Three days after it was released, 5 million copies had already been sold in a dozen countries, despite mixed reactions. For some it lacks innovation; others see it as the next step forward...

Feather weight; Finishing; High quality display; Exemplary responsiveness; Intuitive interface; Photo rendering; Sound quality

Maps; Battery life; Few options for customising the interface; No NFC; High SAR

Many Apple products are launched to something of a fanfare , and the iPhone 5 was no exception. While it's easy to get carried away in the queues , high-fiving Apple store staff , and endless reports, rumours, and rapid-fire reviews: it's worth taking a deep breath, standing back, and taking a good...

Lighter and slimmer design; improved camera; faster connectivity (even on 3G); faster processor; 4-in screen is amazing for movies

Expensive; Lightning port is annoying and replacement accessories are also expensive; no 4G LTE yet in the UK; 4-in screen isn't incredibly different from 3.5-in display on iPhone 4S

Nokia Lumia 920 – Though unreleased at the time of writing, Nokia's new Windows Phone 8 device has made quite and impression in the industry with a sharp design and an abundance of innovative features.

4" Retina Display; 4G LTE Ready; iSight Camera

Doesn′t support NFC; Apple Maps needs work

The iPhone 5 offers a thoroughly pleasant redesign with a taller display and a thinner, lighter frame. Fast and packing a great camera, the hardware is hard to fault, while iOS feels slick and offers loads of apps, even if Apple's new Maps software feels like a step backwards.

Larger screen with increased resolution; Extremely quick; Winning redesign makes for a thinner; lighter phone

IOS 6 Maps app is a step backwards; 4G won't work on all UK networks; New connector means you'll need to buy an adaptor for current chargers and docks; Very expensive

I've been a been iphone fan for quite some time now....I moved from Blackberry to Apple and have no regrets! The iphone 5 is a great product from Apple, the features of the iphone 5 are great and perfect for pretty much organising your life as well as providing entertainment value from the App...

A taller screen and a sumptuous redesign for the iconic smartphone, but Apple's latest iPhone falls tantalisingly short of a place on our A-List

We have reviewed or used every single iPhone that was ever designed/built and to be honest the iPhone 5 was less exciting than we had expected due to the hype surrounding the handset.

Updated: The most beautiful and powerful iOS device to date, the iPhone 5 packs a gorgeous 4in screen and dual-core power.

A number of high profile news stories emerged soon after the iPhone 5's release. These ranged from the metallic back and side chipping and revealing the aluminium beneath to issues with battery life and the Apple Maps fiasco. We go into more detail about the maps app further on.

Stunning design and build; Taller; more colourful display; 4G connectivity and superfast processor

Scratchprone chassis; New Maps app is a step backwards; Lacks NFC

A taller screen and a sumptuous redesign for the iconic smartphone, but Apple's latest iPhone falls tantalisingly short of the A-List