FOR
- Powerful core
- Touch ID is a real step up
- Excellent camera
- Brilliant performance
AGAINST
- Expensive
- No screen tech change
- Battery slightly suspect
The iPhone 5S is perhaps the most awaited phone of the year with statistcis showing that 1 in every 10 searches contained the term before its release.
We've been here before: the iPhone 'S' conundrum. The new phone comes along, taking the shell of the previous model, adds some new bits and pieces, and then claims to be an entirely new phone.
Scores in depth
Which it is, of course. But also it isn't. Well, mostly is. To be sure, it's the kind of move that only Apple can pull off with any kind of conviction: the notion that it can take the same chassis, have a little tinker, throw in a new CPU, slightly better battery and camera, and call it an all-conquering device.
But then again, such is the clamour to know all about it, is that such a bad move? There are literally millions of people the world over who can't wait to see what the next handset from Apple will be, and there was no surprise with the iPhone 5S.
There are a few who question whether it's 'fair' to launch a phone and then append an 'S' to the same thing a year later - Apple's response would likely be that nobody is forcing you to buy the new hardware. And that's a fair point. Yes, this is a phone that bears far too many hallmarks of its predecessor. And yes, this is the third time Apple has done this.
It's also managed to try to pop it onto the market complete as one of the most expensive smartphones out there, even on 3G plans. You'll be looking at post £50 a month to get one without an upfront fee in the UK, and £549 will be the price if you want the low end model, pushing all the way up to over £700 for the 64GB variant.
But if it was such a bad business move, if the market wasn't willing to accept such a thing, then Apple would have folded as a smartphone brand years ago... or at least been lagging behind the competition.
That said, times are changing in the smartphone landscape. Where before Apple was able to just create the phone it wanted, and forget the competition in the knowledge that it wasn't going to have to worry about losing consumers to a competitor, now it's been forced to realise that there are at least four decent options for a consumer to think about if they want to get a rather good handset.
Apple is obviously aware of this change, be it the aluminium unibody of theHTC One, the new fight into low-light cameras or the need for a strong processor as a headline to shout about. And to be fair, it's addressed these needs to some degree or other on the iPhone 5S.
iPhone 5S - Design and Features
The iPhone 5, launched last year, arrived with a 4-inch screen and diamond cut aluminium body. As is Apple’s way with its S phones, the iPhone 5S shares the same design. At first glance it looks identical, but there are some small changes in the colour options, as Apple has added the much sought after gold option, while the 'black' is now a lighter 'space grey'. The silver and white one we have, however, is exactly the same.
It’s an angular, timeless design – elegant and slim. In hand the cut aluminium feels premium and solid, but the iPhone 5S is far lighter than most other phones. At just 112g it initially feels a little too light, especially if you’re used to the iPhone 4S's glass and metal body. However the build is excellent and the 5S certainly doesn't feel flimsy the way some lighter phones can.
The highly engineered body feels quality, but it isn't the most comfortable. The diamond cut edges are a little sharp, not sharp enough to cause any real discomfort but slightly more rounded edges would make it easier to hold for long periods of time.
However, iPhone 5S is thin and light enough to easily warrant a case, whether it’s the pricey £35 leather case Apple announced with it or a third-party one. Using the leather case significantly softens the phone and makes it much more pleasurable to hold.
A double LED flash is next to the camera while on the front the screen bezels are slim. The home button is detailed in a metal ring that provides a useful function, the Touch ID – more on that later.
All buttons are instantly accessible using one hand without having to ever juggle the phone. The one difference it has from most other phones is that the 3.5mm headphone jack is at the bottom. It’s a little odd at first, but actually makes sense when you consider that a phone goes top first into a pocket so you don’t have to flip it round when you take it out.
As a 4-inch phone the iPhone 5S is significantly smaller than all its direct Android and Windows 8 competitors. Deciding whether the smaller screen is a benefit or weakness will depend entirely on you and whether you value screen real-estate over ease of use.
Samsung has managed to keep the Galaxy S4 as tidy as possible, but its 5-inch screen means that it is more of a handful and it can be tricky to reach some areas of the screen when used one-handed. The 4.7-inch screen on the HTC One is slightly more manageable.
From left to right: the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4
While the iPhone 5S trails behind this competition in terms of sheer size you might find it much more comfortable to use day-to-day if you have average sized hands. It also tends to fit in a pocket easier.
So the 5S looks likes its predecessor, but that's where the similarities end .
It’s an angular, timeless design – elegant and slim. In hand the cut aluminium feels premium and solid, but the iPhone 5S is far lighter than most other phones. At just 112g it initially feels a little too light, especially if you’re used to the iPhone 4S's glass and metal body. However the build is excellent and the 5S certainly doesn't feel flimsy the way some lighter phones can.
The highly engineered body feels quality, but it isn't the most comfortable. The diamond cut edges are a little sharp, not sharp enough to cause any real discomfort but slightly more rounded edges would make it easier to hold for long periods of time.
However, iPhone 5S is thin and light enough to easily warrant a case, whether it’s the pricey £35 leather case Apple announced with it or a third-party one. Using the leather case significantly softens the phone and makes it much more pleasurable to hold.
A double LED flash is next to the camera while on the front the screen bezels are slim. The home button is detailed in a metal ring that provides a useful function, the Touch ID – more on that later.
All buttons are instantly accessible using one hand without having to ever juggle the phone. The one difference it has from most other phones is that the 3.5mm headphone jack is at the bottom. It’s a little odd at first, but actually makes sense when you consider that a phone goes top first into a pocket so you don’t have to flip it round when you take it out.
As a 4-inch phone the iPhone 5S is significantly smaller than all its direct Android and Windows 8 competitors. Deciding whether the smaller screen is a benefit or weakness will depend entirely on you and whether you value screen real-estate over ease of use.
Samsung has managed to keep the Galaxy S4 as tidy as possible, but its 5-inch screen means that it is more of a handful and it can be tricky to reach some areas of the screen when used one-handed. The 4.7-inch screen on the HTC One is slightly more manageable.
From left to right: the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4
While the iPhone 5S trails behind this competition in terms of sheer size you might find it much more comfortable to use day-to-day if you have average sized hands. It also tends to fit in a pocket easier.
So the 5S looks likes its predecessor, but that's where the similarities end .
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