The iPhone 5S Club

[nilk]

I thought I was going to be in the 5s club but man, once you get the 6 Plus, there is no going back. The 5s looks so small and the screen very dated compared to the 6 and 6 Plus. The extra contrast ratio and curved glass makes the 6 really pop. The 5 really shrinks once you use the 6 or Plus for a couple of weeks. It's crazy.

I have a 6. When I pick up my wife's 5S or my old 4S, they really do feel small -- but they feel great, like a true portable device that feels nice in your hand, especially when you have a good grippy case on them. While the 6 feels like it's trying to be more of a tablet-like device that happens to fit in your pocket. The 5S is the phone you want to use when you are on the go -- pull it out, do what you need to and then put it back in your pocket. You're not going to worry about it falling out of your hand, so you'll feel comfortable using it in a lot more situations. With the 6, you'll want to set it down a table to use if you can. I bet this even more exaggerated with the 6+.

The screen on the 6/6+ are really an improvement, though. Photos and video look excellent. I mentioned camera improvements as a reason to stick with the 6, but many photos taken with my 4S look just as good as those taken with the 6, when I view them on my 6.

 

[jenni122701]

Im actually just now getting a 5s. It arrives via FedEx tomorrow. Im very excited and I will be with my 5s for about 2 years, so Im def gonna be part of the club!

 

[Gincoma]

Im joining this club, I like the look and feel of the 5s, but Im going to get the 6s Plus next year when it comes out with 2gb of ram

 

[unagimiyagi]

In terms of purely unique devices, the 5s stands alone even among Android phones today.

The 6, it's basically the iOS version of the android flagships, and you can say this because the android flagships (s5, htc one) all came out years before.

So it's natural to compare the 6 to Android flagships...and when you do so, I fail to see what's special about the 6.

Worse battery
Lower resolution
Not any better one-handed, larger than it needs to be
Less features for sure, and it's natural that when you carry around a larger devices you expect/hope for more features
Still way more expensive

The 5s was a more unique device. I do not believe that Apple wanted to compromise one-handedness, but they had to because their other choice was to sell the iphone 6 with a 4" screen and compromise their bank accounts!

 

[Fzang]

This calculation is with a 7% tax rate.

New iPhone 6: $695
Selling iPhone 5S: -$325
Paying a difference of $370
New iPhone 6S: $695
Selling iPhone 6: -$375 (6 and 6S will look the same so doesn't lose value as much)
Paying a difference of $320

Total cost of new iPhone every year: $690

New iPhone 6S: $695
Selling iPhone 5S: $200

Total cost for waiting until next year to upgrade: $495

About a $195 difference

Hmm, interesting I'll just continue to upgrade every year then, haha.

 

[tvbi]

Hmm, interesting I'll just continue to upgrade every year then, haha.

I just bought a 1-week old iPhone 6 for $575, and about to sell my 5S for $360 later today. So the difference for me is like $40.

 

[yinz]

So, who is staying in the iPhone 5S club?

Just typing that I realise it sounds like S-Club... okay so everyone's moving over to the 6 or 6 Plus now?

Anyway, I'm staying as an iPhone 5S club member. For a couple of reasons and was wondering if anyone was thinking the same as me?

• I haven't had my 5s for that long, not quite been a year yet
• Not keen on the 6/6 Plus design like the corners and design on the back
• Costs a lot of money for a brand new phone (granted most phones are expensive anyway)
• Happy on my current contract as is

Anyone else's thoughts?

I just bought a 5S when the 6 came out. I've recently come back from an experiment with a 4.7" Android. Even with Android's smaller bezels, the 4.7" display just jabbed into my thigh when I'm seated. I don't like taking my phone out of my pocket every time I sit. It feels like someone might think I'm trying to show off my phone. What I'm actually doing is avoiding discomfort.

It made me realize that the 4" display is really as big as I want my phone. I hope they don't discontinue the 4" display. I'm waiting for the hipsters to bring it back. If the trend stays, I'll probably stay with the 4" display until the bezels shrink to nothing.

 

[....]

I just purchased a new, unlocked 16 GB iPhone 5s for $350. This will be my first iOS device. Although the 6 looks great, I just don't feel comfortable about spending over $400 on a smartphone.

Currently use a Nexus 5. If I like the 5s, I'll probably sell the Nexus 5 or vice versa.

Apple really should have a decent entry level, contract-less iPhone to compete with lower end Android devices. The Nexus 5 with its 445 ppi display was half the price of the iPhone 5s a year ago even though they are somewhat comparable spec-wise. The current retail price point of the 5s is still pretty high and the 5c is a joke for $450.

 

[poncekim]

I just purchased a new, unlocked 16 GB iPhone 5s for $350. This will be my first iOS device. Although the 6 looks great, I just don't feel comfortable about spending over $400 on a smartphone.

Currently use a Nexus 5. If I like the 5s, I'll probably sell the Nexus 5 or vice versa.

Apple really should have a decent entry level, contract-less iPhone to compete with lower end Android devices. The Nexus 5 with its 445 ppi display was half the price of the iPhone 5s a year ago even though they are somewhat comparable spec-wise. The current retail price point of the 5s is still pretty high and the 5c is a joke for $450.

Sorry as a shareholder I completely disagree

Look what is happening to Samsung. They are getting killed on the high end by Apple and the low end by Chinese phones. If Apple made a low end phone it would cannibalize sales of the high end phones and be a net negative for the company.

Apple does have decent entry level phones - you just bought one. The model is to keep older models and price them lower. Also, you can always get a one year old phone used if you don't want to spend full price.

I'm sticking with my 5s. I have had large android phones and love the size and one handed use of the 5s. I will not be getting a 6 or 6s. Phone is too large and imo ugly. Just looks like all the other android phones but with larger bezels.

I am hoping Apple realizes there is still a big market for 4 inch phones and creates a 6 mini or a 7 mini with top line specs in the future.

 

[....]

How so? Part of the attraction of the iPhone is the experience of iOS. Samsung has to compete with a variety of other manufacturers of Android devices. A low end iPhone could potentially expand the user-base and marketshare of iOS. There will always be a demand for the next high end iPhone.

What is lacking is a decent entry level model at a good price point. The 5c is overpriced and a a bad value period, and I would not call the 5s an entry level phone. The base model retails for $550.

The gum-stick iPod shuffle, which I still use, was what first got me hooked on iTunes. Yeah maybe Apple didn't turn a large profit and it certainly didn't fit the image of the iPod brand but it captured my interest in apple products.

 

[quickcalibre]

Yeah, I'm staying with the 5s for a while.

I think the big screen is the biggest change, and it's like, do I reallllly need that? It's nice, but to spend a large sum of money on? Nope.

The nfc won't work in england for a long time, the speed is like 10% and battery improvements not by much unless going for the gigantic 6+, which to me is not really a phone anymore, not that I have anything against that.

 

[NiCk-]

I was an iPhone 4 user for the past 4 years and I waited for the release of the iPhone 6 in order to upgrade .. However, the big size of the iPhone 6 turned me away and so I chose to buy an iPhone 5s ..

At the beginning I had my doubts about buying a year old product but after a week of using the 5s I couldn't be happier ! I will definitely be using it for the next 2-3 years and hopefully by then Apple will return to 4'' screens !

 

[bushido]

I know I should wait for the 6S. My guts even tell me to but I am a victim of impatience ^^

 

[TWD98j]

I'm staying a member of the 5S club too. I actually fancy the "S" cycle iPhones, as I had a 3GS that I got on launch day in June 2009 and held onto until the 4S came along in October 2011. Then I held onto the 4S until the 5S came out last September.

I don't jump onto first generation hardware though because it seems like there are always issues of some sort. The 4 had antenna problems, the 5 had scuff problems, and now the 6 has bending problems. The "S" version usually serves to correct such issues while improving the phone's performance.

I could have traded my 5S in and gotten a 6 for practically nothing or a 6+ for like $100, but I chose not to. Yes I miss out on the bigger screen, but many of the features the 6 touts over the 5S are still in their infancy (i.e. Apple Pay) or unavailable to me due to carrier support (VoLTE).

The bigger screen would be nice, but I guess I can't miss what I never had to begin with. At the end of the day, the 5S still has A7, 64 bit, Touch ID, and runs iOS 8 great.

The 5S might be modest, but is still quite capable. I'm going to stick with my 5S until the 6S comes along, then I'll become part of that club.

 

[Max(IT)]

I'm staying with the 5S for a single reason: money.
I'm satisfied with my iPhone, but I like the 6 more...

----------

I never cared for a 4.7" screen as I maintain that it'll be too big. The moto x is the only phone of that size that is one-handable. Apple's is the largest 4.7" phone out there.

That's the iphone 6's flagship feature. Since I don't care about that, I'll hang onto my 5s and ride it out for as long as I can. Eventually I'll have to convert to a bigger screen I'm sure.

And I'll still look at the iphone 6 in person. Aftewards who knows, I may completely reverse course but I'm not planning on it because of the size.

I'd strongly suggest to look at an iPhone 6 in person. You'll change your mind about iPhone 6 dimensions. It's not too big.

 

[Wild-Bill]

Count me in. Sticking with my 5s. I "auditioned" the 6 @ the store, did side by side comparisons. The 6 felt cheap to me, while the 5s feels solid. I also have no burning desire to move to iOS 8.

I think they are trying to be more sustainable with aluminum. It would explain a great many things: high trade in values on older i-things, the fact they made the iPad Air 2 thinner for no obvious reason (and completely hosed the user experience in the process b/c it resonates so badly when music is played).

 

[Max(IT)]

For the reasons why many people didn't upgrade the iPhone 5 to the 5s, I think it doesn't make sense to go to the 5s to the 6. Cost, is probably the biggest reason.

Though it seems the differences between the 5s to the 6 seem bigger and could be tempting

I think screen estate is a bigger driver than 64-bit support and TouchID, for many.
On my part, I'd just like to have the latest iPhone, but right now I can't.
Let see what happens after Christmas....

----------

In terms of purely unique devices, the 5s stands alone even among Android phones today.

The 6, it's basically the iOS version of the android flagships, and you can say this because the android flagships (s5, htc one) all came out years before.

So it's natural to compare the 6 to Android flagships...and when you do so, I fail to see what's special about the 6.

Worse battery
Lower resolution
Not any better one-handed, larger than it needs to be
Less features for sure, and it's natural that when you carry around a larger devices you expect/hope for more features
Still way more expensive

The 5s was a more unique device. I do not believe that Apple wanted to compromise one-handedness, but they had to because their other choice was to sell the iphone 6 with a 4" screen and compromise their bank accounts!

Yet have to see an android flagship like the iPhone 6.
Only the HTC One M8 has a similar feel....

You point are debatable.
Worse battery? False, its battery life is amongst the best.
Lower resolution? False, iPhone 6 has slightly higher resolution than comparable high end droids like galaxy alpha or Z3 Compact.
Less features? Did you mean less gimmicks?

 

[AlliFlowers]

I'm staying with my 5S. Both the 6 and 6+ are just too big. I'm hoping that next year Apple offers 3 sizes, so that those of us who are happy with the current size can upgrade.

 

[rjalda100]

I still have my 5s. It hasn't even been a year since I got it so there isn't really a point in upgrading, especially since there isn't anything wrong with it.

 

[JayIsAwesome]

I was in the 5S club from September 2013 - September 2014. It served me well but I had to lay it to rest and get the 6+. The screen size is what brought me in. The 5s wasn't and still isn't a bad phone. But for me, it was just too small to do any actual work on it...at least for me. Nice camera tho.

 

[Ryan0751]

Can't bring myself to do it just yet, and am keeping the 5S.

Surely a large phone would be nicer, but when I look at how much I use my phone today... I use it on the train to work for 17 minutes, and here and there otherwise.

When at work, I'm on a computer all day, at home, another computer or I have my iPad handy.

Then there is the contracts, which are so annoying. Last year I also picked up the Air with AT&T, and that stupidly put me on a 2 year contract (ridiculous, since I purchased the device non-subsidized).

I've thought of leaving AT&T entirely and doing something cheaper like T-Mobile, but I don't know if I feel like dealing with the ETF's and getting re-imbursed and all of that, and they would only cover the phone and not the iPad plan.

 

[stardozer13]

May I join?? I have the 5C and won't be getting the 6 for 2 more yrs.

 

[iPH0NE 3GS]

iPhone 3GS CLUB WHO IS IN ??

 

[Apple...]

1. I have only had my Silver 64GB 5S since May
2. I use Straight Talk, so I buy unlocked
3. Because I buy unlocked, and require at least 64GB of storage, it's a tad expensive
4. I like the 5S form factor
5. iPhone 6 has only 1GB RAM :-(

 

[ssl0408]

I was in the 5S club but I'm not anymore!! I hated the small, narrow screen. I love the size of the 6, and its widescreen is awesome!! Also, I had a white/silver 5S and grew tired of it. Now I have the space gray and love it.
I upgraded after 10 months and I'm happy that I did. You know you want the 6!!