New iPhones Score Well with 'Consumer Reports', but Display and Battery 'No Match' for Android Competitors

[garya73]

Just because they bashed Apple, doesn't mean they're not good.

For the record, I am a Consumer Reports Online subscriber. They are my go-to place for researching major (and minor) purchases.

That being said, the S4 scored an 81, and the 5S scored a 78. It's really not that major of a difference. And if the top phone is only scoring an 81, they must feel that smartphones overall still have a ways to go before getting very high reviews.

 

[Bitmin1991]

Wow, can you say paid review? Since when is a pre-HD screen "better" than a full HD screen? Also, since when is a smaller battery "better" than a bigger battery?

Boy, Apple is desperate.

 

[Nevaborn]

So the Android phones are better due to being too large to comfortably hold with one hand and an over sayurated screen.

As for Battery they all suck, the Android just has more room for a bigger one. Ill take aniPhone any day.

 

[croooow]

How about they actually measure color accuracy, rather than having untrained eyes look at oversaturated displays and think they look better. iPhone display accuracy is unmatched. If you want oversaturated colors meant to fool consumers into thinking its more vivid, then yea I guess iPhone is "no match" for them.

The iPhone still has a really good display, but even last year it was coming up second to the likes of the HTC One X. We've now gone a generation beyond that with improved performance in the HTC One and the LG G 2.

They are only comparing basic specs like screen size, resolution and PPI (which comes from the first two, obviously)

Those are specs that people can wrap their heads around ("bigger is better", much like cameras and the "megapixel game")

 

[Bitmin1991]

Wow, can you say paid review? Since when is a pre-HD screen "better" than a full HD screen? Also, since when is a smaller battery "better" than a bigger battery?

Boy, Apple is desperate.

Ooops, read it wrong. Mods please delete my post.

FYI: Don't post when first getting up.

 

[Rogifan]

Man are some of the posters here crazy. CR was very complimentary of the iPhone, and thinks it a great choice--they didn't "bash" them at all. They list one or two areas where the iPhone "may" lag, and some of you are ready to storm the place. What a reactive, nutty freak show some of you are. I love my Apple ecosystem, but thank God I'm not some kind of cultist.

Wasn't that the point of MR putting it on the front page and specifically mentioning Android though? Just a way to start a flame war that generates clicks.

 

[WilliamG]

How is pentile OLED sharper than IPS LCD?

Eventually there are enough sppi. Forgetting the S4, the HTC One display is noticeably sharper than my 5s. It's honestly not even close.

 

[Shattentor]

Comparing battery life between iPhones and those 5''-ers is just nonsense. The big flagship devices of other brands have sometimes almost double the battery capacity of the iPhone, because of their excessive size. Actually the iPhone is one of the most energy-efficient phones on the market, especially compared to Android-Phones with their Quadcore-2Ghz-whatever-Chips. iPhones always make the best of their hardware, without wasting power. It's pretty obvious when looking at benchmarks of iPhones and Androids.

 

[jclardy]

The one problem with this is that they are comparing the best individual qualities of specific phones to the iPhone. Yes there are Motorola Droid's on Verizon that get better battery life. Yes, there are bigger, higher res screens on Samsung and HTC devices. But can you get both? No - the S4 battery isn't great and neither is the HTC One.

The moral of the story? Some phones are better at some things, and others are better than others. If you want a super long battery life look to Motorola. If you want a giant screen - HTC or Samsung. If you want a powerful phone with a great camera that isn't ridiculously oversized (HTC One Max *cough*) with the best app market place and look at the 5s.

 

[AppleScruff1]

How about they actually measure color accuracy, rather than having untrained eyes look at oversaturated displays and think they look better. iPhone display accuracy is unmatched. If you want oversaturated colors meant to fool consumers into thinking its more vivid, then yea I guess iPhone is "no match" for them.

Do you think that the millions of people who buy iPhones have "trained eyes" and are experts at color accuracy vs people who buy Android phones? Isn't what looks best entirely subjective regardless of accuracy?

 

[lilo777]

How is pentile OLED sharper than IPS LCD?

It's sharper because those screens have higher density for both pixels and subpixels. Pentile arrangement was never an issue by itself (there is nothing inherently wrong with arranging pixels this way compared to classic RGB). The problem was that the actual amount (and density) of subpixels used to be lower for early pentile AMOLED screens but now it exceeds that of iPhone's screen.

 

[Scarpad]

I have Samsung Galaxy 4, the screen is nice, but the battery life is abysmal. When I get the ability to update I'll be going back to an Iphone

 

[ThunderSkunk]

iPhone's too small, iPad mini's too big. The sweet spot, as every other mfg seems to be figuring out, is right in the middle.

They really ought to rip off the band-aid, clean up the line, and more evenly distribute their three iOS Devices. Design em to be sleek and beautiful like a Magic Mouse, use retina displays all around, make em all powerful enough to run the next 2 or 3 Versions of iOS, and sell each in either wifi only or +cellular options with iPad-like data plans or phone plans & subsidies.

iPad: the large minimal bezel 13" iPad they've been playing with
iPhone: the phantom middle-size, 7"-ish phone size
iPod: the current 4" iPhone/iPod Touch size

& then wifi only:
iPod Mini: 2"
iPod Nano: 1" or watch thing.

+, $0/contract plastic models to blow out previous years component stocks.

Looks like that's sort of where it's all heading anyway.
Looks good.

 

[Rogifan]

Now go and actually read the damn report. They liked the iPhone - A LOT. Just posted two tiny things that could be improved.

Doesn't help when MR specifically highlights those things in their post. Most people aren't going to read the actual review but just comment on what MR highlighted.

 

[lilo777]

Comparing battery life between iPhones and those 5''-ers is just nonsense. The big flagship devices of other brands have sometimes almost double the battery capacity of the iPhone, because of their excessive size. Actually the iPhone is one of the most energy-efficient phones on the market, especially compared to Android-Phones with their Quadcore-2Ghz-whatever-Chips. iPhones always make the best of their hardware, without wasting power. It's pretty obvious when looking at benchmarks of iPhones and Androids.

Phone users who want larger screens do not care how the longer battery life comes about. And they definitely do not care about "wasted" power because it costs them $0.05 per year. If they cared about what you are talking about they would be buying 3" dumb phones.

 

[o0smoothies0o]

Contract will be up for the iPhone 6. I'm expecting

• Bigger screen (4.8 inches? sure!)
• Much better battery life (so much more room)
• Nifty iOS 8 features, since iOS 7 was more of a re-design, now they can actually add more things

I don't understand why people say a bigger screen means a bigger phone and thus a bigger battery providing longer battery life. I'm pretty sure there is a good trade off for the bigger battery powering the larger screen, I don't know what exactly the trade off would be in terms of slightly more or less battery life, but there is absolutely a trade off. The iPad has approximately the same battery life I think, and obviously the trade off is there, and you aren't even making calls on an iPad.

 

[garya73]

This has nothing to do with them bashing Apple. Consumer Reports are what my grandparents read when they want to know which DVD/VCR combo to buy. Then they go to Sears and get it.

In this day and age I go to Best Buy to view and try the item, pull out my iPhone and scan the item to find reviews online, and then purchase it from somewhere like NewEgg, B&H or Amazon. Consumer Reports is irrelevant and dying a slow death. I'm not even talking just about electronics. I did this recently with a microwave at Best Buy, a grill at Lowes, and even a saw stand at Home Depot.

I've flipped through my grandparent's CS magazine and I can tell you that most of the time they're completely wrong. Case in point is saying that Android devices have the best battery life. My mother in law charges her Galaxy multiple times during the day. Every time she comes over she has to sit on the end of our couch that is by the outlet so she can keep replying to texts without it dying. It's pretty ridiculous. Only reason she has it is because she can read the larger screen better. She is willing to get a bigger iPhone if it becomes available. Same thing with my boss' husband.

I wouldn't be surprised if Android manufacturers provide CS with "special units" just like they were trying to game the system for benchmarks and were called out on it recently.

CR purchases all items at retail.

I've bought a lawnmower, a television, and a vacuum based on CR testing. And I have been pleased with all three.

CR is an independent research organization. They go to great lengths to test items, and do not allow their test results to be used as selling points in advertisements.

I would take their reviews over the average joe's reviews any day. Maybe the avg joe doesn't know how to use the item properly, got a defective item, was pushed to buy the item by the salesperson, made a quick decision at the store without doing their own research, has buyer's remorse, is a fanboy/shill or some other sort of factors that will influence their review. I've read a lot of worthless 1-2 sentence reviews on items that the person should have just not posted. I am not saying all the reviews are bad, some people do take the time to properly test out the product and write a good, in-depth, well thought out review. But they are in the minority, unfortunately.

 

[iChrist]

Apple succeeded because this problem would have had Jobs throwing a hell-bent s••t fit 6 months before launch. To Tim Cook it's probably no big deal.

Agree. The bar has been getting lower. Hopefully the iPhone6 will yield some significant improvements.

 

[frayne182]

The battery life is terrible. I can agree with that. I had an S3 for a bit and the battery lasted a long long time.

Still though I don't mind charging as often as I do.

 

[Rogifan]

So if Apple makes a thicker and slightly heavier iPhone to accommodate more battery life no one here will complain? Just like no one complained when the 3rd gen iPad was ever so slightly thicker and heavier than iPad 2?

 

[mcdj]

Every time I pick up a Samsung Android phone, the screen looks totally bizarre to me...greenish, hyper saturated, and surreal.

 

[Chatter]

I'd definitely like a bigger screen. There is no "correct" size. 3.5-4.0 inches are good for one-handed operation, but detract from other uses.

Older folks can have trouble reading. Videos and photos are smaller and have to be held closer to the face. GPS navigation can be hard to decipher at a glance. Nearly every other Apple product has multiple sizes and form factors! Please put out a larger size (or two models) and let the customers decide.

Agree with your comment and here is my guess - the "5C" form factor will stay at the current size moving forward and there will be another larger iphone 6...which will stay at 4.8

 

[longofest]

Does anyone actually consult with women when coming up with these criticisms of "too small displays" for the phone? My wife thinks the iPhone 5 sized display is starting to push the size for her hand, and the Android phones are just way too big. Almost all of her female friends, some of which own Android phones and some of which own iPhones agree - the larger size just stinks for those with smaller hands - typically women.

I'm of the opinion that Apple has hit a sweet spot with the iPhone 5 display, and shouldn't change it. Bigger is not necessarily better.

 

[lilo777]

So if Apple makes a thicker and slightly heavier iPhone to accommodate more battery life no one here will complain? Just like no one complained when the 3rd gen iPad was ever so slightly thicker and heavier than iPad 2?

Yes, they would not. iPad is big and heavy. Size and weight is an important factor. iPhone is small and light. Add a little weight and size (thickness in this case) and nobody will care (or even notice)

 

[o0smoothies0o]

iPhone's too small, iPad mini's too big. The sweet spot, as every other mfg seems to be figuring out, is right in the middle.

They really ought to rip off the band-aid, clean up the line, and more evenly distribute their three iOS Devices. Design em to be sleek and beautiful like a Magic Mouse, use retina displays all around, make em all powerful enough to run the next 2 or 3 Versions of iOS, and sell each in either wifi only or +cellular options with iPad-like data plans or phone plans & subsidies.

iPad: the large minimal bezel 13" iPad they've been playing with
iPhone: the phantom middle-size, 7"-ish phone size
iPod: the current 4" iPhone/iPod Touch size

& then wifi only:
iPod Mini: 2"
iPod Nano: 1" or watch thing.

+, $0/contract plastic models to blow out previous years component stocks.

Looks like that's sort of where it's all heading anyway.
Looks good.

I seriously doubt Apple has ever even considered a 13" iPad, let alone tested it. You might as well carry around a portable TV, it's the stupidest idea I've ever heard. Literally the only way that would even be feasible is if they literally reduced the bezel all the way to nothing on all sides, and even then it would still be ridiculous.

As for a 7" iPhone, I can't tell if you're joking but that would be the worst thing ever haha. 6" phones are far too big even. You want 4.5-5" at the absolute maximum. After that you do not touch screen size again, because a phone bigger than that is completely idiotic. Luckily Apple knows this. I don't believe any reports above about a 4.8" iPhone testing.