iPhone 5 (2012)
iPhone 5 (2012): the thinnest and lightest iPhone to date, with a 4-inch display and the debut of the Lightning connector.
Specs
| Reference | — |
| Chip | A6 |
| Highlight | 4", Lightning |
| Release | 2012-09-21 |
| Display | 4″ · 1136×640 |
| RAM | 1 GB |
| Price | 199 / 299 / 399 USD |
Launch
Announced on 12 September 2012 at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco, presented by Phil Schiller; pre-orders from 14 September (over two million in 24 hours) and on sale from 21 September at USD 199, 299 and 399 (16, 32 and 64 GB) on contract. A record 5 million sold in the first weekend, with demand exceeding the initial supply. Discontinued on 10 September 2013, when the 5s and 5c were unveiled: only twelve months on sale, breaking Apple's habit of keeping the old model at a reduced price.
Marketing
Its slogan: “The biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone.” Apple billed it as “the thinnest smartphone in the world”: a 7.6 mm anodized aluminum body, 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than the 4S, with diamond-cut chamfered edges. It debuted a 4-inch display, the A6 chip and the Lightning connector, and shipped with iOS 6.
Flaws and fixes
The Maps app introduced with iOS 6, replacing Google's, drew widespread criticism; Apple publicly apologized nine days after launch and recommended alternative map apps. The camera showed a purple flare in photos with strong light (Apple called it normal and advised aiming away from bright light sources; TechCrunch tests found it existed on the 4S but was more pronounced here). The anodized coating was prone to chipping, and the switch to Lightning broke compatibility with earlier accessories. The last supported version was iOS 10.3.4 (July 2019).
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Updated: October 24, 2026 · Compare this product