More iPhone 5 and iOS 6 Surprises Come to Light

With the iPhone 5 rumor mill going crazy, it's easy to think that all of the hardware and software details have already been revealed. In reality, it's not until devices start getting into the hands of everyday users that some surprises crop up. For all of the rumored features that don't come true (like a totally waterproof iPhone 5, for example) there are always some unexpected positives that come our way.

For one, even though the iPhone 5 camera has the same basic specifications as the previous model, low-light photo quality is superior. Video quality comparisons have also shown the iPhone 5 camera to be a significant step up over the iPhone 4S. Of course, these reports combined with the fact that the front-facing FaceTime camera is now HD means imaging has taken another step forward on the iPhone 5.

When it comes to the A6 processor, we already know that Apple has increased performance without sacrificing battery life. Teardowns have revealed that the A6 actually contains three graphics processing unit (GPU) cores. This vastly improves the iPhone 5's ability to render on the enlarged Retina-resolution display. Breakneck speed has already been confirmed by benchmark tests and the Apple A6 is currently leading the pack.

Nice touches to iOS 6 include the ability to store up to 16 individual app icons within each folder on the home screen. It may not sound important, but when it comes to organizing a large number of apps, the more that fit into one folder the better. One minor cool feature has been added to the Weather app. Now when you're looking at the temps and forecast for a far away place, Weather actually gives you the local time much like a world clock, right under the place name. A nice touch from Apple.

The Verizon / Sprint iPhone 5 has been discovered to work just fine on the AT&T network, up to HSPA+ (4G) data speeds. As it turns out, the worldphone capabilities of the CDMA iPhone 5 include AT&T and T-Mobile GSM bands, and the device ships unlocked. So if you have an extra AT&T nano-SIM card, you can feel free to install this in the Verizon iPhone 5 knowing it will work just fine.

Last but not least, the iPhone 5 Lightning connector and its adapter have been making some news. This new connector makes the 30-pin dock connector look like an ancient relic. But it sounds like Apple is pulling out all the stops to ensure no third-party manufacturers get any bright ideas about producing their own Lightning cables. They are locked down with authentication chips, which contributes to the increased price of the cables. Beware cheap imitations, because they likely don't include this extra hardware that actually makes the cable function properly.

The longer the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 are in the hands of everyday users means more interesting tidbits are bound to surface. Stay tuned for more updates!