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New iPhones Score Well with 'Consumer Reports', but Display and Battery 'No Match' for Android Competitors
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It depends on the network, moreover, the signal strength. At home with wi-fi I can get through the day easily. At the office, with 3 bars, I can barely get to the end of work.
While my contract will not be up, I will trade an upgrade to get the 6, but only if there are some significant design changes (which I expect there will)
This may have been said already, but the lack of battery life in the iPhone is a result of having both a smaller phone (less battery space) and a less efficient screen than the newer android phones. These OLED screens on the android phones use significantly less power, but they suffer from viewing issues in high sunlight. The over-saturated coloring is either a plus or minus depending on how you look at it (minus it would seem in apple's eyes).
I expect apple has been waiting on enlarging the screen size until they could efficiently mass produce enough IGZO displays since it is a superior OLED technology to what is currently on the market now. Tim Cook hinted at this earlier in this year when he said they didn't want to make sacrifices to display quality just to put out a larger screen.
I expect apple has been waiting on enlarging the screen size until they could efficiently mass produce enough IGZO displays since it is a superior OLED technology to what is currently on the market now. Tim Cook hinted at this earlier in this year when he said they didn't want to make sacrifices to display quality just to put out a larger screen.
What about battery life per unit weight or volume? Battery life on the iPhone may be somewhat lower, but I think that's mostly because the phone is smaller and lighter. It is a trade off.
Also, as a recent switcher from Android to iPhone, I have found that while my android phone with a blank install seemed to have good battery life, once I used it for awhile and installed some apps, battery life tanked. So far, my iPhone battery life has been constant. I suspect this is due to Android's more permissive attitude toward apps executing in the background.
Also, on the subject of the screen size I'm OK with the size of the screen on the iPhone. It is a preference thing. I've used larger screen phones and I don't like them as much due to the way they fit (or don't in my hand) and pocket.
Also, as a recent switcher from Android to iPhone, I have found that while my android phone with a blank install seemed to have good battery life, once I used it for awhile and installed some apps, battery life tanked. So far, my iPhone battery life has been constant. I suspect this is due to Android's more permissive attitude toward apps executing in the background.
Also, on the subject of the screen size I'm OK with the size of the screen on the iPhone. It is a preference thing. I've used larger screen phones and I don't like them as much due to the way they fit (or don't in my hand) and pocket.
Apple is doomed.
Gotta wait a year for yet another incremental improvement while other competitors are already ahead.
Hopefully the other stuff (processor, camera, looks?) is good enough to hold their market share until they can release a larger screen. I think they will lose quite a bit more market share than last year but I don't think they will wait a full year to release (that cycle is just too long these days). I also think they will keep the current model and hopefully go with a 5inch and 6inch model just to cover all bases.
Yea I just use 4g, no Bluetooth, no streaming, display less than half, I don't call anyone...and I have wifi at home and at my work. So I really don't know where my battery goes.
A lot of consumers are judging it based on size too. That's usually the first comment I hear from Android owners - 'The iPhone is too small'.
Apple really needs to get a larger iPhone out there soon. Give people at least the option of a smaller or larger phone.
It's happened in the past year and a half. Apple didn't recognize the trend. Back in 2011 and earlier, smaller was generally better. People were trying to get their phones smaller. Then something happened, where phones got bigger, and people all of a sudden started liking that. I think Apple missed this change in perception by many people.
What baloney
I've seen people holding this 'superior' large screen phones up to their heads and they look like complete dorks. Since when does anyone care about Consumer Reports anyway? They are as irrelevant as the media...
I've seen people holding this 'superior' large screen phones up to their heads and they look like complete dorks. Since when does anyone care about Consumer Reports anyway? They are as irrelevant as the media...
Android phones don't really suffer from it anymore, and haven't for about 18 months now. The newer Android versions handle multiple resolutions very well.
This is the way it's supposed to be. If apps are made properly, they can scale nicely to any resolution. It's called responsive design.
If you've got a modern android device, and the app opens up all messed up - thats the developers fault for not following basic design principles.
At some point Apple will be forced to do the same, with resolution changes happening every couple of years, allowing responsive app design in iOS will eventually happen - it then makes no difference if your device is 640x960, 1024x768 or higher - all apps will adapt to the space that's provided to it.
I loved the 3.5 inch screen on my iphone 4. But times are changing and Apple needs to wake up a little bit. The phone portion of the "smartphone" is less and less important, the data portion and texting need to be more of a focus. To that end a larger screen can be useful. I realize its messes up the nice stable and standard resolutions but they need to make that step if they want to continue to maintain market share.
I've sold off my idevices and now use a Moto X which at the present time is a superior device (to me). I haven't written off Apple though and hope they make that big step that needs to be taken within the next year.
I've sold off my idevices and now use a Moto X which at the present time is a superior device (to me). I haven't written off Apple though and hope they make that big step that needs to be taken within the next year.
Never thought I would have heard Android being better for battery than iOS.
I can usually get a couple of days out my iPhone 5... yet my GS4 wielding friends get worried at the thought of leaving their houses without the charger.
Interesting - my S4 has amazing battery life. I do a lot of emails, photo sharing, picture taking all day. Up at 6:30am and when I get home (around 6:30pm) I have about 60 or so percent left.
To me - that's great battery life. And more than I had on previous iPhones (and my one previous Android phone). Granted - I don't have the 5S...
That being said - sadly - we are long gone from the days that we used to get DAYS from our phones, right? But then again, those phones weren't mini computers with larger screens. Battery life was "easy" to go for days...
Consumer Reports has its good and bads. They are pretty unbiased for the most part which is good, but they really lack sometimes in appropriate test methods. As in, there is much subjectivity in their testing.
As most people pointed out, there are legitimate design decisions that lead to why the battery and screen are not as good. However, this was a decision made by apple probably for various reasons. In the end, the results don't lie no matter what apple's reasoning was.
Also, while the OLED screen may "look" better, that's mostly due to the perception of larger screen and the over saturated colors. Apple tends to tune their screens to be in line with RGB standards which may be more realistic, but lack that visual pop that is pleasing on the eyes.
If you want a test based more on objectivity you'll have to look to anandtech or something similar. It's too bad that 90% of the population doesn't care about that type of testing though.
I don't know why everyone wants to bash Consumer Reports? They are right.
Screen size and battery life have really be lagging in the iPhone compared to android. If Apple could just improve the iPhone in those two areas, it would go a long way in showing how much of a better experience the iPhone provides compared to android.
We can only hope the iPhone 6 solves both of these problems.
The only Android phone I've had regular exposure to, and this is only in the past two months, is my wife's S3, and so my experiences are limited.
Can you get an Android phone with a screen size that matches the 5x range of Apple iOS devices? ie; a smaller screen (fairly sure the S3 is 4.8 inches)
If you can, do the usual networks / carriers / stores, sell them?
I'm wondering if perhaps the whole "people want larger screens" is really in fact "people don't have a choice of selecting a new phone with a smaller screen", as if you cannot get the latest and greatest Android based phone with a smaller screen, then you're a little stuffed, as you have to get whatever size is on the device.
Can you get an Android phone with a screen size that matches the 5x range of Apple iOS devices? ie; a smaller screen (fairly sure the S3 is 4.8 inches)
If you can, do the usual networks / carriers / stores, sell them?
I'm wondering if perhaps the whole "people want larger screens" is really in fact "people don't have a choice of selecting a new phone with a smaller screen", as if you cannot get the latest and greatest Android based phone with a smaller screen, then you're a little stuffed, as you have to get whatever size is on the device.
Perception is what really matters whether we like it or not. That's why people love their 1080P tvs and think they are getting amazing visuals when they stream "HD" content. Forget that they aren't getting nearly the bitrate they would by watching a blu-ray disc. Netflix, Apple, Hulu, Vudu, etc - all perpetuate the idea that people are experiencing HD content. And yes - by pixels they are. But that's only part of the equation. I find it similar to your comment above. People don't know/care that they aren't seeing the "true" colors of RGB. They like what they see and that's good enough for them.
I disagree, fundamentally from a developer point of view having to make something look good at 1920x1080, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1366x768, 800 x480, etc etc is very time consuming and one of the biggest reasons Android development is a lot slower and more expensive. On top of Eclipse being dog turd.
Battery not bad with tweaks
There are many sites that give you pretty much the same info on tweaking settings in the iOS to make the battery MUCH more improved. On my iPhone 4 with iOS6 with Exchange Mail, Google Mail (configured as Exchange) and using it all day long, I would often get to bed at night with only a few percent battery left....I use Bluetooth and Auto-Brightness all day.
With the 5s, after following all the guides and making tweaks to the OS, I still use Bluetooth and have Auto-Brightness on....but now, I have 30-40% battery left at night....it is an AMAZING difference. Anyone having issues with battery life should google this info and make the tweaks to the iOS. I unplugged my phone at 6am, and not, 6 hours later, I am only at 84%...I think that works rather nicely!
BTW, I have used Android and Windows (older version of the OS's I admit) and the battery life was abysmal...I had to use app management apps to just get through the work day...
Here is just one example....
http://theweek.com/article/index/25...-6-simple-ways-to-keep-your-iphone-powered-up
-Compufix
There are many sites that give you pretty much the same info on tweaking settings in the iOS to make the battery MUCH more improved. On my iPhone 4 with iOS6 with Exchange Mail, Google Mail (configured as Exchange) and using it all day long, I would often get to bed at night with only a few percent battery left....I use Bluetooth and Auto-Brightness all day.
With the 5s, after following all the guides and making tweaks to the OS, I still use Bluetooth and have Auto-Brightness on....but now, I have 30-40% battery left at night....it is an AMAZING difference. Anyone having issues with battery life should google this info and make the tweaks to the iOS. I unplugged my phone at 6am, and not, 6 hours later, I am only at 84%...I think that works rather nicely!
BTW, I have used Android and Windows (older version of the OS's I admit) and the battery life was abysmal...I had to use app management apps to just get through the work day...
Here is just one example....
http://theweek.com/article/index/25...-6-simple-ways-to-keep-your-iphone-powered-up
-Compufix
This is exactly what Apple has to deal with. Building a few prestige models with all the bells and whistles isn't going to have a big impact on the supply chain.
100 million a year of the 4 inch IGZO displays, on the other hand, isn't trivial, but IGZO screens are the key to higher densities and lower power consumption. Apple has been pushing Sharp, et al, to get production ramped for quite awhile and probably has greased the ramp with some cash for manufacturing equipment.
I expect to see a shift to screen resolution independence with iOS 8 and a continuation of a "c" model, 4 inch model, and a larger model a year from now.