Written by Jake Cannon. Media by Austin Stephens.
Revolutionary. Advanced. Progress. Flawless. These are normally buzzwords when selling an idea to a massive audience. You want to be able to sell your product to the consumer and in turn, keep them coming back for more. Apple has been at the forefront of these buzzwords. Ever since the introduction of the iPod, Apple has been going full steam ahead into the technological realm, creating better and faster ways for college students to get distracted from homework. Apple has also taken the lead in innovating ways for us to stay connected by simply touching a screen. Now, they are attempting to bring this experience to a whole new level. September 18th marked the launch of the highly anticipated iOS 7 operating system. Also in Apple’s lineup was the iPhone 5S and 5C (the colorfully plastic iPhone 5). Now we have come to the infamous and sometimes scary buzzword for multi-billion dollar corporations. Deliver. Do iOS7 and the iPhone 5S deliver in terms of being revolutionary, advanced, progressive, and flawless? Some people will say yes, some will say no. Already iOS 7 has been downloaded on over 200 million devices and that number will surely continue to rise. But back to that tricky buzzword “deliver.” Just because everyone is getting it doesn’t mean it’s good. So let’s take a look at some of the features in iOS 7 and the iPhone 5S and let you, the consumer, decide if it’s the right fit for you.
The Look
iOS 7 is a drastically different look from any iOS previously released. If there’s any revolutionary air to the new update, it surely is in the look. Gone are the days of 3D gradients and in are the days of fluorescent pastels. The latest OS has an incredibly sleek look as is zooms in and out of apps. The iOS 7 also features visuals that are described by CNET as “nearly transparent, like a pane of glass.” The new design is jarring, especially for those extremely familiar with previous versions of iOS. You’ve entered into a new world with iOS 7 and it definitely looks the part. The design is smooth and meets every expectation and standard of “flawless.”
New Features
iOS 7 comes with a few new amazing features that will surely lure in those hesitant about the completely new interface. You can now (finally) have access to the most important settings with a swipe of your thumb. You can swipe
up from the bottom ofthe display to bring up the Control Center, which is quick access to tools such as Airplane Mode, Wifi,Bluetooth, Brightness, Volume, Flashlight, and more. Swiping down from the top of the display will bring you the notifications menu which houses all of your alerts, calls and messages you’ve missed and a new feature which tracks what you have planned for that day. A new addition to iOS 7 is the universality of Airdrop. Airdrop allows you to sync with others running iOS 7 and share things with them instantaneously.
Watch out Pandora and Spotify, you might have some competition. iTunes Radio made its big debut on the new OS platform. You can build your station around featured genres or your favorite artist. It also includes the ability to instantly buy the song from iTunes. For a full review of iTunes Radio from CNET, check it out here.
(New) Old Features
Gone are the days of closing out apps by pressing the stupidly tiny red ‘x.’ Now, by double tapping on the home button, it brings up all the apps you’ve opened in a row. By swiping up on an open app, that ‘closes’ the app. From the app perspective, a lot of apps will look completely different with iOS 7. Safari comes with a completely redesigned look that makes Internet browsing so much easier. There is also no limit to how many tabs you can keep open in Safari. Remember when you could only keep twelve apps in a folder? iOS 7 has scrapped that idea and you can now have as many apps as you want in one folder. Your love affair with Siri will also deepen as her personality has in this latest update. Siri can now access your system settings, like play a voicemail or turn on Bluetooth. Also, applications can now automatically update.
The Conclusion
In less than 1,000 words, iOS 7 is beautiful. It truly is a product that has the user in mind. While it might take a while for veteran Apple users to get used to the new layout, it is well worth the download. I applaud Apple for their ingenuity in creating a sleek, advanced and nearly flawless design. Unfortunately, outside of a few new features, there’s nothing truly revolutionary. But this latest OS update will make your everyday interactions with your Apple product that much easier and smoother.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT_OmTMwvZI
iPhone 5S
Why does the iPhone 5S look exactly like the iPhone 5? That’s the whole point. The ‘S’ series is only meant to introduce small upgrades from the bigger, more dramatic product line. The iPhone 5S does come with a few new features your iPhone 4, 4S and 5 don’t have.
New Features
Color. The days of black and white are over. The wicked witch is dead and gold has been introduced. But that’s not all. The iPhone 5S has a Touch ID instead of the indented square home button. When you first access your Touch ID, it encourages you to roll your finger in a variety of angles so your fingerprint can be read even on the side. It’s a fast touch access to your iPhone that will be welcomed by many users. While the Touch ID is headlining the iPhone 5S, it’s not the only thing that got an upgrade. The processor was upgraded from an A6 to an A7 chip with 64-bit graphics. For those of your who don’t speak techie, that essentially means Apple doubled the processing speed for graphics. To add more ‘wow factor,’ Apple added an M7 coprocessor, which monitors motion. So Maps can get a lot more creepy, or cool if you’re into that sort of thing. The camera also got an upgrade with a larger aperture of f/2.2, which basically means you can take more light sensitive photos. The iPhone 5S camera also comes with the ability to take slow- motion video and panorama shots.
The Conclusion
The iPhone 5S has a lot more features than just mentioned. They come preinstalled with iOS 7 so no waiting 5 hours to download the upgrade. The real question is though, is it revolutionary? No. The iPhone 5S comes with only a few minor upgrades from the iPhone 5. Don’t get me wrong, the iPhone 5S, despite not being ‘revolutionary’ is one of the best, if not the best smart phone on the market right now. Like I said though, the ‘S’ series is meant for small upgrades, preparing us, eventually, for the iPhone 6. If you’re impatient with your old and outdated iPhone 5, go ahead and get the 5S starting at $199. But if you’re willing to hold out for when Apple drops the mic on their next iPhone, good things come to those who wait. All in all, the iPhone 5S is merely a small step up from the greater glory of their next big smart phone release.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGCetsl-srk
