iPhone 5S Hands-On Review

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Although the iPhone 5S was no surprise to consumers, here’s a few things you might want to know about Apple’s latest flagship phone.

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Luckily for us Marty did a fantastic job covering the iPhone event a couple of weeks ago, and we knew exactly what we were getting from the latest installment of the iPhone. As I have admitted to many times I am overly immersed in the Apple ecosystem, so even if the incredible new features aren’t announced for an iPhone, it’s very hard for me not to upgrade.

I was fortunate enough to have the Gold Master version of iOS7, so I’ve had long enough to get familiar with Apple’s newly redesigned OS. I assumed I would locate an iPhone 5S, and because there wasn’t an upgrade to the screen or resolution coming on the new iPhone, I opted to go ahead and dive in to iOS7 before picking up the newest iPhone.

Let me say this: I understand that the real “get” this life cycle is probably the iPhone 5C. The 5C seems to be selling really well, and consumers are taking advantage of the ability to purchase a “cheaper” version of the iPhone, although it’s really not.

I was incredibly pleased with the iPhone 5S right out of the box; Apple has done a fantastic job with this design of phone, and the continuation of the design is a good thing. I picked up the Space Grey model, and the overall feel and color of the phone is nice. I honestly wish I had waited to use iOS7 until I picked up this phone; there’s always something great about a new OS and a new phone.

Getting your backups from iCloud make picking up a new phone so much easier. Included in the initial setup process is the setup for Touch ID, the fingerprint scanner included in the iPhone 5s. I was honestly a little iffy about how this technology was really going to work on the phone, but you could tell from the setup that Touch ID was going to work really well. You scan your thumb multiple times, in multiple positions, for the Touch ID to read just about every possible way you might hold your finger onto the sensor. You also can go into your settings and setup multiple fingers to unlock the phone with. Touch ID doesn’t totally eliminate the use of a passcode just yet, but this technology is pretty great, and in Apple fashion, works incredibly well.

Another reason I am always willing to upgrade to a newer iPhone is the camera. Along with some major camera improvements in iOS7, with an updated front facing camera to the all new FaceTime HD camera. Along with an upgrade to the front, there is an obvious improvement to the standard camera as well, especially with a double flash.

This phone is also faster, and just seems to respond incredibly well to the new OS, and, believe me or not, improved battery life. Yes, I’ve read all of the complaints online about how iOS7 drains your battery and does this and does that, but I’m not having those problems on the iPhone 5S. Did I have some of those issues with iOS 7 on my iPhone 5? Yes. This is more than likely a major reason Apple “Eternal Sunshined” the iPhone 5, and replaced it with basically the exact same phone, with an updated front-facing camera, better battery, and color options in the iPhone 5C. There are plenty of tips and tricks for saving your battery life on older Apple devices with iOS 7, but if you can get your hands on an upgrade, take the plunge and pick up one of these new models for this reason alone.

I really like this phone. I’m looking forward to what all can be done with Touch ID, and how I’ll use it in my daily life. I’m also looking forward to more from our friends in Cupertino.

About author

Josh Steen

Josh Steen is the founder of the JustUs Geeks, and is the host of the JustUs Geeks Podcast. Josh is also a dad, husband, and graphic designer. He geeks out over sports, video games, music, and Transformers. Have an idea for a story or podcast topic? Let him know via social media or email!

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