Apple recently unveiled two new iPhones, the iPhone 5c which is a repackaged version of last year's iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5s as the company's newest flagship. While the iPhone 5s is a decent upgrade for iPhone users, we felt a little cheated by the iPhone 5c which is offered at a premium price, but isn't the premium device we are used to seeing from Apple(at least in our opinion).We feel users should skip the Apple iPhone 5c and consider purchasing the iPhone 5s or get the cheaper Apple iPhone 4s. We have even put together a list of five reasons explaining exactly why you shouldn't upgrade to the Apple iPhone 5c
1) Last year's hardware feels even older
The iPhone 5c as we mentioned before is essentially a repackaged Apple iPhone 5, which has been discontinued in favor of the newer device. It features a 4 inch Retina touch display, up to 32GB of internal storage, an 8 megapixel BSI camera and will be powered by an Apple A6 processor with 1GB of RAM.It has been a common trend for Apple to discount last year's model, when a new iPhone is released, and those who have patiently waited a whole year for the iPhone 5 to be discounted are now pointed toward the iPhone 5c. Though Apple boasts how the iPhone 5c has the same great hardware as last year's iPhone 5, its shell looks like something Apple designed in 2009 - Yes we are talking about the iPhone 3GS.
If you aren't a loyal Apple fan, you should consider some of the better Android and Windows Phone alternatives or even spend the extra money and invest in the iPhone 5s.
2) Better alternatives from Android and Windows Phone
Now that the iPhone 5s comes in plastic, it no longer has the appeal that made us choose an Apple product over its competitors. In fact Apple's own iPhone 4s and iPhone 5 feel like much better alternatives purely because of their metal based design.
Windows Phones like the Nokia Lumia 520 have a dual-core processor like the iPhone 5c and cost just $99 on the AT&T network. If you are looking for an Android alternative, we have a great list of devices which offer much better hardware and value for money over the Apple iPhone 5c.
 | Great Alternatives to the Apple iPhone 5c We believe the iPhone 5c packaged in plastic is overpriced and want to help you take a look at some of the best alternatives in the market right now. Check out our list of Android and Windows Phones which offer much better value for your money than the iPhone 5c. |
We think users should seriously consider why they are buying an iPhone before jumping into the bandwagon. A little research into some iPhone 5c alternatives will show you your money can buy you a faster, smarter and sturdier device than the iPhone 5c.
3) iOS 7 feels incomplete and unimpressive
Apple introduced Apple iOS 7.0 with their new iPhones. The new platform has several new features and improvements to the mobile platform including a drastic new interface, which is the first major visual change to the platform since its inception.
Unfortunately the new design comes at a price. We are left with bright and colorful icons which are cartoon like compared to the beautiful and aesthetically pleasing icons and interface from the older platform. While a change for the better is always welcome, we don't really think iOS 7 makes the iPhone look better.
iOS 7 was clearly built for the colorful iPhone 5c which feels quite at home with the bright and vibrant colors. Unfortunately the classy look of iOS seems to have gone with the new interface. Unfortunately iOS 7 sometimes feels incomplete when compared with iOS 6.
 | Apple iOS 7 - Here's all you need to know Apple iOS 7.0 brings the biggest changes to iOS since it was first introduced with new features, enhancements and a whole new look. Apple has also introduced iTunes radio with their latest update. |
In fact we even wonder if iOS 7 is ready for mainstream devices. Apple first announced iOS 7 in June leaving them with just a little over three months to have the update ready for their new and existing products. If iOS 7 is really as big an update as Apple claims, it should definitely have taken longer than three months to complete. In fact the platform does has elements which seem out of place with bugs and lags from older versions of iOS still unfixed. We hoped that the flattened interface which removes the visual elements would make our older devices faster. Unfortunately installing iOS 7 on our iPhone 4 only made it slower.
While iOS 7 is the change we have been waiting for it doesn't feel like a good change. Disagree? We would like to hear why you prefer iOS 7 in our comments section below.
| Which iOS 7.0 features will my device receive Not all iOS devices will get all iOS 7 features. Some of the older devices like the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 will get the least from iOS 7 while the iPhone 5, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will get all of them. |
The iPhone 5c comes with iOS 7 and gets the best features iOS 7 has to offer (sans the fingerprint reader). Unlike older iOS devices which can remain on iOS 6 until Apple has the time to optimise iOS 7, iPhone 5c users will have to endure all bugs which come with the new platform. In face Apple almost immediately released iOS 7.0.1 and are reportedly working on iOS 7.0.2 to fix initial bugs. These makes iOS 7 one of the reasons not to buy the iPhone 5c.
5) The iPhone 5c is overpriced
Our biggest complaint with the iPhone 5c is its price, which should have been the number 1 reason not to upgrade to the iPhone 5c. When we first saw the alleged photos of the iPhone 5c appear we never thought Apple would sell a cheap product. No one suspected that Apple would overprice a plastic device and thought the company was finally looking to compete in the entry level market or at least compete with the Google Nexus 4.
As more and more of the iPhone 5c information was leaked it was clear that the device would share similar specs with the iPhone 5. However we justified that Apple would put together the perfect 4 inch iPhone lineup with the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c. We didn't guess that the iPhone 5c would replace the Apple iPhone 5.
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The iPhone 2013 lineup - The way it should have been We were greatly disappointed with Apple's choice to discontinue the Apple iPhone 5 in favor of the iPhone 5c and feel the iPhone 5c would have been more at home replacing the iPhone 4s. Would the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c made the perfect 2013 lineup? |
There is no question in our minds that Apple will spend less to manufacture the iPhone 5c compared to the iPhone 5 which uses premium materials like glass and metal in its construction. The right thing for Apple to do at this point would have been to sell the iPhone 5c as their entry level product ($450) and replace the iPhone 4s. Sadly Apple greedily replaced the iPhone 5 with a cheaper device and made their customers pay what they would have paid for the iPhone 5 if it was still around.
While the iPhone 5c does outperform the iPhone 4s and its predecessors in performance, it does lack the visual appeal of the beautifully constructed iPhone 4s and even the iPhone 4. If you are happy with the speed and performance of your iPhone 4s or iPhone 4 we don't think you should switch your metal and glass design for the plastic iPhone 5c.
5) Unapologetically Plastic
The iPhone 5c is made of plastic, which has cleverly been marketed as polycarbonate on most modern smartphones. The last time we saw Apple use plastic on a smartphone was the Apple iPhone 3Gs. While most smartphone manufacturers continue to use plastic (or polycarbonate) on their devices, Apple's choice of using metal has always justified users paying premium prices for their devices.
While some may argue that Apple chose plastic in order to make their devices colorful, I would point them toward the current iPod lineup. The 5th generation iPod are beautifully metal and not "unapologetically plastic" as Apple's own Jony Ive points out. So why didn't Apple make colorful metal iPhones? Probably because they want to keep this idea for their iPhone 6.
Apple could have built their iPhone 5c in metal if the c indeed stands for color. But instead they chose plastic which makes the c stand for cheap in our books.
Keep in mind that anyone who owns the iPhone 5 which is in fact sleeker than the iPhone 5c could just as simply purchase a great plastic cover and buy one for each day in fact.
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Should I upgrade to the iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C? Are you wondering if you should purchase the new iPhone 5s or the iPhone 5c from Apple? Here are some reasons why you should and should not upgrade to the newest iPhones. |
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Apple iPhone 5s - All you need to know The Apple iPhone 5s is the company's newest flagship smartphone. Improvements to the iPhone 5s include a faster A7 processor, an improved camera, a better battery and a fingerprint scanner built into its home button. |
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Apple iPhone 5c - All you need to know The Apple iPhone 5c combines last year's iPhone 5 with an array of colorful choices to give you device that be uniquely yours. While we don't find the choice of a plastic iPhone overly appealing, its still an attractive device. |
Conclusion
At the end of the day Apple makes premium products and the iPhone 5c is indeed a premium device. It shouldn't be marketed as affordable as it isn't. Apple loves making money and the iPhones make them a lot of money. Now with the iPhone 5c Apple has found a way to maximize their profits even further by reducing the quality of their products.
As consumers we look for quality products and we generally spend our money on Apple products because it promises quality for the money we spend. If Apple continues in this trend of taking our money and leaving us with less than what we expect, they cant really blame their customers for looking to other manufacturers.