To analyse any Apple product on its technical specifications is to risk drawing its ire – Apple does not compete on ‘specs’ but its features, usability and its own iOS.

We have to start somewhere and for convenience specs, it will be.

• Display: 4” Retina, 1136 x 640, 326 PPI. Features 800:1 contrast ratio and 500 cd/m2 maximum brightness so it is pretty much the same as the iPhone 5.
• Processor: Apple designed A6 - ARM v7 based dual core running at 1.3GHz. It has a triple-core Power VR SGX 543MP# graphics processor unit. Same chip used in the iPhone 5
• Weight/Size: 132g, 124.4 x 59.2 x 9.97mm
• LTE (4G) – will require Australian specific model A1529 with LTE channels 2100 MHz, 1900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 850 MHz, 2600 MHz, 900 MHz, 800 DD, TD 2600, TD 1900, and TD 2300. Note this means phones purchased in the US, South America, Europe, UK, China (locked to China Mobile) and Japan may not work with Telstra, Optus (Virgin) or Vodafone. We assume that 3G HSDPA and 2G will be universal.
• Sensors: Bluetooth 4.0; 802.11 N 2.4 and 5GHz; assisted GPS/Glonass; compass; Three-axis gyro; accelerometer; proximity sensor; ambient light sensor
• Battery: Charges with Lightning connector. Up to 10 hours 3G talk time, 10 hours video playback or 40 hours audio playback. Similar to iPhone 5
• Rear Camera: 8 megapixels, ƒ/2.4 aperture, LED flash, Backside illumination sensor, Five-element lens – should provide slightly better photos than the iPhone 5. Front camera – 1.2MP, 1280x960, 720p
• Price: AU$739 for 16GB and AU$869 for 32 GB.

Apple is bundling iWorks (Keynote, Pages, and Numbers) – previously at extra cost. Other apps include: iPhoto; iMovie; iBooks; iTunes U; iTunes Festival; Podcasts; Find My iPhone; Remote; and Find My Friends.

All the previous iPhone 5 standard apps – maps, weather, messages, mail, Safari etc are included.

Of course this runs iOS 7 which has a different look and feel and some 200 new features - iTWire will reveiw this shortly.

Summary:

A repackaged iPhone 5 with a slightly better camera and polycarbonate body. It is not a cheap phone to make – estimated component tear down cost under $200, but it should cost less to assemble, and it gains all the economies of scale from the iPhone 5. Apple now sell custom covers as well for extra revenue.

Opinion:

A quality handset at a quality price, it will take sales from the new metallic iPhone 5S. It has lower specifications than the market leader Samsung Galaxy Android S4 or Nokia Windows Phone 925/1020, especially in the camera stakes, and uncommitted smart phone buyers will look long and hard at these.

It really is all about the new iOS 7 and whether that adds sufficient value to existing users who can upgrade their 4S or later anyway. It will not spark a massive conversion from iPhone 5 users.

It does not address the low cost iPhone market but Apple have taken the unusual step of maintaining the 4S as a no cost, contract phone ($529 unlocked) instead of retiring it. IPhone 5 - RIP from 20 September.

But Apple usually knows what is it doing – right?