The new iPhone 5S and 5C had their launch this week with features we all new about thanks to accurate media rumours. And surprisingly on the money. The late Steve Jobs must not have been happy.
Here are my thoughts where the new iPhones fit in today’s ever overwhelming phone market.
The iPhone 5S touts an impressive unique fingerprint ID sensor, 15 per cent better quality and faster f2.2 aperture iSight camera.
Since the phones are not here until September 20 with pre-orders having started on September 13, we all have time to think about whether now is the time to upgrade or to wait.
Wait for what?
First: In a few weeks, Samsung’s Android based Galaxy Note 3 stylus/phone/tablet is thinner with much better functionality to get things done quicker, 13 MP camera and S Pen stylus on steroids. I know Apple users rarely switch, but if you want to know what the best competition to iPhones is up to, you owe it to yourself to check the Note 3 out, as well as the very functional Galaxy Gear smart watch.
Even more so, there is good reason Samsung is beating out Apple in global phone shipments to meet a demand of two phones sold every two seconds worldwide. While we are on Android, the new LG G4 overdriven by 2.26 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Quad Core processor and large 3,000 mAH battery has built-in smarts to answer a call by putting it to your ear, controls all your TVs, DVD and Blu ray players, has guest of safe kids mode and clever true multi-tasking.
Not that I am not an Apple fan. As a tech writer I have every phone in the market (including two iPhones) and frequently switch between them.
Apple is feeling pressure to keep its market penetration. Notice the soft sale TV ads of emotional connections iPhone users experience worldwide? This was not Apple’s marketing style in the past, when just a new iPhone release would outsell previous versions.
You will also soon see large Apple iPhone displays in every cell phone store. Apple feels the need to be more aggressive in a world where phones have simply run out of “wow” features. Today it’s what a phone can do for you and your lifestyle and work that matters more than glass, plastic and metal.
Second: If you are happy with your iPhone 5 or 4s and better yet, once the free new iOS7 you can soon upgrade either to impresses you (it should), hold off and do the math. Is your current contract nearly over? Will you lose money getting out early, selling your old phone and sign up for a new plan? Hey, it’s just a phone folks!
The iPhone 5S is an incremental, although impressive, upgrade to the current iPhone 5 in the same shell. Historically, the next upgrade, less than a year away, will even be bigger. Perhaps in time when your current phone plan runs out.
What about the iPhone 5C? It surprised tech and market watchers on how pricey it was at $649 CDN for the 16 GB model. It doesn’t have the higher tech features of the $719 16 GB iPhone 5S, it’s basically an iPhone 5 in colourful plastic. But it does have a new thing for Apple- personalization, with more colour/case combos, something competitors, especially the already released Moto X figured out years ago.
But for only $70 difference, would you settle for an average colourful iPhone 5C or the top of the line iPhone 5S ?
Apple basically handed over its global market share to Samsung by keeping high prices on the 5C, obviously targeted for the North American market.
I will have more hands-on news on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Gear and LG G2 in the next few weeks.
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