iPhone 5S •

Ready for the 8GB iPhone 5C?

March 3, 2014 By Deborah Cobing Leave a Comment

It’s no news that the affordable version of the iPhone, meaning iPhone 5C, did not live to the expectations of the manufacturers in terms of sales. Please, don’t misunderstand us: we are not saying that the launch of the iPhone 5C was not successful, but the folks at Apple expected something much greater. And in order to makes things easier for this smartphone, manufactures will bring a cheaper version with only 8 GB of internal memory.

Currently, iPhone 5C comes with an either 16 GB or 32 GB option, while the superior model 5S comes with 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB of internal memory. But let’s not forget the most important aspect: the difference in price that potential clients will perceive. Would it be better to look at an 8GB iPhone 5C or also focus on superior models? What would you do?

iPhone 5C: special offer from mobile network operators

iPhone 5C is part of many special deals offered by most mobile network operators. Why? Because that is the only way it would sell. Big surprise! The situation has been strongly underestimated by the people at Apple who had surely expected that the smartphone would sell faster than you could say Apple, without problems, just because of the brand. But the price too close to the superior model 5S has rearranged things in another way.

It is estimated that over a million iPhone 5C smartphones are delivered to distributors and waiting for their own special buyer and another big stock is found in the central store from Apple. Not to mention the fact that the production for this model has been stopped since the end of last year. Manufacturers are expecting to get rid of the huge stock and the 8GbBversion of the smartphone is their own desperate attempt to boost sales.

In other words, Apple prefers to wait and sell expensive, instead of lowering the price to an acceptable level. What do you think they should do?

Apple iPhone 5s Touch ID Technology Revealed in Patent Filing

November 26, 2013 By Deborah Cobing Leave a Comment

Apple has ushered in the Touch Id technology through their products which recognizes the fingerprint of the user and opens up for operations only if a match is established. Apple has now filed for patent rights over this application in which they have detailed the process of fingerprint recognition by the button. They have also submitted a document explaining the technology and the way it is designed to keep the fingerprint data separate from the gadget’s data.

The document also gives the process they have used to assemble the button. They have broken up the button by all its sub parts and given details of each of them and their functioning. The button has been given an opaque cover to ensure that the fingerprint data does not get mixed with the color and styling of the iPhone as such.

The A7 chip which is at the core of the iPhone has the feature termed “Secure Enclave Processor” (SEP). It is this system which does the fingerprint verification process. The process also ensures that the fingerprint data does not get mixed up with that of the device. To make the process even more secure, there are also active measures built to ensure the fingerprint data does not reach the cloud which the device has access to.

The SEP part has been extensively detailed in the patent document submitted by Apple. Techno geeks would get more information than already known about this aspect of the new Apple technology. Once passed the patent would ensure Apple has monopoly on the fingerprint feature on their devices and make it difficult for others to clone the same. Currently, the fingerprint sensing technology has only been incorporated in the iPhone 5s but will surely be included in all of its mobile devices such as the iPad Air, iPad Mini or the iPod soon.

Meanwhile, the HTC One Max is the only other device that incorporates a fingerprint sensor though with the HTC device, the sensor has been placed at the rear alongside the camera.

iPhone 5C Production Reported to Have Been Scaled Down Owing to Lower Demand

November 12, 2013 By Troy Rubenson Leave a Comment

Reuters and Wall Street Journal reports indicate that sale of iPhone 5c has been lagging behind the iPhone 5s sales even though the former enjoys a price advantage over the latter. Though Apple has not officially ever declared individual sales figures of the two smartphone variants, insiders have confirmed that there is a cut back in the number of iPhone 5c units being made for future. This is affecting Pegatron quite severely who supply to the Asian market.

The third quarter results declared by Pegatron indicate a push in revenue generated due to the iPhone 5c sales. The net profit data however shows a decline and that have been attributed to spooling up production of the iPhone 5c. Production of iPhone 5c and the iPad mini is in the ambit of Pegatron which of course would soon be shared by Wistron and Compal.

In contrast, the more costly iPhone 5s has been facing sell outs and delay in shipping given the high demand the device is recording. The cheaper iPhone 5c has been Apple’s attempt to diversify their product lineup in the face of rising competition from the Android camp led by Samsung. The smartphone device comes with a polycarbonate back and a higher capacity battery. With its better features than the iPhone 5c demand for the iPhone 5s is much greater by ratio. Analysts however place the ratio fifty-fifty in favour of both the iPhone 5c and the iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 5c is the middle of the rung in Apples line of smartphone so far as budget or price factor goes. Further, the story of the iPhone 5c not doing well so far as sales of the device goes however is not confirmed and cannot be taken as gospel truth. There are factors like manipulating the data to get better stock value is also possible. Even though sources are being recorded to be insiders to the Apple conglomerate need not mean they are giving correct information.

Budget iPhone 5c Catching Up With The Flagship iPhone 5s in Sales

October 23, 2013 By Georgia Dawson Leave a Comment

Apple created history about four weeks ago by simultaneously launching two iPhone models, the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c for the first since it had launched the smartphone back in 2007. The iPhone 5c is the cheaper of the two and Apple had presumed it would be the iPhone 5c which would be in greater demand. That however did not happen for the initial period but reports on a survey carried out by Localytics indicate there is a swing in sales figures now being witnessed with the iPhone 5c catching up on numbers to its iPhone 5s cousin. This trend is not only localized to the US but has been found to be prevalent globally as well.

In the US market, the sales ratio had been 3.0 in favor of the 5s at the initial stages. What this means is that the 5s model were being sold at thrice the rate as that of the 5c model. Presently the ratio stands at 1.9 while in the global market it reads 2.3 from the initial figure of 3.3. The 5c has a plastic body and therefore comes cheaper. The 5c model also lacks many of the features of the flagship 5s, including the touch ID sensor. Nevertheless, the iPhone 5c makes for Apple’s answer to the ever growing list of Android smartphones that continues to flood the market. The 5c will also allow greater flexibility with their pricing strategy as they now have two devices at two different price points to offer the exploding smartphone segment.

Localytics generates its data from surveys carried out and processed on their system which caters for more than the approximately 20,000 apps that are running in the world as of now and that too being used over one billion different types of devices. Their software processes about 50 billion data points every month and then only churns out the conclusive figures. Yet the trend has been seen from retailers that they are reducing the order for 5c models.

Meanwhile, Apple is into overdrive again after having launched the new gen iPad Air as well as the iPad Mini 2. And contrary to all the wild rumors that has been doing the rounds, the second gen iPad Mini does pack in a retina display though that has left the device a bit more stout and heavy than its predecessor.

Apple’s Warranty Document For the Retailers Lists Out Factors For Which the Compny Won’t be Accountable

October 8, 2013 By Janet Vasquez Leave a Comment

There is the written document that a buyer gets when paying for a device, be it Apple device or for that matter any other device or product. The document that comes with such products talk about what sort of guarantee the product maker stands for in case of any defect arising on their product within a stipulated time period. Most times we as customers or the ones who pay the money do not pay much attention to these documents. Apple on their part when launching the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c products came out with some amplification on their warranty bindings. These amplifications were however not for public or the buyer’s eyes or knowledge. It was for their retailers to know what services would be covered under the warranty clause. However, it’s worth knowing the limits within which Apple can be held accountable with the new iPhone 5s and 5c in the unfortunate scenario of something going wrong with it.

The document talks about Apple not taking on the device for repair if there is debris found under the display panel. If this has led to screen rupture, then employees have been intimated that it is not Apple’s responsibility for repair under warranty clause. Defective iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c where evidence of liquid damage is noted or corrosion has taken place in the internal parts as also fracture of the glass is also beyond the purview of Apple’s warranty clause is what the document mentions.

Further, the note from Apple mentions about missing buttons or evidence of extreme abrasion to the set also places it beyond their responsibility to repair under warranty. Employees have also been instructed in the document not to accept the device if found to have been disassembled at any time or those which is found to have some third party component installed in the device.

In any case, Apple has always been known for their superior build quality which endows the device with more than acceptable life times. However, it still is a good idea to remain abreast of the warranty obligations, something that we more often than not miss out on in the excitement of having a brand new device.

iOS 7 Causing Motion Sickness, Nausea, Headache And Such Amongst Users

October 6, 2013 By Sebastian Mc’Mannen Leave a Comment

The new iOS 7 launched just a few weeks back amidst lot of fanfare accompanied by the two new iPhone devices has already found itself in the midst of some negative criticism. Apple also introduced two new iPhone versions, iPhone 5s and the 5c which came with the new iOS pre-loaded on them while owners of the old version of the iPhone had to download the new OS and install the same on their devices.

The new OS was supposed to be having features which made it more interesting for the user. However, that is not how things turned out to be at least for some out there. For immediately after release and usage by the people, the first problem was reported which related to a flaw in the security of the OS. People were able to open up the device without going through the installed security feature. This was immediately attended to by Apple and a new version update was released within a few days.

A new issue has now cropped up and this is relating to people experiencing motion sickness due to some of the animation playing on the device with iOS 7. The animation played when opening or closing of an app is causing this effect on the user watching the screen. The icons zoom in and out during this transition making users experience nausea. It is not that this zoom in and out effect was not present in previous version of the iOS. It is just that with iOS 7 the effect is a bit more pronounced than before, so much that there have been a number of users who have reported experiencing headache and other related discomfort that occurs when the eye is stimulated vigorously. A number of post to this effect has been flooding the forums related to iOS. All of them have a common request, which is to know the process for switching off the animations. Unfortunately, there is no such process as of now in iOS 7.

Google Nexus 5 vs Apple iPhone 5S – Deciding Before Release Date is Not easy

October 2, 2013 By Troy Rubenson Leave a Comment

The iPhone 5S which released along with iPhone 5C is doing well in the markets. The iPhone 5S is definitely a phone that should be purchased. However, there are other powerful phones like Galaxy s4 which will make it quite tough to make a decision. Some of the phones that are soon to arrive and expected to give good competition to iPhone 5S include Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Google Nexus 5 and HTC One Max. However, among these LG Nexus 5 seems to be a real competitor for iOS 7 powered iPhone 5S.

The iPhone 5S has become so popular that stocks have exhausted and Apple is planning to supply new devices. On the other side, the iPhone 5C is not doing that well in US. However, the phone was built to target Asian markets. In the forthcoming weeks, we will be able to learn about the same.

The iPhone 5S is an upgraded version of the discontinued iPhone 5. Hence, many of the features like display and its speculations are same as the predecessor model. The device is powered with A7 64bit processor. It is the first time a 64bit chip is used to power a smartphone. It houses an upgraded iSight camera. The iPhone 5S is available in various color options like gold, silver and white. However, the main feature is definitely the fingerprint scanner. It brings an added security feature which makes it possible for users to authenticate logins through fingerprint and frees from the hassle of entering login credentials manually.

Thus, the iPhone 5S is a fabulous device which is the reason there is great demand for it. Well, now let us talk about one of the major competitors of iPhone 5S. In the previous, the iPhone 5 and Google Nexus 4 ruled the smartphone world when they were released. Now, the iPhone 5S has got a huge chunk of customers under its belt in US. However, since it is going to get some serious competition from Google Nexus 5.

If you have not purchased the iPhone 5S, we advise you to wait a month or so because very soon the Nexus 5 is going to arrive. The Google Nexus 5 has been in the news since couple of months. However, very soon the handset will be launched. Like the iPhone 5S came out with a swanky new iOS7, even the Nexus 5 will be blessed with the all new Android 4.4 KitKat OS. The features of the new Android upgrade have not been revealed yet. However, both Android 4.4 and Nexus 5 are going to be unveiled on the same day. The expected release date is October 14. Well, Google has not confirmed anything about the two.

The iPhone 5S gold version is completely sold out and Apple is holding the supply of the gold iPhone 5S until October. The reason behind it is that may be Apple wants to give a serious competition to Nexus 5. The Nexus 5 will come out with a 4.97inch display screen which will support 1080p full HD resolution and boasts a pixel density of 443ppi.

The best thing about the Android on Nexus 5 is that Google will be offering an exclusive Vanilla version of Android 4.4 KitKat on Nexus 5. It offers connectivity features like LTE and NFC. The device is powered with Snapdragon 800 CPU and 2GB RAM. The Nexus 5 will at least offer 16GB storage space. It will come with 8MP camera at the rear and 1.2MP at the front.

The FCC filings of Nexus 5 reveal that the device will be made available only on T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint. At the moment, the device is not going to support Verizon’s network. One of the major things that will help customers decide between the two is the price factor. Well, the Nexus 5 is expected to come out with lower price tag.

The unlocked version of iPhone 5S can be purchased for 650USD. Well, it does seems to be an expensive price tag. The price of Google Nexus 5 has not been announced yet but we feel that Google will keep it low like it has always done. The unlocked version of Nexus 5 is expected to be available for $299 or $399. Again, if you haven’t purchased the Apple iPhone 5S, we suggest you to wait little more and then when the Nexus 5 gets released, you can compare the specs and price of the two phones and then take a calculated decision.

What do you think about the Nexus 5? Will it be able to thwart iPhone 5S sales and popularity? Do share your views in the comments section.

Google Nexus 5 Before Picking On The iPhone 5s

October 1, 2013 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

Though yet in line for release, the Nexus 5 from Google is something that people would be wise enough to wait for and check out. As it is the Nexus 5 is scheduled to come in just a few weeks from now. This is specially so as the iPhone 5s has caused quite some excited movement in the market and consumers have been rushing to get their unit of the iPhone 5s. So much so that the stock has gone to near zero and people are waiting for recommencement of the shipments.

As for reasons to wait for the new Nexus 5 to emerge from the shadows, there are plenty. The Nexus 4 did not have LTE connectivity to it though that is posed for a change with the Nexus 5. That apart, the new Nexus is expected to come with features such as a high resolution display and a good camera. The OS which is going to be Android 4.4 KitKat also has all the advanced features that the iPhone 5s boasts of running the new iOS 7.

So in just a few weeks’ time, users would be able to compare the Nexus 5 in real against the iPhone 5s. At the price which Apple have tagged their iPhone 5s, Google for sure would be putting up their Nexus 5 at a very competitive price range. There is expectation that the Nexus 5 would range between $299 to $399 for the top of the line models. Compare that to the $650 for the iPhone 5s and it would be good enough reason to wait for that few extra weeks for the Nexus 5 to arrive.

Even for those who wish to finally go for the iPhone 5s, the comparison would bring in that extra bit of satisfaction of having picked up a better set, after having seen the Nexus 5. There would for sure be those hard core iPhone 5s followers who would not see anything better in any other device, including the Nexus 5.

iPhone 5S vs Galaxy Note 3: Fight between Apple and Samsung Continues

September 30, 2013 By Troy Rubenson Leave a Comment

Recently, both rival companies Samsung and Apple launched two new handsets namely: the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Apple iPhone 5S. In the past few years, Apple and Samsung have been fighting it out to win over each other. Let us compare the iPhone 5S with Galaxy Note 3 to know which one is a better device:

Design, Build and Display
iPhone 5S is an upgraded version of the older iPhone 5. It is available in three premium colors like silver, gold and grey. The exterior of the iPhone 5S is made up of durable quality aluminum. Thus, the iPhone 5S appears sleek and sophisticated. The Galaxy Note 3 is a 6inch phablet device. It has got a plastic yet durable body. And it comes with appealing leather back. Appearance-wise the Note 3 is not that good-looking but the internal specs of the device are the things that make it one of the best smartphones currently available.

Since the Galaxy Note 3 is larger screen, it has got that extra screen space that it’s give it an advantage. It has got a 5.7inch display that supports a display resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels with a pixel density of 386ppi. On the other hand, the iPhone 5S has got a 4inch display which supports a display resolution of 640 x 1136 pixels. It offers a pixel density of 326ppi. Both the devices have got great displays. However, it all boils down to the choice between larger device that may not be easy to hold with one hand and a smaller device that is quite comfortable to operate with one hand.

Processor, RAM and Storage
Apple has powered the new iPhone 5S with a brand new A7 processor. According to Apple, the iPhone 5S’s processor is twice faster than the predecessor’s A6 processor. Also, it is the first smartphone ever to run on a 64bit A7 processor.

Also, it packs in an M7 motion co-processor which enables the handset to detect actions of the user such as sitting, walking, running and so on. Apple has never disclosed properly about how many RAM the device has got. We feel it has got 2GB RAM onboard. There is no external storage on the device but the handset is available in three variants namely 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.

Well, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is powered with a new Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core 2.3GHz Krait 400 CPU. It is coupled with a 3GB RAM. The performance of the tablet is quite snappy. The device is available in three internal storage variants like 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. An advantage on the Note 3 is that it comes with external microSD storage.

Both the handsets deliver stunning performance. It is quite a gamble to choice the best between the two in terms of processor and RAM.

Camera and System Software
The rear side of the iPhone 5S is housed with an 8MP iSight camera. This time around Apple has used larger sensor to capture better photos. It has got a dual True Tone flash which consists of amber and white color and it automatically adjusts the flash light according to the ambience of the room. The Galaxy Note 3 has got 13MP camera and a 2MP camera at the front.

The operating system on iPhone 5S is the latest iOS 7 and the one running on Galaxy Note 3 is Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS. The iOS 7 is very good upgrade with various new features like Control Center and Notification Center. The Android 4.3 is not a major overhaul update and much of the features were already present on Android 4.2 which is available on slightly older smartphones.

The fingerprint sensor is undoubtedly the most popular feature on iPhone 5S. From unlocking iPhone to authenticating Apple ID, you can do it all through that fingerprint sensor placed under the home button.

Galaxy Note 3 has got a special S-Pen which is nothing but a stylus that has arrived this year with couple of new features. The phablet also comes with some sensors onboard which let you access features like Smart Pause and Smart Scroll.

Battery Life
Well, both the smartphones don’t sport a powerful battery. The iPhone 5S has got the same old battery that is running on iPhone 5 which has been discontinued now. With a powerful A7 chip onboard, it is certain that it will consume a lot of battery. On other side, the Galaxy Note 3 is powered with 3200mAh battery which is good but it may not be that good enough to last longer thanks to the meaty display and powerful CPU packed inside this phablet.

Apple iPhone 5S Hacking – Touch ID Fingerprint Scanner Security Feature Can Be Hacked Easily

September 28, 2013 By Troy Rubenson Leave a Comment

Undoubtedly the best feature on the recently released iPhone 5S is the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. It is the best security feature ever to come to iPhone which incorporates a fingerprint scanner hidden under the sapphire crystal Home button. Just two days after Apple officially released the iPhone 5S, German hackers claim that they can crack the iPhone fingerprint scanner.

iPhone 5S’s Touch ID feature requires you to scan your finger to perform authentication. When you want to buy something from the App Store or iTunes or enter Apple ID, you do not need to type and enter the login credentials, you can simply scan your finger and the authentication will be done. If what the German hackers is true, it will be quite embarrassing for Apple as which is betting on Touch ID fingerprint scanner to set it apart from other smartphones that are running on Android.

The German group that talked about the iPhone 5S fingerprint scanner hacking is called Chaos Computing Club [CCC]. The group claims that they had successfully bypassed the Touch ID. Though one of the hackers from the group named Charlie Miller who has co-written the iOS Hacker’s Handbook described the hack attack as ‘a complete break’. He added that “it certainly opens up a new possibility for attackers.”

Apple must be aware of the news but they haven’t paid any heed to the news yet. CCC is not small-time hacking group but one of the world’s famous and largest and well-recognized hacking groups. They have also added a video demonstrating the hack on its website. The video shows how the iPhone 5S could be hacked by using a fabricated print. The group has an exclusive team that can perform biometric hacks.

The reason why CCC targeted Touch ID is because Apple claims it to be a very secure security feature on iPhone and it is difficult to crack it. CCC claims though the fingerprint security sounds as a very secure security feature, it is not very reliable. They claim that fingerprint should not be used for authentication purpose because we tend to leave our fingerprints here and there and it is quite easy to fake fingers through lifted prints.

CCC added that they bypassed Touch ID by snapping an image of an iPhone 5S user and then printed the same fingerprint on a transparent sheet. Previously, CCC has cracked numerous fingerprint sensors and that is the reason why they know it very that they can easily defeat the major security feature of iPhone 5S.

Two security experts are waiting to review the iPhone 5S Touch ID hack procedure. They would like to view a full video documentation of the procedure carried out by CCC and know the entire process. The two security experts were already offering cash prize to first hackers who will crack the iPhone 5S Touch ID feature. Only after viewing the video, the review will be done. We are not sure whether the group will offering cash prize to CCC.

iPhone 5C: special offer from mobile network operators

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