The Apple iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s, already released in regions such as Canada and the U.S., sold out within minutes, with people lining up for days to get their hands on the new devices.
Apple-iphone
.jpg "I Phone5 C/S in india from November 1...")
In India, it's not common for people do this. In fact, it's completely unheard of. In contrast, diehard Apple fans would have better luck finding a new iPhone on the gray market, for prices up to 100,000 rupees (US$1,627), and yes, people have paid that much, if not more, for these new devices.
Launching 2013's most anticipated smartphone comes with its perils and pleasures. Simultaneously launching a second handset targeting a completely new demographic, for the first time in your company's history, is brave as it is hazardous. However, as we've come to expect from the most Marmite tech company in the world, if anyone can pull it off, it's Apple.
ON NOV 1:
IPHONES5 C/S ARE GOING TO RELEASE IN
Albania, Armenia, Bahrain, Colombia, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, India, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates
Since the iPhone 5s and cheaper iPhone 5c were unveiled, we've spent every waking (and sometimes sleeping) minute putting the first iOS 7-out-of-the-box devices through their paces.
The iPhone 5s is Apple’s most powerful phone to date and potentially the most game-changing iPhone it’s launched in six years. We say potentially as, for it to change the way we think about mobile, Apple's going to need a helping hand along the way. We'll come onto that.
With big name rivals like the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Sony Xperia Z to compete against, the new iPhone certainly has a lot of work to do…
iPhone 5s: Features
Unquestionably, the standout features of the iPhone 5s are its newest hardware inclusions and upgrades, namely Touch ID, the M7 motion co-processor, 64-bit architecture and the all-new iSight camera. These are not only what differentiate it from the previous iPhone 5, but justify its place as the flagship iPhone when compared to the iPhone 5c.
Now, fingerprint scanning is a pretty boring subject and our only real day-to-day experience of using the technology is with those digit readers built into laptops – a slide-to-unlock affair that worked 60% of the time.
So, when Apple bought AuthenTec, spawning rumours of similar technology being integrated into its devices, we weren’t exactly enamoured. However, Apple has done its age-old trick of turning a dull feature into something resembling sexy.
Introduced to replace passcode authentication for unlocking the phone and making iTunes purchases, Touch ID is a joy to use. The sensor is built right into the Home button and registration of a thumb, finger or both – five digits can be registered – takes about a minute using a most-pleasing enrolment system.
Once recorded, Touch ID has 360-degree, readability of registered digits, meaning it’ll unlock your phone no matter what way up you’re holding the handset. The key selling point, however, is the simplicity and speed of identification.
What many people outside of India may not realize is that Apple doesn't have any official Apple stores or vendors across India to begin with. Basically, their products are picked up by merchants who are willing to stock their shelves with Apple products, and usually, these are high end retailers in malls. Walk into any of the mobile shops in the bazaars and markets in New Delhi, and very rarely, you'll find an Apple product. Instead, they're stocked up with India-made Nokia and Samsung devices, which sell really well, along with Indian devices too.
In spite of this, Apple still has a loyal following in India, and on November 1, the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s will be released across India, reports The Times of India. Leading telecom operators Airtel and Reliance Communications will be selling the new Apple devices in India, as Airtel is already accepting pre-registration. Market source indicates prices have been set for the iPhone 5c, starting at 41,900 rupees (US$682) for the 16 GB variant, and 53,500 rupees (US$871) for the 32 GB variant. The iPhone 5s starts at 53,500 rupees for the 16 GB variant, 62,500 rupees (US$1,017) for the 32 GB variant, and finally 71,500 rupees (US$1,163) for the 64 GB variant.
Recommended award
The iPhone 5S: a phone that looks like the iPhone 5, but goes so much further under the hood. Is that going to be enough to impress the baying hoardes?
Want to know where you can get the iPhone 5S? We've curried the shops and checked stock levels - get all the info on the iPhone 5S release!
We've been here before: the iPhone 'S' conundrum. The new phone comes along, taking the shell of the previous model, adds some new bits and pieces, and then claims to be an entirely new phone.
Which it is, of course. But also it isn't. Well, mostly is. To be sure, it's the kind of move that only Apple can pull off with any kind of conviction: the notion that it can take the same chassis, have a little tinker, throw in a new CPU, slightly better battery and camera, and call it an all-conquering device.
But then again, such is the clamour to know all about it, is that such a bad move? There are literally millions of people the world over who can't wait to see what the next handset from Apple will be, and there was no surprise with the iPhone 5S.
There are a few who question whether it's 'fair' to launch a phone and then append an 'S' to the same thing a year later - Apple's response would likely be that nobody is forcing you to buy the new hardware. And that's a fair point. Yes, this is a phone that bears far too many hallmarks of its predecessor. And yes, this is the third time Apple has done this.
It's also managed to try to pop it onto the market complete as one of the most expensive smartphones out there, even on 3G plans. You'll be looking at post £50 a month to get one without an upfront fee in the UK, and £549 will be the price if you want the low end model, pushing all the way up to over £700 for the 64GB variant.
iPhone 5S review
But if it was such a bad business move, if the market wasn't willing to accept such a thing, then Apple would have folded as a smartphone brand years ago... or at least been lagging behind the competition.
That said, times are changing in the smartphone landscape. Where before Apple was able to just create the phone it wanted, and forget the competition in the knowledge that it wasn't going to have to worry about losing consumers to a competitor, now it's been forced to realise that there are at least four decent options for a consumer to think about if they want to get a rather good handset.
Apple is obviously aware of this change, be it the aluminium unibody of the HTC One, the new fight into low-light cameras or the need for a strong processor as a headline to shout about. And to be fair, it's addressed these needs to some degree or other on the iPhone 5S.
iPhone 5S unboxing, in association with O2 Guru
Be it the all-new Touch ID home button (which is excellent, more on that later), the huge jump in CPU power or the fact the camera has, once again, been improved no end, the new iPhone is clearly Apple's attempt at bringing as much as it can to the party without having to re-design the whole concept all over again.
There are many that think releasing the same design twice is cheeky, and there are others who realise that sometimes there's no need for change. It's easy to fall into the former camp, and while Apple will happily point out it's not forcing anyone to buy its phones, its acutely aware the competition is now scarily strong and it needed to bring its best to stay relevant.
Wow, is all I can say. That's a lot of money for a phone that has security features such fingerprint scanning, which have already been broken, or hacked, by enthusiasts. For those diehard Apple fans who want the latest variant, sure, they'll spent the money and buy one, but in my personal opinion, I don't think the new devices will be such a hit as they have been in the past.
Read more
The main reason is the depreciating rupee against the U.S. dollar; for the price, you can a decent tablet or phablet, which are also becoming more popular across India, at almost half the price.
Furthermore, as Apple doesn't have official retailers across India, there could initially be a supply and demand issue, which could very easily turn people away to other devices.
Perhaps this is why Apple had waited to release the new devices in November, around Diwali. But again, if you ask me, Apple has a huge battleground to face in India and with an already big sticker price, it's highly unlikely they'll immediately slash prices either, again luring customers to look at other devices.......
Apple-iphone
.jpg "I Phone5 C/S in india from November 1...")
In India, it's not common for people do this. In fact, it's completely unheard of. In contrast, diehard Apple fans would have better luck finding a new iPhone on the gray market, for prices up to 100,000 rupees (US$1,627), and yes, people have paid that much, if not more, for these new devices.
Launching 2013's most anticipated smartphone comes with its perils and pleasures. Simultaneously launching a second handset targeting a completely new demographic, for the first time in your company's history, is brave as it is hazardous. However, as we've come to expect from the most Marmite tech company in the world, if anyone can pull it off, it's Apple.
ON NOV 1:
IPHONES5 C/S ARE GOING TO RELEASE IN
Albania, Armenia, Bahrain, Colombia, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, India, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates
Since the iPhone 5s and cheaper iPhone 5c were unveiled, we've spent every waking (and sometimes sleeping) minute putting the first iOS 7-out-of-the-box devices through their paces.
The iPhone 5s is Apple’s most powerful phone to date and potentially the most game-changing iPhone it’s launched in six years. We say potentially as, for it to change the way we think about mobile, Apple's going to need a helping hand along the way. We'll come onto that.
With big name rivals like the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Sony Xperia Z to compete against, the new iPhone certainly has a lot of work to do…
iPhone 5s: Features
- Powerful core
- Touch ID is a real step up
- Excellent camera
- AGAINST
- Expensive
- No screen tech change
- Battery slightly suspect
Now, fingerprint scanning is a pretty boring subject and our only real day-to-day experience of using the technology is with those digit readers built into laptops – a slide-to-unlock affair that worked 60% of the time.
So, when Apple bought AuthenTec, spawning rumours of similar technology being integrated into its devices, we weren’t exactly enamoured. However, Apple has done its age-old trick of turning a dull feature into something resembling sexy.
Introduced to replace passcode authentication for unlocking the phone and making iTunes purchases, Touch ID is a joy to use. The sensor is built right into the Home button and registration of a thumb, finger or both – five digits can be registered – takes about a minute using a most-pleasing enrolment system.
Once recorded, Touch ID has 360-degree, readability of registered digits, meaning it’ll unlock your phone no matter what way up you’re holding the handset. The key selling point, however, is the simplicity and speed of identification.
What many people outside of India may not realize is that Apple doesn't have any official Apple stores or vendors across India to begin with. Basically, their products are picked up by merchants who are willing to stock their shelves with Apple products, and usually, these are high end retailers in malls. Walk into any of the mobile shops in the bazaars and markets in New Delhi, and very rarely, you'll find an Apple product. Instead, they're stocked up with India-made Nokia and Samsung devices, which sell really well, along with Indian devices too.
In spite of this, Apple still has a loyal following in India, and on November 1, the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s will be released across India, reports The Times of India. Leading telecom operators Airtel and Reliance Communications will be selling the new Apple devices in India, as Airtel is already accepting pre-registration. Market source indicates prices have been set for the iPhone 5c, starting at 41,900 rupees (US$682) for the 16 GB variant, and 53,500 rupees (US$871) for the 32 GB variant. The iPhone 5s starts at 53,500 rupees for the 16 GB variant, 62,500 rupees (US$1,017) for the 32 GB variant, and finally 71,500 rupees (US$1,163) for the 64 GB variant.
Recommended award
The iPhone 5S: a phone that looks like the iPhone 5, but goes so much further under the hood. Is that going to be enough to impress the baying hoardes?
Want to know where you can get the iPhone 5S? We've curried the shops and checked stock levels - get all the info on the iPhone 5S release!
We've been here before: the iPhone 'S' conundrum. The new phone comes along, taking the shell of the previous model, adds some new bits and pieces, and then claims to be an entirely new phone.
- Scores in depth
- Design
- Features
- Performance
- Usability
- Value
Which it is, of course. But also it isn't. Well, mostly is. To be sure, it's the kind of move that only Apple can pull off with any kind of conviction: the notion that it can take the same chassis, have a little tinker, throw in a new CPU, slightly better battery and camera, and call it an all-conquering device.
But then again, such is the clamour to know all about it, is that such a bad move? There are literally millions of people the world over who can't wait to see what the next handset from Apple will be, and there was no surprise with the iPhone 5S.
There are a few who question whether it's 'fair' to launch a phone and then append an 'S' to the same thing a year later - Apple's response would likely be that nobody is forcing you to buy the new hardware. And that's a fair point. Yes, this is a phone that bears far too many hallmarks of its predecessor. And yes, this is the third time Apple has done this.
It's also managed to try to pop it onto the market complete as one of the most expensive smartphones out there, even on 3G plans. You'll be looking at post £50 a month to get one without an upfront fee in the UK, and £549 will be the price if you want the low end model, pushing all the way up to over £700 for the 64GB variant.
iPhone 5S review
But if it was such a bad business move, if the market wasn't willing to accept such a thing, then Apple would have folded as a smartphone brand years ago... or at least been lagging behind the competition.
That said, times are changing in the smartphone landscape. Where before Apple was able to just create the phone it wanted, and forget the competition in the knowledge that it wasn't going to have to worry about losing consumers to a competitor, now it's been forced to realise that there are at least four decent options for a consumer to think about if they want to get a rather good handset.
Apple is obviously aware of this change, be it the aluminium unibody of the HTC One, the new fight into low-light cameras or the need for a strong processor as a headline to shout about. And to be fair, it's addressed these needs to some degree or other on the iPhone 5S.
iPhone 5S unboxing, in association with O2 Guru
Be it the all-new Touch ID home button (which is excellent, more on that later), the huge jump in CPU power or the fact the camera has, once again, been improved no end, the new iPhone is clearly Apple's attempt at bringing as much as it can to the party without having to re-design the whole concept all over again.
There are many that think releasing the same design twice is cheeky, and there are others who realise that sometimes there's no need for change. It's easy to fall into the former camp, and while Apple will happily point out it's not forcing anyone to buy its phones, its acutely aware the competition is now scarily strong and it needed to bring its best to stay relevant.
Wow, is all I can say. That's a lot of money for a phone that has security features such fingerprint scanning, which have already been broken, or hacked, by enthusiasts. For those diehard Apple fans who want the latest variant, sure, they'll spent the money and buy one, but in my personal opinion, I don't think the new devices will be such a hit as they have been in the past.
Read more
The main reason is the depreciating rupee against the U.S. dollar; for the price, you can a decent tablet or phablet, which are also becoming more popular across India, at almost half the price.
Perhaps this is why Apple had waited to release the new devices in November, around Diwali. But again, if you ask me, Apple has a huge battleground to face in India and with an already big sticker price, it's highly unlikely they'll immediately slash prices either, again luring customers to look at other devices.......
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