Roundup of iOS 7, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c reviews

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On September 18, 2013

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This week is a very important one for Apple, not only are they releasing two new iPhones, the iPhone 5s and 5c, but they are also releasing their newest operating software, iOS7. While there is a plethora of different reviews out there, we have compiled some of the best reviews in this article.

iOS 7:

AllThingsD:

Its new look, new user interface and new functions represent the biggest overhaul to the iPhone’s core software since the original model launched in 2007. Nearly everything has been improved, including multi-tasking, notifications, access to common controls, email, Web browsing and Siri. Like any big change, it’s a shock at first, but I have come to like it and consider it a step forward, despite a few issues.

TechCrunch:

There’s a lot more going on in iOS 7, including new sounds, dynamic wallpapers, changes to the design of Calendar, Notes, Reminders and more, but the big shifts that go beyond new design are those listed above. There’s no question that iOS 7 will be a dramatic change from the iOS many users already know and love, but on balance it’s an update packed with plenty of new features that make using Apple’s mobile devices easier and more enjoyable.

New York Times:

If you decide to install iOS 7, as you learn your way around the new system you’ll stumble across all kinds of handy features and techniques. But without any further delay, at least make these two features part of your new routine: Control Center (swipe upward from below the screen) and Siri’s new settings-changing commands.

I think you should install it. The structure, layout and features represent some of Apple’s best work. The look of iOS 7 — well, that judgment is up to you.

BGR:

I’m excited for the future. iOS 7 itself is a terrific update packed full of detail that users will still be discovering months from now. The smooth subtlety of the new transition animations, the way the blue conversation bubbles in Messages fade as they reach the top of the screen, the 3D parallax effect on the home screen and lock screen, the beautiful animated backgrounds in the new weather app, and dozens of other touches combine to create a user experience unlike anything else currently found on smartphones and tablets. And now that the new design is in place, the door is open for innovation.

Pocket Lint:

When you first install iOS 7 on your iPhone or iPad you’ll no doubt panic that everything has changed and that you won’t have a clue what is going on any more. The colours will dazzle you, the apps will pow and pop at you, and you’ll wonder why you pressed the upgrade button so quickly. But after a brief moment, the panic subsides and you’ll realise that you’ve got an OS that makes your phone seem shiny, new, and enjoyable.

iPhone 5s:

 AllThingsD:

The iPhone 5S is the first digital device I’ve seen with a simple, reliable fingerprint reader—one you can confidently use, without a thought, to unlock the device instead of typing in a passcode. You can even use this fingerprint reader, called Touch ID, to authorize purchases from Apple’s App, iTunes and e-book stores.

It sounds like a gimmick, but it’s a real advance, the biggest step ever in biometric authentication for everyday devices. After using Touch ID, I found it annoying to go back to typing in passcodes on my older iPhone.

TechChrunch:

With the iPhone 5s, Apple once again wins the right to claim the title of best smartphone available. The hardware may resemble its predecessor in many key ways, as with the 4-inch Retina display, but it improves dramatically in areas like the camera where it makes the most difference to every day users, and in the addition of the fingerprint sensor, which is already a feature I miss when I switch back to older generation devices or the iPhone 5c. And thanks to the 64-bit A7 processor, this phone, more than any iPhone before it, is likely to be the device that grows more appealing as the software ecosystem catches up, which is great news for buyers looking for something that isn’t so easily replaced by the next big thing that comes along.

CNET:

The iPhone 5S feels like a “pro” phone more than ever, the iPhone equivalent of the MacBook Pro. Its features don’t feel as immediately consumer-understandable. For many, the iPhone 5C will do just fine. The biggest wished-for features — a MacBook Air-level battery life improvement and an even larger screen — aren’t on either new iPhone yet.

If you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem, the 5S could be the first step toward some new directions. Its improved speed, graphics, and elements of battery efficiency make it a better phone than the iPhone 5, in case you’ve waited to upgrade.

The Loop:

The iPhone 5s is a brilliant phone with some great new features that help you in work and play. The fingerprint sensor, camera, and improved speed and architecture, make the 5s my favorite iPhone to date.

USA Today:

Taken in totality, the features new to the iPhone 5s make what I consider to be the best smartphone on the market even better, helped enormously by Apple owning the entire end-to-end experience. In my view, iOS is still simpler to use than Android, and made even simpler in iOS 7. Apple releases the new operating system for all of its phones at one time, while Android updates come to devices in a more scattered fashion. And Apple still claims the most apps.

iPhone 5c:

TechCrunch

The iPhone 5c is an improvement, even if slight, to the smartphone I’d still call the best available if Apple hadn’t also released the iPhone 5s. I’ll say that with the caveat that I believe the iPhone is still the best smartphone available for the largest number of smartphone buyers, in terms of both usability and design, even with the dramatic changes wrought by iOS 7. Given the choice, I’d choose an iPhone 5c over an iPhone 5, based on design alone, and ignoring its other benefits. In other words, if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, Apple’s iPhone 5c should be right near the top of your list.

Engadget:

We’re happy with the iPhone 5c in terms of performance and battery life, but we’re longing for a better camera and a larger screen. The iPhone 5s addresses the former, but typing on any iPhone feels awfully cramped when you’re used to displays that measure 4.3 inches (and bigger, even). Maybe next time? If you’re using an iPhone 4s or anything older, you can’t go wrong upgrading to either the 5c or the iPhone 5s. We think most buyers will pick the iPhone 5c for the price and color choices alone, while the iPhone 5s will appeal to power users and gamers. iPhone 5 owners are probably better off sticking with iOS 7 or picking up an iPhone 5s instead of getting an iPhone 5c. And, if all else fails, there are always next year’s iPhones.

Pocket-Lint:

The iPhone 5C is not a flagship product – Apple’s iPhone 5S is for that – nor does it fix any of the annoying niggles you’ve perhaps started to feel with your current iPhone, but if you are looking to upgrade from the 4 or the 4S, want to stick with Apple, but can’t justify the 5S and its price, then this colourful option is could to be perfect for you. Despite initial reservations we love the iPhone 5C – it’s colourful, joyful, capable, and just works.

The Loop:

The iPhone 5c doesn’t actually feel like plastic. It’s strange when you first pick it up, but it almost feels like ceramic or a similar material that is glossy and hard. The manufacturing process that Apple used to make this phone and the metal reinforcement it used in the plastic casing certainly worked on making this phone tough.

I believe what we’ll see in the coming months is that customers who would have purchased an Android phone will buy the iPhone 5c instead. The draw of the iPhone at an affordable price will be too much for many to resist, especially with this kind of power.

New York Times:

The budget model, the new iPhone 5C, comes in five colors ($100 for the 16-gigabyte model with a two-year contract, $550 without). It’s essentially identical to last year’s iPhone 5, except that its back and sides are a single piece of plastic instead of metal and glass.Actually, “plastic” isn’t quite fair. The 5C’s case is polycarbonate, lacquered like a glossy piano. Better yet, its back edges are curved for the first time since the iPhones of 2008. You can tell by touch which way it’s facing in your pocket.

It’s a terrific phone. The price is right. It will sell like hot cakes; the new iPhones go on sale Friday. But just sheathing last year’s phone in shiny plastic isn’t a stunning advance.