Daily Archives: September 22, 2013

The New iPhone 5s

I read a couple of articles talking about the iPhone 5s and I am impressed. I have always been very critical towards many of the Apple products but I particularly enjoy the launch of the iPhone 5s.

Yes, the hardware is pretty much the same (some new colours) and the processor is the quickest one ever. However these aren’t the aspects that I appreciated of the new iPhone. My favourite feature of the new iPhone is the fingerprint sensor. Not only it is a cooler way to unlock an iPhone, it gives the iPhone a new level of security. On the iPhones before, a “passcode” is required to unlock it. However, this “passcode” is mostly known by people close to you. Also, there is a 1/9999 chance one would get the passcode. A fingerprint is absolutely unique, even though you would want people who are close to you to have the “passcode” to your iPhone, you can’t.

New article just came out:

http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-5s-fingerprint-scanner-hacked-2013-9

This article talked about how the iPhone 5s fingerprint scanner got hacked, causing a tremendous panic. This article described how a fraud extracted a fingerprint from a surface, scanned into a computer, printed out on latex then managed to hack through the phone.

If this technique is proved viable, the chances of this happening are lot less than 1/9999. However, this security measure is showing that Apple and smartphone world is moving towards making iPhone a more secure device than ever, leading to many more opportunities. This includes leading the banks to trust the iPhone than before, eventually allowing people to pay with their iPhone. Payments on the iPhone have not been successful and I find myself taking a wallet and my phone when I go out. Many apps have tried to make an “e-wallet”, trying to get rid off the wallet, like how the iPhone got rid off physical calendars, contact books etc.

The fingerprint sensor has a huge potential.

Droid vs iPhone

What do you like better?

Not totally positive if this makes a difference or not, but growing up in California, I have noticed that the majority of people with smart phones have iPhones.  I used to do surveys in my classes at my small high school.  In a regular class there were only about sixteen students, but in each class I found there to be a average ratio of 14:2 (iPhone : Droid).  Although the Google Android has made huge strides, I do not believe it will pass the iPhone for years.  As an owner of both types of phones I have a strong opinion for why the iPhone is better.  I believe it has a more simple user face, the touch screen is better, and the fact that a new one doesn’t come out every 4 or 5 weeks is also a positive for me.  Personally, when I buy a new iPhone, I like the idea that I am not going to feel outdated for a year or so, whereas when I got the Samsung S2 when it first came out, the new one came out soon after.  There are just so many different android phones that it becomes too hard to keep up with all of them.  The android software has always been so complicated to navigate and more complex to figure out.  I will say that the one thing that is nice about the android phones is that they come out in a bunch of different options and sizes.  The iPhone needs to have a bigger screen option when the six comes out.  If it doesn’t I feel as if a lot of people will be very disappointed.

In conclusion, if you like or have an android I am sorry, but I think that maybe you should consider switching over to the iPhone soon.