Iphone 5s
Prologue
Launching 2013-s most projected smart phone comes with its hazards and gratifications. Simultaneously launching a second handset targeting a completely new demographic, for the first time in your company-s history, is brave as it is hazardous. Since the iPhone 5s and cheaper iPhone 5c were unveiled, we have spent every waking minute putting the first iOS 7-out-of-the-box devices through their paces.
The iPhone 5s is Apple’s most powerful phone to date and potentially the most game-changing iPhone it is launched in six years. We say potentially as, for it to change the way we think about mobile, Apple\\\\\\\'s going to need a helping hand along the way.
iPhone 5s Features
Conclusively, the standout features of the iPhone 5s are its newest hardware inclusions and upgrades, namely Touch ID, the M7 motion co-processor, 64-bit architecture and the all-new iSight camera. These are not only what differentiate it from the previous iPhone 5, but justify its place as the flagship iPhone when compared to the iPhone 5c. So, when Apple bought AuthenTec, spawning rumors of similar technology being incorporated into its devices. However, Apple has done its age-old trick of turning a dull feature into something resembling smart.
Fingerprint scanning
Fingerprint scanning is a pretty boring subject and our only real day-to-day experience of using the technology is with those digit readers built into laptops a slide-to-unlock affair that worked 60% of the time.
Introduced to replace pass code authentication for unlocking the phone and making iTunes purchases, Touch ID is a joy to use. The sensor is built right into the Home button and registration of a thumb, finger or both five digits can be registered takes about a minute using a most-pleasing enrolment system.
Once recorded, Touch ID has 360-degree, readability of registered digits, meaning it will unlock your phone no matter what way up you are holding the handset. The key selling point, however, is the simplicity and speed of identification. One does not have to use Touch ID, but after a few hours with it, the mere thought of entering a four-digit pass code to unlock the device seemed so obsolete. And this is so easy.
Apple is keen to point out that it does not store fingerprint details in iCloud or any of its remote servers. It is all contained within the hardware, meaning nobody can get at your data.
Hardware advancements
Next in the handful of hardware advancements is what could turn the iPhone 5s from an evolutionary upgrade to a revolutionary game changer. Apple claims this will provide a 6x power saving for (iOS 7-updated) apps that record motion - Nike+, Strava, Moves, etc but this dedicated chip can also tell what state of movement you\\\\\\\'re in and will adjust the iPhone 5s accordingly.
Like the GPU that bears the graphical strain from a computer\\\\\\\'s processor, the new M7 Coprocessor takes the weight of motion measurements compass, accelerometer and gyroscope away from the all-new A7 CPU.
To test this, we used Apple Maps to plot an A to B route that required driving and walking. Upon reaching our destination, and exiting the car, the navigation switched from car to foot, taking us down one-way streets that wouldn\\\\\\\'t have been possible in a motor. The iPhone could then power itself right down, switching off 3G/4G, the screen and so forth until the time it is picked up again. With a whole new data stream open to developers, it would not be long before a new breed of M7/iOS 7 apps appear in the App Store.
Compatible graphics
Another improvement that could pave the way for Apps 2.0, is the A7 CPU/64-bit architecture combo. On paper, Apple claims the power couple will deliver speed twice that of the A6 chip and vastly improved OpenGL ES 3.0-compatible graphics. At the time of writing, no 64-bit games or apps were available. The Infinity Blade demo we saw at the iPhone 5s/c launch admittedly looked outrageous in terms of graphical prowess but, while Apple says iOS 7 was built with 64-bit in mind, the spec bump won\\\\\\\'t be apparent until developers start taking advantage.
However, Apple\\\\\\\'s in this for the long game and will soon have all its devices - iMacs, iPads, iPhones and operating systems Mac OS and iOS all running under the same programming banner, which will no doubt please developers. Moreover, no one else is doing that. Apart from Samsung, who was quick to confirm its next propel of smart phones would be 64-bit.
Main Rivals
With big name rivals like the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Sony Xperia Z to compete against, the new iPhone certainly has a lot of work to do.