iPhone · Retina & Beyond · 2012
iPhone 5
Taller, lighter and aluminium-backed, the iPhone 5 retired the 30-pin dock for the reversible Lightning plug. Annoying at first, indispensable for a decade.
First Lightning connector, first taller 16:9 screen, first fully Apple-designed CPU core ("Swift").
iPhone 5C (2013)
iPhone 5: key facts
When was the iPhone 5 released?
The iPhone 5 arrived on September 21, 2012. Apple discontinued it in September 2013.
How much did the iPhone 5 cost?
The iPhone 5 launched at $649 in 2012, about $909 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Apple A6 at 1.30 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, 4" Retina LCD, 1136×640 display.
Why does the iPhone 5 matter?
First Lightning connector, first taller 16:9 screen, first fully Apple-designed CPU core ("Swift").
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple A6 · 1.30 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 2 |
| Memory (RAM) | 1 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB |
| Display | 4" Retina LCD, 1136×640 |
| GPU | PowerVR SGX543MP3 |
| Ports | Lightning, 3.5 mm |
| Weight | 112 g |
| Dimensions | 123.8×58.6×7.6 mm |
| Operating system | iOS 6 |
| Released | September 21, 2012 |
| Discontinued | September 2013 |
| Launch price | $649 |
How the iPhone 5 compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 16× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 1.30 GHz, the clock is roughly 2.5× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 4,100 modern phone photos, a respectable library even today.
Launched at $649 in 2012, about $909 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker, Wikimedia Commons image credits.
Did you know?
The A6’s "Swift" core was Apple’s first custom CPU design, years before the Swift language.
Related iPhone models
Open the iPhone 5 in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11