With the simultaneous release of both the iPhone 5s and 5c, some eyebrows were raised. After all, why would Apple release two devices in direct competition with each other? The answer is actually quite simple, they’re not really in competition with each other. The 5c is a definite upgrade from the original iPhone 5, but the 5s could easily have warranted a release of its own, and with a different model number altogether.
In an attempt to not only satisfy the need and wants of its long time users, Apple wanted to try and capture some of the Android market that was traditionally aimed at younger users with different tastes and different financial constraints. The 5c was the model that really brought iPhones to the younger market, but how much of a compromise over the 5s is it really?
Physically the models are quite different, with the 5s continuing the Apple trend of sleek and slim with a full metal chassis. The 5c, meanwhile ditches the metal for a range of colourful polycarbonate shells which curve slightly to allow the phone to sit more comfortably in the hand that the 5s or the original iPhone 5. Despite the 5c being, essentially, plastic, it comes in 20g heavier than the 5s, which may not sound much but it’s a significant difference in the world of the modern smartphone where the race towards bigger-but-lighter designs shows no signs of slowing.
The real differences, though, take place underneath the outer casing.
The 5c sports the same A6 dual core processor as the original iPhone 5, where the 5s runs on the new A7, 64bit processor as the iPad Air and iPad Mini retina. If you run a lot of processor-intensive apps for work or other things, then the faster processor of the 7 may well be essential, but to most people it’s simply not needed. For most people’s everyday smartphone needs of phone, texts, emails and playing games, the A6 is plenty fast enough to cope with anything that can be thrown at it. The main advantage of the A7 processor is that it is likely to age much more slowly, enabling the 5s to have a longer useful lifespan than the 5c.
Although nominally the same resolution, the camera on the 5s is a real step up from the 5c. The larger physical sensor size of the 5s means each pixel can be that bit bigger. This, in turn, means that each can capture more light which makes a huge difference indoors or in other low light situations. A better, 5 element lens also adds to the camera on the 5s leaving the 5c a little way behind. The 5c camera is perfectly adequate, though, for the likes of social media and is still a massive step up from the iPhone 4s.
Video, though, is where the 5s really steps up its game, bringing slo-mo shooting and much better image stabilisation than the 5c.
As far as connection capabilities go, the 5c and 5s are identical, both compatible with all current 4g networks but, curiously, Apple decided not to include AC wireless, limiting both models to the older N protocol. This might not seem important now, but it will as more and more of our lives are spent online and speed becomes the make or break for smartphone users.
By now, we’re all used to using a pin code for just about everything from using an ATM to unlocking our mobile devices. The 5c maintains this system, whilst the 5s brings fingerprint recognition which not only allows the phone to be unlocked, but can also be used to authorise store purchases. It might seem like a gimmick, but it’s surprisingly easy to use and, after a while, going back to a device with pin code access just seems to take forever! For all that, though, it’s not a deal breaker for most people, and the technology will probably find its way into most smartphones as time goes by.
The one area which may well be the 5c’s undoing is the storage capacity. Both come in 3 sizes, but the 5c is limited to a maximum of 32gb, where the 5s brings up to 64gb. In these days of video-on-the-go and music downloads, the smaller end of the 5c might well be unusable for a lot of people, with even the 32gb model only just making the cut. Given the relatively cheap cost of memory, this seems a curiosity on Apple’s part, and may be a ploy to get people to lean towards the 5s.
So, is the 5c really worth looking at against the 5s? Actually, yes. For everyday use, it will be perfectly adequate for 90% of users and the choice of colours will certainly be appealing to some as long as the limited storage doesn’t override all the great things about the model. If advanced processor and camera capabilities are important, then the 5s is a must-have that will last for years, but the 5c is a worthy addition to the Apple armoury and brings a dash of colour to a usually very black and white organisation!
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