FollowThe event at California, where Apple finally let the cat out of the bag announcing all those stuff which till now had been only gossip and speculation may have left quite many concluding that the iPhone 5s is nothing more than a hyped up iPhone 5. While at first look that is what it seems to be, there are a lot of features which makes iPhone 5s distinct and a more advanced handset than the iPhone 5. Apple had also taken to announcing the iOS 7 at the same event and the features, 200 odd of them, may have camouflaged the features of the iPhone 5s that had also been spoken. It is a fact that the iPhone 5 is about to be discontinued and the iPhone 5s is the current device, a decision that has taken many by surprise.
Fingerprint Sensor
One of the most distinct features of the iPhone 5s is the fingerprint sensor that has been built into the home button of the handset. This provides an almost foolproof layer of security to the device provided the associated hardware and software works right each and every time. Users would gain access to the Siri app as before by clicking on the Home button, though all of it will begin with a correct match of the finger print which is needed to unlock the device in the first place.
The home button is surrounded by a stainless steel ring which helps to detect the presence of a finger on the home button. This in turn activates the sensors for registering the finger print and initiating the rest of the start-up process. This feature of course is possible only with a combination of hardware which is present on the iPhone 5S only and the corresponding codes present in the iOS 7 operating system. Users need not be apprehensive about their fingerprint going over the net as the data is saved on the device only. It won’t ever be accessible to any apps nor will it be saved in the clouds.
New 64-Bit A7 Processor
When it comes to performance, the iPhone 5S once again takes a big jump from the existing iPhone 5 thanks to the 64 bit A7 chip that it incorporates. This actually makes for another of the iPhone 5s’ unique abilities, it being the only smartphone device in the world to be powered by a 64 bit chip. That it would translate into a huge increase in performance is all too evident though some claim much of the new chip’s capabilities will remain unused in a smartphone device.
Coming to smartphone’s gaming abilities, it all high speed fun thanks to the processor supporting Open GL ES 3.0 and the iOS 7 in combo. All of that results in high speed of graphic processing which games demand. Shadows and textures would appear more realistic which gives the game its additional zing. The processor is also capable of processing speeds that would render graphics at double the speed it did on the iPhone 5.
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iPhone 5S Battery Life
Thankfully, the vastly enhanced processing power does not come as the cost of battery backup times. Though Apple gave some specific details on this aspect, it would differ depending on user usage pattern. For instance, Apple is claiming two more hours of browsing time in LTE as well as for 3G talk time compared to the iPhone 5. They have also stated the stand by time to be 25 hours more than iPhone 5. It must also be noted that Apple is using a newer processor the A7 on the iPhone 5S which is supposed to be at least two times faster than the iPhone 5 CPU.
iPhone 5S Camera Features
Another of the biggest attribute of the iPhone 5s is its greatly enhanced photographic abilities. Though the camera on the iPhone 5s is of the same 8 MP resolution as that of the iPhone 5 but it has bigger pixels and the aperture is f/2/2 which is larger than that of the iPhone 5. Taking photos in low light would render better end result with the camera of the iPhone 5s. A very nice feature of the iPhone 5s is the ability to capture slow motion video at speeds as slow as 3X as well as its ability to record video at 720p resolution with a frame rate of 120.
When taking panorama shots, once again the iPhone 5s has its distinctive advantages as the capture can go to speeds of 30 fps while the camera also has the ability to adjust the exposure to ensure no dark or bright spots that are normally noticed on panorama shots. The camera also comes with image stabilization feature which helps in taking clear pictures even when the subject has moved or the hand of the photographer has shaken. This feature is possible on the iPhone 5s for the camera takes four shots in that exposure time and then combines the three for rendering the end result.
Motion Tracking
For motion tracking, Apple uses the M7 processor in tandem with the A7. This technology allows for better capture of motion as well as extending battery life while doing so. Another use of this motion sensor processor is that users would not be disturbed with pop up alerts or WiFi switching on when it senses that the user say is driving in a car or something similar. It would also sense physical inertia and place the device into sleep mode automatically, thereby saving battery life in the process. Among the other features of the iPhone 5s camera is the burst mode which of course would also be available on the iPhone 5 after the upgrade to iOS 7. But as of now, the iPhone 5s can take 20 photos with its camera by just holding the shutter button for two seconds. Users would then be able to select which shot is best for storing and reject the rest.
Dual LED Flash
The dual LED flash which the iPhone 5s comes with is based on True Tone flash technology as per Apple. This technology gauges the color temperature either of the object, subject or general room depending on what is being captured and then uses that information to set the intensity of the Flash. This results in more natural skin tones aided by the more than 1000 flash color combinations on offer.
New iPhone 5S Apps
Taking advantage of the new M7 co-processoir, Nike has developed an app that tracks movement of the user throughout the day and produces result based on the Nike Fuel point system. The app is called Nike+Movement and users would know about it as part of the Nike Fuelband accessory.
Further, apps which cost about $40 if downloaded from iTunes, like iPhoto, iWork, iMovie come for free for the iPhone 5S user and they can also port the app to their iPad for use. This free app benefit is only for iPhone 5s buyers and not for those who upgrade their iPhone 5 to iOS 7.
