iPhone 5: Is 'Incremental' Update Worth It?

The new iPhone is finally here, but it doesn't bring many mind-blowing changes. Still, critics are impressed with its size, weight, and a number of other features. What some are saying:

• "It's not a revolutionary phone, but it is a very nice release," writes Jesus Diaz at Gizmodo. "It's thinner and faster than ever, with a new form factor that uses a gorgeous panoramic screen with more resolutions and less consumption. It also surfs the web much faster ... Overall, it seems they have incrementally improved every single aspect of the iPhone."

• "What's most noticeable about the new device," according to Joshua Topolsky at the Verge, is "how thin and light it is. The 7.6mm, 112-gram chassis is incredibly sleek, and exceptionally light ... it feels almost too light in the hand." Still, it's "sturdy and solid-feeling."
• But then there's the new Lightning dock connector. "Man, is this going to be a pain," laments Farhad Manjoo at Slate. Say goodbye to all your docking devices (speakers, car connectors, etc.), not to mention all your old iPhone charging cables. "Tens of millions of iOS-compatible accessories have been rendered obsolete," unless you shell out $29 for an "ungainly" adapter. Why couldn't Apple use micro-USB like everyone else?
• And if you're mulling whether to go for the new iPhone, the Samsung Galaxy S III, or the Windows-based Nokia Lumia 920, AllThingsD offers a handy chart comparing their specs.

(More Apple stories.)