The iPhone 5 is set to launch on 21 September to much fanfare, but is it worth the hype and what does it offer small business owners?

First, the facts. The iPhone 5 boasts a 4-inch display, bettering the 3.5-inch screen on its predecessors, which should make it easier to view and edit documents. Screen resolution has improved too, hopefully meaning a sharper image.

The iPhone 5 is slimmer (7.6mm) and lighter (112g) than before, with its crack-prone glass backing having been replaced by an aluminium panel. This should make the new model more durable, giving hope for when it performs the inevitable impromptu kamikaze jump from your hand.

The 4G LTE support, bringing theoretical transfer speeds of up to 100Mbps should be a major plus for data-intensive business tasks, but it’s bad news if you want to be among the first to snap up a handset – 4G LTE network won't be available in time for the launch of the iPhone 5 on September 21st.

In keeping with fellow Apple products, price is a sticking point, with the cheapest variant setting you back £529 when it officially goes on sale.

We asked round for a couple of opinions from the business community on the launch. Peter Chadha, founder of IT consultancy DrPete Inc, and identified by IBM as one of the top 50 IT commentators in the UK, feels the release of the iPhone 5 will come as a disappointment to many, as almost all of its specification was leaked beforehand.

He adds, ‘Mobile operators will also breathe a sigh of relief that near field technology is not included – as Vodafone, O2 and T-Mobile are still trying to develop an e-commerce e-wallet standard in the UK.’

Battery life continues to be an issue, Chadha says. ‘By making this fifth generation phone thinner, Apple has missed an opportunity to address this on-going problem.’

Antenna Software CEO Jim Hemmer questions Apple’s ability to innovate in the post-Jobs era. He says, ‘The iPhone 5 has not been re-designed – it has been re-fitted. It was the same story with the new iPad when it launched earlier this year. The most significant update to the iPhone 5’s hardware – an increased screen size –looks like it’s straight out of Samsung’s playbook.’

Most seem to agree, however, that with its larger screen, faster processor, and improved battery life, the iPhone 5’s success in the enterprise is all but assured, and that it will surely strengthen the Bring Your Own Device culture created by the launch of the first iPhone back in 2007.

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