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5) IPHONE 6
Given that the build and use experience were by and large identical between them, the choice between the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus really came down to personal preference. We liked the 4.7in model, which provided a larger screen than past models while still being comfortable in the hand.
It's an excellent device through and through. The biggest knock against the iPhone 6 was that the competition was better than ever: Android phones – like the Moto X and HTC One (M8) – put up a strong fight, and the Samasung Galaxy S6, LG G4, and ONE Plus 2 were even more impressive. Apple still sold the iPhone 6 in droves, mind.
Both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were the first Apple handsets to have NFC powers, which opened up the convenience of Apple Pay at retailers and for dashing around public transport. Sure you could just as easily whip out your wallet, but it doesn't look anywhere near as cool, does it?
4) IPHONE 3G
True, the seven-year-old iPhone 3G won't seem like much now: the best it can run is iOS 4, and it's dated in features, functionality, and connectivity. But at the time, it was remarkable: a major evolution of the original iPhone's design while adding the crucial feature of 3G data support. For a phone that was so focused on web usage, that was a dramatic upgrade.
The iPhone 3G also ushered in the release of the App Store – surely the most important feature addition in iPhone history. True, the 3G was nowhere near as important or influential as the original iPhone. But as Apple enthusiasts know, the second-gen model is where refinement really takes hold, and that was definitely true here.
3) IPHONE 4
Damn, the iPhone 4 was beautiful – not only in comparison to the iPhones that came before it, but also to every other phone on the market. Swapping to an ultra-thin design with a flat glass back and a metal antenna all along the edges was an aesthetic masterstroke. But that's not all: the iPhone 4 also introduced the gorgeous Retina display to the line.
Granted, that innovative body design also came with a big caveat: the antenna had a tendency to misbehave if the phone was held in a certain way, prompting "Antennagate" controversy and Apple's need to give everyone free Bumper cases to avoid the issue. That's a sad footnote against a phone that could otherwise easily lead this list.
2) IPHONE
The original iPhone changed everything, ushering in an era of touch devices that has resulted in billions of modern smartphones and tablets sold around the world. It's difficult for us to overstate the importance of the first iPhone. Without it, where would phones be today? Surely, someone else would have sorted a capacitive touchscreen phone before long, but would it have been with anywhere near the quality that Apple showed right out of the gate?
Ranking this phone was our most difficult task, given its status. We knew it had to be near the top of the list, but considering all of the aspects in play here, we had to give the honours to another device...
1) IPHONE 5
And that device is the iPhone 5. Why? Well, for our money, it's the last iPhone that truly wowed us with its debut, and it showed Apple at the top of its smartphone game. The iPhone 5 is gorgeously designed, thinning the sharp iPhone 4 build to a stunning degree while thankfully extending the display to proper widescreen dimensions and a 4in size.
Crucially, it's also where Apple embraced long-overdue LTE support, finally giving users the network speed to appreciate that great Retina display and the wonderful App Store selection. It was the iPhone that sorted our biggest lingering complaints in nearly every significant way and felt like a nearly complete package.
Sure, iOS 6 felt a little dated by that point, and Apple's Maps was a mess at launch; those bits can't be ignored. But otherwise? Considering the overall quality of the device, the upgrades from the prior models, and the competition at the time, we think the iPhone 5 holds up best all around.
