The new iPhones are out, and the rumor mills can finally take a break after weeks of speculation and leaks! So now, we have 2 types of iPhones: the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5 in a plastic shell called the 5C.
And, as usual, opinions are deeply divided on how great these products are, with reactions ranging from ‘amazing’ to ‘disappointing’. Here’s my take (would love to hear yours!):
The Good
1. iOS upgrades – Many older devices get the upgrade, that’s a big plus!
2. More LTE bands – makes it LTE compatible in more countries than any other phone out there.
3. The Camera – If it does what it claims to do (knowing Apple, it probably will), the cameras on Nokia and Sony devices have some serious competition at last.
4. Faster chip with 64 bit architecture – gamer’s get to rejoice!
5. HD front-facing camera – video chatting gets a well deserved boost.
The Bad
1. No NFC – C’mon Apple, for the premium price that you charge, not including this is nothing less than ridiculous!
2. No bigger screens – a 4 inch screen doesn’t really cut it these days. I’ve got so used to my 4.5 inch Android that iPhones seem like miniatures in comparison.
3. No default Google maps app – need I say more?
4. No lower priced phones – the 5C is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, which is probably the biggest disappointment (for folks in Asia like me at least).
5. Battery life – My Android costs 1/4th the iPhone’s price, but gives 2-3 days of juice easily.
6. No MicroSD card slot – If you buy an iPhone and want more memory, you’re still out of luck.
7. No full HD display – This should be a standard feature on any phone that costs so much, I have to wonder what’s wrong with Apple!
The Ugly
1. The color scheme of iOS 7 and the icons.
2. The cheap ‘plasticky’ looks of the 5C.
My personal verdict: Nice incremental updates, but nothing groundbreaking or innovative. If you’re eligible for the iOS7 upgrade, that should be good enough for most people.
What do you think?
Is it worth buying the new iPhones?
Paul Alan Clifford (@PaulAlanClif) says
I’ll admit to Apple fanboyism, but…
NFC is a battery hog that isn’t widely adopted, so while it’s a nice addition, I don’t see it as that big a deal.
No “Full HD display”? Reallly? More pixels than you eye can see isn’t good enough? Do you want a 4k phone? I guess if you hold it up really, really close you could see a difference, but at the size it is, you can’t at a regular distance.
As to battery life, you’re the first person I’ve ever heard claim that your android gets 2-3 days. If that’s the case, it’s probably how you use it and an iPhone would probably get the same for you.
No mention of fingerprint reading or the fact that it’s the first 64 bit phone? What about the motion coprocessor that will be really helpful to people like me who use the iPhone as a tool during exercise?
I hope I’m not sounding mad or mean. I don’t mean to. I just disagree with a few of your conclusions. Apple always makes me want to upgrade (not that I can, but I want to). I think that’s what matters for them as a company.
Paul
Gangai Victor says
Hey Paul, thanks for commenting!
To each his own, but I do happen to prefer Full-HD and NFC.
Long battery life of my Android: More than my usage, I’m willing to bet the real reason is the 3500 mAh battery inside my phone – and it happens to be a simple budget model, not at all a top end device!
Fingerprint reading – it’s not something new, the Motorola Atrix had it at least a couple of years ago.
Motion sensor – I could be wrong, but my guess is it will turn out to be a battery hog. But u’re right, it was worth mentioning in the post!
I did mention the 64 bit part.
Disagreements are fine, at least we get to discuss, right?! 🙂
Adam Shields says
I am an apple fanboy, but I both am underwhelmed and think this post goes too far
I agree with Paul that the processor and the finger print scanner are interesting developments and shouldn’t be discounted. They aren’t sexy, but security and processing are important.
I agree that the price of the C is not low enough to make a big difference. In the US why wouldn’t you pay the extra $100 to get a faster processor, finger print scanner, improved camera and future proof your phone a bit.
But I am disappointed that the battery has not been improved. Battery is a big deal. If the battery was significantly better I would upgrade without a question. As it is, I will stick with my 4S until it dies or something better comes along.
But I also don’t know how you can ask for a bigger screen and at the same time suggest that android have a 2 to 3 day battery. My last android phone was only good for 2 to 3 hours of heavy use, which is why I went to the iphone. Admittedly there are some long life android phones, but not a lot of them and you either have a stripped down phone or a top priced phone.
I also don’t really want a bigger screen. I know everyone seems to want a bigger screen, but I want a phone that easily fits in my pocket. I almost always have a computer or ipad with me as well as my phone. I don’t need my phone to be my full replacement computer.
Gangai Victor says
You make some good points Adam!
I agree a lot of it boils down to personal preferences in the end.
But the truth is I do have a 4.5” screen with a battery big enough to last 2-3 days on an average. There’s nothing stripped down about it in terms of features either, it runs on the jellybean version.
On the lighter side, with respect to the fingerprint security feature, u should take a look at this: http://i.imgur.com/iYENVxU.jpg 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Jonathan Ober says
Are you one of those people that finds a funny photo on the internet and exploits it as a valid argument, aren’t you?
Funny as that is, there’s no way I wouldn’t wake up before my kid grabs my phone out of my pocket and lifts my hand to scan my finger. I’d be more worried about people cutting off your fingers, but how is that any different than threatening you with a gun for your password and then taking your life after the fact?
Gangai Victor says
The pic was just a joke Jonathan, relax! The original article wasn’t based on it.
But u did get me thinking! If we continue your line of reasoning…
With password:
1. I get robbed, I give my password, thief gets phone.
2. I get robbed, I give my password, thief shoots me dead and gets phone.
With thumbprint:
1. I get robbed, I lose my thumb and thief gets phone.
2. I get robbed, I lose my thumb, thief shoots me dead, and gets phone.
3. I get robbed, thief shoots me dead, cuts off my thumb, and gets phone.
Dunno about u, but thumbprint looks like a lot riskier option to me.
kurt bennett says
As an iPhone 5 owner, I appreciated your article Gangai. It helped me decide not to pull the trigger on an upgrade. Maybe next time. Thanks for a great article.
Gangai Victor says
You’re most welcome Kurt, and thanks for commenting!