iPhone 5S - Opinions?

iOS
#1

Interesting situation here.

I have an iPhone 4S purchased in October 2011. It continues to work reliably to this day, albeit with a few minor scuffs and scratches and an issue with the camera image sensor. I haven’t bothered to upgrade it beyond iOS 7.1.2 for performance reasons, which on this hardware is probably for the best. The main reason I still use it is a combination of outright cost, not wanting to be on contract and the fact I use my device for very little other than communication, so hardware performance has never been a major concern.

Yesterday I received a damaged iPhone 5S, Gold 32GB. The device is water damaged, some issues with the Lightning connector, water marks on the display backlight and the home button doesn’t work, although Touch ID does. No Activation Lock and the serial number comes back clean.

I could replace the Lightning connector flex cable to resolve the connector issue and home button issue together for minimal cost. That would gain me a working phone, albeit with some minor display and enclosure imperfections.

However, as the device is damaged but not modified, I could also choose to have Apple replace this phone with a refurbished one through AppleCare for around the $380 mark. I don’t consider this completely unreasonable considering I would receive back a device with a pristine enclosure, a new display and a brand new battery in addition to having the other major issues addressed. Only a 90-day service warranty on the unit, but ah well.

I intend to take this option because unless I’m mistaken, the iPhone 5S is still a solid phone. 64-bit architecture, Apple A7 processor, 1GB memory, 32GB internal storage and 4" display which is certainly a nice size.

The question I suppose is am I mistaken? Current owners of the iPhone 5S, a few years down the track, are you still satisfied with your devices? At the right price, would you purchase one today?

I’m sure in any case the difference between this and an iPhone 4S is like night and day, but if these are still strong devices it justifies the AppleCare replacement cost. If they’re alright, but not brilliant, then I would probably instead opt for repairing this same unit at a lower cost and living with the other imperfections.

Edit: Chances are if I choose the same unit repair option rather than a refurbished device I would need to factor in a replacement battery soon as well. Battery works, but the cycle count is somewhat high.

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#2

If you are only using your 4S for communication and nothing else, you’ll probably do the same with the 5S. IN which case I’d probably go the personal repair option. I am still using mine (but I bought it the year the 6 was released, so not from release) and find it just fine for my purposes (communication exclusing facetime, occasional web and photographs, and a few utilities like my BGL records, BP stuff, fitbit etc). I have a few quickfix games as well and have no interest in the current crop. I had considered jumping to the SE but have changed my mind… Reading is something else I do, and as my eyes deteriorate I find I actually want a bigger screen, so the 6SPLus will be on my radar when the 7 is released. Or perhaps sooner than that.

Overall, the phone is performing just as well as it did the day I bought it (new from Apple, also gold and 32GB). So if you decided to buy a replacement from them, it wouldnt be a loss or a mistake, by any means. I do like the fingerprint thing which the 4S doesnt have. Its also a lot lighter. I’ve had it in a case, and with a power support antiglare screen protector since day 1.

I know I’ve rambled a bit, but as I ramble… I think an Apple exchange might be a better option. You don’t know what else will crack up on the existing one, later down the track.

#3

From your description of your use patterns, I think you’d be more than happy with the refurbed 5S. I use my phone for a lot more than just communication and I’m still pretty happy with my 5. Sure there have been a few new bells and whistles since then, but the only one I’ve really been looking forward to is the NFC for payments, and that is only just beginning to be useable in the shops, so it hasn’t really meant anything before now. I had been assuming I would upgrade this year, but I can easily imagine deciding that the new model is not yet compelling enough and sticking with my 5 for another year. It is still a very solid phone.

#4

I bought my 5S the on release day and still using it as my main iPhone.
The latest software still runs very smoothly on them and performs as good as the day I bought it.
I was planning on upgrading to a 6S, but held off due to the price rises and Apple still making 16gb the base model.
Going to a 64 bit device does allow night shift mode as well if that is of interest to you
I would still rate these one of the best phones Apple has made, as introduced Touch ID, 64 bit, a big jump in processor speed over 4S and True Tone flash on camera.

#5

I know you said you don’t like plans, but…

How much $/month do you use?

My 5s, now about 2.5 yrs old, is still going well. Had been paying $35/plan+27/handset per month for it over the first 2 years. Just recently I moved my wife onto a 5s, “free” handset on Optus’ new $40/month plan…

Yes, that’s more expensive than a refurb, but factoring in calls/etc… Worth considering.

#6

$40/month Vodafone Red unlimited month-to-month plan. Unlimited calls and texts within Australia, 3GB monthly data. I currently don’t use anywhere near that amount but being able to call to other networks as long as I want has been a major plus.

Turned the phone in today to have it replaced. Takes about a week to complete the exchange. Can’t wait.

2 Likes
#7

I know two people who just bought second hand 5S phones. Their first iPhones. They are very happy.

Biggest reason I upgraded to SE was camera to be honest. But let’s be honest - the 5S is still an awesome phone, and can run the latest software without much of a slow down. You’ll love it. :slight_smile:

#8

Yeah, Optus can’t touch that! :slight_smile:

#9

Hey - quick question about the 5s - is it about to be, or has it just been, dumped by Apple?

Big W are having a sale next week at which they will be selling iPhone 5s for $399, and there are some online retailers who are selling “unopened” iPhone 5s phones for $369.

Bit of a come-down from the $750 price I saw last month.

I suppose that they are now 3 years old, which puts them squarely in the “we don’t know which phone you are talking about” camp as far as Apple are concerned.

#10

Apple stopped selling the 5S in Australia when the SE came out. I assume its excess stock. I think the 5S will get quite a few more updates.

2G 2 updates
3G 2 updates
3GS 3 updates
4 3 updates
4S 4 updates
5 4 updates

Maybe

5S 5 updates ?

#11

The iPhone 5S arrived from Apple on Friday. What a beautiful device it is, completely refurbished and working like a dream.

I’m dragging my feet on transferring my data to it however. At the moment everything is so busy that I can’t afford to potentially have downtime while I work out issues. Probably not necessarily a bad thing, means I can arrange accessories like cases while I wait.

1 Like
#12

If you’re with most of the major banks such as Commonwealth Bank you can get a NFC chip for your phone for a matter of about $3 and whats more it will work with PayWave and not with the crappy Apple Pay system.

Quite frankly, I’ve got enough NFC chips, I don’t want someone stealing my phone and then also running up a racket using NFC payments so I don’t bother with it. I don’t consider it a secure way of transacting considering some of the stories I’ve heard, although you might, so the solution is simple. Get a PayTag.

There is nothing extra that the iPhone SE has except a slightly faster processor, and some more RAM. There is no slowness with an iPhone 5S on iOS 9 even with a 16GB phone, I have no issues with mine in 2016, and you can get them quite cheaply now, at around less than half the price of an iPhone SE.

The basic screen, and fingerprint scanner which is the two reasons to go for the iPhone SE aside from the faster CPU and more RAM are the same. With an iPhone 5S you will get apps refreshing after you open your third app where as an SE will hold a few more apps in the background. I get rid of apps I’m not using so I don’t see this as an impediment. I can wait half a second longer, if that for apps to load.

Since I am a DSLM shooter I don’t consider phone cameras a thing, quite frankly you should get a real camera if you care about anything more than Instasnaps, integration is convenient but not at the crappy low resolution, small sensor size that are in phones, even including the higher end Lumia and Lumix Phones from Panasonic and Microsoft.

Seriously, get a real camera, phoneography is for chumps.

#13

As someone who hasn’t used a camera for over 5 years (exclusive iPhone user for photos and videos) I’m quite happy being a chump with my 150k of photos and videos of my 3 daughters growing up. :slight_smile: It’s good enough for my purposes.

3 Likes
#14

It will be good enough until one day when you want to print anything larger than a 6x4 photo and then you will realise what a steaming pile of poo the low quality iphone sensor is. It might not be a thing for you, but a lot of people seem to still like to frame and hang large prints.

You should really try looking at a 16x12 print from an iPhone from a normal viewing distance, I don’t care much for the “shot on a…” when its hanging 60ft in the air where you can’t see the flaws in the image.

The reality is that anybody who cares about photography in any real sense, should have something better than an iPhone for the moments that matter and I’m not saying that “because I’m a techno-dinosuar” or whatever, I’m saying that to save you the grace of having terrible images later on down the road.

Even a 10 year old DSLR or point and shoot camera will produce better images than your iPhone. You can’t defy the fact that sensor size and optics rule out in the end, and that can never be achievable in an iPhone sized camera.

1 Like
#15

Yes, but a lot of people don’t want anything bigger than 6x4 or 8x10 at the largest and you’re forgetting a lot of the digital only viewing that occurs nowadays compared to traditional prints. I shoot regularly with my DSLR and rangefinder and can’t remember the last time that I had a frame printed.

Of course a DSLR setup with a 35mm equivalent sensor and dedicated glass will give better results than an iPhone, that’s a pretty redundant statement and the reason why photographers still have a trade.

If Erwin’s happy with using his iphone camera then who cares?

#16

I don’t care what Erwin does with cameras. On the other hand, saying that a camera phone is “good enough” for much anything other than occasional happy snap when you’ve got nothing else to shoot with is a bit of a long bow to draw.

I know this is 2016 and camera phones rule the roost in terms of net camera sales by a long way. Pointing out there failings however should be a complete non-issue. At the end of the day, an iPhone 5S still looks and works like a premium phone but the camera sucks as it always did even when it was new.

#17

I say this all the time, people disagree though. I do use my iPhone camera A HEAP, but also my Canon 550D and G16 for family events, major friend events and really anything I want to keep as as good as smartphone cameras are they don’t look great. Its interesting how for years camera quality went up and now its gone right backwards (although arguably digital cameras weren’t amazing when they were first popular either). My friends (I’m 20) seem to do all their photography on snapchat, so all memories from this time period in many years will just be screenshots from now… and while I get made fun of for my bulky G16, I’ll have nice photos :stuck_out_tongue:

The 5S has a reasonable camera, its better than nothing, and really the best camera is the one you have on you, and that often is your phone. I have a normal 5 and I’m satisfied enough with the camera, and if I wasn’t into photography, I’d be more than happy with it.

1 Like
#18

The battery in the SE destroys the 5S :stuck_out_tongue: The SE also has the better co-processor allowing for live photos + always on siri and a couple of other things. The SE is truly a big upgrade on the 5S, but the 5S is still a good phone. Indications are that iOS 10 will also run quite well on it.

#19

Snapchat and Instagram is just the new Polaroid. All of your friends will be sad in 20 years when they don’t have any actual photos from their younger life.

#20

You can use always on Siri on a 5S if its plugged in, it also works when I have my Mophie Space Pack on it which doubles the battery power and storage capacity. Twice the battery capacity and 32gb of extra storage and I can say “Hey Siri.”

Live Photos is interesting but I was doing that with Gifs about 10 years ago. I don’t really care for the camera on my phone.

I’d like to have a faster processor, but the iPhone 5S isn’t exactly slow even with iOS9 or 10.