Update: Be sure to check out our updated pages for the iPhone 5S for AT&T, along with tips on how to effectively get a new iPhone for free (on contract) every year. We also have pre-paid vs. post-paid iPhone 5S comparisons and new speed tests. This review is constantly updated with new software versions for the iPhone 5S, and when there are new deals and other offers with new carriers and service providers. So be sure to check back occasionally!

We've also included a video down below to show how well the iPhone 5S performs against the newest Android flagship devices. We put the iPhone 5S against the HTC One M8 and the Samsung Galaxy S5, and the results aren't what you might expect, so be sure to check it out!



Scores in depth






Which it is, of course. But also isn't. But mostly is. It's a 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.


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 too: 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. It'll cost you $199, $299 and $399 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, respectively, on contracts in the U.S.

iPhone 5S review


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 realize that there are at least four decent options for a consumer to think about if they want to get a really 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 it's addressed these needs to some degree or other on the iPhone 5S.


There are many that think that releasing the same design twice is cheeky, and there are others that realize 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.