What’s New with the iPhone 5c and 5s?
Should you invest in Apple’s latest releases? Tech Talker reviews the new iPhone 5S and 5C.
This week Apple released the specs of its new iPhone model!
But wait, they actually released two new iPhones: the 5S and the 5C.
Today, I’ll review both of those models and their new features so you can decide if it’s worth it to invest in a brand new model.
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What’s New with the iPhone 5C?
As with all of Apple’s new releases, there are always tons of rumors flying accross the internet about what the product would actually be. I personally don’t like to dwell on the hype because usually it’s all just speculation. Before almost every previous release of a new iPhone, I’ve heard rumors that Apple would be releasing two versions. This is the first time those rumors are actually true.
They released the iPhone 5S and 5C simultaneously. What’s interesting is that the 5C is designed to be cheaper than the 5S, but what’s even more interesting is that the 5C is almost identical to the iPhone 5. The only noticeable difference between the 5C and the 5 is the variety of colors that the 5C comes in (white, pink, yellow, blue, and green, as opposed to only black or white for the iPhone 5).
Other than the color options, the 5C and the 5 are virtually identical. Perhaps that’s why the iPhone 5 is no longer available for purchase – weirdly, the iPhone 4s still is.
What’s New with the iPhone 5S?
Now, let’s compare the iPhone 5s with the now-older iPhone 5.
Just like with the 5C, the 5S has new color options. You can get a 5S in silver, gold, and space gray – no more black and white!
The screen size is the same as the 5 and it’s camera stayed the same resolution. However, the camera can now take slow motion video, a burst of pictures for fast scenes, and better pictures in low light due to a larger sensor. It probably won’t make a huge difference to the regular iPhone user, but these features are certainly nice for sophisticated camera lovers.
In terms of processing power, the 5S has an upgraded A7 processor compared to the previous A6. It also has a seperate M7 motion co-processor that helps to lighten motion processing for the main processor. All this verbiage simply means is that the 5S is speedier than ever!
The last feature that has everyone buzzing is the fingerprint sensor. Yes, that’s right, it has a fingerprint sensor. The normal home button can now unlock your phone using your fingerprint. Forget a password or pin, this will make your phone much easier to unlock for you (and much harder for anyone who finds or steals your phone). I’m pretty excited about this feature, but the conspiracy theorist in me can’t help but worry that it will create a huge database of fingerprints available for Apple and the NSA. What will that lead to?
What’s Missing in the iPhone 5S?
I’ve covered what’s new about the iPhone 5s. But what’s missing?
The last feature that has everyone buzzing is the fingerprint sensor. Yes, that’s right, it has a fingerprint sensor!
Well, in spite of these impressive innovations, the new iPhone 5S seems underwhelming. Many fans were hoping for a larger screen, longer battery life, and NFC (near field communication). NFC is a very low powered near communication radio. It’s used in other devices as a substitute for your credit cards, loyalty cards, and other things you would keep in your wallet. Many people (myself included) were hoping that I could have used my iPhone to make my wallet a little thinner, but not this time around.
What’s the Cost?
Now let’s look at cost. If you have AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon, a 16GB iPhone 5C will cost you $99 and the 5S will run you $199 with a new contract. An 8GB iPhone 4S will be free with a new contract. They completely dropped the iPhone 5 altogether! If you want to buy an unlocked and contract free 5S, it will be $649. An unlocked 5C will be $549.
Should You Buy the New iPhone 5C or 5S?
So is the iPhone 5S or 5C right for you? Well if you have a 3rd or 4th generation iPhone, it would be a great time to upgrade to the 5C. Sure, it’s lacking a fingerprint reader – but is that really a feature you consider essential? If not, it’s a pretty good deal at just a $100 for an upgrade to the 16GB model. If you have an iPhone 4S or a 5, I am not convinced that the 5S is worth the investment. My 4s is still running just fine for now!
With that, here are your 3 Quick and Dirty Tips about Apple’s new iPhones:
- Apple has just announced the release of two new iPhones: the 5S and the 5C.
- The 5S has a better processor, a fingerprint scanner, and it comes in gold, silver, and gray.
- The 5C is the cheaper version and, aside from its color palette, is pretty much identical to the iPhone 5 (which is no longer available).
What do you think? Will you be buying the new iPhone 5C or 5S? Let us know in the comments section.
Be sure to check out all my earlier episodes at techtalker.quickanddirtytips.com. And if you have further questions about this podcast or want to make a suggestion for a future episode, post them on Facebook QDTtechtalker.
Until next time, I’m the Tech Talker, keeping technology simple!
Image courtesy of Apple.com.
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About the Author
Tech Talker demystifies technology and cutting edge devices so that even the most tech illiterate can understand what’s going on with their computer or gadget — and what to do when something goes wrong.
