iPhone 5S/5C thread

[vi edit]

The unfortunate thing is, there's no reason aside from stubbornness that Apple can't move to Google's model and distribute core apps via the app store.

I just don't think that a majority of people care. They either are fine with the built in app, or go download a 3rd party one that does what they need. Maps introduced with iOS 6 is the one fiasco that really stands out as a mess and could have used a point update. But outside of that, I just don't think most people care.

I have an android right now and frankly don't. And my "level of care" is a notch or two higher than the average smartphone abuser.

 

[TerryMathews]

Well, I think Apple's approach is much simpler as well, albeit more restrictive.

What can be simpler than having the apps auto update?

Anyway, we are getting far off course.

 

[Ns1]

I just don't think that a majority of people care. They either are fine with the built in app, or go download a 3rd party one that does what they need. Maps introduced with iOS 6 is the one fiasco that really stands out as a mess and could have used a point update. But outside of that, I just don't think most people care.

I have an android right now and frankly don't. And my "level of care" is a notch or two higher than the average smartphone abuser.

I resisted dl'ing ios6 until like 2 weeks ago. I hated both the new maps app, as well as the dl'able gmaps app.

 

[Eug]

 

[vi edit]

That's a shitload of iPhones....and giving a middle finger to Samsung.



(posted from a Note 2 )

 

[ponyo]

My wife's gold and my gray 5S should be here tomorrow. AT&T had originally said end of Oct shipping date for the gold 5S in my confirmation email but yesterday I got shipped email with tracking number. I don't know if AT&T was being conservative with their original shipping date or they found some additional stock of the gold 5s but I'm not complaining.

 

[bearxor]

So I just came back from the Apple store and have two thoughts.

One. That gold iPhone 5S does not look bad AT ALL. I think I'd still like black face plates on it though.

Two. I would TOTALLY buy a iPhone 5C with 5S internals. Even without the fingerprint scanner. That thing feels solid and really nice to hold in the hand. I've mentioned before in AAA but the iPhone 3G/3GS design is still my favorite. I think the iPhone 5 is just too thin. The 5C adds some much needed thickness and some rounded corners that feel good in the hand.

 

[badb0y]

Just a quick mobile update.

9 million units sold! Yowza.

Ironically this mobile update comes to you via Android.

9 million? Apple is doomed.

 

[ponyo]

Thickness and rounded corners can easily be added by a case which 99% of the iPhone users will use. So can the back color. There are already aluminum cases with gold coloring like the 5S available on Amazon for like $15.

 

[lothar]

How is this chart calculated?
Apple released their iPhones in multiple countries all at the same time.
Samsung does staggered releases...They release in Korea only first, then Europe, then US, then Canada, then China and other 3rd world countries.

Is this graph comparing Samsung's launch in Korea to Apple's iPhone launches which happens all around the world on the same day? If so, then it's dishonest.

Or does the Samsung graph include 1st day Korea launch performance + 1st day Europe launch performance + 1st day US launch performance on AT&T + 1st day US launch performance on Sprint + 1st day US launch performance on T-Mobile + 1st day US launch performance on Verizon + 1st day Canadian launch performance + 1st day in China and all other 3rd world countries launch performance.

Apple has the luxury of being able to launch all their phones at once.
With Samsung, their phone launches on Verizon 2-3 months later and even with the other carriers(Sprint, AT&T, or T-Mobile) they all launch days or even weeks apart and definitely not on the same day; some Canadian carrier negotiates an exclusive "1 month exclusive contract" or whatever.

 

[Eug]

I would ignore the Samsung data for the reasons you cite. However, the interesting part here is that the iPhone 5 + iPhone 5 (China) data suggests the 5S was likely in the same ballpark, if we assume the 5S vastly outsold the 5C on the first 3 launch days (based on US 5S vs 5C active unit data).

If the 5 outsold the 5S, it probably was not by a huge amount.

 

[bearxor]

Thickness and rounded corners can easily be added by a case which 99% of the iPhone users will use. So can the back color. There are already aluminum cases with gold coloring like the 5S available on Amazon for like $15.

So what if I'm the 1%?

 

[defy]

Ordered an Iphone 5s directly from the online Apple store at midnight on the 20th, it's set to arrive this week straight from China. Talk about factory-fresh...

 

[Eug]

Reports from the 5 say that a lot of the aluminum cases out there block signal somewhat.

Plus the really nice ones are usually pretty bulky.

I'm trying to find a non-bulky but internally padded aluminum bumper (with exposed back), but I can't seem to find one, so in the meantime I just ordered some silicone/plastic bumpers for cheap.

I don't like wide phones, but the nice aluminum bumpers seem to widen the phone quite a bit.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

What exactly would doing such a thing on an Apple device achieve?

Or is it that Apple users can't get updates for "stock" apps(Maps, Search, Calendar, etc...) until their next iOS "x" iteration updates?
If so, then wow...that's pretty bad and I see your point.

The thing is there hasn't really been much new in Calendar since they decoupled it from the OS. People seem to get all happy when a Google App gets updated.

The issue with Android is that even after an OS release like 4.2, we're still sitting at 8% adoption. It benefits the users still stuck on 4.1 and 4.0 to get those app updates. With iOS 7, the adoption has already passed iOS 6, a lot of people have gotten the new updates to whatever core apps you're mentioning.

Furthermore, let's look at the Google apps and the updates they get. If they just pushed serious updates every year or with every OS point release, it really wouldn't matter whether they push out the update separately from the OS or with the OS. So as a Nexus user, it's a huge benefit because you get the benefit of quick updates. On other phones, you're screwed. So I don't think it makes sense to penalize Apple for not decoupling the core apps. It doesn't really hurt Apple. Plus, if you're not going to update your phone to iOS 7, what makes it more likely that you'll update the rest of your core apps?

 

[Eug]

I just wish I could get TRIM somehow on my Jelly Bean 4.1 phone.

I KNOW this thing is not going to be updated before 2014, since AFAIK Motorola hasn't even announced if they're going to update this phone past 4.1 or not yet, and it usually takes something like 4-6 months before an update confirmation before the update actually happens.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I just wish I could get TRIM somehow on my Jelly Bean 4.1 phone.

If you can get root you can get Trim:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grilledmonkey.lagfix&hl=en

 

[Eug]

If you can get root you can get Trim:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grilledmonkey.lagfix&hl=en

Thanks, but I hate rooting and jailbreaking, although I do admit I run a jailbroken Apple TV 2.

I'm also a little nervous using a third party app for something like this, and furthermore it's something I want automatically done by the OS.

BTW, I think rooting my Motorola RAZR HD was a problem initially, but there is a root method available now. Not as ubiquitous as for my Nexus 7 though, but for the Nexus 7 it's irrelevant since it's on 4.3 anyway, and 4.3 includes TRIM.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I'm also a little nervous using a third party app for something like this, and furthermore it's something I want automatically done by the OS.

I feel you it should be part of the OS, but that app is legit. I used it before I got OS trim and many of others here use it. I learned about it from here, I think it does a great job if you are willing to root. Same thing Android 4.3 does.

I understand if you don't want to root, even though personally I could never live without root. Most of my paid apps are root apps lol.

 

[shady28]

I just wish I could get TRIM somehow on my Jelly Bean 4.1 phone.

I KNOW this thing is not going to be updated before 2014, since AFAIK Motorola hasn't even announced if they're going to update this phone past 4.1 or not yet, and it usually takes something like 4-6 months before an update confirmation before the update actually happens.

If you're using a moto phone from the last year (RAZR or later), I would bet you'll get at least 4.3

Google put some foot into some rears at Moto about updates. Even my old 2011 Bionic got 4.1.

 

[Eug]

Yeah, probably my RAZR HD will get 4.3, but that's not official yet, and I guarantee you it won't be in 2013. Too late. I've already ordered the 5S.

As for rooting, the only (other) app I've ever felt the need for that required rooting was StickMount, but then I discovered that the behaviour of my Nexus 7 was flaky with StickMount, and I was getting weird issues, so I erased it and unrooted when Nexus Media Importer was released.

BTW, Howard's 5S review is out. It has the same usual browser and 3D tests, but does have some comparisons to some newer Android devices:

HTML5

Offscreen 3D

Onscreen 3D

 

[jpeyton]

I've been waiting for someone to post a side-by-side comparison with the S4 and G2.

 

[Eug]

More evidence that Nokia really dropped the ball on the Lumia 1020's camera.

This Business Insider article attempts to illustrate that the Nokia Lumia 1020's camera is way better than the iPhone 5S's camera by posting these pics:

Nokia Lumia 1020:

iPhone 5S:

My take: Well, yes, the iPhone 5S did produce a blurry pic, but the Lumia 1020 completely fails when it comes to colour balance. It's horrible, with both pics. It's everyone there has liver cirrhosis and jaundice. At least one of the 5S's pictures is usable, since it has the proper colour balance.

 

[Ns1]

I'm so glad I didnt buy a 1020.

 

[Commodus]

I've got a Lumia 1020, and I'll say it's a great camera phone -- but not quite as good as Nokia would have you believe (surprise). Color balance is the main issue; like earlier Lumias, the software occasionally freaks out and chooses a sickly palette for whatever you're shooting.

You can compensate for that in Nokia Pro Camera, but it's telling that the iPhone 5 and 5s both get the color balance right much more often. True Tone flash on the 5s just means that this now applies to low light shots, too.