The release of a new device in a line almost always means a price reduction on the old ones, and the iPhone is no exception – when the iPhone 6 was announced and subsequently released, the 5S fell down in price, as did some other models in Apple’s mobile line. And it’s obvious that not everyone is interested in the new iPhone 6 and what it has to offer – so does the 5S still live up to today’s standards, and is it a worthy device at its current price? Various experts have actually been looking into that in more detail lately, as, with the approach of the holidays, people have been starting to ask this question more and more often.
For a year-old device, the iPhone 5S still packs some pretty remarkable hardware, although it’s not the cheapest smartphone in the market in that power range. Apple have cut down its price by more than $100 in some regions, but there are still alternatives that will set back a buyer less than the iPhone 5S, and yet still offer a similar set of hardware features. Compared to Apple’s own latest entry in the line, the price difference makes more sense.
The iPhone 6 has a noticeable improvement in its hardware, particularly in the processor and storage capabilities – and yet, those differences should only be noticeable to power users. The latest available version of iOS still seems to work sufficiently well on the iPhone 5S, so this shouldn’t be too much of a concern – but those who want to run some more advanced apps and are looking to squeeze every bit of power out of their phone may want to drop the extra money for the iPhone 6.
Camera-wise, the iPhone 6 is a clear winner though. Apple have done a lot to improve the picture quality in the new device, and it’s not just about having better hardware – the iPhone 6 also features better processing technology that producers sharper, clearer images even under low-light conditions. Many have been praising Apple for their work on the iPhone 6’s camera, so those who like to take pictures with their phones should definitely appreciate the improvement.
Last but not least, there’s the post-release support – something which will not matter to all users, but some will find it quite important. It boils down to the fact that Apple don’t support their devices indefinitely, which means that after a certain point, the iPhone 5 won’t match the release line of the iPhone 6 with regards to iOS. Whether or not this will be a serious problem, only the actual future releases will tell – but it’s still something to keep in mind.