Apple iPhone 5S/5C

[Thai]

Not sure if true, but this is what i read about AMOLED screens from Samsung:

"Most of the Samsung AMOLED displays are quoted as one resolution in the specs, but only have that resolution in green and half that resolution in red and blue. The Galaxy S 4 quotes as 1080p, but it is actually 1080p in green while 540p in red and 540p in blue."

And this is what Moto X top engineers said:

"First of all, what Samsung has done with the GS4 screen is not true 1080p. Instead, Samsung is using a PenTile display. Each pixel is made up of three color sub pixels. It’s missing one of the pixels. We are using a true RGB pattern custom display that gives true color reproduction without wasting battery life.

Also, the human eye cannot discern resolution beyond 300 pixels per inch. And we exceed that. So the eye can’t even see the difference. But the human eye can see big differences in color saturation and reproduction. In fact, I’d say that is even more important than resolution. So we decided to focus on that aspect instead."

Hmm, sounds like Apple got it right afterall....

 

[Thai]

Well, Apple introduced the updates for iPads today. Surprisingly, both iPads use A7. No modifications were done. In the past, iPads would have modified iPhone chips because of increase need for graphical power on a bigger screen. For example, last year's full-size iPad came with A6x vs. iPhone 5 A6. A6x came with quad-core GPU vs. tri-core A6.

So, it seems like iPhone 5S is over-engineered from a CPU/GPU standpoint for future graphics requirements since the A7 chip clearly has enough horsepower for the iPads. This bodes well in regard to "future-proofing" a phone. In addition, this will ultimately increase re-sale value of iPhone 5S since it will be relevant for many years to come.

 

[LTDSC]

Well, Apple introduced the updates for iPads today. Surprisingly, both iPads use A7. No modifications were done. In the past, iPads would have modified iPhone chips because of increase need for graphical power on a bigger screen. For example, last year's full-size iPad came with A6x vs. iPhone 5 A6. A6x came with quad-core GPU vs. tri-core A6.

So, it seems like iPhone 5S is over-engineered from a CPU/GPU standpoint for future graphics requirements since the A7 chip clearly has enough horsepower for the iPads. This bodes well in regard to "future-proofing" a phone. In addition, this will ultimately increase re-sale value of iPhone 5S since it will be relevant for many years to come.

doesnt matter, next spring they will "leak" new chips and phone cases from China and itll be the next big thing and "blow away" the 5s. Its quite good, still not enough for me.

 

[Thai]

doesnt matter, next spring they will "leak" new chips and phone cases from China and itll be the next big thing and "blow away" the 5s. Its quite good, still not enough for me.

I don't understand what you just wrote...but i will give it a shot to explain.

The point is that A7 (and thus 5S) will be relevant for many years to come. Why? Current and future apps will be programmed in 64-bit and taking advantage of ARMv8 instructions. Thus, even though future chips (like A8) will be faster, the A7 can still work quite good. And the fact that Apple is confident enough to put A7 into their iPads unmodified means that A7 GPU has plenty of headroom, esp in a tiny iPhone. Again, will i keep my 5S beyond 2 years? Probably not. BUT, this allows my 5S to retain excellent resale value for future buyers.

In comparison, what will the top Android phones/tablets do when Android goes 64-bit next year or two? What will happen to all these high-end phones (like Note 3, G2, Nexus 5, etc.) resale value/demand? I will tell you one thing...i would NOT want any Android phone from this year once Android goes 64-bit!!! The current phones will be stuck with 2nd class performance from App developers who optimized their apps for 64-bit/ARMv8. Remember, there are plenty big time developers (Modern Combat, Real Racing, Asphalt) who are itching to use ARMv8 instructions to optimize their apps.

 

[LTDSC]

you need decaf. I will never own another apple product. Spec wise they're brilliant. OS wise they're garbage. I used to be a fanboy but you probably have a shrine of Jobs at your house.

 

[Thai]

you need decaf. I will never own another apple product. Spec wise they're brilliant. OS wise they're garbage. I used to be a fanboy but you probably have a shrine of Jobs at your house.

Why start with this? Aren't you the one coming into an Iphone thread to b1tch?! You need to pull that underwear out of your crack!

Specs? Wasn't that Android's call to fame?? No, it is Apple's software and hardware optimization that is brilliant.

Not a fanboy here...just someone who actually UNDERSTANDS the field of play. I have a Nexus 7, a PC laptop, and two iphones. I still have a Note 2 at home. I run both at home...Android and Apple.

What phone do you have?

 

[Thai]

Apple 7.0.3 update is available to download. It pretty much solves most (if not all) issues to date.

This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:

- Adds iCloud Keychain to keep track of your account names, passwords, and credit card numbers across all your approved devices
- Adds Password Generator so Safari can suggest unique, hard-to-guess passwords for your online accounts
- Updates lock screen to delay display of "slide to unlock" when Touch ID is in use
- Adds back the ability to search the web and Wikipedia from Spotlight search
- Fixes an issue where iMessage failed to send for some users
- Fixes a bug that could prevent iMessage from activating
- Improves system stability when using iWork apps
- Fixes an accelerometer calibration issue
- Addresses an issue that could cause Siri and VoiceOver to use a lower quality voice
- Fixes a bug that could allow someone to bypass the Lock screen passcode
- Enhances the Reduce Motion setting to minimize both motion and animation
- Fixes an issue that could cause VoiceOver input to be too sensitive
- Updates the Bold Text setting to also change dial pad text
- Fixes an issue that could cause supervised devices to become un-supervised when updating software

 

[-JD-]

I, for one, will be ordering the new ipad air on nov 1st. Been waiting since the ipad 4 launch for a thinner, lighter, narrower form factor.

 

[Thai]

I, for one, will be ordering the new ipad air on nov 1st. Been waiting since the ipad 4 launch for a thinner, lighter, narrower form factor.

For me and my kids, it will be iPad Mini next year, probably 64 or 128GB wifi only.

 

[-JD-]

For me and my kids, it will be iPad Mini next year, probably 64 or 128GB wifi only.

They've definitely made the mini a tempting offer with the retina display and the A7. I just feel like for my needs I still prefer the larger screen size as it will often be used for watching video and playing games. Fills the gap between iPhone and laptop size perfectly for me.

 

[Thai]

They've definitely made the mini a tempting offer with the retina display and the A7. I just feel like for my needs I still prefer the larger screen size as it will often be used for watching video and playing games. Fills the gap between iPhone and laptop size perfectly for me.

I may wait next year for the TouchID to come to iPad because i think that this would be very good for my kids to bring to school. Schools have limited amount of iPads...so, some kids bring their home iPads to school. I have not decided if i would let my kids do this, but TouchID would deter theft (i hope).

 

[Thai]

iBeacon info: How Apple's iBeacon Could Upend Retail Shopping | PCMag.com

In other words, NFC and Google Wallet are dying technologies. AirDrop + iBeacon make NFC/GW obsolete. As noted above, many big names (Paypal, MLB, malls) are jumping all over iBeacon...something that NFC has always dreamed about but never materialized.

 

[Thai]

Apple is way ahead of competition in regards to 64-bit and ARMv8. This is from horse's mouth: ARM: Apple Is Way Ahead on 64 Bit | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Quotes:
"We've always said that the 32-bit mode on 64-bit is very efficient," Drew said. "Well, guess what - we've just seen some of that. It is really efficient."
More mobile devices will demand 64-bit performance in the future, especially for video editing and games, Drew said.

Drew said not just physical chipbuilding, but "software" may stand in the way of other devices supporting ARM's 64-bit architectures. "It depends on when OEMs want to go take [64-bit chips,]" he said. "It's not just about when the chips come to market. It's about when the software's going to be there, and can you handle the software and tools."

While Android's Linux kernel supports 64-bit processing, other aspects of the OS haven't yet been optimized for 64 bit.

It sounds like Apple is at least six months ahead of the competition with its 64-bit processor. Drew said he's checked out the A7, and while it isn't a stock ARM part, it represents the 64-bit ARM world well.
-------------------------------------------------
This should end all discussions on whether A7 is a gimmick or not. Apple beat everyone by a long shot! And as pointed out by ARM chief, ARMv8 64-bit A7 is a damn fine chip.

 

[-JD-]

"Scamsung" has apparently been hiring people to post comments online praising their products and making negative comments about competitors.

Samsung fined $340,000 for faking online comments

 

[Thai]

Well, it looks like iBeacon is taking off rapidly: Apple's Location-Tracking iBeacon Poised for Retail Sales Use - Businessweek

It is gonna be huge! NFC will die. Google/Android will soon be force to adopt this software.

 

[Thai]

This was an article before the release of iPhone 5S. It goes into details about past failures with fingerprint readers and what has changed. It is a rather interesting article detailing Apple's quest and acquisition of Authentec...and how Apple's patent in this field fixes (hopefully) the flaws of previous fingerprint readers.

Link: Apple, Inc. gets its fingerprints on advanced touch sensor, appears difficult for Android to copy

And personally, i have found that Apple fingerprint read (TouchID) does indeed work very well. Due to skin condition, my wife's fingerprints are very hard to read. Therefore, no fingerprint readers at her hospital or at Bank of America can read her fingerprints. (I have personally seen these readers fail with her.) No reader has ever been reliable with her fingers.

BUT, on my iPhone, TouchID was able to read her fingerprint and stored it. And when she touches the Home button, my iPhone was able to read her finger 100% of the time at any orientation! Trying other (UNregistered) fingers did not unlock the phone.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

First, let me say that I am a fan of Apple. I own a lot of Apple products (2 iPhone 4s's, 3rd gen iPod, 4th gen iPod (Classic), 2nd gen iPad, 1st gen Apple TV, 13" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, brand new Mac Mini).

So, it is safe to say I am not here to "crap" on Apple.

Having said that, this iteration of the iPhone (and more importantly iOS) better be a home run. The last 2 two iOS updates, combined with the generally poor performance of BOTH of my iPhones is not settling well with me. SIM card failures/issues, lock ups, sloooooow performance, app instability.....the list goes on. I will be giving Apple one last shot with the new phone.

I truly believe we are witnessing the initial slide in the attention to detail, top build quality, leading innovation and second to none customer service that was once the foundation of what drove Apple to the top. Having recently dealt with Apple support, I can say their ability to help and general helpfulness has slipped considerably.

All told, I really do hope they turn this around. Putting profits first is what everybody else did, not Apple. They keep this going you will see the big white Apple tumble.

Disclaimer: I'm not an Android guy either, had 4 different Android phones and I was never impressed with them either. But that fact alone does not excuse Apple for the erosion of their core values; Customer First.

The iPhone 5 (what I have) was 40% faster than the 4S by itself. You can't complain about something being slow when it's old technology. I mean that's like expecting a totaled vehicle to drive like it did the day it was driven out of the factory. It won't be the same. Electronics don't last as long as they should. An old processor is just that: old. Older it gets, the newer technology comes out & gets faster. You can't expect an iPhone 3GS to keep up with the graphics of a 5/5C/5S.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

I myself have a black iPhone 5 32 GB. I don't see any reason for me to upgrade to a 5S or 5C (The only thing different from the 5 & 5C is the battery is a tiny bit bigger & the front facing camera is now 1.9MP). My mom on the other hand, I'm going to get her a 5C (She doesn't want the 5S) in that pink color, possibly blue. She currently has an iPhone 4 & it doesn't run iOS 7 worth a shit. Processor is too old, period.

 

[Thai]

The iPhone 5 (what I have) was 40% faster than the 4S by itself. You can't complain about something being slow when it's old technology. I mean that's like expecting a totaled vehicle to drive like it did the day it was driven out of the factory. It won't be the same. Electronics don't last as long as they should. An old processor is just that: old. Older it gets, the newer technology comes out & gets faster. You can't expect an iPhone 3GS to keep up with the graphics of a 5/5C/5S.

Well, bigNugh won't listen to reason! Don't forget he claims to have upgrades that he could have used, but refused to do so...instead, he prefers to whine about it like sour grapes!

I myself have a black iPhone 5 32 GB. I don't see any reason for me to upgrade to a 5S or 5C (The only thing different from the 5 & 5C is the battery is a tiny bit bigger & the front facing camera is now 1.9MP). My mom on the other hand, I'm going to get her a 5C (She doesn't want the 5S) in that pink color, possibly blue. She currently has an iPhone 4 & it doesn't run iOS 7 worth a shit. Processor is too old, period.

With iOS 7.0.3 update recently, your mom needs to turn off all animations (GENERAL --> ACCESSIBILITY --> REDUCED MOTION ON). This should help older phones with slower processors. With no animations, iOS7 becomes very much like iOS6 with flat icons, different colors, and Control Center.

(On another note, i think that Apple 7.0.3 update showed that Apple does indeed listen to their customers more now than in the past during Jobs era.)

To save battery, i turned off animation like above. In addition, i turned off these: (GENERAL --> RESTRICTIONS --> LOCATION SERVICES)
1. Diagnostics & Usage
2. Location-based iAds
3. Popular Near Me
4. Frequent Locations

I am also very selective with Location Services and which apps have GPS access. BACKGROUND APP REFRESH is also limited to only certain apps that truly needs it...for me, Strava Run and Weather only. (I don't check stocks.) I also limit Spotlight Search to things i care about.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[Thai]

Just how powerful is Apple A7 processor?

Anandtech's review of iPad Air: AnandTech | The iPad Air Review

Quotes:

With Cyclone Apple is in a completely different league. As far as I can tell, peak issue width of Cyclone is 6 instructions. That’s at least 2x the width of Swift and Krait, and at best more than 3x the width depending on instruction mix.

Cyclone appears to be the widest ARM architecture we’ve ever seen at this point. I’m talking wider than Qualcomm’s Krait 400 (S800) and even ARM’s Cortex A15.

As Brian found out in his investigation after the iPad event last week all three devices use the exact same silicon with the exact same internal model number: S5L8960X. There are no extra cores, no change in GPU configuration and the biggest one: no increase in memory bandwidth.

This is the first Apple SoC that’s able to deliver good amounts of memory bandwidth to all consumers. A single CPU core can use up 8GB/s of bandwidth. I’m still vetting other SoCs, but so far I haven’t come across anyone in the ARM camp that can compete with what Apple has built here. Only Intel is competitive.

You can see the 5s throttles back its CPU frequency to about 1GHz after the 2 minute mark. The crazy thing is that until that point the 5s manages to run at full frequency without so much as a hiccup for two full minutes, running an incredibly power hungry task. Given that most iOS apps aren’t this power intensive for such a sustained period of time, iPhone 5s users should almost always see the A7 running at a full 1.3GHz. Pretty crazy.

There's definitely a ton of headroom left in the design.