In a year where the tech news has been dominated by new
phones like the Galaxy S4, the HTC One, and the Lumia 1020, I
have been dying to see how Apple would strike back with a killer
new iPhone. And then we got the iPhone 5S.
I?m sure it?s a great phone, but even the most hardcore Apple
fans have to admit that it?s not quite the Android-obliterating
phone they were hoping for. I?m Donald Bell, and in this Top 5
we?re counting down five of the biggest disappointments with the
iPhone 5S.
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5.Playing catch-up to Android
Starting off at #5: catch-up features. Not as tasty as it sounds.
Whether it?s improvements to the camera or Control Center in
iOS7, many of the most appealing features of the new iPhone
could have been pulled from any Android device this year.
I mean, the best feature in the iPhone used to be the smug
superiority I felt over other people. But now, unless I buy the gold
one, I don?t even think anyone?s going to try to mug me for this
thing.
4. No 128GB model
At #4: no 128GB model -- still. The cloud is nice, but I?d much
rather hoard all my apps and media on my phone. Making things
worse is that these apps have been getting more bloated ever
since the retina display. Once things get retooled for 64-bit, it?s
going to get even worse.
Apple, you are the world?s largest digital empire of games, apps,
music, and video, and your phone only lets me hold a tiny
thimble of it. This makes no sense.
3. Battery life
Coming in at #3: battery life. Now, it does seem like a minor
miracle that Apple shoved in a 64-bit processor and was able to
keep the same battery life - but we want progress! Phones with
monster battery life like the Droid Razr Maxx have been around
for two generations now. We know it can be done!
I would gladly trade that 64 bit processor for an extra hour or two
of battery life -- even if it meant a slightly thicker phone. And just
think of all the drunken iTunes purchases Apple will get if they
can make a phone that can stay up past 8pm.
2. NFC
Coming in at #2: NFC. It?s not there. We?ve been asking for this
one for years. A near-field communication sensor like the one
found in most of the hero Android phones out there, would finally
pave the way to making Apple?s Passbook feature a real mobile-
payment solution.
The fingerprint sensor gets you halfway there by verifying who
you are, but you?ll need something like NFC if you?re going to
use this at the grocery checkout. No one?s really made this work
yet, but Apple has shown that their pretty good at succeeding
where others have crashed and burned.
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5 reasons the iPhone 5S rocks
-Colors
-OpenGL
-Better camera
-M7 processor
-Fingerprint sensor
Alright, now before I fall too far down the snark hole, let?s get
some perspective. The iPhone 5S brings a lot of new features
that are a meaningful step in the right direction.
I mean, we?ve finally come out of the world of black & white. We
have colors now, especially if you include the 5C.
The compatibility with OpenGL is going to be a big step up for
graphics.
The camera definitely got more awesome.
The dedicated motion processor opens up some new
possibilities for fitness and augmented reality.
And most of all -- the fingerprint sensor. You know you?ll feel like
James Bond for at least a week.
1. Same screen [HOW ABOUT: ?No big-screen version?]
Alright, but now back to the big ol? CNET jug of haterade for our
#1 iPhone 5S disappointment: the screen. How stubborn do you
have to be to sit back and watch the entire smartphone industry
adopt bigger screens, to the delight of customers, and still insist
that a 4-inch screen is the perfect size?
Things have gotten so far gone, that the brand new HTC One
Mini -- the Mini -- is still larger than the iPhone 5S. I know the
issue is as much Freudian as it is practical, but c?mon Apple!
Surely you can go a little bigger without Jonny Ive throwing a fit.
CLOSE
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So there you have it, five disappointments with the iPhone 5S
that make me wonder if Apple has lost a little of their mojo. Be
sure to read Rick Broida?s full post over on CNET, and for a full
rundown on the iPhone 5S without the snark, check out
CNET.com/iphone-5S.
I?m Donald Bell, thanks for watching.
