iPhone 5S to Get Upgraded Camera and Processor, Could Ship to Retailers in the 3rd Quarter

[Renzatic]

iOS and smart phones in general has reached a ceiling. You can add better hardwares and new softwares, but the experience will be the same. The only notable improvement I can think of is to offer access to full fledge OS like OSX to run high quality softwares.

I wouldn't say that about iOS exactly, as there's always room for improvement on that front, but smartphones in general have.

We're all still riding high from the days when the mobile scene was still brand new, and awesome things seemed to come out every other day. While I think tablets still have plenty of space to grow, smartphones have matured to the point where we can't expect every new release to melt our faces off with brand new, unprecedented features that completely change everything we know about small computers that fit in our pockets.

It's moved into that gentle groove where everything is more iterative, like the PC scene during the 00's. We'll still see new things, but they'll be smaller, more focused and spaced farther apart. Now it's all about faster, thinner, better cameras, more battery life. Improving the concept, in other words.

 

[Stella]

Pretty sure the BBC was just trying to get the name out for a UK based consultancy. The survey is pretty hard to take seriously.

But if the findings were positive for Apple the story would be newsworthy?

 

[Tyrion]

Screen size will not be increasing.

The reason is for Apple to increase the screensize they will need to REDUCE the ppi for the iPhone. This will mean that its no longer a Retina screen (it will still be good but it will be lower ppi than the current phones and therefore a stretch to call it a retina screen).

They won't increase the resolution simply because the use of Apps and how developers code them. If a new resolution is implemented then many apps will have to be recoded as autolayout - whilst good is not mature enough yet to handle all situations (plus many devs still haven't implemented it).

No new screen size this year 100%. Next year I doubt it too.

Just give it a 5" screen with double the current resolution. Problem solved.

 

[Nale72]

HTC can't even manufacture the one because they are can't get anyone to give them components.

Really, do you have a source on that?

How come I've seen pictures/videos of it and that reviews have already started to show up. Are they using fake phones or just making the stuff up?

 

[drober30]

The 5s could be the first iPhone my wife and I don't upgrade to since the original iPhone in2007.

 

[mdelvecchio]

I'm finally eligible for an upgrade in May. Just make the 5S something that matters. Please.

if your current release is 2 years old you will benefit from immense performance increases regardless.

 

[thecartoonguy]

Sigh

Sigh....these iPhone updates are becoming similar to the Twilight movies: An exercise in laziness, and poor execution.

 

[XtraSmiley]

Sigh....these iPhone updates are becoming similar to the Twilight movies: An exercise in laziness, and poor execution.

LOL, some people are never happy with anything!

 

[Syk]

Pretty much what I expected was a spec boost. I didn't expect to see any redesigns as Apple is going to use the current screen for at least two releases.

Honestly I don't expect to see an iOS over haul with 7 either. I'd be surprised to see an over haul on an S model and if the current mini couldn't support certain features there would be an uproar.

The current iPad mini is almost the same as an iPad2. I think this will be a minor upgrade so the current mini users won't feel left out.

We'll get a nicer iPad mini & iPad this year and next year the iPhone 6 I think will have a bigger screen, killer specs and an over haul on iOS8.

 

[aperry]

You don't have to make the comparison at all No one is compelling members here to make comparisons based on wild speculation and hardware that may never be sold.


What are you comparing anyway? Digitimes writes the exact same story every year. What do you know about the new processor? How much faster is it? What about the GPU? How is power consumption? More megapixels on the camera? Why? What type of sensor will it use?

The Macrumors article is quite a bit longer than the Digitimes source. There are no details you are missing in the story. There are no details at all.

I couldn't care less if it had 20 megapixels and was 3x faster. I want innovation and features. My 4s is fast enough and the camera is fine. Above I highlighted a few examples of glaring ios issues, and I'm tired of this 3 year old (looking) physical design. Probably fine for most people, not for me.

 

[chadley_chad]

So what Apple are really saying is that a true competitor to the Galaxy S4 wont be available until 2014 ... but at least until then (then being the time we manage to get off our laurels and start innovating (or pinching ideas from others), you can have the pleasure of watching our nice adverts.

Too little too late, goodbye iPhone 4, hello Samsung - although in honesty, I am also running a Nokia 620 Windows 8 and the experience has been superb .. so I may forgo Samsung for MS. Oh how times change!

 

[cgsnipinva]

This is Actually What I Expect and Is Not An Issue

If the processor provides headroom for better performance for a future real upgrade to iOS - then its an investment well spent - from what I have seen in spec comparisons - the Apple Processor is more efficient than the brute force 8 core processor Samsung put into the S4. Given Apple writes the software to optimize the chip and they are produced together - this will yield benefits down the road. An improvement on the already great camera on the iPhone will make it more attractive as that is one of the primary pieces of content people create with their phone -- Photos. And once you take it on the iPhone it goes to all of your Apple devices - like your Mac - you can use iPhoto or Aperture to make them great and post to your libraries or facebook, et al.

Other than getting the screen wider - the hardware race is not Apple's problem. As I have said - it is the software. They need to integrate their software environment along the lines of Google. Samsung's phones are nothing without Google and Android. Period - it is the software that makes the innovation.

More tightly integrate Apple iOS apps with the iCloud infrastructure - enhance iCloud to be easier to use and more ubiquitous through the web on non-apple devices (using a browser) and Apple will have a google like platform.

It is the software that makes it happen - and nothing in this article states what Apple intends to do with iOS or limits what they will do.

 

[yourtoys7]

I was happy to upgrade from 4 to 4S, no one knows what 5S will bring, I'm sure apple is very aware of the competition and we'll see something nice (hope)...

 

[chadley_chad]

I never thought I would do this, and I still probably won't, but that Samsung Galaxy S4 looks mighty nice.

Apple better rock this update with software if this is it for the hardware.

Like my initial worries re moving from a PC to a Mac 12 years ago, more recently I've really had to 'force' myself to move away from Apple; having held a crop of other manufacturer mobiles in my hand. I did it though - a move to Windows 8 on a Nokia 620 and a planned one coming up perhaps to an S3 (low price!) or HTC One.

My words to you are do it! I still have my Apple connection (just!) with my iMac and iPad, but for the phone ... moving away, hard as it stupidly was, was the best decision I ever made!!!!

 

[Nale72]

please link us to some painted phones than are immune to scratching when not protected. very curious.

HTC has made several phones with colored unibody aluminium and I have had both a Hero and a Desire S myself. I won't say that they are immune, but my experience is that they held up much better than the iP5 and when using them I freqented those Android forums and never read anything like the mass complaints about phones coming chipped out of the box and looking like crap after a month even though taking good care of it and even getting scratched/chipped under a silicone bumper/case (have gotten one myself even though I take even better care of my iP5 than my past HTC's).

Hopefully this was more or less isolated to a few of the early batches and that the problem (for some) is now solved.

 

[chadley_chad]

LOL, some people are never happy with anything!

Well its not as if Apple have given anything to be happy about!!!!!

----------

We'll get a nicer iPad mini & iPad this year and next year the iPhone 6 I think will have a bigger screen, killer specs and an over haul on iOS8.

Whilst the Galaxy S5 once again trounces Apple in all departments!!!!

 

[Nuvi]

If this is Apple's weapon of choice against Android, WP and the rest then they better totally re-invent iOS. Soon this all will be too little too late. Anyway, iPhone 5S will be the first iPhone I won't be getting...

 

[futbalguy]

nm

 

[chadley_chad]

I'm sure apple is very aware of the competition and we'll see something nice (hope)...

You'd like to think so wouldn't you (Apple being aware of the competition) ... so its odd they haven't actually done anything to prove this is the case eh!!!!

being aware is one thing, doing something about it is another!!!!

 

[Bodygard]

A new camera and a slightly faster processor... I'll keep my iPhone 4 and wait to see if the 6 is any better.

Yep, i'll keep my 4 too until i see some real innovation. I hope 6 brings something really awesome or i might try Samsung or HTC or...Sony

 

[lovemyapple]

If you have an ip5 and want a 6, the 5s is perfect. It will look like the 5 and when the 6 comes out, your 2 year contract will be up, in time for the ip6! Its perfect timing.

 

[Born Again]

So I'm using my iPhone 5 and its not "I need a better camera" or "my iPhone needs to be faster"

It's "I'd sure like my screen to be larger!"

 

[jmdMac]

Right... Nobody...ever. Marconi, Edison, Einstein, ect. were a bunch of nothing burgers compared to Jobs. (Not to mention the guys at Parc Xerox).

I suppose I should have said in the modern tech industry, as comparisons from complete different era's make little sense. Also, I never said he was the greatest innovator, only that his desire and passion to do so were unmatched.

 

[MrNomNoms]

Really, do you have a source on that?

How come I've seen pictures/videos of it and that reviews have already started to show up. Are they using fake phones or just making the stuff up?

http://www.neowin.net/news/htc-one-delay-due-to-component-sourcing-struggles

HTC for many suppliers is no longer a tier one customer since cutting their orders dramatically in recent months. Their problem is actually quite simply; selling phones with batteries that are too low capacity, the storage being too small and the software running on the phone failing to be given updates on a regular and consistent basis. If they addressed those issues they could easily pull themselves ahead of Samsung and Nokia but instead what we've seen is release after release of very average products with the only main strong suit is their relationship with carriers given the number I see in my own country being offered for $0 down on reasonable tariff plans.

 

[Slayter]

....
That and lose some of the skeuomorphism, and it would probably be improved quite a bit, without losing what keeps it as clean and simple as it currently is.

Yes, agree. rather smaller changes, then major overhaul, users and devs will be happy, and those few geeks, who cry all nights, can easily switch to Android already.

Also not happy about too much skeuomorphism either, but in some way it's not necessarily bad thing, just needs to be kept within some reasonable limits.