I''ve owned an iPhone 3G (scratches easily), iPhone 4 (a game changer), and an iPhone 5. Before anyone thinks I''m an Apple fanboy, I''m not. I found iOS to be restrictive and difficult to customize without jailbreaking it, so I sold my iPhone 4 and bought one of the best Android phones at the time - a Samsung Galaxy S2 (which started having hardware/software problems about a year later). The iPhone 5 has features that ultimately trump all other phones out there on the market, and it''s pros far outweigh its cons.The iPhone 5 is by far the most reliable phone I''ve ever owned. The hardware is second to none. The glass on the front is strong enough that I''ve never used a screen protector on it. I''ve thrown it in a bag with other electronics and I never had to worry about the face of the phone getting scratched, as long as you don''t put it in your pocket with sharp objects like a bunch of keys and  play rugby. However, you''ll need a cover for the back of the phone because it may still get scratched when you place it on a table and push it across the surface. You''ll also need to take care of the camera lens because that may get scratched unlike the glass on the front.I''ve dropped all of my iPhones every now and then, but they all continued to work well afterwards. With the iPhone 5, I dropped it several times from waist level onto hard tiles and the worst result was a barely noticeable dent in the aluminum on the side of the phone, but otherwise this thing is build like a brick. I''ve never had a problems with the battery or anything rattling on the inside of the phone after damaging it, iOS never skipped a beat. The hardware rather than the software is what brings me back to Apple. I can''t say that about the cheap, plastic and brittle hardware of Android phones (in my experience, the plastic chips easily, the camera is very sensitive to shocks, and the software will go crazy like rebooting on its own at random times). You won''t need to buy replacement parts that are outrageously expensive (i.e. a genuine Samsung battery cover made of thin plastic will blow your mind). The screen resolution continues to be clear, crisp, bright, and hands down better than any Android phone.Consumers may be purchasing bigger phones including near iPad size phablets, but I commend Apple to sticking to its guns on keeping the size phone relatively the same. With bigger phones like the Samsung Note 2, you''ll have to use both hands to make selections on the screen, especially if you need to tap something on the far edge of the screen. With the iPhone 5, you don''t need humongous hands or Slender Man fingers to navigate the screen. It fits perfectly in your palm and fits in any pocket easily compared to the bigger phones out there.I have to say that iOS copied some of its improvements from Android to make it better and there is still room to improve. You can''t customize settings shortcuts and trying to turn a feature on or off feels like you have to navigate through a maze of menu choices until you finally get to where you want to be. You can place a bunch of apps in a folder but only the first 9 apps are visible unless you open the folder and swipe around. Apple continues to have the best apps available through the app store.Another downside is the fact that you have to buy authorized 3rd party charging docks/cables in order to charge the phone. I''ve had some cheap but reliable charging cords that I bought online, but those failed to work when news broke of a consumer''s phone exploding (or was it burning?) after overcharging it with an unlicensed 3rd party accessory. Authorized aftermarket accessories tend to be less competitively priced and are priced toward the more expensive end.All in all, the iPhone 5 continues to be one, if not the best, of all the smartphones out there today.