So, what to make of this latest upgrade. There's no denying that the iPhone 5 is a lovely thing, and the best iPhone to date. It could well be Apple's best-selling unit ever. But a lot has changed in a year, and the current crop of Android superphones – and the incoming Windows Phone 8 handsets –...

Bigger screen; 4G capability; Better front-facing camera

No iP5-specific iOS 6 features; Battery life still not great; Prefer the old Maps design

If you're an iPhone user, you'll want to move on up to what is surely the classiest handset from Apple yet. Though the 4S still has lots to offer, thanks to the arrival of iOS 6, the iPhone 5 hardware is nevertheless spectacular and deeply seductive.

In this Agent's humble opinion, the iPhone 5 is by far the best iPhone yet. Although there are no major new features, every single aspect of the handset has been improved over the 4S. The new design looks and feels great and the larger screen really makes a difference.

"It's the same thing with a bigger screen." "It doesn't have NFC." "Android phones have had 4G LTE for ages." Immediately after Apple announced the iPhone 5 ($199), lots of people started questioning whether Apple had done enough to stay in the smartphone vanguard.

Amazingly thin and light; Bigger more vibrant screen; Fast 4G LTE speeds; Very good battery life; Improved camera; Facebook integration and easy photo sharing

Half-baked Maps app; Very few interface enhancements

The new iPhone 5 is finally here and we have gotten our own hands on one to try it out. After months of rumors and alleged photos of the new device, we finally have it. The new model supports 4G LTE wireless, has a larger screen, a thinner and taller design and a new Lightning connector.

Sleek; thinner design; Larger 4-inch display; 4G LTE connectivity; Faster performance

No included Lightning to 30-pin adapter

While it's definitely the best iPhone to date in most respects, a number of small issues hold it back from being the undisputed dominant phone this year.

Beautiful design; Polished user interface; Audio jack on bottom of phone; Larger "Retina" screen; Fast 4G LTE service

Lightning connector adapter MIA; iOS lagging behind Android in some areas; Screen is taller but not wider; Weak battery life; Poor Google services integration (and getting worse

The iPhone 5 is as ever a thoroughly enjoyable and capable smartphone. It's easy and fun to use and it's secure and stable. The latest generation model clearly gives users what they wanted (look how many have sold): LTE 4G and a larger display.

Bigger dispay; fast LTE 4G; gorgeous design and smooth experience

Feature evolution too slow for some; UI still largely unchanged

You'll notice I haven't banged on about specs very much in this review. That's by design. The iPhone is all about the user experience, and specs don't ever tell the whole story. There are those who love the iPhone experience, and those who feel somewhat constrained by it.

The Good Larger display LTE radio Extremely fast Thinner Lighter The Bad Apple Maps Scratch prone No NFC After months of persistent rumors and Apple's high-profile unveiling, the iPhone 5 has finally arrived on the market.

Larger display; LTE radio; Extremely fast; Thinner; Lighter

Apple Maps; Scratch prone; No NFC

With the iPhone 5, Apple has done everything it needs to on paper: it's bigger, lighter, and faster. But not by much: it still feels like the iPhone 4 and 4S, and while the 4G connection is a welcome addition, it does little to help with the poor battery life and call quality.

The big news with the iPhone 5 is the new display: for the first time, Apple's jumped from the traditional 3.5-inch panel; It's a welcome move: the longer 4-inch 1136x640 display is as sharp as the original Retina Display, with great viewing angles and print-like detail.

It's hard to find faults with the iPhone 5 hardware: it's refined, and packed with bleeding edge tech; Some people might grumble at the new Lightning port, but Apple had to draw a line in the sand at some point to keep making the iPhone thinner: Apple's AirPlay wireless streaming set up should more...