iPhone 5's the Charm

Apple improves on the smartphone darling in five key ways

Let the pandemonium begin!

Today, Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 5. People have been waiting for the sixth-generation cell phone for a while, especially since last year’s Apple device, the iPhone 4S, was more of a stop-gap than a full upgrade from the previous iPhone 4 (the 4S added Siri, the often-mocked voice-activated secretary).

So geeks and gadgethounds are already pulling out their wallets for the expected mid-September launch, but should you? Getting a new iPhone requires a two-year cell phone commitment, so it could cost you a contract-breaking fee, if you’re currently committed, along with the expected couple hundreds of dollars for the actual phone. And, as of now, only AT&T, Sprint and Verizon are getting with the iPhone program (sorry, T-Mobile users).

Most importantly, if you are one of the millions already using an iPhone, you have to weigh dropping even more money for the upgrade.

Here are five things we’re expecting Apple to add to the new iPhone 5.

4G LTE – Yes, 4G has been around for a minute, especially for Google Android and Blackberry users, and virtually everyone else aside from iPhone fans. Insiders think Apple will finally jump on the 4G LTE bandwagon, which is great for us. The leap from the iPhone’s current 3G to 4G LTE is comparable to going from dial-up to cable broadband on your computer.

The change will definitely affect data plans, too, which increased in price and structure after the iPhone moved from 2G to 3G. And you may as well say goodbye to unlimited data plans, as setting up 4G is expensive for carriers.

Maps and a New Siri – If you have an iPhone 4 or 4S, you will definitely get some of the benefits from the new iOS 6 operating system coming after the iPhone 5 launch. What’s unclear is how many benefits you’ll be missing by not getting the iPhone 5.

For instance, the new 3D map app looks like it will be supported in the latest iPhones, but Apple’s new turn-by-turn navigation – like the stand-alone GPS you can buy – may only be on the iPhone 5. Ditto for Siri’s advanced techniques that allow it to communicate with certain cars.

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