Apple you’ve done it again.  You have created a device which in turn, has been already been garnered as being a major success.  Congratulations is surely in order for a mobile device selling 2 million units in a timespan of 24 hours; however, is this device worth your money if you already have an Apple iPhone 4, 4S, or even an Android device?

This is certainly where things get tricky, the iPhone 5 does feature a larger rich display however, does this larger display feel awkward in the users hand?  This update also features panoramic photo capture, more powerful battery specs, LTE, better social networking integration, an improved Siri, and a few new minor updates (Apple is quoted at saying there are 200 improvements, which I believe is a lie).

In addition, let’s not forget Apple’s new mapping app which outed Google Maps as the default navigation for the OS, which has been a major thorn in their side.  This one app alone has caused a major backlash in the iOS user community.  Personally, I do have not had to use an Apple product since I had an iPad, but this switch by Apple even brothers me; so, I can only guess how a true Apple fan could feel when a half-baked app such as this sees light a little too early.  Apple even had the audacity to state that Maps will get better over time.  First and foremost, you should not include an application that is a “work in progress” and just expect your end users to just “deal with it”.  Google Maps is potentially the most robust mapping software on the planet, it certainly beats out the in house solution within iOS, which is already known for getting people lost and making others miss meetings.

When it comes to build quality iPhones are second to none; yet, with this release that same statement cannot be made.  Every iteration of this device has felt very solid in the hand, however when this one is being held it almost feels too light or even cheap.  On a lighter note, the brushings on the exterior of the device are virtually seamless and look fantastic.

View a hand-on demo here [Source: The Verge]

Bottom line:  If you are engulfed in Apple’s ecosystem is this a worthy upgrade?  That is a loaded question.  For some people, every iteration is a vast improvement.  However, this release has been surprisingly underwhelming in many aspects, one in particular is the fact that Apple has done nothing more than play catch up to industry standards and no real innovation was done.