good news however. As expected, the proprietary 30-pin dock has been replaced with a new 8-pin 'Lightning' connector. Does not sound that big a deal until you consider that the new phone will not work with various docks, speakers etc (and your car) without a convertor attachment - and even then there is no guarantee. Latest reports emerging suggest that cars from the likes of BMW, Kia and Hyundai simply will not work with the iPhone 5 as the new connector sends information digitally rather than via the analogue system of old.
Interior
Apple's intelligent personal assistant, SIRI, received an update as part of IOS6 (the operating system that debuts on iPhone 5) and is now even smarter. While before SIRI would direct you to the nearest cinema if you asked, now it will direct you, tell you how good or bad the movie is and, if you have saved your credit card details in the new Passbook app, can even book your seats for you.
Mechanicals
In comparison to the 4s the iPhone 5 has been supercharged. Its quad-core A6 chip is said to be twice as fast as the processor in the 4s with obvious advantages for apps like navigation that need to update almost instantly. The phone itself is also thinner (Apple says it is the thinnest smartphone in the world but that is open to debate). This is primarily due to the touch sensors that pick up movement being integrated into the glass rather than behind it. The downside of this is that if you crack the glass the iPhone 5 is unusable - no more casually tossing your phone into the centre console.
Anything else?
All that is left to say is that this news story was sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII. Viva la resistance!