The rumored iPhone 5C and 5S are real, folks. The 6 was a total false flag. Slightly more unexpected was the keeping in place of the iPhone 4S as the free option while the 5 was retired outright. While the 5 was, according to Apple, the most rapidly adopted iPhone, it’s clearly too high-end of a device to be made the free option. Apple instead opted to retire it gracefully.
Right before mine gets here, no less.
There was more than a little time spent on iOS 7, which will go live on September 18. The new OS will run on the iPad 2 and all models after, as well as the iPhone 4 and up. A few of us have been using the developer preview and are enjoying it. One feature I was unaware of was the pervasive search: instead of going back to the home page and over one, you can now search from the notification screen.
I can’t decide if iTunes radio is going to change the way I listen to music (as Apple hopes) or if I’ll continue using my Pandora/Google Music daily combo. One thing is for sure though, which is that Apple put a ton of work into this thing, and its reported’ to work darn well.
Plus, Apple and music are kind of a known quantity.
What really grabbed my interest is the iWork news. As of today, Apple’s iOS work suite (featuring Pages, Numbers, and Keynote) is free for any iDevice. This is great news, and it gets better. Joining the work suite is iMovie and iPhoto, two great tools. Those who already paid for it can be heard grousing.
A few people have been annoyed at how the look of iOS has totally changed with 7. Turns out there’s a good reason for that. The latest version is actually 64-bit native, as are all the core apps, designed to work on a 64-bit chip (backwards compatible, of course). That would require rebuilding from the ground up, so why not update the look while you’re in there? It’s 2013, not 2007, and design sensibilities have changed.
In case you’re wondering why the OS needs to support 64 bit chips, it’s because there’s one inside the new 5S. Available in gold, “space gray,” and silver, the new flagship has the first ever 64-bit processor in a smartphone. The new A7 chip is 5 times faster than the one in the iPhone 5 and 40 times faster than the one in the original iPhone. Battery life is about what you’d expect for a new iPhone that comes in 16 GB/$199, 32 GB/$299 ,and 64 GB/$399. What you wouldn’t expect is some of the under the hood changes, like the M7 chip, a new dedicated motion processor.
What makes it “space” gray?
The camera on the new 5S remains at 8 Megapixels, same as before. However, the new 5 element lens opens up to a 2.2 aperture, which means it can see more light in dimly lit photos as well as possibly have slightly more control over what’s in focus. At such a small sensor size, don’t expect any DSLR-quality blown-out-of-focus backgrounds at this aperture, but this is impressive for a phone camera and should improve slightly over the previous model. Contrast this with the HTC One, which has an aperture of 2 and larger pixels (thanks to the lower resolution of 4 megapixels), and this isn’t exactly revolutionary. Yet, this seemingly small change is a major improvement over the previous model. Considering how impressed people have been with the One, I can’t wait to try this camera.
As for video, 120 FPS sounds like fun. The super versatile GoPro video cameras are famous for being able to record HD video at that kind of frame rate for epic first person POV slow-motion shots. Expect sales of waterproof and shockproof 5S cases to go up as folks prepare to jump out of an airplane with their iPhone (and hopefully a parachute).
The 5S also adds a new feature, Touch ID. The home button is now a fingerprint sensor, and can be used to unlock your phone as well as authenticate your iTunes account. We’re still talking this over at the Techcitement home office to see how we feel about it. Apple is insisting that your fingerprint is going to be perfectly safe, with no storage on its servers or iCloud. The ideas is a tad disquieting. With that said, it’s a heck of a “one up” to Google’s “unlock your phone with your face” feature for Android.
Then there’s the mid-range option: The 5C is less powerful than the 5S, but a lot more colorful. I’m reminded of the original iMacs, in their multi-hued flavors. Derided by some (as the 5C is being already), they were a huge seller for Apple. The iPhone 5C will be priced at $99 for 16 GB and $199 for 32 GB. Don’t let the 5 in the name fool you though, this puppy has a 4″ retina display .
But still, colors!
The 5C feels a bit like someone took the A6 chip from an iPhone 5 and put it in an iPhone 4, and then put plastic over it. Speaking of, we should be clear that the 5C may have a plastic body, but it is the Wolverine of smartphones, with a metal chassis underneath (steel, not adamantium). That should assuage some concerns about it feeling cheap. Additionally, Apple has announced a line of protective covers for the 5C, designed to accentuate the existing schemes.
I honestly think Apple’s hit the right notes here. The new OS is what made me come over the fence to iPhone for my daily driver. The 5S is a bit of an appeal to power users (as we are the only ones who care what chip is in there), but the 5C is the perfect phone to combat those who might buy a Lumia because it looks purty.
I’m kinda PO’ed about the software being free. I paid like $50 for all of that over the past year. On the plus side, i never bought Keynote, and the purchases were business expenses.
Mordechai, your ‘new’ iPhone 5 comes as of late November, just in time to be discontinued. Based on today’s findings, would you actually splurge on a new phone, or still go with a high-tech EOL device?
High-tech EOL. The 5 is still super good. Thanks again for the barter.