iPhone 5S/5C thread

[nickbits]

In Apple's keynote they said that most people don't use a pass code because its inconvenient. So those that normally don't lock their phones previously may lock it now with touch ID.

Touch ID's only purpose isn't to make pass code users' lives easier, it's also to get more people to use a lock.

I'm in that boat--never used a PIN before. Touch ID works for me.

 

[jiffylube1024]

I've been on the fence about upgrading my 4S to the 5S. I know hardware wise the performance bump will be substantial. I am disappointed, however, in two major things.

One is the screen size, 4" is simply too small in today's age of 4.3-5" screens on other platforms. I recently played with a GS4 and was sad to go back to my 4S's pathetic 3.5" screen. The thought of having to live with a 4" screen for another two years is really disappointing me.

Two, and this really surprised me, is iOS7. I really dislike the OS compared to iOS6. I feel the overall usability has gone way done for me and I'm not a fan of the ugly grey color scheme in apps like Safari. I feel like I can live with iOS7 in the long run because functionally I can still get things done quickly, but I'm not enamored with the OS the way I was when I first switched to Apple.

Thus, I'm in an odd position right now. I don't feel like there is any phone on the market today that has what I want. Android as a platform has always been a let down for me. It's laggy, the UI is inconsistent across apps, and it crashed for too often for my liking. Windows Phone lacks the app library and some really basic features (e.g. notification center) it needs to compete....although to be fair a lot of this is supposed to be addressed in their 8.1 update.

Anyone else in my boat?

------
If your last Android experience was laggy and crashy, then it's probably been awhile. You would be fine with a Galaxy S4/LG G2/Google Nexus 5 device, giving you a nice ~5" screen with a smooth, stable Android experience.
----------

As for iOS 7, other than the slower app animation transitions (opening and closing apps), and other than maybe hoping for more substantial changes, I'd bet that you will get used to it and even prefer it to iOS 6. Even as is iOS 7 is probably the biggest improvement to the iOS core in its history. I find it way better - nicer looking, and the stock apps are vastly improved (Safari with integrated search/address bar, app switching better, much better control center for quick toggles, cleaner overall appearance, etc.).

I'm so impressed at how a lot of my native apps have recently switched to the iOS 7 "design language" such as Kindle, Huffington Post and Evernote. I just find everything cleaner and easier to navigate with iOS 7.
-------


As to the size of the iPhone 5S, yep, it's a bummer. I jumped ship when I had a choice between a 3.5" iPhone 4 and a 4.3" Galaxy S2, and I haven't looked back. I'd consider going back to an iPhone if they released a 5" version, but otherwise I find it way too small for my tastes.

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

I'm just extremely hesitant to go back to google at this point after my last experience. I'm not confident at all that they've fixed any of the fundamental issues that bothered me.

 

[bearxor]

I'm just extremely hesitant to go back to google at this point after my last experience. I'm not confident at all that they've fixed any of the fundamental issues that bothered me.

They haven't. I'm in the same boat as you. I think, in the long run, WP is the real alternative to iOS that people like you and I want, but it's at least another year away.

 

[Eug]

------
If your last Android experience was laggy and crashy, then it's probably been awhile. You would be fine with a Galaxy S4/LG G2/Google Nexus 5 device, giving you a nice ~5" screen with a smooth, stable Android experience.

Dunno about the LG G2 (or Nexus 5) but I hear plenty of complaints about lag on the S4.

Not bad for a 99¢ eBay bumper. The only problem is the buttons are silver, not gold.

Hmmm...

Pro: The rubbery texture to the silicone white edges of the bumper are nicely grippy.
Con: Those white edges attract dirt like mad.

It might make more sense to look for a similar bumper with a smoother, less grippy, surface, even if it compromises grippability.

Note: With this bumper on it's about as wide as I feel is OK for my hands for one-handed use. I wouldn't want it significantly wider. It's about 62ish mm wide with the number.

That means if I were to get a 4.3" iPhone 6 or whatever, I'd probably have to use it naked.

 

[Oyeve]

^there is no lag on the S4

 

[Fingolfin269]

I've been away from iOS for over a year. The only thing I'm finding that I am not a huge fan of currently is the keyboard. It works ok I guess but it really seems something like swype would work well on the iphone. Is there a Swype-esque app out there for iOS that I'm overlooking?

 

[slugg]

They haven't. I'm in the same boat as you. I think, in the long run, WP is the real alternative to iOS that people like you and I want, but it's at least another year away.

You nailed it.

 

[bearxor]

Have any of you guys tried Pedometer++? I really like it.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pedometer++/id712286167?mt=8

 

[Eug]

I have Pedometer but have not really used it for anything so far. It doesn't seem to affect 5s battery life though

 

[Ravynmagi]

Thus, I'm in an odd position right now. I don't feel like there is any phone on the market today that has what I want. Android as a platform has always been a let down for me. It's laggy, the UI is inconsistent across apps, and it crashed for too often for my liking. Windows Phone lacks the app library and some really basic features (e.g. notification center) it needs to compete....although to be fair a lot of this is supposed to be addressed in their 8.1 update.

Anyone else in my boat?

While I'm in the opposite boat (Been using Android and trying out iPhone now). I think iPhone users that are looking for a less bloated, smoother, and more consistent experience should really be looking at Google Nexus phones and not Samsung Galaxy phones.

I still hear frequent reviewers call recent Samsung phones like the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 as laggy compared to other phones, despite having great processors inside. TouchWiz is a huge bloated mess, so the lag comments to surprise me at all. And you have a phone with two battling eco systems, Google and Samsung, so no consistency.

Samsung has some neat tricks like being able to run split windows at once and a much nicer camera app. But I much prefer the Nexus experience, less bloat and smoother performance, and a more consistent feel to the UI, something stock Android has improved greatly on in the last couple years.

So for iPhone users thinking of jumping ship, look at the Nexus 5. I think it's going to be really awesome.

 

[s44]

I still hear frequent reviewers call recent Samsung phones like the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 as laggy compared to other phones, despite having great processors inside.

They also called the original Note 10.1 laggy. However, in all of these cases, the problem was rushed-to-market firmware: the mature experience that most people ended up getting was really good. The S4 was actually fixed within a month... though I think Verizon lagged as usual. I expect the same from the Note 3.

Now, it sucks to be an early adopter and have to put up with these issues, but you can expect the exact same thing with Nexi and the battery. Every freaking time.

And IMO the stock Android interface has been going sideways or even backwards since 4.1 (not the apps -- the increased holofication has been a nice trend). Kitkat looks like more of the same, even though we may finally be getting some great new functionality.

 

[purbeast0]

i can't believe these things are so damn scarce to get. now it says 2-3 weeks on apple's site for a 16gb black/grey 5s. i'll probably get one shortly here but it's retarded that it is going to have a 2-3 week wait. they are 100% unavailable near me as well, in every color, in every size.

 

[Eug]

^there is no lag on the S4

I've seen lots of reports of lag on the S4 in various forums.

And here is just one of several reviews mentioning it:

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Challenge, Day 25: Lag (Jump to 2:25)

The other thing you'll see out there are various tutorials on how to reduce lag.

So for iPhone users thinking of jumping ship, look at the Nexus 5. I think it's going to be really awesome.

I used a Motorola RAZR HD for 9 months. It is near stock, but the lack of a physical home button just drove me nuts.

 

[bearxor]

So for iPhone users thinking of jumping ship, look at the Nexus 5. I think it's going to be really awesome.

I think most people on this forum are savvy enough to try Nexus or GPe devices in order to try out Android.

I used a GNex for months last year and carry a RAZR HD now, which is really close to stock.

i can't believe these things are so damn scarce to get. now it says 2-3 weeks on apple's site for a 16gb black/grey 5s. i'll probably get one shortly here but it's retarded that it is going to have a 2-3 week wait. they are 100% unavailable near me as well, in every color, in every size.

http://iphone-check.herokuapp.com/?zip=28210&color=gold&provider=att

You can sign up for alerts on from that page. Works pretty well. Once it's in stock at your Apple Store, just buy it online and select in store pickup.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I've seen lots of reports of lag on the S4 in various forums.

And here is just one of several reviews mentioning it:

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Challenge, Day 25: Lag (Jump to 2:25)

The other thing you'll see out there are various tutorials on how to reduce lag.



I used a Motorola RAZR HD for 9 months. It is near stock, but the lack of a physical home button just drove me nuts.

There's also the issue that Youtube shows 30fps videos only. To really see the lag, you need 60 fps recording.

 

[Bman123]

I really wish they would of increased the screen size with the 5s and 5c. Hopefully when the 6 drops the screen will go to at least a 4.3 if I could get a 4.5 inch iPhone I would leave android and never look back

 

[justin4pack]

I really wish they would of increased the screen size with the 5s and 5c. Hopefully when the 6 drops the screen will go to at least a 4.3 if I could get a 4.5 inch iPhone I would leave android and never look back

QFT

 

[blairharrington]

I think Apple will keep the 4" screen next fall and bring along another model with a 4.7"- 5" screen. Some people think they'll simply go a bit bigger to say 4.3" or 4.5" however I think there is a strong market for both smaller (4" - 4.5") and larger (4.6" - 5") phones. It really amazes me that Apple will most likely make us wait until the fall of 2014 for a larger screened iPhone. I can't be the only person who left their iPhone for an S4 because of the screen size. I'm much happier now.

 

[StrangerGuy]

I think Apple will keep the 4" screen next fall and bring along another model with a 4.7"- 5" screen. Some people think they'll simply go a bit bigger to say 4.3" or 4.5" however I think there is a strong market for both smaller (4" - 4.5") and larger (4.6" - 5") phones. It really amazes me that Apple will most likely make us wait until the fall of 2014 for a larger screened iPhone. I can't be the only person who left their iPhone for an S4 because of the screen size. I'm much happier now.

Well, gotta still keep thats trump card unplayed to make people care about the next gen right? It's almost Apple is like pulling all stops to sell this gen before making that eventual screen jump.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Honestly I think we see a larger iPhone refresh in April.

 

[ControlD]

I think Apple will keep the 4" screen next fall and bring along another model with a 4.7"- 5" screen. Some people think they'll simply go a bit bigger to say 4.3" or 4.5" however I think there is a strong market for both smaller (4" - 4.5") and larger (4.6" - 5") phones. It really amazes me that Apple will most likely make us wait until the fall of 2014 for a larger screened iPhone. I can't be the only person who left their iPhone for an S4 because of the screen size. I'm much happier now.

I left the iPhone because of screen size and lack of keyboard options. Several people here at work have done the same. If they change both of those there is an outside chance I could make my way back, but every day that goes by that chance gets less and less.

 

[s44]

Honestly I think we see a larger iPhone refresh in April.

April? Seriously? That would be rather strange.

 

[trmiv]

I think Apple will keep the 4" screen next fall and bring along another model with a 4.7"- 5" screen. Some people think they'll simply go a bit bigger to say 4.3" or 4.5" however I think there is a strong market for both smaller (4" - 4.5") and larger (4.6" - 5") phones. It really amazes me that Apple will most likely make us wait until the fall of 2014 for a larger screened iPhone. I can't be the only person who left their iPhone for an S4 because of the screen size. I'm much happier now.

Yea, I was an Android (OG Droid 1) user who bought a iPhone 4S when it came out. I really liked it, but the screen was just so damn small that when I saw a Galaxy Nexus I sold the 4S and got that. Then I moved to the Galaxy S4 that I have now. I can't imagine using a smartphone smaller than 4.7" now. I would consider another iPhone only if I can get one in the 4.7" to 5" size range. It wouldn't be an immediate buy for me, because I still prefer Android for many reasons, but it would get me considering it. I own an iPad 4, so I have a decent foot in the ecosystem. I realize not everyone likes screens this size, but a lot of people do as well. Seems to me there is room for a 4" iPhone and a larger 4.7 to 5" version.

 

[Eug]

I'm thinking they'll do two sizes for the iPhone 6.

I'd consider a 4.2-4.3" iPhone, but if their two sizes are 4.0 and 4.7", I'd just get the 4.0". But choice is good.