iPhone 5 - pretty much what the leaks said - Longer display (one extra row of icons worth), thinner, lighter. Brushed metal rather than glass back from the photos. Better camera, 'built in' panorama shooting. Better CPU, better graphics tech, LTE 4G (no mention of UK support)

New iTunes - redesigned but not split apart. Lots of things that 'pop up' in a context sensitive way.

New iPod Nano - aluminium, now 'long portrait' (think widescreen rotated) touchscreen - very thin and light. Doesn't look liek it's got app support.

New iPod Touch - basically the iPhone 5 with no cellular bits.

iPhone 5 is same price as 4S was. 4S drops to $99, plain 4 is now free on a contract. 3GS is gone. Didn't see prices for the new iPods but I assume they were mentioned.

iOS 6 is out Spetember 19th, 'New iTunes' out in October.

Prepare for the tech press to bitch like mad because the iPhone 5 isn't massively better than they were predicting it would be. Despite the fact it is almost exactly what they predicted it would be.

Prices are up

iPhone 5 - 16GB/£449 32GB/£599 64GB/£699 (all unlocked price)
(For comparison, a 16GB S3 is about £480)

iPod Touch - 'From £249' available to order from Friday - I suspect the 64GB version is going to be really expensive.

iPod Nano - 16GB/£129 - only choice is colour

The new 'earpods' are £23 a set. Think I'll wait for reports...

I held off upgrading and think I've made the right choice. Nothing to suggest my 4 won't do me another year. I shall go to giffgaff for a year and consider the 5s when it comes out.

I will be contacting 3 about an upgrade. I'd like one, but as usual, I don't want to be among the first consumers to find out it combusts in your pocket if there's a month with only 30 days in it, or something.

Initial reports suggest there are actually two (externally identical) models of the IPhone 5. The one listed as 'A1428' only accesses the LTE frequency ranges used in the US (technically known as bands 4 and 17). However the model listed as 'A1429' is apparently a 'universal' model able to access any of the 5 currently standardised frequency ranges. The ranges most UK suppliers will be using aren't known yet - because we plan to auction them off the way we did with 3G - but apparently the A1429 model will work with the 4G network Everything Everywhere (formerly Orange and T-Mobile) have due for roll out to the UK's major cities by the end of the year.

Short version : The iPhone 5 is a 4G phone on EE in the UK, or at least will be when the service gets going. On any other carrier, no way of knowing yet.

Last thing - now they've got Lightning to go with Thunderbolt, I dare them to use 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in their adverts.

Jon

I'm going to try and move to Three and get the iPhone 5 with a contract from them. My iPhone 4 has done me two years, so I'm OK with signing up for a 24 month contract with them.

As to the iPod Touch, I think it would have been good this time last year. Isn't is using similar hardware to the iPhone 4 which they are now giving away...?

I think, for the very first time, I want a white iPhone.
It's like some sort of retro futurism.
Something from the likes of 2001 A Space Odyssey, or Space 1999.

Mark

I really don't see anything compelling over the 4 myself. Certainly not enough to tie myself in for two years

Apart from the better battery life, better screen, camera and processing ability?

What does that really mean other than moar? It doesn't promise to do much more than my current phone which doesn't struggle with anything I ask of it. The retina screen of the 4 was a major upgrade.

If I'm going to tie myself in for two years, I want to want to upgrade. I'm not saying it's not better as clearly it is, but it's not solving any problems I have with my current phone, so I have to ask, why bother?

I'm doubtful of the battery life claim and not in need of more battery life and I don't need anymore power or a better camera. There's never been a time when my current phone has let me down in that department.

The only issue I have with my 4 is the slightly dodgy home button, but I don't think that's a reason to spend a few hundred quid!

I think I'm relieved as having just come out of a two year contract, I've been thinking, "this'll do me another year, I so hope the iPhone 5 doesn't bring out some insane feature that makes me spend all that money". And it hasn't. It feels like an incremental upgrade. The 4g thing does sound like a game changer though, but I'm happy to wait for it to become available in the shire before I make the move.

Fair enough!
I think we're approaching that point with a lot of computery hardware where our various needs are pretty much being met.

Exactly, hence I'm still happily working away on my g5!

I'm not a complete Luddite by the way, I just need a compelling reason to hand over my hard earned. And I need all the money I can get for my Alfa. And my family!

As an aside, I've been on contract and upgraded my phone every year since 1997 until I got my iPhone in 2010. Every year I got excited about what new tech was available, but it really feels like we're on a bit of a plateau now. Not surprising given the progress made in those years.