Related stories: Apple's iPhone 5C misses the low-cost mark 7 things to expect at Apple's Oct. 22 event CNET's take on the iPhone 5C For every iPhone 5C activation in the US, there are 1.9 iPhone 5S activations, according to mobile analytics firm Localytics. Globally, the gap widens to 2.3 iPhone 5S devices per iPhone 5C. Still, the difference is much better than a couple weeks ago when Localytics found that the iPhone 5S outpaced the iPhone 5C by a factor of 3.4. The smaller gap in the US indicates the cheaper device is more popular here than in other markets, including the much-desired developing regions, the firm said. It examined 20 million devices as part of the iPhone study. While Apple still sells a truckload of iPhones, the fate of its continued growth is a little less certain. The Cupertino, Calif., company may have invented the modern generation of touchscreen smartphones, but it faces stiff competition from companies unafraid to offer dirt-cheap, but functional, phones. … [Read more...] about Apple iPhone 5C narrows 5S’ lead in global activations
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iPhone 5S Review: A Great Phone, With a Whole Lot of Buts
The trajectory of the iPhone is, in most ways, the trajectory of Apple over the past decade. Insane ambition, untouchable dominance, the inevitable slowing of momentum. And now, reinvention, sort of. Mostly from iOS 7, partly from the iPhone 5S itself. But underneath it all, it's still just an iPhone. And that's still pretty good. The smartphone race has reached a point where Apple can no longer pad its lead simply by staying entrenched with its existing product—competition has caught and in places passed it. And that, in turn, means the phone in your pocket will be evolving a little more rapidly than it has in the past. A new software design, fingerprint unlocking, broader motion sensing, even the continued evolution of Siri—these are the sorts of leaps forward that Apple is usually content to let others test out before giving its own refined take. The result is a mixed bag. Design The iPhone 5S is literally just an iPhone 5, with a slightly different home button. It comes … [Read more...] about iPhone 5S Review: A Great Phone, With a Whole Lot of Buts
RIP iPhone SE
Yesterday, Apple treated the world to a trio of shiny new iPhones, and while it’s nice to see Apple lean into the big screen trend with the iPhone Xs Max and provide an (almost) bezel-less phone with Face ID that’s actually kind of affordable in the iPhone XR, something big things were happening behind the scenes. In the midst of all those announcements, Apple quietly removed three of the most important iPhones in recent history from its online store, including the iPhone SE. When the iPhone SE came out in the spring of 2016, it was a big deal because, even though the phone wasn’t particularly innovative, the idea of a new, purpose-built midrange device from Apple that started at just $400 was more than a welcome idea. And in today’s world of $1,000 phones, the SE—whose price had fallen to $350 in recent times—served as the lone bright spot for people who only wanted to buy a cheap iPhone. Now the only way to get a less expensive iPhone is to wait … [Read more...] about RIP iPhone SE
How the iPhone Works
The iPhone 5c debuted in 2013 at a lower price point that the iPhone 5s. Image courtesy of Apple, Inc. In January 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the Apple iPhone during his keynote address at the Macworld Conference and Expo. In its first appearance onscreen and in Jobs's hand, the phone looked like a sleek but inanimate black rectangle. Then, Jobs touched the screen. Suddenly, the featureless rectangle became an interactive surface. Jobs placed a fingertip on an on-screen arrow and slid it from left to right. When his finger moved, the arrow moved with it, unlocking the phone. To some people, this interaction between a human finger and an on-screen image -- and its effect on the iPhone's behavior -- was more amazing than all of its other features combined. And those features are plentiful. In some ways, the iPhone is more like a palmtop computer than a cellular phone. As with many smartphones, you can use it to make and receive calls, watch movies, listen to music, browse the Web, … [Read more...] about How the iPhone Works
9 Ways the iPhone Frustrated, Delighted Users in Its First Decade
iPhones have been with us for 10 years already. David Paul Morris/Justin Sullivan/AFP/Getty/Apple It's hard to believe that the iPhone has been around for a decade, especially since a pocket-sized device with the capability of an iPhone once seemed like something out of a sci-fi novel. To commemorate the iPhone's first decade, we (not-so) fondly remember some of the struggles of carrying one of these whiz-bang devices — and how Apple eventually addressed our pains. 1. Ever curse the short life of your iPhone battery? When the first iPhone came out, even checking your email sucked the battery from your phone. Apple claimed you had 250 hours of standby mode, but who spends 250 hours on standby with a phone? As models have gotten larger, the battery life seems to go up, but we're all still yearning for the nearest power outlet. 2. Raise your hand if you've lost your iPhone somewhere in the house and left it on silent mode. Finding your iPhone using the internet only became … [Read more...] about 9 Ways the iPhone Frustrated, Delighted Users in Its First Decade