Apple has launched a thinner and lighter iPhone with faster wireless technology and overall upgrades, which the company hopes will trigger a new wave of smartphone sales as demand for its predecessor flags.
The iPhone’s improvements largely accord with what industry experts had expected rather than a surprising leap forward. However, pent-up demand from Apple’s legions of devoted fans, whose previous purchases tie them into its App Store software, and its fastest international deployment to date, mean the iPhone 5 provides enough to fend off competition from Samsung for now.
“Apple has never been stronger,” said Tim Cook, chief executive.