GLENN ROSE
Staff Writer
Time to decide if the new iPhone is worth the money
The iPhone 5s’ new phrase is “Forward Thinking,” but what exactly is “forward” about it? First, there are the few large changes they made from the regular iPhone 5: the fingerprint reader, screen size and processor.
The fingerprint reader is a big change for mobile phone technology. This technological feature has been in laptops and secret agent movies for years, but this is the first phone released with a fingerprint lock. The screen size has changed, too. The phone itself has stayed the same, but the screen got a bit wider and a small amount longer.
Next, there is the change in processor. The iPhone 5s is running on a 64-Bit A7 chip. This makes the phone run faster and smoother without having the battery suffer as much, and with increased functionality and motion sensing technology.
Even if the battery life suffered, it is a larger battery now, so it probably would not be noticed.
However, you will notice the change in the camera. The sensor is 15 percent larger and has 33 percent more light sensitivity.
While the megapixels have stayed the same, the increased sensor size and light sensitivity will make the pictures bigger, brighter and better.
Perhaps the largest change that not yet mentioned yet is the software update to iOS7. If you have an iPhone and have updated to this, you have probably already seen all of the differences.
There are now two ways that you can slide your screen. First, there is the regular notification center which has messages, calls and social media notifications. Then, the other way has more of a control panel where you can change your phone’s settings quickly. A new operating system means a plethora of small changes, both in functionality and visual fields, that will be noticed as the product is used.
The last big change is the lighting of the screen and application icons.
Apple said that they wanted to change the appearance of the direction of the light source. Before, you could see shadows and things coming off of the apps, which made it seem like light was shining from above onto the screen.
Now the light seems like it is coming from under the screen, which makes the things on the screen seem more transparent and bright. Lastly, there are different color options now for the 5s, including black, silver and gold.
It should be mentioned that recently, Apple has admitted that the database for the fingerprint scanner is not solely their own, and can be shared with any government agency at the right price or if the need arises. To those worried about the government spying on you and knowing your every move, this idea may be problematic. However, there is no concrete answer to whether or not Apple will choose to divulge any information. It is to be considered, nonetheless.
With the iPhone 5s, the 5c is also being released. The ‘c’ stands for ‘color’, which is exactly what sets it apart. Or does it? The phone is available in a variety of vivid colors like green, blue, yellow, red and classic white.
The colors may seem enticing, but what about the fact that iPhones are notoriously easy to crack when they are dropped? There is a massive array of cases on the market that are built specifically to keep the phone safe from clumsy customers, and will simply mask the color of the phone itself. There seems to be a tradeoff, color or functionality. It is up to the customer to decide.
Nevertheless, “Forward Thinking” is an accurate slogan for this new phone. For a while, the phone was hardly changing with each upgrade, but now this it has changed a lot from the last one in the previously mentioned fundamental ways, focusing on hardware and functionality.
If you are looking for a new phone in the near future, the newest iPhone seems to be a good investment. The 5s costs about $200 with a plan from most phone providers.
