The wait is over for Apple fans as the new iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s have hit shelves.
Twenty-three year old Kevin Thacker picked up his iPhone 5s at a Bell store in Mississauga’s Meadowvale neighbourhood early today.
“There were about ten people in line at the store,” said Thacker. “Everyone seemed really excited, some had even been there since 6 a.m.”
Interestingly, Apple’s online store no longer carries the original iPhone 5. It has roughly the same hardware as the iPhone 5c.
The iPhone 5s has drawn attention for using finger print biometrics, a technology that has not been widely adopted despite having existed for a number of years. It also uses the new 64bit A7 processor with an M7 co-processor, which experts say will have an impact on performance.
“The co-processor specializes in continuous motion analysis, meaning that the main chip won’t have to do all the work,” said Fabien Sanglard, a Toronto based software engineer and freelance iOS developer. “This will improve battery life and increase the phone’s response time. It is an interesting development.”
The 5s also has an improved eight-megapixel camera with better low-light capabilities thanks to an increased f/2.2 aperture. Apple says users will also get a few more hours of call and stand-by time thanks to a beefed up battery said tech blog anandtech.com.
The cheaper iPhone 5c features the same screen and processor of the old iPhone 5 but fits it into a larger body. Weighing 20 grams more than its sibling, the 5s is available in five colours and opts for a plastic rather than metal body.
While the iPhone 5s is only slightly different from the year old iPhone 5, Apple as a company is very different from what it was in 2012.
Since September 2012 when Apple launched the iPhone 5, its share price has tumbled.
Since it released the iPhone 5 in September 2012, Apple shares have lost around $230. According to market intelligence firm IDC, Apple’s iOS operating system also lost points, dropping from 16.6 per cent in 2012 to 13.2 per cent in 2013.
For Thacker who made the switch from Blackberry to iPhone today, he is excited about his phone regardless of Apple’s performance on the markets.
“I love it since coming from Blackberry,” said Thacker. “Everything responds so quickly and there are so many apps and opportunities.”
(Featured image courtesy Flickr)