Apple offered a radically different experience when it introduced its first iPhone back in 2007, and it has managed to shake up the industry a few times since then. Five years later, the sixth-generation iPhone, called the iPhone 5 (iPhone 4S was the fifth), offers a clear improvement over its predecessor but delivers no groundbreaking innovation.

Apple's iOS and Google's Android are always playing catch-up, with each side improving specifications in certain areas, often as a reaction to the other's improvements. In some cases, one camp stepped out of the box and came up with something completely new, such as Google's NFC (Near-Field Communication) or Apple's "resolutionary" Retina display. Both sides are capable of amazing innovation, and expectations were extremely high for the next-generation iPhone. Various concept designs showed us how incredible the new iPhone could be, how it could change consumers' lives and shake up the industry once again, and anticipation thrived on high hopes.

On Wednesday, Sept. 12, Apple finally unveiled its next-generation iPhone, a handset so greatly anticipated that it even took down the Apple store. The iPhone 5 is undeniably an improvement over the 4S, and iOS fans may find enough reasons to upgrade. On the other hand, instead of offering a radically new experience, the new iPhone will just offer a slightly better one. Compared to leading Android phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the HTC One X, the iPhone 5 does not really stand out. 

Apple seems to no longer dive into new territory, but rather fine-tune its strengths and catch up with Android competition, while gradually upgrading on the software side. With the new iteration, the iPhone is undoubtedly evolving into a better phone, and will most likely continue to make and break new sales records. The iPhone 5 is built from better materials and it sports a sleeker design, LTE (Long-Term Evolution) connectivity, a larger screen (4-inch, compared to the 3.5-inch screen on all previous models), a faster processor, and some software upgrades, but high-end Android smartphones already offer that. Truth be told, the new iPhone features undeniable upgrades over its predecessor, but brings nothing new to the spec war. Rather than the hot, must-have smartphone everyone was expecting, many see the new iPhone as a "me too" device. Maybe the specs would have been more exciting if Apple had introduced the iPhone 5 sooner, but at the current time in the current market, it has nothing truly revolutionary or innovative.