Apple iPhone 5s hits all the right notes, say reviews

Apple, this year, came out with not one, but two new iPhones. The high-end model among the two, the 5s, has raked in a considerable amount of success for the company. In various markets starting from the US, the new iPhone was reported to be sold out within hours of being launched. While the handset starts at a hefty Rs 53,500, the extravagant price tag is balance by top-of-the-line hardware, including an all new 64-bit processor as well as a fingerprint sensor. Reviewers across the world have comes back praising the new device, and we decided to take a look at what they have to say.

Engadget’s Myriam Joire says that, while the new device looks like a carbon copy of last year’s iPhone 5, the 5s comes with a whole lot more, including a few key improvements on the inside. The first point she brings up is the fact that the 5s is the smartphone to come with full 64-bit support and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The device, according to the reviewer, is noticeably faster and apps load faster. The greatest improvement is on the gaming front. Not only is gameplay smoother, but cutaway scenes in between missions load faster and look better. Validating Apple’s claim, it was found that the 5s is significantly fast than the iPhone 5, with some tests showing the former performing more than three times better. The reviewer wraps up by saying that the 5s is the best iPhone Apple has ever made, with good hardware upgrades, new features and completely revamped software.

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The 5s is the best iPhone Apple has ever made

Techradar’s Gareth Beavis looks at one of the most special features of the 5s: the Touch ID. The sensor, according to the reviewer, is phenomenal in the way it works, making it possible to have a phone that is as secure as having a passcode, without the irritation of having to enter it a million times a day. Moreover, the Touch ID can be used instead of your iTunes password. This is an excellent way of not having to pop in your special word over and over again when the user is picking up items or downloading certain apps. The sensor communicates directly with the stored fingerprint on the A7 chip, and not even the rest of the phone can see it. This means that your fingerprint won’t be backed up to iCloud and accidentally shared with the world.

The Wall Street Journal, on the other hand, says that the single biggest functional improvement in this iPhone is the speed. Apple has finally connected the iPhone to the fastest cellular data network, LTE, and data downloads and uploads just fly, even when the user is not on Wi-Fi. The battery life of the 5s last between nine to 12 hours every day with mixed use. For most people, according to the review, the phone will be able to last through the day without recharging. The company has also shrunk the size of the rear camera, but kept the 8-megapixel resolution. A new “True Tone” flash which is basically a dual LED with both white and amber tones has been integrated. Added to the package is an easy panorama feature as well as the ability to take still photos while making a video. The photos and videos taken while testing looked great and were improved in low light.

The new iPhone hits all the right notes

TechCrunch’s Darrell Etherington, while talking about the performance of the 5s, looks at the M7 motion co-processor that Apple has integrated. The helper chip makes processing motion data gathered from the gyroscope, accelerometer and compass more efficient and less taxing for the battery. The M7 will make its presence truly felt in third-party apps that rely on these sensors to provide information about activity, and to inform features and functions as well. While these seem good, iPhone 5s users will also gain some immediate advantages as well. The M7 is capable of informing the iPhone when it is at rest for long periods of time, likely by the bed or in other situations where it doesn’t need to be receiving constant data usage, and to conserve power usage accordingly. This results in an impressive standby time, despite additional power requirements of the 5s due to the new A7 processor and the fingerprint sensor.

So there you have it. After months of hints and speculation, the 5s has managed to get a glowing star from reviewers across the world. Since its launch in India on November 1, the sales for the new device have been excellent, with reports indicating that the device went out of stock soon after being made available. Sporting the latest hardware, the 5s can be picked up in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants. Apple has also given users three new colours to pick from, including the hugely popular golden variant. Are you planning to pick up the new 5s? Check out one of the best deals we have come across for the new iPhone.