Why You Shouldn't Wait for the iPhone 5S

Why You Shouldn’t Wait for the iPhone 5S

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Apple is rumored to be launching a new iPhone this year to replace the iPhone 5, a device presumably called the iPhone 5S, and while there are plenty of reasons to wait for the iPhone 5S launch, there are also several reasons why smartphone shoppers should consider skipping the wait for the iPhone 5S release.

At WWDC 2013, Apple showed of its new iOS 7 software, a piece of software that will be coming to not only iPhone 5 owners, but likely to owners a new iPhone that should launch alongside the new mobile operating system.

While Apple has yet to confirm anything, rumors, speculation and history suggest that Apple will announce a new iPhone model this fall with the leading candidate being the iPhone 5S, an incremental update to the iPhone 5.

The iPhone 5S is expected to replace the iPhone 5 later this year.


Rumors have persisted over the past few months and while the picture of the iPhone 5S isn’t clear, there are some likelihoods. The iPhone 5S is expected to feature a design similar to the iPhone 5. That means a form factor comprised of an anodized aluminum back, metal around the edges and glass on the top and bottom. However, like Apple’s ‘S’ series of smartphones, the iPhone 5S is also likely to feature some significant upgrades.

iPhone 5S rumors suggest a smartphone with an improved processor, a faster camera, and perhaps a feature unique to the iPhone 5S in the form of a fingerprint scanner for added security.

Needless to say, the iPhone 5S is shaping up to be an attractive device and one that for some, is worth waiting for. However, while the iPhone 5S certainly gives cause for waiting, there are also a number of reasons why consumers shouldn’t wait for the iPhone 5S.

You Can’t Wait

There are rumors out there that suggest that Apple is investigating iPhones with larger displays, perhaps for release later on this year. However, Apple is also known to explore several different prototypes before deciding on a final design. Given the past, which has Apple utilizing a design for two years, and given that iPhone 5S rumors peg it as having the same screen size, the chances of a larger screen iPhone in 2013 are slim. Instead, what’s more likely is that Apple will release a larger screen iPhone 6 in 2014.

Of course, screen size is just one of the variables that consumers are interested in. There’s also a higher resolution display to think about, something that the iPhone 5S likely won’t have. And there’s also the fact that the iPhone 5S, like the iPhone 5, and all of the other iPhones before them will come with a closed operating system. Perhaps one day Apple will open up iOS for tinkering, but that won’t happen, even with the overhaul of iOS 7.

Apple could offer an iPhone 6 in early 2014 with a bigger screen to compete with Android devices.

The iPhone 6 is more likely to have a larger display.

What this all means is that waiting for a large screen iPhone, an iPhone with something profoundly better than a Retina Display and a piece of software that is highly customizable will more than likely be waiting beyond the iPhone 5S for those features.

Fortunately, there are a number of devices on the market that will accommodate just about every feature the iPhone 5S won’t have. The Galaxy S4 and HTC One both have large 1080p displays and the Android operating system is highly customizable, particularly the vanilla version on devices like the Nexus 4.

You Don’t Need the Extra Hardware

The iPhone 5S of course will feature new hardware but it’s going to be in less drastic places than design, screen size and screen resolution. Instead of those, Apple will likely upgrade specifications like the camera and the processor, outfitting the iPhone 5S with a better camera and a faster processor for things like multitasking and gaming.

It may also come with a fingerprint scanner that adds some security thanks to being embedded inside the home button. With Apple theft soaring, the prospect of the fingerprint button is probably enticing to many. However, these specifications aren’t enticing to everyone, particularly those that don’t need the latest specifications.

The iPhone 5S will more than likely come with better hardware but for many, it won't be necessary.

The iPhone 5S will more than likely come with better hardware but for many, it won’t be necessary.

Many people will be find with the iPhone 5′s camera sensor. Those that don’t game or put a huge strain on the iPhone’s processor likely won’t care about an upgraded chip. And there are plenty of people that either won’t need or won’t use a fingerprint scanner, even if Apple does include it.

These are the features that the iPhone 5S will most likely have and ultimately, the ones that users will be waiting for. If those aren’t necessary, then there is no use waiting for the iPhone 5S.

You’re OK With A Few Missing iOS 7 Features

iOS 7 was announced just a few short days ago, a beta released shortly afterwards. The software is now out in the open and what users have discovered is that it’s full of new features, both big and subtle. For instance, Control Center has been completely overhauled in favor of a new menu that not only is located in a different spot but has more functionality.

The new software will also be bringing new camera filers to the Photo application, the AirDrop feature from OS X that allows users to share their content with friends that are nearby. Right now, the iPhone 5 is expected to get the full iOS 7 experience though that will likely change once the iPhone 5S is announced.

That’s because the iPhone 5S is likely to have at least one major software feature that’s unique to it and one that Apple will use as the device’s major selling point. At the moment, it’s looking like it could tie into the fingerprint scanner though that isn’t for sure.

Simply put, if a unique software feature isn’t of interest, users can simply opt for the iPhone 5 right now which again will more than likely be getting most of what iOS 7 has to offer.

You’re an iPhone 4S Owner Who Isn’t in a Hurry

Finally, iPhone 4S owners shouldn’t be waiting for the iPhone 5S. The reasoning is simple. The iPhone 4S is a good phone now and will likely be an even better phone once it receives iOS 7.

By waiting beyond the iPhone 5S, owners will then likely have the iPhone 5S as a cheaper option in 2014 while also likely having the option to buy a larger screen iPhone 6 that is heavily rumored for arrival next year.


  1. Dan

    06/13/2013 at 5:31 pm

    Can you explain how this is “shaping up” at all? There have been no announcements and few rumors. Between this is your reporting bugs in iOS 7.0 as if it were not the FIRST Developer Beta.
    There. Is enough to write about without making stuff up or breaking NDAs.

  2. Zach Chadwick

    06/14/2013 at 12:28 pm

    Haha. I laugh at this article. iPhone owners are the only group of people that have raced to their local Apple Stores and Cellular Carrier retail shops, to break their contacts just to get their hands on a marvelously crafted, brand new iPhone. You didn’t hear about anyone breaking their contract to go from an S3 to an S4. Sure, we could miss a few features a newer phone has. But iPhone owners (like myself) have a connection with our phone. We don’t just use it, to use it. We use it because we love it. It’s the joy of listening to your favorite music wherever you are in crystal clear quality, having an updated App Store everyday, A greeting lockscreen that shows notifications from your apps (if you choose). Sure the S4 has some pretty cool features. But I don’t see a sudden group of people starting to use their cell phones as their remotes, or for their primary entertainment resource. I don’t see people bumping their phones together to attain a picture, a contact, or any other file from anothers phone. So yea, it may be just a few features we miss, but those features are the features that make us love our iPhones, and bring us closer to it.

    • bobby

      06/14/2013 at 4:58 pm

      All of those features you “love” were on Android a while ago. Yeah…
      The reason for racing to the store? Because Apple fans are brainwashed into thinking that minimal increases in technology are innovative when they were basically just ripped off of other OS’s. While Apple sues on and on.
      Haha. I laugh at your comment.

      • Mayank

        07/20/2013 at 9:47 pm

        I have to point out that as an iPhone user for over 5 years, I was always stuck in that niche. I finally broke the cycle and went on to get a brand spankin new, mesh design under the black plastic glaze, Samsung Galaxy S4. And in TWO days I realised how much MORE the phone could do! And what the iphone really was missing. In my opinion, the iphone, and largely all of Apple products are designed so that the user has to do less for every task at hand. Consequently Android users can make an argument how “stupid” iphone users are since they don’t even spend a second thinking about how to get to and open an app, or a phone setting. Or how they are idiots for scrolling down a webpage using their fingers, instead of using eye tracker that surprises you with its 1 in 5 times frequency of working, keeping you on your toes: will it work? will it not work?? It really is a gamblers’ paradise. So I guess the S4 does so much more. It has complicated menus and ridiculous software design to make people “smarter”, it helps people waste more time! In fact, the samsung galaxy s4 is so great that while not using landscape mode on texting, the phone, within 48 hours, was constantly going into that landscape mode, so I had to slap it and shake it to make the accelerometer realise that I was NOT in the landscape mode. The S4, therefore, also helps you burn some extra calories! The default weather application doesn’t even have an automatic current location weather update option! You MUST do everything yourself! That hard (stupid) working mentality from asian culture prevails in samsung design. But who cares if the times are changing, if working smart is more important than working hard, atleast you get to spend MORE time with your device that has 1000 more fatures that work 20% of the time! It is always better to have more features that don’t always work than to have less features that you can bet your life on. Unlike Safari (for the internet), the google and internet apps were harder to access, not to mention harder to type in to, thanks to a much less smart keyboard that makes suggestions. So I guess the S4 further helps you through enhancing your vocabulary. It will teach you all the words that start with “wh” instead of just correcting “whet” to what and quickly moving along.
        There is so much to learn from an S4, unfortunately, I had to return it after two days and get an iphone. I just could not afford the luxury of “learning” given I only have so much time in the day to do shit on my phone and the rest is spent doing seemingly productive things such as writing this review in 3 minutes using autocorrect, then getting back to reading an article from the New Yorker.

        • IPHONE4EVER

          07/21/2013 at 1:06 pm

          Awsome opinion could not have said it better myself, I can’t stand the 10,000 options to do one thing. Iphone is so simple to perform any task at hand. It is clearly created by Americans for everyone.. I to used a galaxy s3 for 8 days and had to get an iphone again cause I can’t list the many many reasons I missed my iphone, even just the simpliciy of saving a picture and using as wallpaper, w android you have to fit it to look right, iphone saves it formats it and fits perfect for any use. Enjoy your androids cause its iphone4ever for me!!!

        • John

          08/16/2013 at 11:11 am

          This is quite possibly the dumbest thing I’ve ever read on the internet… no, no, ever read PERIOD. You are a brainwashed fanboy who will likely never get his head out of his ass.

          I’ve used an iphone 3GS, a Galaxy S3, HTC One and now an iPhone 5. I know how both operating systems work and all of these comments are incredibly pathetic childish lies. I really hope all of you are under the age of 18 and will eventually grow and mature :)

          • Mayank

            08/16/2013 at 11:43 am

            “John” let me tell you how an argument works, may be you’re older but it seems you weren’t a smart cookie as a child, and growing up you didn’t quite make it to the part of the class that went on to get higher education. But that’s alright, Internet is also for the less fortunate like you.
            Ok so the way an argument works is that you present an opinion, then you provide strong, barely refutable evidence in form of specific examples to support your opinion. Once that opinion gets accepted widely, it can even go on to become a universal law. Such as the law of gravity. {Oh that’s the glue-like thing that keeps pulling you down towards the thing under your feet (Earth)}
            Back to the bottom line: iPhone is overpriced (and that’s why apple makes much more profit than Samsung. In fact this also shows that iPhone is made by smarter peoe who know not only how to design a smart phone but also how to make money from being smart) but it works. There’s no lag in anything and sure it doesn’t let you “modify” it, but there’s a good reason why highly trained professionals make stuff for the general public at apple so they can get the best use of their smart phone. Samsung barely does a good design, and then let people spend all day fixing things so they feel useful. Android is to hamsters as iOS is to hominids.

        • iFun Instigator

          09/03/2013 at 2:35 pm

          And this is exactly what Android users rail against about Apple’s “you can even be brain dead” to operate it…. iOS! ;-P

          Because we like to control our own experience instead of being controlled and manipulated into thinking no choices are somehow better. You fools are prime material for Apple’s Fascist Style leadership. Steve Jobs obviously took his 1984 commercial seriously and developed his InfoMercial Style RDF Propaganda infused Control System right off Orwell’s Book! …..and that’s exactly how Hitler gained control too!!!

          Not to mention that Mao Zedong used the same tactics to keep his sheep all wearing the same Mao Suits to destroy personal individuation of the people. Yet you fools still believe that you all using the same looking device with the exact same simple OS somehow makes it better for you. In actuality….. it really makes it better for Apple and their share holders only.

          And…. in all reality, the numbers of crashes due to Apps are greater on iOS than they are for Android. Mainly because Android is prepared for change and differences involved in making an operating system that can run on multiple hardware platforms. Let’s Apple users take full advantage of all the different formats, codecs, api’s and various drivers that enable full differentiation Apple can never dream of complying with. Because….. they keep you all locked up behind their Applewellian Fenced Prison Network afraid to actually BE DIFFERENT!!!

      • Vic

        09/01/2013 at 9:22 pm

        Personally I cant want to get rid of this Iphone. I’m going to sell it as soon as I get my hands on the new Samsung note 3. I can’t wait! I hate the tiny screen size and the fact that it has no SD card drives me crazy! (among other things)

    • Not Zach Chadwick

      06/18/2013 at 11:46 am

      My name is Zach Chadwick and I have never used android.

    • Jamie

      07/30/2013 at 8:12 am

      Well said we love our APPLE IPHONES

    • ekholbrook

      08/27/2013 at 6:06 am

      When I had an iPhone 2, then 3, then 3g, then 4, then 4s, the reason I ran to the store every 9 months or so was because, while they ARE good phones, there was always something lacking. About 4 months into owning each version I couldn’t wait for the next one. I’ve had my S3 now for 10 months. It is >the< phone I was always looking for. Camera as good as the 4s (which to me was the only reason that kept me holding my 4s for close to 6 months) but with superior video shooting and a much larger screen than the 4s. The ability to not gobble up onboard storage with those videos but instead put them on a miniSD 64gb card and keep on shooting another few hours. And take a high-res photo while I'm shooting. The ability to drag and drop files off of.. AND onto the phone.. into any folders I want or create…no software required. Instant Gmail push notifications… of any label I choose each with a different sound if I want (so I know without looking who has sent me an email). The ability to totally ditch the stock lockscreen and touch interface and customize it with say…6 x 7 icons per page.. or maybe 5×6. To put widgets on my lock screen (with widgetlocker since I'm running 4.1.2) such as a notifcation app, quick links to camera and gmail and voice search. After battery life is coming in around 13.5 hours of typical day to day use compared to my 4s which was about 8 with the same type of use. The fact that is uses a standard USB cord instead of some $30 custom cable. Or that when recording video it actually records in stereo using both the bottom (phone) and top (noise cancellation) microphones.

      Unrelated, but certainly part of the equation is the my monthly bill, for unlimited talk and 2.5 gb data is a whopping $50 including taxes with ridiculously fast 4g. With my 4s through Sprint was paying $90 including taxes for crappy 3g service. No doubt that's part of my reason for being thrilled with my switch away from AT&T and Sprint contract garbage. I don't have a contract.

      I will not be running out for a new phone, by my guess, for about 6 to 7 months, probably around the time the s5 or similar is announced. For the first time since 2007 I actually have found a found that does everything I want or need (except Garageband).

  3. Gareth

    06/15/2013 at 7:19 am

    I have to agree with bobby, apple accused Samsung of not being creative and of just stealing there ideas, the arrival of the s4 just shows how wrong the were. Also I know many iPhone owners that are becoming converts due to apples stupid no flash policy and lack of customisation that they thought the iPhone 5 would give them.

    • Tyler Jon

      06/15/2013 at 11:54 pm

      Stupid no flash policy…? I thought people were over that years ago. The “no flash policy” is very justifiable, and it shows with Androids. It kills battery, it’s inefficient, and it’s sluggish. No question. Also, nobody expected iPhone 5 to give any more customization. Apple has been closed-source for as long as anyone can remember. They control their products, and therefore there are less bugs in the hardware and software.
      Now don’t get me wrong, I understand that some iPhone users are switching, but definitely NOT for those reasons.

  4. Dave

    06/15/2013 at 11:55 pm

    @Gareth – “apples stupid no flash policy”. You probably should do some research on that ignorant statement before you type something like it again. Even Adobe stopped support for it on mobile devices. Caving in to the fact that Flash is an archaic technology that out lived its practical and usefulness a decade ago. It is inefficient and full of vulnerabilities that can not be plugged no matter how many updates. HTML5 is where it is and is going. Just because there is still lazy web site developers out there who haven’t updated their websites away from flash doesn’t mean that this is a good thing. Flash is dead, has been dead and needs to be dead. But then again, maybe you are still upset that Pagers were discontinued in the 90′s, which is about the same age as Flash…

  5. Movhan

    06/16/2013 at 4:36 am

    Lousy article. Just say flat out that iPhone 5s is likely to suck eggs, don’t candy coat it with ambivalent statements.

    Come on Apple, where is the NFC, the inductive charging, and better yet forget about My Little Pony IOS7 and just release an IOS I won’t be ashamed of having in my pocket.

    • Mayank

      07/20/2013 at 9:52 pm

      Try an Android phone, it will take you 48 hours to come back crying. The only people that stick with it are those who have spent 800 bucks, used too much airtime and can’t return the phone and get their money back to get an iphone. I LOVE google, it is the BEST search engine in the world, their mobile software is not the best. People have got to start admitting and acknowledging facts. Gandhi was a great peace leader. He would have never won a war with army involved.

      • ekholbrook

        08/27/2013 at 6:11 am

        The android experience is directly related in many ways to the phone you purchase. I had an HTC Evo 4g for some months. Awful phone and experience, crappy camera, battery, speed, everything was awful.. and yes, it pushed me back crying to get a 4s. On the flip side, when I got the s3 I was blown away and as time goes on, more and more impressed and satisfied. I smirk at 4s and 5 users because I KNOW they have no idea what they are missing and that’s just fine by me. Many of S3 and S4 users know the reality. I can’t speak for other Android phone types however.

  6. Mike

    06/16/2013 at 11:32 pm

    Lol… So the 4S was only incrementally better? A statement who didn’t own both of them, no doubt. More like leaps and bounds..

  7. Mike

    06/16/2013 at 11:36 pm

    In a year and a half I will be able to sell my 2 old iPhone 5 for $200…. Android owners will be LUCKY to get $50.. ‘Nuff said.

  8. Mike

    06/16/2013 at 11:38 pm

    **2year old iPhone 5

  9. Ben

    06/30/2013 at 2:47 am

    So far I have never met anyone that has had an iPhone and switched to another phone and not have gone back to the iPhone again. The reason is the iPhone isn’t just a phone.
    I’ve known heaps of iPhone haters( my wife’s family hated iPhones, now all of them have iPhones & iPads except for one, that is waiting for her contract to run out with her Samsung so she can get an iPhone).
    Nuf said, android sucks

  10. Kaeliiann

    07/23/2013 at 12:57 am

    Soooo… If you want the next iPhone, you should just get the 5 now? What a big pile of horse crap. If you want the five, why not wait a couple months until the next gen iPhone releases and pay half the price the 5 is now? Ignorant. Why would you wait this long, then read an article by a person who obviously makes money on writing articles – wait, i mean COPY AND PASTING articles that are lies and speculation – and then decide to pay full price $199+ with new contract for an almost year old model? Oh thats right, it’s America. Land of the free, Home of the TAKE MY MONEY NAO!

    Also, “The iPhone 4S is a good phone now and will likely be an even better phone once it receives iOS 7.” Have you not read reviews and seen developers videos of how much the 4S is sucking on IOS7? Yes, possibly Apple will SOMEWHAT repair the issue with it depleating battery, yada yada and so forth, but they supposidely fixed the battery issues on the 4 and 4S with updates, but I still have problems with my iPhone running out of battery on standby with no apps in multitasking within 4 hours. Of course, me being the ingenius Apple consumer I am, a quick slap and reboot fixes this issue.

    I absolutely will be getting the next gen iPhone, no matter the WWDC announces because like every technologically inclined person knows, electronics become obsolete, even androids can’t upgrade to the next junk food firmware at some point.

  11. Gwaelodmassive

    08/20/2013 at 4:54 pm

    I’ve had Android phones for he last 4 years and they’re generally great when you get them and are interested enough to play about with them but by the time you’ve got the next software upgrade you’re slightly frustrated and then once you’ve upgraded to the next version of android your phone is going at snails pace and you just an’t be bothered anymore.. The owners of android phones always rave abOut them at first and ten go strangely quiet until their contract is up or they pay out to get a phone that runs the latest operating system. Most Iphone owners just use their phones and enjoy them until their contract runs out and then enjoy the benefits of having a newer version.. I’ve never owned one and don’t like the ‘smug’ my life revolves around the social media I live my life through via my Iphone types but I have enjoyed having an Ipad and purchased a Mac book instead of a windows laptop when a replacement was needed and when my contract is up in September I’ll be replacing my android handsets with the least Iphone because I know it will still being doing wat it says on the tin in 2 years time…

    • Gwaelodmassive

      08/20/2013 at 4:57 pm

      And I’ll proof read my posts to make sure I haven’t missed so many letters out! 12.55 am and had several beers!

  12. ekholbrook

    08/27/2013 at 6:21 am

    The first time you have a bunch of photos on your desktop that you want to bring to “grandmas” house to show her on your phone, and you can simply drag them onto a folder on your phone… or need to bring some files home from work, (or to work) and can just plug in the cable and drag n drop between the phone…. the realization will dawn that “hey… I couldn’t do this on my iPhone”. There’s about 100 other realizations very similar. Yep, apple makes some very nice Apps like Garageband that I miss on my phone, but since I have an iPad I really don’t care. Imagine, you have 1,000 mp3′s on your PC. You want to bring them to the beach to listen to for the day. Android? Drag em over. iPhone? Just a hassle quite honestly. It’ll take you 30 minutes or more and probably you’ll screw up your existing phone library at the same time.

  13. Motoxzor

    09/06/2013 at 10:47 am

    Sadly the innovations died with Steve Jobs and the iPhone 4s.

    - sent from my Moto X

  14. dleesy

    09/10/2013 at 12:40 am

    iphone 5S will have battery problem (just like iphone 5 1424 Mah and iphone 4s (1400Mah) when the battery is merely 1600MAh.
    I dont like Samsung but the sheer size and battery with 3200Mah sure to win me over.
    In fact, i was waiting for iphone 5 to be the bigger screen, but was disappointed..waited for 1 year now, I’m inclined to buy note 3 soon( only for their screen size/battery life)

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