Nowadays technology moves so fast, we are inundated with decisions on the next phone purchase. Apple’s iPhone range has firmly established itself as the ‘go-to’ smartphone in the 21st century, commiserations to Blackberry, Samsung and Android.
Are the newest editions to the iPhone range a fad, or a quality bit of kit? It always makes an interesting read to compare and contrast between the old and new models, so here goes.
To determine which is the best choice for an individual, the two key questions we need to bare in mind are:
- What’s your budget?
- What do you require the phone for?
The problem we face now, as a consumer, is that we are judged on all of our material possessions, whether we like to believe it or not. Naturally, though, this is great for manufacturers of these luxury goods, such as Apple. Despite the simultaneous release of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, it is clear that the iPhone 5s is simply a slight upgrade, similar to the progression of the iPhone 4 to iPhone 4s. So it would seem that any focus should be on how the iPhone 5c compares to its predecessor.
iPhone 5 vs iPhone 5c
Battery Life
Given the way we live in the 21st century, we are all very busy. Chances are, we’re all glued to our smartphones all day, whether it is for fun or business. This means we need our batteries to last more than just a few intense hours and it would seem the 5c boasts a superior battery life, much like it’s 5s relative.
Durability
We’ve all dropped our phones at some point, as you know, with an iPhone the results can be catastrophic. The 5c leaves behind the glass based materials, for a polycarbonate shell. This doesn’t mean it’s going to break really easily though, as it’s reinforced with steel under the surface. The 5c is actually a little heavier than the 5 and 5s, but the extra weight is due to the phone being that little more durable. Neither the 5c or 5s have compromised the 4 inch screen size but the plastic quality to the 5c can make it feel cheaper, so some may prefer the slick and light feel of the 5s.
Camera
Sadly, the ‘selfie’ era is still prolific (especially after the ‘selfie’ is now going to be an official word). Both the 5c and 5s camera is a big improvement from the iPhone5. Both new models boast an 8-mega-pixel camera on the rear, but the 5s has a 15% larger sensor and a wider aperture. This will ultimately produce higher quality pictures in poor lighting conditions. The improved 1.2 mega pixel camera on the front is perfect for the popular Facetime app – allowing your friends to see your beautiful face that little bit clearer. Another win for the 5s on this one.
Style
Does the colour of the phone really make a difference? You can always just buy your own case for any phone. The introduction of vibrant colours for the 5c have proven a bit of a turn off in terms of consumer reviews but then for others it is a chance to personalise your phone with the variety of colours available. Although the 5s has had it’s own makeover with a gold model available, however, this may only be suited for the ‘Del boys’ of the iPhone consumer market.
General Hardware
Internally, there’s not too much difference. The iPhone 5c has the same A6 processor as the iPhone 5, the same 4 inch retina display, the same cameras, and the Lightning connector. The iPhone 5c will be produced with iOS 7 installed, but iOS 7 is already available for free download for most iPhone users. Whereas the 5s features a faster, 64-bit processor and the dual-core 1.6GHz Apple A7 processor, placing it that step ahead of the 5 and 5c. Another difference between the old and new models is the Wi-Fi and cellular hardware, which the iPhone 5c shares with the iPhone 5s. As a result, this means better 3G signal, and it’ll also mean better 4G compatibility can be obtained. However, the A7 chip means 5s takes the trophy for this round.
Pricing
Strangely, we’ve become used to paying a lot of money for our phone contracts. Apple have been smart here and gone against their general corporate actions. That being said, a new model of iPhone is never going to be ‘cheap’ as such but the 5c is still cheaper than the iPhone 5 originally sold for. The 16GB iPhone 5 was priced at £529 in the Apple store and the 16GB iPhone 5s is priced at £549, whereas the 16GB iPhone 5c will set you back a mere £469.
Summary
Sadly, as a long-term Blackberry user, it’s difficult to give my own personal opinion. However, based on my research, I would suggest the iPhone 5c is the slightly better choice. This might seem obvious, as you would always assume the newest models will the best but this really is the case.
Apple has a lot of pressure on them to be constantly innovating. A little difficult when technology has become so advanced – consumers take excellence for granted!
As you may have noticed, the iPhone 5c has taken baby steps up from the iPhone 5. However, the iPhone 5s boasts many other qualities that may be considered a huge step up from previous iPhone models. No matter what features any new iPhone may supply, it’s a fact that it will still sell out and be the number one phone used across the globe.
