Apple 5S and 5C: 10 things you need to know

1 Going for gold

The iPhone 5s is the true next-generation iPhone, in a choice of gold, white and black. It is more expensive at a SIM-free price of £549, £629 and £709 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, with the leather case costing £35. But it’s the 5s that has all the new hardware features.

2 C is for Colourful

The iPhone 5c is essentially last year’s iPhone 5 in more colourful clothing. It has a larger battery and better front-camera than the iPhone 5, and its SIM-free price will be £469 for the 16GB model and £549 for the 32GB model when it goes on sale on 20 September.

3 When I’m 64-bit

Apple is shouting about its A7 processor and its “desktop-class” 64-bit computing capabilities. The company claims it’s twice as fast at CPU and graphics tasks, with an emphasis on bigger, richer games. Expect overuse of the phrase “console-quality” from developers.

4 Whirled in motion

The iPhone 5′s innards also include an M7 “motion coprocessor” designed to collect data from its accelerometer, gyroscope and compass. This is big news for health apps tracking your activity throughout the day, although possibly not-so-good news for companies like Fitbit who make external gadgets to measure it.

5 Prints charming

The iPhone 5s has a fingerprint sensor built into its Home button. It scans your fingerprint and stores it, so you can unlock the phone and authorise iTunes/App Store purchases with a touch.

6 Picture this

Apple has improved the camera in the 5s, but not with more megapixels. Instead, it sports a better lens and sensor to let in more light, better colour and less noise. The flash is smarter too.

7 Buy one, get five apps free

Apple has traditionally charged for its flagship Keynote, Pages, Numbers, iPhoto and iMovie iOS apps. Now it’s making them all free for people buying any new iOS device – iPad and iPod touch included.

8 Deadly 7

Hardware is good, but it’s Apple’s new software that holds the most changes. iOS 7 debuts on 18 September with a new look and new features. More battery-efficient multitasking; a much better Photos app; AirDrop to ping photos, videos and contacts to nearby iOS devices; and a smarter Siri that can now access Twitter.

9 Apps for that…

Developers got their hands on an early version of iOS 7 in June, and have been working on their apps accordingly. Expect a flurry of updates around the 18th making use of the software’s new features.

10 Radio rocks

One of iOS 7′s other big features is iTunes Radio, a music app that serves up radio-like streams of songs based on artists or genres. It’ll be free but for now it’ll only be available in the US.

• The headline and intro on this article were amended on 15 September

to reflect that this article is not a review

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNH7-eFmth6Q3eYd__Wh1a3I8sAj3g&url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/15/5s-5c-iphone-review-features

Apple 5S and 5C review: 10 things you need to know

1 Going for gold

The iPhone 5s is the true next-generation iPhone, in a choice of gold, white and black. It is more expensive at a SIM-free price of £549, £629 and £709 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, with the leather case costing £35. But it’s the 5s that has all the new hardware features.

2 C is for Colourful

The iPhone 5c is essentially last year’s iPhone 5 in more colourful clothing. It has a larger battery and better front-camera than the iPhone 5, and its SIM-free price will be £469 for the 16GB model and £549 for the 32GB model when it goes on sale on 20 September.

3 When I’m 64-bit

Apple is shouting about its A7 processor and its “desktop-class” 64-bit computing capabilities. The company claims it’s twice as fast at CPU and graphics tasks, with an emphasis on bigger, richer games. Expect overuse of the phrase “console-quality” from developers.

4 Whirled in motion

The iPhone 5′s innards also include an M7 “motion coprocessor” designed to collect data from its accelerometer, gyroscope and compass. This is big news for health apps tracking your activity throughout the day, although possibly not-so-good news for companies like Fitbit who make external gadgets to measure it.

5 Prints charming

The iPhone 5s has a fingerprint sensor built into its Home button. It scans your fingerprint and stores it, so you can unlock the phone and authorise iTunes/App Store purchases with a touch.

6 Picture this

Apple has improved the camera in the 5s, but not with more megapixels. Instead, it sports a better lens and sensor to let in more light, better colour and less noise. The flash is smarter too.

7 Buy one, get five apps free

Apple has traditionally charged for its flagship Keynote, Pages, Numbers, iPhoto and iMovie iOS apps. Now it’s making them all free for people buying any new iOS device – iPad and iPod touch included.

8 Deadly 7

Hardware is good, but it’s Apple’s new software that holds the most changes. iOS 7 debuts on 18 September with a new look and new features. More battery-efficient multitasking; a much better Photos app; AirDrop to ping photos, videos and contacts to nearby iOS devices; and a smarter Siri that can now access Twitter.

9 Apps for that…

Developers got their hands on an early version of iOS 7 in June, and have been working on their apps accordingly. Expect a flurry of updates around the 18th making use of the software’s new features.

10 Radio rocks

One of iOS 7′s other big features is iTunes Radio, a music app that serves up radio-like streams of songs based on artists or genres. It’ll be free but for now it’ll only be available in the US.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNH7-eFmth6Q3eYd__Wh1a3I8sAj3g&url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/15/5s-5c-iphone-review-features

Apple iPhone 5C

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple today officially unveiled the long-rumored iPhone 5C, a stepdown, less-expensive model to the flagship iPhone 5S, which was also announced. The iPhone 5C will be available in five colors — white, green, blue, pink, and yellow — with the 16GB model priced at $99 and the 32GB version costing $199 (with two-year contract). Sadly, yes, there is no supercheap contract-free version.

Design and feel


As expected, the phone has a polycarbonate (plastic) back. Jony Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of design, described the iPhone 5C as “beautifully, unapologetically plastic. Multiple parts have been reduced to a single polycarbonate component whose service is continuous and seamless.”

How does it feel in the hand? Remarkably solid and dense, more like a candy-lacquered metal phone than a “plastic phone.” The 5C has a steel frame under the polycarbonate, and the smooth finish feels very hand-friendly. It also feels heavier than the iPhone 5. Hopefully it’ll stay scratch-resistant, because that extra-shiny look is a large part of its charm. It almost feels like an iPhone that’s been given a custom hard-shell paint finish, or had a skin-thin case permanently bonded to it.

The curved edges are a bit of a return to the older plastic iPhones, but the phone’s squarer design still comes through: it has a flat back. It’s a shinier, smoother, thicker device than last year’s fifth-gen iPod Touch.

The colors are clean, somewhat pastel and vibrant, and Apple’s separately-sold $29 microfiber cases studded with large holes come in different color schemes, allowing for mix-and-match patterns. The case’s design feels like a similar material to Apple’s iPad Smart Covers, and snaps over the back snugly. The design-your-own color process has a similar feel to the Moto X’s, and it’ll be interesting to see what other cases toy with colors and exposed cut-out designs.

Specs: iPhone 5-esque



If you’re wondering what makes a 5C different from the now-discontinued iPhone 5, it’s basically this: new colors and feel, better front-facing FaceTime HD camera, and a slightly larger battery. Oh, and there’s no 64GB version: you’ll have to get an iPhone 5S for that.

Some of the specs Apple is highlighting include an A6 processor, an 8-megapixel camera with a 3x video zoom in-camera app, an improved front-facing HD camera, and 802.11 a/b/g/n dual band Wi-Fi, as well as “more LTE bands for world coverage.”

The iPhone 5C weighs slightly more than the iPhone 5 but seems to offer slightly better battery life.

(Credit:

James Martin/CNET)

From a specs standpoint, the iPhone 5C appears to be a slight upgrade over the existing iPhone 5. However, at 4.65 ounces, the iPhone 5C also weighs more than the 3.95-ounce iPhone 5.

The iPhone 5, which also runs on an A6 processor, will be discontinued, but the iPhone 4S will stick around in an 8GB version that will be free with a two-year contract.

Apple also introduced a new line of $29.99 cases for the 5C, with six color options available. The cases have a “soft, matte” finish to contrast the glossy finish of the 5C’s back.

Apple said the 5C has “impressive battery life” and from a first glance at the numbers, it appears to offer better battery life than the iPhone 5, particularly for Internet browsing on LTE (10 hours vs. 8 hours on the iPhone 5). Standby time is rated at 250 hours compared to the iPhone 5′s 225 hours.

In all, this is pretty much what we were expecting the iPhone 5C to be: a cheaper-to-produce version of the iPhone 5 that’s been jazzed up with an all-new colorful and shiny look. Those colored backs should appeal to younger consumers, though it’ll be interesting to see whether iPhone 5C owners choose to protect their phones with cases — made by Apple or other accessory makers — or leave them exposed. Less expensive plus a little better battery life and a fresh coat of paint may not sound like magic, but a cheaper, gently tweaked, more colorful iPhone 5 could be the sort of everyday phone a lot of people choose simply for the price. It’s just a shame there isn’t a less-expensive contract-free version.

See all of our Apple iPhone coverage.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGEqDkhGI70bZcL_BvAyUnzYGQO2Q&url=http://reviews.cnet.com/iphone-5c/

Five disappointing things about the iPhone 5S

Forward-thinking, or just playing catch-up with other, more advanced smartphones?

(Credit:

Apple)

Is it too soon to start building an iPhone 6 wish list?

Because the

iPhone 5S, which Apple announced today (along with the cheaper iPhone 5C) to the surprise of no one, represents perhaps the least exciting and most disappointing iPhone update yet.

Indeed, just as the

iPhone 4S was little more than an iPhone 4 with a few minor upgrades, the iPhone 5S is little more than an iPhone 5 with a few minor upgrades. I’ll cop to liking the fingerprint sensor, which adds a much-needed security option for folks who typically don’t bother with passcodes and potentially a much faster option for those who do.

(I say potentially because it remains to be seen just how quickly a scan gets recognized and unlocks the phone. A swipe and tap-tap-tap to put in a passcode might turn out to be just as fast.)

But overall, I find little here to get excited about, and no motivation to trade up from my 4S. Here are the five things I find disappointing about the iPhone 5S:

1. The screen remains the same

As I noted back in August, Apple needed to do just one thing to keep me as an iPhone customer: enlarge the screen. I’m not looking for an iPhablet, mind you, just something in the Galaxy S4 range to better accommodate my aging eyes.

Alas, it wasn’t to be. The iPhone 5S has the same screen dimensions as the iPhone 5, which is merely half an inch taller than my iPhone 4S. I’m afraid that’s a big no-sale for me.

2. A faster processor? It’s just a phone!

The A7 chip sure has a lot of fancy specs. But what’s the benefit to the user?

(Credit:

CNET)

Remember how in the early days of desktop computing, we all chased faster and faster processors, then stopped caring because they got fast enough? That’s how I feel about smartphone processors.

If you watched today’s Apple presentation, perhaps you noticed that Phil Schiller spent a lot of time talking about the new A7 chip’s specs — its 64-bit architecture, billion-plus transistors, and so on– and very little talking about how they benefit the user. Know why? Because for the most part, they don’t. A faster processor may help with certain games and apps, but it will also consume more power — which is why Apple said almost nothing about the iPhone 5S’ battery life. Speaking of which…

3. No improvement to battery life

I don’t need or want a faster processor in my phone, and I suspect the same is true for 98 percent of all users. What I do need is a bigger, better battery. The iPhone 5S doesn’t have one.

Yes, Apple managed to deliver more or less the same talk, video, Internet, and standby times despite including a faster processor, but that’s not an improvement. That’s treading water while carrying more weight.

4. Still no 128GB model

I’ve never understood why Apple doesn’t offer this option. Most users carry growing libraries of apps, games, music, movies, and the like, but Apple has never seen fit to push past the 64GB limit for iPhone storage. Most

Android phones have a microSD slot that allows virtually unlimited storage — maybe not in a big contiguous chunk, but at least you have the extra breathing room if you need it.

Schiller talked up the iPhone 5S as the “gold standard” of smartphones. So where’s the 128GB option many users have spent years clamoring for?

5. A little catch-up, very little innovation

There’s no question Apple’s fingerprint reader will garner lots of attention in the coming days, and with good reason: it’s an innovative feature — arguably the iPhone’s first real hardware innovation in years.

But it still feels, well, small. Maybe that’s inevitable; maybe we’ve seen just about everything a smartphone can do, and small, incremental improvements are all that’s left. On the other hand, aren’t we all waiting for Apple to wow us again? When was the last time that happened?

The iPhone 5S has exactly what was expected: a faster processor and a better camera (one that merely catches up to the cameras in some other phones). Those features aren’t “wow” — they’re “meh.”

Your take?

What do you think? Am I being too hard on the 5S? Or do you agree it’s a disappointing also-ran from a company that has lost its innovative edge? What features were you hoping for that you didn’t get? Hit up the comments with your feedback.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNED-JRWNY4kmPQ_Ux6ATd-q-v0ZyA&url=http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-57602264-233/five-disappointing-things-about-the-iphone-5s/

iPhone 5C hands

(Updated with hands-on impressions)

Apple today officially unveiled the long-rumored iPhone 5C, a stepdown, less-expensive model to the flagship iPhone 5S, which was also announced. The iPhone 5C will be available in five colors — white, green, blue, pink, and yellow — with the 16GB model priced at $99 and the 32GB version costing $199 (with two-year contract). Sadly, yes, there is no supercheap contract-free version.

Design and feel


As expected, the phone has a polycarbonate (plastic) back. Jony Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of design, described the iPhone 5C as “beautifully, unapologetically plastic. Multiple parts have been reduced to a single polycarbonate component whose service is continuous and seamless.”

How does it feel in the hand? Remarkably solid and dense, more like a candy-lacquered metal phone than a “plastic phone.” The 5C has a steel frame under the polycarbonate, and the smooth finish feels very hand-friendly. Hopefully it’ll stay scratch-resistant.

The curved edges are a bit of a return to the older plastic iPhones, but the phone’s squarer design still comes through: it has a flat back. It’s a shinier, smoother, thicker device than last year’s fifth-gen iPod Touch.

Specs: iPhone 5-esque



If you’re wondering what makes a 5C different from the now-discontinued iPhone 5, it’s basically this: new colors and feel, better front-facing FaceTime HD camera, and a slightly larger battery. Oh, and there’s no 64GB version: you’ll have to get an iPhone 5S for that.

Some of the specs Apple is highlighting include an A6 processor, an 8-megapixel camera with a 3x video zoom in-camera app, an improved front-facing HD camera, and 802.11 a/b/g/n dual band Wi-Fi, as well as “more LTE bands for world coverage.”

The iPhone 5C weighs slightly more than the iPhone 5 but seems to offer slightly better battery life.

(Credit:

James Martin/CNET)

From a specs standpoint, the iPhone 5C appears to be a slight upgrade over the existing iPhone 5. However, at 4.65 ounces, the iPhone 5C weighs slightly more than the 3.95-ounce iPhone 5.

A first look at the colorful iPhone 5C (pictures)

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The iPhone 5, which also runs on an A6 processor, will be discontinued, but the iPhone 4S will stick around and the 8GB 4S will be free with a two-year contract.

Apple also introduced a new line of $29.99 cases for the 5C, with multiple six color options available. The cases have a “soft, matte” finish to contrast the glossy finish of the 5C’s back.

Apple said the 5C will has “impressive battery life” and from a first glance at the numbers, it appears to offer better battery life than the iPhone 5, particularly for Internet browsing on LTE (10 hours vs. 8 hours on the iPhone 5). Standby time is rated at 250 hours compared to the iPhone 5′s 225 hours.

In all, this is pretty much what we were expecting the iPhone 5C to be — a cheaper-to-produce version of the iPhone 5 that’s been jazzed up with an all-new, colorful and shiny look. Those colored backs should appeal to younger consumers, though it’ll be interesting to see whether iPhone 5C owners choose to protect their phones with cases — made by Apple or other accessory makers — or leave them exposed.

This is a developing story. See all of today’s Apple news.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGEqDkhGI70bZcL_BvAyUnzYGQO2Q&url=http://reviews.cnet.com/iphone-5c/

New low

(Updated with hands-on impressions)

Apple today officially unveiled the long-rumored iPhone 5C, a stepdown, less expensive model to the flagship iPhone 5S, which was also announced. The iPhone 5C will be available in 5 colors — white, green, blue, pink and yellow — with the 16GB model priced at $99 and the 32GB version costing $199 (with 2-year contract). Sadly, yes, there is no super-cheap contract-free version.

Design and feel


As expected, the phone has a polycarbonate (plastic) back. Jony Ive, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Design, described the iPhone 5C as “beautifully, unapologetically plastic. Multiple parts have been reduced to a single polycarbonate component whose service is continuous and seamless.”

How does it feel in the hand? Remarkably solid and dense, more like a candy-lacquered metal phone than a “plastic phone.” The 5c has a steel frame under the polycarbonate, and the smooth finish feels very hand-friendly. Hopefully it’ll stay scratch-resistant.

The curved edges are a bit of a return to the older plastic iPhones, but the phone’s squarer design still comes through: it has a flat back. It’s a shiner, smoother, thicker device than last year’s fifth-gen iPod Touch.

Specs: iPhone 5-esque



If you’re wondering what makes a 5C different from the now-discontinued iPhone 5, it’s basically this: new colors and feel, better front-facing FaceTime HD camera, and a slightly larger battery. Oh, and there’s no 64GB version: you’ll have to get an iPhone 5S for that.

Some of the specs Apple is highlighting include an A6 processor, an 8MP camera with a 3x video zoom in-camera app, an improved front-facing HD camera, and 802.11 a/b/g/n dual band WiFi, as well as “more LTE bands for world coverage.”

The iPhone 5C weighs slightly more than the iPhone 5 but seems to offer slightly better battery life.

(Credit:

James Martin/CNET)

From a specs standpoint, the iPhone 5C appears to be a slight upgrade over the existing iPhone 5. However, at 4.65 ounces, the iPhone 5C weighs slightly more than the 3.95-ounce iPhone 5.

A first look at the colorful iPhone 5C (pictures)

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The iPhone 5, which also runs on an A6 processor, will be discontinued, but the iPhone 4S will stick around and the 8GB 4S will be free with a 2-year contract.

Apple also introduced a new line of $29.99 cases for the 5C, with multiple 6 color options available. The cases have a “soft, matte” finish to contrast the glossy finish of the 5C’s back.

Apple said the 5C will has “impressive battery life” and from a first glance at the numbers, it appears to offer better battery life than the iPhone 5, particularly for Internet browsing on LTE (10 hours vs. 8 hours on the iPhone 5). Standby time is rated at 250 hours compared to the iPhone 5′s 225 hours.

In all, this is pretty much what we were expecting the iPhone 5C to be — a cheaper-to-produce version of the iPhone 5 that’s been jazzed up with an all-new, colorful and shiny look. Those colored backs should appeal to younger consumers, though it’ll be interesting to see whether iPhone 5C owners choose to protect their phones with cases — made by Apple or other accessory makers — or leave them exposed.

This is a developing story. Follow the CNET live blog of today’s Apple event, and see all of today’s Apple news.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGEqDkhGI70bZcL_BvAyUnzYGQO2Q&url=http://reviews.cnet.com/iphone-5c/