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IHS: iPhone 5s component tally reaches $199, iPhone 5c costs $173
Though it has a new camera module, faster processor and fingerprint sensor, the components in the new iPhone 5s are only slightly less expensive than those in the iPhone 5, says IHS. Not surprisingly, the iPhone 5c is cheaper than either the iPhone 5 or the iPhone 5s. According to AllThingsD, which got an advanced look at the IHS report, the iPhone 5s costs US$199 to build, as compared to $205 for last year's iPhone 5. Components for the 16 GB iPhone 5s cost Apple $191, with another $8 tacked on for assembly. The jump to 64 GB of storage in the 5s bumps up the price by $11, bringing the final cost to $218 for the model. By using a colorful polycarbonate shell instead of aluminum, Apple is able to trim the cost of the iPhone 5c to $173 for the 16 GB model and $183 for the 64 GB model. These prices include $7 for assembly. Echoing what was said by iFixit, IHS says the new iPhone models are very similar. "I would say that they're almost the same phone, except that the 5s has the fingerprint sensor, the A7 processor and some newer memory chips that consume less power. Beyond that, they're basically the same," said IHS analyst Andrew Rassweiler.
Apple disables in-store pickup option for the iPhone 5s
Apple recently enabled its reservation system for online customers looking to buy an iPhone 5s. Shortly after going live, the company removed this in-store pickup option. Apple's website now says that the iPhone 5s is not eligible for pickup and that all purchases must be made in the store. We don't know why Apple did this flip-flop, but it's possible that the reservation system went online earlier than planned. Apple typically has sold new iPhones in the store on a first-come, first-serve basis for the first few weeks after launch. Once demand and supply start to even out, the company then enables in-store pickup on its website. It's also possible Apple will turn on the option and turn it off as inventory ebbs and flows. If you are still on the hunt for an iPhone 5s, your best bet is to keep checking back with Apple, your wireless carrier and retailers like Best Buy, RadioShack and Walmart. It'll take time, but your persistence will pay off eventually. Hat tip to David for the tip.
Daily Update for September 23, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
The iPhone 5s is greatly outselling the iPhone 5c
OK, so we know that Apple sold a record 9 million iPhones over the weekend, but what you might find surprising is that data provided by analytics firm Localytics shows that in the US, the more expensive iPhone 5s is appearing a whopping 3.4 times more often than the iPhone 5c. The chart at the top of this post shows that in the US, the iPhone 5s makes up about 1.36 percent of all iPhones activated in the US market across all carriers. For the iPhone 5c, the number is only about 0.31 percent. To quote Localytics, "That means that the iPhone 5s outshines the 5c by a factor of 3.4x, a clear indicator that the early adopters are favoring the high-end 5s compared to 5c." It's not just Americans who are picking up the iPhone 5s in record numbers. Localytics also provided numbers for international carriers and iPhone 5s usage is outperforming the iPhone 5c by a factor of 3.7x. In Japan, the numbers are even more skewed, with a ratio of about 5x. Eric Slivka at MacRumors points out that this disparity in sales probably won't last in the long run, saying "the lower-cost iPhone 5c will likely improve its relative performance over time as the bulk of customers who are likely to be more budget-conscious purchase new phones as they become upgrade-eligible.
The TUAW iPhone 5s Review: Two writers, two phones, one review
For the first time since the original iPhone was replaced by the iPhone 3G, we have a new iPhone (or in this case, a pair of new iPhones) taking the place of the previous generation rather than just acting as an upgrade. So, because of this unique circumstance -- and because we had multiple TUAW writers picking up the iPhone 5s on launch day -- we decided to do a special combo review, featuring the opinions of both Megan Lavey-Heaton (whose last phone was the iPhone 4s) and me, Mike Wehner (who is switching over from the iPhone 5). Enjoy! Megan: I never felt like my iPhone 4S was a shabby phone, even when the iPhone 5 was introduced. For the first time since I purchased an original iPhone, I was satisfied to wait out my two-year contract. Even at the very end, just before I handed my 4S over to the Apple Store employee to recycle, I tweeted that it was a good phone. Mike: To be completely honest, I didn't need a new phone. I was perfectly happy with my iPhone 5 -- aside from the fact that I wanted a bit more storage than the measly 16GB model that was the last available at my local AT&T on launch day -- and picking up the 5s was done partly out of curiosity and partly because I'm admittedly a sucker for the most powerful smartphone on the market. As I was already satisfied with the iPhone 5, I assumed the 5s wouldn't actually change the way I used my phone, but it turns out I was mistaken. Immediate impressions Megan: Damn, this phone is light. I was terrified of dropping the thing or accidentally flinging it across the room. It took me about a day not to miss the solid heft of the iPhone 4S in my hand. Second impression: This phone is so fast that it catches you off-guard, especially if you're coming from a 4S or earlier. It's like the first time you used a SSD MacBook Air after using traditional MacBooks. John Gruber compares using the 5s to using the MacBook Pros of five years ago, and it's a great comparison. The performance is just that good. In the past, I'd call up the Mail client and wait a minute or for the 100 or so emails that pop in on a weekday morning -- at least long enough for me to have a sip of coffee. Now, I barely reach for my mug, and my email is waiting for me. Apps that tended to take own sweet their own time to load, such as Tumblr, now do so immediately. The iPhone 5s is also my first LTE phone, and I actually had to double-check to make sure that it was switching over to the WiFi network when I went to work. The phone speeds were so fast that I didn't realize I wasn't on WiFi for a bit. Mike: The AT&T rep handed me the iPhone 5s while I was already holding my iPhone 5, and it felt like I was being handed a doppleganger of my old device. That's a long-winded way of saying that they look almost identical. The only difference between the two is the slightly recessed Home button on the 5s, which now features chamfered edges and a flatter center surface. To someone who didn't touch the "old" home button a hundred times each day, that might not seem like a very big change, but for the iPhone faithful it's actually a noticeable tweak. The new Home button seems to click louder and with more authority than the old one, which is actually a welcome alteration. That said, iPhone 5 owners won't be able to tell a difference in weight or dimensions, because there is none. Almost immediately upon actually playing with the device I noticed how speedy it is, even compared to my year-old iPhone 5. The thing is blindingly quick with just about everything. Icons respond immediately to touch and in apps or games where you need to drag items around the screen, there is no latency whatsoever. I know you're thinking "But my current iPhone doesn't have latency to begin with!" And I understand, because that's what I thought as well, but as soon as I had a few minutes with the 5s I realized how wrong I was. Is this a game-changer? Of course not, but it's nice to be able to notice a measurable upgrade in power right from the very beginning. This hasn't just brought an occasional smile to my face when messing around with menus, but it has actually made certain iPhone tasks less burdensome, and even enjoyable. For example, using Safari to browse the web while on the go was always a hassle. It's always been too slow and too unresponsive to be truly useful when I'm in a hurry. With the iPhone 5s and iOS 7's Safari, it's practically a treat. Checking comments on a TUAW story (which is something I frequently do when I'm away from my desk) was a two-minute task on my iPhone 5, but I can now whip through several stories in as much time as it took me to navigate to a single article on my old phone. Touch ID Megan: The scanner works as advertised. I programmed my thumb and off I went. It's extremely convenient. The only time the scanner hasn't worked for me was when I accidentally tried to unlock it with the wrong finger or when I hit the home button with the side of my thumb (an area that wasn't originally mapped). There's no time delay when using the Touch ID. It worked just as fast, if not a bit faster, than swiping and keying in a passcode. If anything, it's better because I don't have to stop and key in said passcode. But, I do like having that backup and have used it. If anything was a hassle about Touch ID, it was my fault, not the software's. Thanks to muscle memory, I'd automatically swipe to unlock the phone instead of using Touch ID. Once the passcode screen appeared, I remembered to use my finger. It's getting better, but it'll take a few days to undo six years of muscle memory. Touch ID is also used when you receive a notification on your lock screen. Touch the home button, and once the phone is turned on, you're sent to the location of the last notification to address it. I really wish you could just swipe to dismiss a notification from the lock screen, but that's an issue with iOS more than Touch ID. Mike: You set up the Touch ID to recognize one or more of your prints, and then rest your finger on the home button in order to unlock your device without using a passcode. It's extremely fast, and you can almost always unlock your phone with your finger quicker than you would by typing in a code. Simply put, I was shocked by how well it worked. Touch ID isn't sexy. At least it's not sexy in the way that "fingerprint scanner" makes it sound, and that's perfectly fine. When you place your finger on the sensor it doesn't say "scanning fingerprint" or anything of that nature, it just unlocks the device and takes you to the home screen. In fact, even if you mess up (like use a finger that's not set up for Touch ID) it doesn't even explicitly state that the print is wrong, it just says "Try Again." It's not flashy, it just works. Camera Megan: I was expecting a better camera when I moved up from the 4S, but I was blown away by how great the camera is. One of the first pictures I took was of the fountain outside work. It was my first time using burst mode and using the digital zoom that wasn't available on the 4S. The results were outstanding. The iPhone automatically determined which of the eight shots I took was the best, but it gives you a chance to choose another. With that, and subsequent tests of burst mode, the software did choose the best of the images. Burst mode happens so fast though that you suddenly have 8-10 shots taken before you realize it. Word to the wise: Make sure to clear your iPhone camera roll frequently if this happens, otherwise you'll run out of space quickly. I'm not a fan of digital zoom, but I am impressed with the results from the 5s. As you can see in the photo above, the a lot of detail is captured in the water spray. It only has that soft focus-feel to a digital zoom shot along the edge of the building in the background, and the photo isn't pixelated as I've come to expect from most digital zooms. I might actually use it now, at least some of the time. Likewise, the True Tone flash also lives up to its name. As you can see from the image above, the left was taken without a flash and the right with the flash on. The True Tone flash makes the cat's fur and my socks come out at the right colors without having to do any post-processing. But the low-light shot without the flash is equally as good, and I'm happy with both. I'm not a fan of using the flash, but if I need a fill light, I'll be more comfortable using this flash. I tested the slo-mo video while my husband washed dishes, and it's incredibly easy to use. Shoot the video, and in post-processing, you can adjust the sliders to slow down certain segments of the video. I wish you could slow down more than one segment of the video. Engadget observed that the slo-mo doesn't stick when you transfer the video to your computer, but it does if you upload to YouTube. I tried editing the video in iMovie on the iPhone, and likewise, the slo-mo doesn't stick there either or when I tried uploading to Facebook through the app. However, if I uploaded to Facebook by sharing from Photos, it retained the slo-mo. So, if you want to share those videos to YouTube, Facebook or Vimeo, you'll have to do it through Photos, which is a bit annoying. Mike: I'm not a huge camera snob, so I've been reasonably satisfied with just about every iPhone camera since the 4s. I take photos of the most obnoxious things -- like my cats, for example -- so if I'm not at some sort of tech event, where I'd be taking my DSLR anyway, just about anything will satisfy me. Now, with that said, the iPhone 5s camera is quite a drastic upgrade from the iPhone 5 in ways I hadn't expected, even considering how much Apple talked them up. Firstly, the lens works much better in low light, which is a problem that plagues just about every smartphone camera on the market. The camera on the iPhone 5s isn't perfect in this regard, but it's definitely a step up. Along with the addition of a dual-tone LED flash, taking photos in sketchy lighting is now a much more pleasurable affair. But what really impressed me about the new camera is the slow-mo 120fps video mode. I've only used it on a handful of things so far, but I can already tell I'm going to have a lot of fun with this. I'm a huge sucker for slow-mo videos, and at 120fps, the videos the 5s can produce are actually pretty stellar. You can select the section of the video you want to slow to a crawl and save clips to YouTube (or Vimeo or Facebook), which I've already done enough to annoy some Facebook friends. Battery Life Megan: I charged the phone to 100% on Friday night and by Sunday afternoon, it had fallen to 20%. This included a couple hours of playing Chillingo's Order Up to Go, a game that normally chewed through my iPhone 4S battery. In the same amount of time it took for the 4S to go from fully charged to gasping for battery, the 5s only used 10% of its battery. So far, this matches TechCrunch's observation of battery use. But, to get the best gauge on it, though, I need to take the phone through a normal work week. Mike: I started to get the feeling that my iPhone 5's battery life was beginning to decline, as many of them tend to after 12 months of practically non-stop use (I'm really, really hard on my mobile batteries). But even if it was, I don't think my iPhone 5, when new, had a battery that matches the 5s. Under normal use, the phone loses less than half its charge in a day's time, but under my own torture test I was able to drain it in 12 hours of gaming, constant fiddling, downloading, AirDropping, and so on. If you've been satisfied with the battery life stats of iPhones in the past, you should be perfectly content with the iPhone 5s. Verdict Megan: If you're looking to upgrade from a 5, unless you're itching for the better camera or Touch ID, stick with the phone you have. While the new features are fantastic, it's not enough to prematurely upgrade your phone unless you have the cash to spare. If you have a 4S or earlier, then absolutely go for the 5s. Mike: As a former iPhone 5 owner, I'm happy I made the upgrade simply for the additional power the iPhone 5s affords me. However, unless you're an avid player of the latest iOS games or absolutely can't wait an extra few seconds for a web page or email to render, you should be satisfied where you currently are. Touch ID is fancy and the new camera has some pretty cool new tricks, but these alone won't be enough to sway most current iPhone owners on their own. If you have an iPhone 4s or later, I'd recommend an upgrade just for the sake of being able to use the latest apps (since the two-year mark is where some developers begin to ignore the older phones and focus only on the latest models). Overall, it's a fantastic phone, but when compared to the iPhone 5, it is indeed an incremental upgrade.
Apple adjusts its quarterly earnings outlook on strength of tremendous iPhone sales
In the face of pundits who thought Apple's iPhone success had plateaued, Apple sold a record number of iPhones this past weekend -- 9 million units to be exact. In fact, Apple's iPhone sales this past weekend were so great that Apple this morning filed a regulatory filing with the SEC slightly tweaking its initial financial forecasts for the quarter. Apple expects total company revenue for the fourth fiscal quarter to be near the high end of the previously provided range of $34 billion to $37 billion, and expects gross margin to be near the high end of the previously provided range of 36 percent to 37 percent. Apple's fiscal quarter ends on September 28.
Select iPhone 5s models available for in-store pickup in some Apple stores
Still looking for an iPhone 5s handset? If so, you'll want to point your browser to Apple's online storefront and make your way to the iPhone 5s ordering page. Take a few minutes to pick out your color, capacity and carrier and then click on the "Check Availability" link to see the inventory at your local store. If the handset is in stock, you can reserve it for in-store pickup. Apple offered this for the iPhone 5 last year, and it was an easy way to get an iPhone without having to show up at your local Apple Store before it opens each morning. If it works like it did last year, inventory levels are updated every night at 10 PM local time, and new stock becomes available to reserve at that time.
Apple sells nine million new iPhones in three days
Apple just set a new all-time record for iPhone launch sales: it reports selling nine million total iPhone 5s and 5c units this weekend, well over the 5 million of the iPhone 5 launch last year. While the company isn't breaking down sales by individual models, it notes that the initial iPhone 5s supply has already sold out. The company also mentioned that more than 200 million devices are already running iOS 7. That's the fastest software upgrade in history, according to Apple. While it's difficult to put the sales and download figures into context without directly comparable numbers from rivals, it's clear that the new devices are off to a strong start. Check out Apple's self-congratulatory release after the break.
Refresh Roundup: week of September 16th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Weekly Roundup: iPhone 5s and 5c reviews, Droid Maxx review, iOS 7 available to download, and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Chaos Computer Club says it's beaten Apple's Touch ID fingerprint reader (video)
Already feeling secure about using just your fingerprint to unlock the new iPhone 5S? European hacker association Chaos Computer Club claims it can be circumvented with "easy everyday means." According to CCC hacker "Starbug", tactics laid out in a how-to from 2004 are all that are required, with just a higher res fake needed to beat the Touch ID reader. The process, requires a 2400 DPI photograph of someone's fingerprint from a glass surface, which is then laser printed at 1200 DPI and used to create a thin latex sheet that serves as the fake. Simple, right? It's a bit more labor intensive than the old way (just watching someone input their passcode or pattern) but users may want to consider fingerprint access as a measure intended more for convenience than security. [Thanks, Frederic]
iPhone 5s ship times get pushed back to October
Following in the footsteps of most of the world, shipping times for orders placed this weekend for the iPhone 5s have fallen to October. Unlike the rest of the world, where ship times for the 5s began at 7-10 days, it was only 1-3 days in the US. However, those ship times slipped to 7-10 days as Friday's launches got underway, and now Apple's online store simply says "October" for any iPhone 5s orders placed this weekend. Interest for the iPhone 5s has been incredibly strong since the phone went on sale. Part of that is that it's Apple's latest iPhone, but another reason could be because supplies are extremely limited, reportedly due to manufacturing bottlenecks. The iPhone 5c, which has been well received by critics and fans, still ships within 24 hours for orders placed in the US.
iPhone 5s fingerprint sensor gets completely misunderstood
This article from the Toronto Star, giving 10 reasons the iPhone 5s Touch ID fingerprint reader is a "bad idea," has been making the rounds over the past couple of days. It's been almost universally derided -- and rightly so, because it reads like it was written by someone who's never even held an iPhone before. [Want to help your friends and family grok the iOS 7 story? Send them a link to our Don't Panic Guide to iOS 7. --Ed.] While the level of out-there wacky on this story may be atypically high, the core issue is all too common; this is the sort of brain-dead article that always comes out any time an Apple product includes technology that's new, or not yet popular (as noted, fingerprint ID is neither new in general nor new on a smartphone). Someone in the media who knows nothing about tech consults a so-called "expert" who's never been in the same room with the device under discussion, much less held it in his hand, and we're "treated" to a conveniently-formatted Top Ten (reasons x) list of why (Apple technology y) will lead to the end of life as we know it. All of this has happened before, and all of it will happen again. That's what makes my job so much fun. Here's the Toronto Star's list, methodically ripped to shreds. 1. There is a video out there showing a cat being able to unlock the phone. How long before hackers crack the security function? If you deliberately go out of your way to set up Touch ID to allow your cat's paw to unlock your phone, then yes, this will work. You can also set up Touch ID to work with various human body parts and appendages which are also not fingers. Use your imagination... just don't use mine. The point is, you have to deliberately set up Touch ID to recognize your cat's paw print or your big toe, or whatever you're into. If you set up Touch ID to look for your thumb print but then put your cat's foot on the Home button, guess what happens? Your phone doesn't unlock. [To answer the second part of the question, "how long before hackers figure out a way to simulate a fingerprint," the answer may be: not all that long. --Ed.] 2. If Apple gets it wrong, it will set back the biometrics industry years. This article's "expert" consultant doesn't define what "getting it wrong" actually means. My question is, why so pessimistic? What if it turns out that Apple is the first entity to get biometrics right, and it moves the industry forward by several years? 3. This is a solution to a problem we don't have. A collection of similar arguments (no indication at press time whether this article's "expert" ever uttered any of these gems, though I wouldn't be the least bit surprised): My CD player is good enough! Why should I pay $500 for an MP3 player? My Blackberry is good enough! Why should I pay $500 for a phone without a keyboard? My netbook is good enough! Why should I pay $500 for a big iPod touch? 4. Apple is using fear to sell this product. Oh it is, is it? Here's Apple's marketing copy on Touch ID, available on its website: You check your iPhone dozens and dozens of times a day, probably more. Entering a passcode each time just slows you down. But you do it because making sure no one else has access to your iPhone is important. With iPhone 5s, getting into your phone is faster, easier, and even a little futuristic. Introducing Touch ID - a new fingerprint identity sensor. Put your finger on the Home button, and just like that your iPhone unlocks. It's a convenient and highly secure way to access your phone. Your fingerprint can also approve purchases from iTunes Store, the App Store, and the iBooks Store, so you don't have to enter your password. And Touch ID is capable of 360-degree readability. Which means no matter what its orientation - portrait, landscape, or anything in between - your iPhone reads your fingerprint and knows who you are. And because Touch ID lets you enroll multiple fingerprints, it knows the people you trust, too. BOOGA BOOGA! 5. Moisture on your fingers, or something like pizza crust, can slow or confuse the device. Guess what? Wet, pizza-encrusted fingers don't work really well on a touchscreen surface, either. Maybe you should wipe off your grungy paws before grabbing for the $500 portable computer in your pocket. Just because the iPhone's screen is oleophobic doesn't give you an excuse to coat your hands in Crisco every time you want to play Angry Birds. 6. Somewhere in your device will be your file so that it can take that information and reuse it. First of all, there's a dedicated "enclave" in the iPhone 5s processor that's used solely for the purpose of storing encrypted data related to Touch ID. Its only connection to the rest of the iPhone's hardware is a function to say, "Touch ID check OK/Fail." The notion that someone could grab this data via a Bluetooth connection is ludicrous Hollywood "hacking" BS. Second, the iPhone doesn't actually store fingerprint data in the first place. The iPhone 5s maps your fingerprint and converts that into a string of data (a one-way hash), then holds onto that chunk of data. The next time you put your paws on the phone, the same hashing process produces another data chunk; the two chunks -- not the two fingerprint images -- are matched up to allow access. In fact, assuming the hashing process works the same way as it does for existing iPhone passcodes, the fingerprint data is encoded in a way that's specific to that individual phone (salted). Copying it anywhere else would be useless. [Have we been hearing about hacker gangs remotely stealing iPhone passcodes via magical processes to use them elsewhere? No, we have not -- and if we had, it would almost certainly be via social engineering or visual spying as the phone is unlocked, both of which are impossible with Touch ID. –Ed.] Anyone who somehow managed to access the iPhone's Touch ID circuitry and extract the hashed data would just find a string of alphanumeric gibberish, not a 3D-printable set of whorls and ridges ready to be turned into a latex Mission:Impossible-style fake finger. My TUAW colleague Dr. Richard Gaywood, who knows a thing or two about this stuff, says turning that data back into a readable fingerprint "would be like taking a cake, eating half of it, smashing the rest up with a fork, then giving it to someone and asking them, 'How much did the whole cake weigh, and what message was written on the icing that was on top of it?' " Besides, why go to all that trouble? If someone has your iPhone, and they want your fingerprints, they can just use a little-known technique called "dusting for fingerprints" and physically pull your prints off the outside of the device. I understand various law enforcement agencies have been utilizing this technique for around a century and a half now. The common concern I've heard repeated often (sign of the times) is, "What if the NSA gets ahold of my phone? They'll get my fingerprints! And then they'll... they'll use them. They'll use my fingerprints to do their shady NSA stuff! YEEARGH!" I'm not concerned with the NSA getting fingerprints off my phone. That's because my fingerprints are on file with the FBI and have been for nearly 20 years. Thanks, US military! And you're welcome, NSA! I figured I'd make life easy for you (except the part where I moved to New Zealand, I suppose). 7. Anytime you get complex software, it can lead to problems. I honestly don't know what to say in response to this. I'm just basking in the glow of... whatever this is. I feel like this should be printed out in Helvetica Neue Light, white text on a black background, on the biggest poster anyone can find, and it should be hung in the atrium of Microsoft's world headquarters building. 8. This is targeted only for one market: People not concerned about security won't care. So what? They don't have to use it then. News flash: not everyone cares about smartphones, either. The people who don't care about them are still rocking out with "feature phones" that only make phone calls and send texts. That doesn't affect the rest of us, who are playing video games and reading books and shooting high-definition video on our cellphones. ["People not concerned about security" should be a pretty small group. Many, if not most, iPhone users don't put a passcode on their phones at all. This is, frankly, dumb and dangerous -- your pocket computer holds a lot of personal information about you and your family, and it should be protected just like your Mac or PC. Moreover, you can't use Apple's new Activation Lock security feature without a passcode. Touch ID means that those folks who weren't using a passcode due to the lag and inconvenience now will have fewer excuses. –Ed.] 9. Expected technical difficulties with a new product. "I don't think it's going to be welcomed because it's not going to be technically as effective as they thought. The technology is not yet good enough." My Twitter timeline -- and every review of the device I've read so far -- strongly disagrees with this sentiment. Every bit of feedback I've seen suggests that Touch ID, like so many other things associated with Apple, "just works." The above statement reads like it was written by someone who had yet to handle the device and is simply scoffing at the functionality in the interest of being deliberately contrarian. 10. People will use it initially, but the novelty will wear off. "People are going to start to use it in the beginning and then stop using it because of the time delay." Again, reports from people who have actually used Touch ID suggest there is no time delay associated with using it. It's certainly faster than entering a passcode multiple times per day, which is why the feature was introduced in the first place. No one is saying you have to use Touch ID. It's optional. Siri has been out for two years, but even though I use it all the time, I don't know anyone else in the real world who uses it on a day-to-day basis. But it's there if you want to use it -- just like Touch ID. That's the whole point... one of many the linked article's writer and interviewed "expert" seems to have missed.
Daily Roundup: MakerBot Digitizer eyes-on, BlackBerry's bad news, iPhone 5s goes on sale, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
A series of unfortunate events at the Pasadena Apple Store today
Today was an exciting day at the Apple Store in Pasadena, Calif., as the launch of the new iPhone 5s and 5c turned ugly. The LA Times is reporting that at least 200 people were waiting in front of the store this morning for a chance to buy one of the new phones when several fights broke out. Two people, ages 23 and 43, were arrested for fighting in line outside of the store before it even opened. Then around 9 AM, another fight started, this time involving a contender for worst person in the world. A man hired several van loads of homeless people from a downtown Los Angeles homeless mission with the promise of paying them $40 if they'd wait overnight in line. When the man left the store with several iPhones this morning, the people he hired began fighting with him, saying they weren't being paid enough. To defuse the situation the police removed the man from the premises, leaving the homeless people he'd hired stranded at the Apple Store without being paid. Dominoe Moody, one of the people hired by the unnamed man, said between 70 and 80 homeless people were recruited and brought to the store. A lieutenant with the Pasadena Police, Jason Clawson, told the LA Times the department isn't investigating the incident saying "It's not a police issue. It's a business issue."
iPhone 5s slaps down competitors in early benchmarks
Zach Epstein at BGR gives us a good, yet short summary of a rather lengthy (13 pages) review of the iPhone 5s posted on Anandtech by Anand Lal Shimpi. In his article, iPhone 5s slaughters its quad-core rivals in performance tests despite having "just" a dual-core CPU and 1 GB of RAM. Zach notes that this is the "most thorough [technical] review" to date. Shimpi's article quickly grew to 40 pages with the addition of user comments. Falling into the speeds and feeds trap when discussing mobile devices can be tricky, especially when the specs that smartphone vendors share most frequently only paint a small piece of the picture. It's easy to look at things like CPU cores and clockspeeds and make assumptions, but dozens of factors contribute to a smartphone's performance. --Zach Epstein Shimpi compared the new iPhone with devices from Samsung, LG, HTC and Motorola. Even though the iPhone 5s is powered by a 1.3 GHz dual-core 64-bit A7 processor, Apple bested the other devices in every performance test. Shimpi used JavaScript and HTML5 browser tests for CPU performance. His A7 GPU tests resulted in his comment, "The A7's GPU performance is also insanely good." His 13-part review is extremely technical in places, so good luck with the technical details -- I admit it lost me in places. To Shimpi's credit, almost every fact is accompanied by a graphical chart showing his results. The iPhone 5s is the first Apple device (and consumer device in the world) to ship with a PowerVR Series 6 GPU. The G6430 inside the A7 is a 4-cluster configuration, with each cluster featuring a 16-wide array of SIMD pipelines. -- Anand Lal Shimpi The only negative bit I read that I think is worth noting for a general user is how much wear his Apple case showed after only one week of use. That photo appears on page one of Anand Lal Shimpi's review. Many companies make cases, so you might be best off not purchasing the Apple leather iPhone 5s case. [via BGR] Related Articles The iPhone 5c Review (AnandTech) iPhone 5s review (Engadget) iPhone 5s Review: Apple's Latest Smartphone Goes For (And Gets) The Gold (TechCrunch)
Apple iPhone 5s's A7 SoC built by Samsung, M7 processor comes from NXP
Rumors swirled ahead of the iPhone 5s' launch that the silicon inside it would come from a source other than Samsung. Despite signing a deal with TSMC to manufacture future SoC's, Chipworks has confirmed that the A7 powering the new flagship iPhone comes from a familiar place: Samsung's fabrication facilities. Yet, while Apple couldn't cut the tie that binds it to its greatest rival for the main brain of the phone, it did manage to source the secondary M7 chip from NXP. Again, Chipworks discovered the M7's origin, and while we'd love to send you straight there for the nitty gritty now, it appears the site is currently down -- so, iFixit's secondary reporting of Chipworks' work will have to do... for now.
Editor's Letter: Slow and steady wins the race
In each issue of Distro, Executive Editor Marc Perton publishes a wrap-up of the week in news. In this week's Distro, we take a closer look at Apple's two new iPhones, the 5c and 5s. The 5c, despite being less impressive when it comes to features and specs, may actually be the more popular of the two models. As Myriam Joire says in her review, the pastel-hued phone is "a gorgeous handset that brings a breath of fresh air to the iPhone lineup. For many people, it might even be a better choice than the iPhone 5s." That, of course, doesn't mean the 5s isn't worth considering. In her review of Apple's new flagship model, Myriam declares it the best iPhone ever made and says that Apple "took a good product and made it better through hardware upgrades, new features and completely revamped software." If you have an iPhone 5, should you upgrade? You'll have to read the full review to find out. Also in this week's Distro, we check in with audiophile and Head-fi.org founder Jude Mansilla. His favorite classic gadget? It's a tie between the Newton MessagePad and a portable CD player paired with a good set of headphones, which he says "started me on the journey that turned into Head-Fi.org."
Apple asks suppliers to increase gold iPhone 5s production
When rumors that Apple was planning to release a gold-colored iPhone began trickling in a few weeks ago, it was greeted with a lot of skepticism. Understandably, many felt that a gold iPhone would be gaudy, ostentatious and downright obnoxious. In truth, the aesthetic of the gold-colored iPhone 5s is much more subtle, and dare I say, elegant. Consumers have taken notice as well, with reports that the device is already in extremely short supply. Indeed, demand for the gold iPhone 5s is so great that Apple has reportedly reached out to its suppliers to if they can increase production by 33 percent. The Wall Street Journal reports: Apple has asked its suppliers to increase production of the gold-colored iPhone 5S by an additional one-third after seeing strong demand, people familiar with the situation said. It isn't clear whether there are currently supply constraints manufacturing the new iPhone. As it stands now, Apple's online store indicates that the gold iPhone 5s won't be ready to ship until October. In contrast, both the silver and "space gray" iPhone 5s models will be ready for shipment in seven to 10 days.
iFixit tears down the iPhone 5c
Last night, iFixit started to take apart the iPhone 5s, and now the repair shop has fixed its sights on the iPhone 5c. This latest guide by iFixit delves into the differences between the iPhone 5c and both the 5s and 5. It kicks off with some commentary on the meaning of the "c" in the phone's name -- does it stand for "color," "cheaper," "childish" or something else? The teardown points out in several places that the iPhone 5c is very similar to the iPhone 5. It shares many of the same hardware specs and is basically an iPhone 5 with a plastic casing. It's not an iPhone 5 clone, though, and actually shares some features of the iPhone 5s, like a snug-fitting display assembly, a bigger battery and a very similar internal case design. Just like the iPhone 5s, the 5c is given a repairability score of 6 out of 10. According to iFixit, removing the screen and accessing the battery are moderately easy. Replacing these components, though, is no cakewalk with extra-strength adhesive getting in the way of the battery and antenna.
