Smartphones head to head: Apple iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5C vs Samsung Galaxy S4

Apple has now unleashed the latest iteration of its world-conquering smartphone but, as predicted by the rumour mill, this time round there's a twist. 

Not only do we have the anticipated yearly upgrade - with the iPhone 5S following the bi-annual evolutionary step pattern of the 3GS and 4S - but Apple devotees get a new option in the form of the iPhone 5C. 

Scuttlebutt leading up to the announcement had the 5C pegged as a budget alternative with pricing said to be in the £200-300 region, but this proved to be way off the mark and Apple has set its off-contract RRP much higher. 

In hindsight we should not have expected the 'C' to stand for 'cheap'.

Assuming you weren't one of those queuing up early doors this morning you may well be weighing up the pros and cons of a shiny new upgrade right now. But as well as considering how the new iPhone measures against its Android competition there's also the 5C into account.

How do they stack up? Let's take a look at the key features of the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C and Samsung's top-end Galaxy S4 Android superphone.

4", IPS LCD, 640 x 1136, 326 ppi4", IPS LCD, 640 x 1136, 326 ppi5", Super AMOLED, 1080 x 1920, 441 ppiBluetooth 4.0, 'Lightning' connectorBluetooth 4.0, 'Lightning' connectorBluetooth 4.0, NFC, Infrared, microUSB8MP, 3264 x 2448, dual-LED flashA-GPS & GLONASS, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassA-GPS & GLONASS, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassA-GPS & GLONASS, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, temperature, humidity250 hours standby, 10 hours talk (3G)250 hours standby, 10 hours talk (3G)370 hours standby, 17 hours talk (3G)3.5mm audio, MHL video out, Bluetooth A2DPAluminium, Corning Gorilla GlassPolycarbonate, Corning Gorilla Glass Polycarbonate, Corning Gorilla Glass 3White, yellow, green, blue, pink£549 (16GB) / £629 (32GB) / £709 (64GB)

The iPhone 5S hasn't changed a great deal from last year's model, but there are a few notable upgrades which might prove tempting.

The 'Touch ID' sensor neatly built into the 5S home button allows the user to unlock their iPhone simply by holding a finger on the sensor for a moment. Fingerprint scanners aren't new to smartphones, but Apple has done it's usual thing of improving an existing technology so it works with the minimum amount of hassle. There's been some fuss about the security provided by Touch ID, but the fact is that any determined attacker who has your phone will probably find a way in, and Touch ID will still deter a casual thief while also saving you from having to enter a code over and over again.

The camera has seen some improvements, with an increased pixel size and aperture which greatly increases its low-light capabilities, though this won't have much of a noticeable impact on daylight shots. The iPhone 5S remains one of the better smartphone cameras out there and a perfectly serviceable alternative to point and shoot cameras for most of us. 

Perhaps the most dramatic difference is on the inside: the iPhone 5S is sporting the new Apple A7 chipset, which is not only faster than before but also makes it the first smartphone to use a 64-bit architecture. Right now this isn't going to have much of an impact but in future 64-bit optimised apps should benefit from greater processing power and superior energy efficiency.

The 5C is essentially identical to last year's iPhone 5. It has much the same specification with the only real change being greater support for 4G networks which means it will work on all existing and forthcoming 4G services in the UK. 

What it does is fill the role normally held by older iPhones when a new flagship is released, providing plenty of power and features at lower cost, but this time they're trying a new marketing tactic with the bright colour scheme.

Those colourful plastic shells are a big change for Apple, of course, though as Nokia cheekily pointed out they have more than a passing resemblance to the Lumia range. 

Sadly the 5C isn't as affordable as anticipated. With prices starting at £469 it's only marginally cheaper the 5S, but then Apple has never been one to chase the budget market. It's going to be more appealing to anyone on a budget, but if you're really stuck then an older iPhone 4 or 3GS off eBay would be a better option.

Add your comment now See all >