Will the iPhone 5S be enough to compete against S4, One, N5?

[Tig Bitties]

Just an honest question I would like opinions on. Rumors point to Apple releasing the iPhone 5S, possibly back to the original iPhone launch time frame which is typically June / July, not the delayed October launch. But that the 5S will still be the exact same size and design of the current iPhone 5, but with faster internals, and supposedly a freshened up iOS7.

Saying all that, will that be enough for Apple to fend off the big contenders this year, and hold their ground ? Or by keeping the same iPhone 5 design, will sales slowly start to stale a little, and hurt them a bit ?

- Samsung Galaxy S4, which like it or not, will spend crazy cash on advertising the heck out of the S4 worldwide, and will be a hot seller.

- HTC's One phone could be popular as well.

- Google's Nexus-Five in Summer / Fall, but the Nexus line has never been a big seller or really no competition whatsoever to Apple. But each year, the Nexus line is more popular than the previous version, it is slowly gaining traction year by year.

Or does Apple need to come out a with a fresh brand new design now, with a 4.3" / 4.5" screen now, with a major revamp of iOS7, with Widgets or Live Tiles, etc... ?

 

[jrswizzle]

Just an honest question I would like opinions on. Rumors point to Apple releasing the iPhone 5S, possibly back to the original iPhone launch time frame which is typically June / July, not the delayed October launch. But that the 5S will still be the exact same size and design of the current iPhone 5, but with faster internals, and supposedly a freshened up iOS7.

Saying all that, will that be enough for Apple to fend off the big contenders this year, and hold their ground ? Or by keeping the same iPhone 5 design, will sales slowly start to stale a little, and hurt them a tiny bit ?

- Samsung Galaxy S4, which like it or not, will spend crazy cash on advertising the heck out of the S4 worldwide, and will be a hot seller.

- HTC's One phone could be popular as well.

- Google's Nexus-Five in Summer / Fall, but the Nexus line has never been a big seller or really no competition whatsoever to Apple.

Or does Apple need to come out a with a fresh brand new design now, with a 4.3" / 4.5" screen now, with a major revamp of iOS7, with Widgets or Live Tiles, etc... ?

I think iOS 7 will be a big improvement, but overall the 5S will be similar to the current 5 (of course the obligatory spec bumps and such). I think the larger iPhone comes next year and the cheaper iPhone and iWatch will come this year and keep Apple up until next year's iPhone redesign.

That being said, I think Apple will sell tons of them and have no problem with revenue again this year, though the gap might close again between them and Samsung - HOWEVER, Samsung's somewhat lackluster unveiling (given the ridiculous hype) of the GS4 might open the door for HTC and others. And provided these other manufacturers jump on the opportunity, Apple could benefit from other Android OEMs eating some of Samsung's marketshare, leveling the playing field a bit more.

Still think Apple and Samsung will sell their flagships like crazy though - hopeful HTC can make a push with the One - the One might be my next Android device!

 

[Tig Bitties]

I agree, iOS7 should better be updated, I've read that Johnny Ive's is working on a revamped iOS with his style and design fully now. But does he have enough time to do everything for iOS7, or will Apple wait to unveil a brand new iOS8 on the larger iPhone 6 with a brand new designed iPhone in 2014 ?

And Samsung will be big competition to Apple this year. No one will remember the silly presentation Samsung did last week. Samsung will nuclear bomb everyone with a Billion dollar ad campaign like no other. That's where HTC will get hurt, they are low on ad money, and coming out the exact same month with the One as the S4 will be brutal for them.

I am very curious what Apple has in store with the 5S, hopefully a new iOS7 with nice changes and updates, add jailbreak stuff to stock, maybe a Widget on one home screen or some live tile app icons ?

 

[MRU]

Yes....

Despite the inevitable success SGS4 will be, and I suspect the HTC One will likewise be a success for HTC (but sell maybe only a 5th of the units the S4 ships), the iPhone 5S will be the biggest selling smartphone individually.

People seem to assume if other phones are being a success - and Apple's marketshare overall is smaller - that the iPhone is failing... This despite it getting more sales year upon year over its predecessor.

When the reality is logiclly marketshare invariably dwindles when you have lots of other smartphones doing well. But it doesn't mean iPhone is failing, only that the market for Smartphones in general is greater than ever and there is more choice.

Apple will only be in trouble when their sales are less than the previous generation of iPhone, and not in growth. So far this looks unlikely to happen despite all the nonsense spouted about them.

 

[cynics]

Apple could continue to do small improvements for a couple more version of the iPhone and remain very successful. Just on popularity alone.

A lot of people are just happy with there iPhone and could careless what else is available. May not be feature packed or anything but it makes phone calls and sends text/emails. That alone probably covers most of the smartphone market.

I like Android and iOS a lot. Both have great features, and while I see some shortcomings of iOS and the iPhone itself my next phone will still most likely be an iPhone. It works for me, I have a nexus 10 for Android I use at home.

 

[nick_elt]

I agree, iOS7 should better be updated, I've read that Johnny Ive's is working on a revamped iOS with his style and design fully now. But does he have enough time to do everything for iOS7, or will Apple wait to unveil a brand new iOS8 on the larger iPhone 6 with a brand new designed iPhone in 2014 ?

And Samsung will be big competition to Apple this year. No one will remember the silly presentation Samsung did last week. Samsung will nuclear bomb everyone with a Billion dollar ad campaign like no other. That's where HTC will get hurt, they are low on ad money, and coming out the exact same month with the One as the S4 will be brutal for them.

I am very curious what Apple has in store with the 5S, hopefully a new iOS7 with nice changes and updates, add jailbreak stuff to stock, maybe a Widget on one home screen or some live tile app icons ?

Yeh, Im not sure that a 5s would be great, but the 6 if it is totally redesigned could be a winner. (but they will still sell millions whatever they release)

 

[jrswizzle]

Apple could continue to do small improvements for a couple more version of the iPhone and remain very successful. Just on popularity alone.

A lot of people are just happy with there iPhone and could careless what else is available. May not be feature packed or anything but it makes phone calls and sends text/emails. That alone probably covers most of the smartphone market.

I like Android and iOS a lot. Both have great features, and while I see some shortcomings of iOS and the iPhone itself my next phone will still most likely be an iPhone. It works for me, I have a nexus 10 for Android I use at home.

I'm in the same boat - fortunate enough to have a company-paid phone line which I use my iPhone on and a personal line on which I use an N4. The N4 has opened me up to Android, and now I don't want to do without either. Being somewhat of a tech-head, I like using both and like the options (not necessarily in the OSes, but as far as phone hardware) opened up by using both.

That said, I'll likely skip the iPhone upgrade this year, unless none of the Android handsets impress me (so far the GS4 was a let down and the HTC One is leading). Can't wait to see what Google/Motorola have in store - but if neither impresses (or I stick with a Nexus and its off contract) I'll go ahead and upgrade to the 5S (or maybe buy one of the cheaper iPhones on contract so that its free or $99 - I'd like to get one as a backup option so I can sell my main phones each year. As I stand now I generally keep a generation older so that if something were to happen to my main iPhone, I'd be covered. The cheaper version might fit this bill nicely and I ca upgrade it infrequently and still be able to sell the nicer version).

 

[Tig Bitties]

I have a lot of older family members and older aged friends that have been huge iPhone fans for years.

For the first time ever, I heard most of them say the past several months, their next phone will most likely be an Android for the first time, mainly for the screen size, they feel the iPhone screen is too small. And some said iOS feels a bit stale and boring, but overall saying the screen size.

 

[vastoholic]

I honestly don't care if it's "enough to compete". It does what I need it do right now and a few extra things I want it to do via jailbreak. Why don't we just let Apple, Samsung, HTC, and Google worry about the competition between them. Whatever we say here isn't going to influence either of them. Apple will release what they want to release, no more, no less. Some people will buy it blindly, some people will buy it because it fits their needs. Some people will move to a different phone because it doesn't fit their needs. Some people will move to a different phone because all their friends have it and it's so much cooler than the iPhone. In the end, unless you're a shareholder, and Apple suddenly starts to fold as a company because they didn't "bring it", it doesn't matter at all.

 

[onthecouchagain]

They'll compete on brand alone. Take that to mean what you will.

 

[daveathall]

I believe that Apple will have another successful year and will give the normal spec and speed bump to the 5S, I certainly don't think that they have any reason to panic this year, my opinion its that Apple will bring out an all singing all dancing completely new iPhone and iOS in the middle of next year. I am really looking forward to it.

IMHO, Samsung are on a roll this year and their S4 will be the phone to have, it will be interesting to see what they bring out next year if they foresee Apple's strategy as I do above. It is my opinion that the phone to beat next year will be the iPhone 6.

Whatever happens, it can only be good for those of us that don't mind switching between companies offerings when there is something that we perceive that we will enjoy better elsewhere.

 

[Tig Bitties]

I believe that Apple will have another successful year and will give the normal spec and speed bump to the 5S, I certainly don't think that they have any reason to panic this year, my opinion its that Apple will bring out an all singing all dancing completely new iPhone and iOS in the middle of next year. I am really looking forward to it.

IMHO, Samsung are on a roll this year and their S4 will be the phone to have, it will be interesting to see what they bring out next year if they foresee Apple's strategy as I do above. It is my opinion that the phone to beat next year will be the iPhone 6.

Whatever happens, it can only be good for those of us that don't mind switching between companies offerings when there is something that we perceive that we will enjoy better elsewhere.

I read an interesting article a week or two ago about Samsung's Galaxy S5 due in 2014.

The S4 is what they called the last of the Apple iPhone type smartphone from Samsung, they now have a big fan following, and have become very successful, and the S4 will sell even more than the S3 helping Samsung put more profits in the bank.

But that the S5, would be the first, truly next generation all new smartphone, with radical new features and new ways of making a smartphone. Completely different than the iPhone and current Android offerings. A real big step up, and new type of smartphone, what they called the "future" smartphone, and new breed of smartphone technology. Whatever that is ?

But this could be coming at the same time next year, Apple releases the iPhone 6, which is rumored to be their all new next generation redone smartphone too.

So looks like 2014 is the year we get true next gen smartphones ?

 

[vikingjunior]

The sleeper this year will be Motorola. They actually already make some high quality tank like devices. They figured out the battery life. All they need to do is stay with the kevalar but improve the camera.

 

[matttye]

They could carry on with the baby steps for another few years at least. iPhones are still way too popular for them to lose any significant amount of customers.

 

[Tig Bitties]

They could carry on with the baby steps for another few years at least. iPhones are still way too popular for them to lose any significant amount of customers.

I think yes and no. Yes that Apple and the iPhone brand are still super popular, and will sell like hotcakes pretty much no matter what Apple does or doesn't do with new iPhone's.

But no, if they become like RIM and their BlackBerry, a once dominating phone brand, that was untouchable for years. RIM rested on their laurels, stopped innovating, and then just in a few years went from top dog #1, to now 4th place.

Apple could become RIM in five years time, if they just continue on with 5S type minor upgrades. But so can Samsung and Android too.

There are no guarantees in the competitive tech market. But I think Apple is smarter than RIM, same with Google. I still think five years out the iPhone and Android will be still be duking it out for top dog.

But who knows ? Five years, a lot can change.

 

[daneoni]

Same question has been asked over and over again since the iPhone 3GS.

 

[Tig Bitties]

Same question has been asked over and over again since the iPhone 3GS.

But Android has only really been offering solid competition since last year, with the Galaxy S3, One X and Nexus 4. Before that, even I will admit Android phones felt cheap and lacking compared to the iPhone 4 / 4S.

Now this year, with the Galaxy S4, HTC One, Google-X, Nexus-Five, and Apple only coming up with a spec bumped iPhone 5S, I can see Android making some headway here.

And just since 2012 Android finally is getting more popular and common. I would say from 2008 - 2011 Android was a niche player, wannabe. Not anymore.

And then there is Windows Phone 8, at a far away third place, could be a sleeping giant, that makes it way into second by 2015, per what some annalists say. And Blackberry isn't quite dead yet.

Just saying 2013 will be a very competitive year for Apple, the most competitive since the iPhone launched in 2007.

 

[matttye]

Same question has been asked over and over again since the iPhone 3GS.

This is largely why I say things wont change.

That said, iOS 6 was a smaller update than usual. Discontent may arise if they release more updates like that.

 

[kilcher]

The sleeper this year will be Motorola. They actually already make some high quality tank like devices. They figured out the battery life. All they need to do is stay with the kevalar but improve the camera.

Funny you should mention Motorola being "tank like." I'm not at all familiar with their phones but I was sitting at lunch with a co-worker today and noticed his phone was bigger than my iPhone 5 in an Otterbox Armor case (which is pretty thick). I said "What is that, a case with an extra battery?" He said "Nope, it's just my (Motorola) phone." That was one big phone.

 

[bmac4]

Yes....

Despite the inevitable success SGS4 will be, and I suspect the HTC One will likewise be a success for HTC (but sell maybe only a 5th of the units the S4 ships), the iPhone 5S will be the biggest selling smartphone individually.

People seem to assume if other phones are being a success - and Apple's marketshare overall is smaller - that the iPhone is failing... This despite it getting more sales year upon year over its predecessor.

When the reality is logiclly marketshare invariably dwindles when you have lots of other smartphones doing well. But it doesn't mean iPhone is failing, only that the market for Smartphones in general is greater than ever and there is more choice.

Apple will only be in trouble when their sales are less than the previous generation of iPhone, and not in growth. So far this looks unlikely to happen despite all the nonsense spouted about them.

So Apple has had great success to this point with the iphone. Most popular phone sales wise. That does not mean that trend will continue with the iphone 5s or whatever they call it. Sure we can speculate what is going to happen based on the past, but if we are basing things in the past the the S3 was the most popular android phone to date. The S4 might be the most anticipated android phone to date. I am not saying that it will over take the iphone just yet, but it just might come close.

All of you that keep saying that the Samsung presentation was disappointing may I remind you of the iphone 4S, and iphone 5. Lots of people were saying " here comes the same old stuff from Apple just a spec bump". Same thing you guys keep saying about Samsung. Guess what the S3 was the most popular android phone to date, so why would Samsung need to completely change? Look at how well Apple has done with just spec bumps over the last 2 years.

 

[Oohara]

I'm sure the 5S will do fine and Apple won't have any worries. But I also think the gap is certainly closing.

I don't read a ton of sales figures but it's undeniable that I'm seeing more and more Android phones on the subway in the morning and less of the iPhone domination. And that groups of "cool" kids and hipsters who up until now wouldn't have allowed themselves to be caught dead with anything but an iPhone are now starting to accept Android handsets - this is plain to see when moving around town.

I think this is due to the "stale"-ness of iOS coupled with Apple's lack of larger screen phones, and I'd bet Apple's lead will diminish (I'm NOT saying they're about to go belly up, mind you ) until they take some action in these areas.

A larger iPhone likely won't be seen this year, but what about iOS 7? Actually I'd be surprised if Apple didn't use this opportunity to actually do something surprising and come out with some pretty substantial updates in the next version of iOS. I don't think all their power of true innovation died with Jobs.

So yeah, I think the 5S will be able to hold it's own sufficiently. Then iOS 7 will come in to heat things up a bit, later in the year. And next year a bigger iPhone and a whole different playing field for Android vs iOS.

 

[sk1wbw]

I would imagine that with the next iPhone release you will still be able to talk and surf and tweet and text and watch movies and everything else that all these new phones can do and have done for a few years.

 

[MRU]

So Apple has had great success to this point with the iphone. Most popular phone sales wise. That does not mean that trend will continue with the iphone 5s or whatever they call it. Sure we can speculate what is going to happen based on the past, but if we are basing things in the past the the S3 was the most popular android phone to date. The S4 might be the most anticipated android phone to date. I am not saying that it will over take the iphone just yet, but it just might come close.

All of you that keep saying that the Samsung presentation was disappointing may I remind you of the iphone 4S, and iphone 5. Lots of people were saying " here comes the same old stuff from Apple just a spec bump". Same thing you guys keep saying about Samsung. Guess what the S3 was the most popular android phone to date, so why would Samsung need to completely change? Look at how well Apple has done with just spec bumps over the last 2 years.

Since when did I say anything complaining about the difference/leap from S3 - S4 hardware wise?

Having thought the Samsung presentation was diabolical shambles is one thing, it does not mean I don't appreciate the S4 even if its not my own personal favourite of the forthcoming android handsets, or the one I am buying.

The reason I said nothing has changed Apple wise is because despite all your assertions that everyone is bored of the iPhone and the iPhone 5 was a dissapointment, at no point is that reflected in the actual sales figures. There is a complete disconnect from your assertion that there is mass boredom of iOS and iPhone and the actual sales figures which have increased year on year and continued to sell more units than the previous generation.

The very fact that Apple still gets this appreciable increase in units sold means that they must still be attracting a lot of new users - just like Android. Whilst undoubtably there will be migration between both Android & iOS on both sides - real growth is based normally on new users who never had a smartphone before.

Apple is not in trouble until they no longer attract new users or their sales figures from generation X are not greater than the generation before it. There is no real indication that this is the case and therefore despite Samsung's increasingly great performance sales wise too so its unlikely this year that Apple will see much change, and that is exactly what the thread title asks.

If anything Samsung's almost monopoly/success on Android sales could be argued be far more of a problem for other Android handset manufacturers than it is to Apple.

 

[Tig Bitties]

I agree, that Google does have an in-house problem with Samsung and their Galaxy line becoming so popular and mainstream. People know the "Galaxy" brand name over "Android" or "Droid" or "Nexus" now.

Today it's basically iPhone or Galaxy phone to most Joe and Jane Blows.

If for whatever reason Samsung went off on their own next year, with the Galaxy line, but not "Android" based, but still looked and worked just like their Galaxy Touchwiz phones do today, that would be killer for Google. Didn't Samsung buy out the top developers of Cyanogen CM ROM team a couple years ago ? They could be working on their own in-house Samsung OS ?

 

[cynics]

I agree, that Google does have an in-house problem with Samsung and their Galaxy line becoming so popular and mainstream. People know the "Galaxy" brand name over "Android" or "Droid" or "Nexus" now.

Today it's basically iPhone or Galaxy phone to most Joe and Jane Blows.

If for whatever reason Samsung went off on their own next year, with the Galaxy line, but not "Android" based, but still looked and worked just like their Galaxy Touchwiz phones do today, that would be killer for Google. Didn't Samsung buy out the top developers of Cyanogen CM ROM team a couple years ago ? They could be working on their own in-house Samsung OS ?

Samsung wouldnt just bow out though. They would sell an Android phone, windows phone, and there own OS phone.

While they would push there own OS pretty hard there is no good reason for them to lose their sales figures they get with Android.

If that were the case they wouldn't sell a windows phone, or feature phones for that matter.

Samsung is a company that's only interested in profit as are most companies. More is better, you won't see them do things out of spite.

Apple could sue Samsung six ways to Sunday but Samsung will still sell parts to apple because they make money doing so. Hell, if they could Samsung would sell an iOS device, they don't care.

Plus a new mobile OS will have a severely lacking App Store for quite sometime. They'll need to continue selling Android until it catches up but even then there still isn't a good reason to not sell an android handset.