New iPhones Still Expected to Launch in June/July, Fingerprint Sensor for iPhone 5S?

[Tyrion]

I can't deny the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 4 were on-part or not better than their competition. But Android has come a long way.

Exactly, and in way they're ahead now. The HTC One has

- a superior build (unibody aluminium)
- superior camera features (Zoe), maybe even superior IQ
- a more useful home screen concept (Blinkfeed looks amazing)
- a better screen
- a significantly faster SOC
- more RAM to allow actual multitasking
- IR functionality
- stereo speakers

I mean, not all of these features - which I assembled off the top of my head - immediately appeal to me. But it shows that HTC are at least trying to push forward, and those who criticize Android manufacturers for a purported over-reliance on "specs" should stop to think. Aluminium unibody, Zoe, Blinkfeed, IR, more RAM - these aren't just "specs", they're actual features that make using the phone more pleasant, more fun, more efficient. Apple used to be at the forefront when it comes to this kind of stuff.

What did Apple offer in the iPhone 5? More speed, a slightly taller and still undersized screen with lackluster PPI, an imperceptibly improved camera and an aluminium back. Wow. And iOS 6? Stagnation.
And now the 5S is supposedly more of the same? Even Android's detractors must admit that this simply wouldn't stack up well to the current Android flagships.

 

[jasvncnt]

Yeah you have the right to write here, as everyone else. But if you dont like something ignore it and choose what you want. We all know what samsung Phone has. Your comment is useless and in my opinion stupid. You dont understand the apple philosophy, its clear. I have never ever, entered in android forum to explain why iphone is better than S3 and ill never do it. Dnt know why android fans have the need to do it....S3 has more megapixels, more inches, more funcionality and conectivity, Apple dont thing that those aspects make one phone a great phone, accepte it.

And before say something, I have android and idont like it and the only ason i haveit is because its is cheap and it makes calls and has whatsapp.

I think some of the people talking Android aren't necessarily "Android Fans". I think some of them are not so close minded and can see value in others besides Apple. Yes this is an Apple forum. But I don't see a problem if someone compares Apple to any other smart phone comapny. I'm not going to say which one is better because that is a personal preference. But for me at this time I prefer Android. Im not going to list reasons why I feel that way because it should not matter.

P.S. Practice what you preach

 

[Rogifan]

Exactly, and in way they're ahead now. The HTC One has

- a superior build (unibody aluminium)
- superior camera features (Zoe), maybe even superior IQ
- a more useful home screen concept (Blinkfeed looks amazing)
- a better screen
- a significantly faster SOC
- more RAM to allow actual multitasking
- IR functionality
- stereo speakers

I mean, not all of these features - which I assembled off the top of my head - immediately appeal to me. But it shows that HTC are at least trying to push forward, and those who criticize Android manufacturers for a purported over-reliance on "specs" should stop to think. Aluminium unibody, Zoe, Blinkfeed, IR, more RAM - these aren't just "specs", they're actual features that make using the phone more pleasant, more fun, more efficient. Apple used to be at the forefront when it comes to this kind of stuff.

What did Apple offer in the iPhone 5? More speed, a slightly taller and still undersized screen with lackluster PPI, an imperceptibly improved camera and an aluminium back. Wow. And iOS 6? Stagnation.
And now the 5S is supposedly more of the same? Even Android's detractors must admit that this simply wouldn't stack up well to the current Android flagships.

So an aluminum unibody back is WOW but an aluminum/glass back is meh? Have you actually used an HTC One to where you can say definitively the build quality is better? I haven't seen one in person so can't say. What's lackluster about the iPhone display? Couldn't one argue 1080p on a smartphone is overkill? It might look impressive on a spec sheet but if you compared a One to iPhone 5 would you really notice the difference? Maybe you can. Again I haven't seen one in person and compared to the 5 side by side so can't say.

I'd like to see HTC do well. I think their phones look a lot nicer than anything coming from Samsung or Motorola. But without Samsung's marketing budget not sure how they compete. When the S4 comes out the One will be all but forgotten sadly.

 

[Razeus]

If this is true, then my iPhone 4S is the last iPhone I'll ever own. Hello to HTC One or Samsung S4. Geez.

 

[jasvncnt]

I still cant believe Apple hasn't added an SD card slot yet. The only reason I can see is they may lose some sales on the larger capacity devices.

 

[SONiC5]

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't feel comfortable with my finger prints being stored on a phone and potentially uploaded somewhere without my knowledge. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but it isn't a feature I'd use.

 

[Dwalls90]

The iPhone 5 has the same thickness.. 7.6mm
So it's not actually THINNER^^

Oh okay, so they're going to keep the iPhone 5 name and make it thicker? That's confusing.

 

[Rogifan]

Apple needs to step up their game. Every new Phone this year has a better Camera- thats nothing special.

If you don't want to update the Design (Apple should at least consider updating the Aluminum chassis and make it harder to scratch ) fine- but at least bump the goddamn battery size...

Do something, that is a real reason to buy the 5s.

It just feels so lazy...Other Companies design a whole new product in One year (compare the HTC One X to the HTC One) AND they improve the specs.

Why is it so important that a phone is re-designed every year? Especially when many people are on 2 year contracts. For me where Apple seems to be falling behind is in software and services, not hardware. That's where we need to see improvements, IMO.

 

[Tyrion]

So an aluminum unibody back is WOW but an aluminum/glass back is meh? Have you actually used an HTC One to where you can say definitively the build quality is better? I haven't seen one in person so can't say. What's lackluster about the iPhone display? Couldn't one argue 1080p on a smartphone is overkill? It might look impressive on a spec sheet but if you compared a One to iPhone 5 would you really notice the difference? Maybe you can. Again I haven't seen one in person and compared to the 5 side by side so can't say.

I'd like to see HTC do well. I think their phones look a lot nicer than anything coming from Samsung or Motorola. But without Samsung's marketing budget not sure how they compete. When the S4 comes out the One will be all but forgotten sadly.

No, I haven't held one in my hands, and my preference for the One's exterior design over that of the iPhone 5 is admittedly subjective. That said, as an MBP-user I appreciate unibody designs and think they do have certain objective advantages.

To me, 1080p is not overkill at all. For one, being able to watch HD content in its native resolution on a phone, without any black bars, is awesome. I also think there's room for improvement in the PPI department; to me at least there's still a jump in quality going from ca. 330 PPI to 440 PPI.

I agree with your points about Samsung though. In a way, it's not even a contest, they've already beaten HTC, no matter how good the One and the S IV are respectively. Still, I might not be a huge fan of Samsung's design approaches, but they're certainly pushing the envelope in a way Apple haven't for quite a while. Sure, they're in a position where they have to do that, Apple aren't just yet, but I do appreciate their spirit. They really try to add valuable features to their Android phones, and some of that stuff is pretty cool (if they manage to implement eye scrolling I'll be truly wowed).

 

[jasvncnt]

Why is it so important that a phone is re-designed every year? Especially when many people are on 2 year contracts. For me where Apple seems to be falling behind is in software and services, not hardware. That's where we need to see improvements, IMO.

I can only speak for myself but I get bored very quickly lol. I dont stay with one phone..or much anything else very long. If I have the same phone for a year that's a long time for me. I like change.

 

[iPusch]

Oh okay, so they're going to keep the iPhone 5 name and make it thicker? That's confusing.

:-/ okk now I am confused. Why are you confused?
You are supposed to be brightened^^

 

[littyboy]

ITCHING to upgrade my 4s, but seriously Apple?

Just ditch this whole new phone one year and the same phone with an S the next year. You're starting to fall behind your competition.

Who gives a **** about a fingerprint sensor.... listen to your god damn consumers for once...

 

[Gix1k]

I certainly hope that Apple doesn't release a 5s that's behind the S3 with the S4 coming out this month. The 5s MUST be more of a change than the 4/4s.

 

[wellred]

The changes required are more than just HW IMO. The OS needs to evolve several steps forward. When we first saw iOS it was a breath of fresh air and for a long time Apple were sitting in front with Android playing catch up. Android have caught up now and Apple have been seemingly twiddling their thumbs releasing minor updates.

eg the whole concept of widgets on Android is great. You can slap a news or social feed widget and not have to go into that app to see whats happening.

 

[Dwalls90]

:-/ okk now I am confused. Why are you confused?
You are supposed to be brightened^^

The spec sheet on the front page says iPhone 5 is one thickness and iPhone 5S another. Thus either the iPhone 5S is thinner or the iPhone 5 is getting thicker.

 

[bdkennedy1]

Apple doesn't do a full processor upgrade for an "S" model. It would be the A6X processor in the iPad 4.

 

[ksnell]

Fingerprint sensor = Passbook mobile wallet

Am I the only one that thinks the fingerprint sensor is going to turn Passbook into a mobile wallet for your credit/debit cards? Its much more secure than a stolen credit card with a fake signature/no signature required at all.

 

[iPusch]

The spec sheet on the front page says iPhone 5 is one thickness and iPhone 5S another. Thus either the iPhone 5S is thinner or the iPhone 5 is getting thicker.

The current iPhone is 7,6mm so it ain't gonna be thinner.
It will stay the same and the low cost model will be thicker.

 

[sp00]

1080p on a small smart phone is overkill. 300 dpi is print standard and you can't see any pixelation with the human eye. Retina is already beyond that. If you want full native 1080p on a smartphone, you will not scientifically see the difference. It will however use up more battery power and maybe give you bragging rights.

 

[alexgowers]

I don't get what apple is currently doing with their future products.

I know they are massively successful and I have an iphone 5 myself.

If I were apple I would make two phones but not budget and expensive, instead large and small.

The same way the ipad mini and original are different you could have two models of phone as some want larger and some want the same size. They could be two totally unique products and would not be pandering to consumers needs.

It should really be

1) 3.8 inch 3:2 aspect screen with plastic body and cheaper price point like 3G if you will

2) 5 inch 3:2 aspect monster screen, metal body with double iphone 4s resolution, The extra size would let apple create a thinner body with a much bigger battery too!

These two phones would then just be called iphone (6th gen) and iphone mini (1st gen) The mini would provide better value if you need iOS but there is always an option for the bigger brother for those who want to have a more tablet like experience without the issue of carrying it in a pocket.

I honestly think apple could continue to kill the market with this kind of prospect.

 

[Jimbo47]

Once again as with every other iPhone rumor: Everybody saying the finger print sensor is a stupid gimmick will have one on launch day. I had a sensor on my laptop and loved it. I would be happy if its integrated with the app store (i.e. scanning finger print rather than typing in my password each time I download an app). I'm a 4S owner so I'll probably be upgrading regardless.

 

[Tyrion]

Apple doesn't do a full processor upgrade for an "S" model. It would be the A6X processor in the iPad 4.

The 4S got the A5, the 4 only had an A4. That certainly qualifies as a full processor upgrade.

 

[3282868]

So far NFC is not relevant. What use would it be at the moment?
Passbook is already a lame duck, completely useless in most countries.
No need to bloat the phone with more features that are only used by a tiny minority.

It's a shame as outside North America it is used quite often. For example, while in Japan I used my phone there for purchases ranging from meals to vending machines to big items. Contrary to what people believe, it's a secure system that's been in use for many years.

I recall Visa and MC executives going on record that NFC enabled pay-systems were to be deployed last year, before the iPhone 5 launch (course they hinted Apple's device as being the NFC device referenced). Apparently Apple wanted a percentage of all NFC transactions, and negotiations between Apple and U.S. banks fell flat. According to various sources, a few iPhone 5 models had NFC capability but were not released. "Passbook" was meant to be a combo barcode and NFC digital wallet. It's a shame, I know a lot of people (including myself) who want this functionality.

 

[powers74]

If a fingerprint sensor is stupid this is even more gimmicky.

Probably pretty processor-intensive as well.

 

[Rogifan]

I agree with your points about Samsung though. In a way, it's not even a contest, they've already beaten HTC, no matter how good the One and the S IV are respectively. Still, I might not be a huge fan of Samsung's design approaches, but they're certainly pushing the envelope in a way Apple haven't for quite a while. Sure, they're in a position where they have to do that, Apple aren't just yet, but I do appreciate their spirit. They really try to add valuable features to their Android phones, and some of that stuff is pretty cool (if they manage to implement eye scrolling I'll be truly wowed).

I have the opposite reaction with Samsung. I think they're popular right now because they've spent a ********* of $$ carpet bombing anything and everything with advertising. And all the tech geeks out there that love to hate Apple have found a friend in Samsung. But things could change for Samsung because as we've seen with Apple, what goes up also comes down.