Apple iPhone 5C Out Now at Kimstore : Initial Review, Price List, In The Flesh Photos, Sample Camera Shots, Unboxing
I've been regularly blogging about iPhone 5C (formerly known as "Cheap iPhone" or "Budget iPhone") since last May when rumors about the device started surfacing online.
Obviously, although I kept saying that I was on the fence about Apple's decision to offer such product, the fact that I couldn't stop talking about it only meant that I was still very much excited about the smartphone.
My friend Kim Lato of Kimstore invited me and my folks over at her shop's headquarters in Manila to check out the device and - of course - we gladly graced her invite; My mom likes having a chat with Kim and I think her dog - named "Ixus" - is absolutely adorable!
I'll show you a photo of Ixus in a bit. But first, TP Friends, here's Apple iPhone 5C in all official colors - namely, White, Pink, Green, Yellow, and Blue!
Kim knows that Blue is my favorite color so she handed me this and let me unbox it and have my time with the device.
Both iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 had supposedly eco-friendly paper packaging so I was surprised to see that iPhone 5C's box is made of plastic -- similar to that of iPod Touch 4th and 5th Generation. Maybe Apple wanted iPhone 5C's packaging to complement the polycarbonate shell of the handset.
Inside the box, you will find the iPhone 5C unit itself, the charger, the Lightning port to USB connector cable, user manual and warranty information, the pin for ejecting the Nano SIM card tray, a couple of Apple stickers, and the new Apple Earpods in its own plastic case.
iPhone 5C's button and ports layout is the same as that of its predecessor. The face of the handset flaunts its 4-inch 1136 x 640 pixels, 326 ppi Retina Display protected by scratch-resistant glass touchscreen with oleophobic coating. Above the display, we'll find the earpiece and the 1.2 MegaPixel Facetime HD camera.
The phone's loud speaker, mouthpiece, 3.5mm audio jack, and Lightning port are all located at the rear or the bottom part.
At the left side, we'll see the silent switch and the volume up and down buttons.
Nothing on the right panel but the slot for the Nano SIM card tray.
The power or sleep button can be found at the top of the handset.
The glossy plastic shell at the back houses the phone's 8 MegaPixel autofocus camera and 1080p 30fps video recorder. The main camera features a ƒ/2.4 aperture, LED flash, and backside illumination sensor for improved performance in low light conditions. TP Friends, check out these sample indoor camera shots I took using iPhone 5C sans flash (Click on them for larger view).
TP Thoughts on iPhone 5C Design and Construction
Simply put, the handset - in all available colors - looks so much better in the flesh than in photos. I think it's very cute and attractive. Yes, the back part is made of plastic but it's high-grade plastic, which has an almost ceramic look and feel to it. (I wonder how the phone would look with Apple's silicon case on -- Kim doesn't have that accessory yet.) As for its build, the device feels very solid in the hand and it does give the holder the impression that it's quite durable and that it can survive the bumps of regular use.
TP Thoughts on iPhone 5C Imaging Capabilities
I have the Nokia Lumia 920 as one of my daily phones currently so I'm quite hard to please when it comes to the image quality that I get from smartphones -- especially in this price echelon. Frankly, looking at the shots, I believe iPhone 5C's camera is just the same as that of iPhone 5 and even iPhone 4S; I mean, the difference in their imaging capabilities is barely noticeable. And as such, I find it hard to quote iPhone 5C's camera as one of its main selling points or strong suits. To be honest, I think Apple is starting to become a laggard in this department.
So should you upgrade to iPhone 5C from your iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S?
As I've said in a previous TP post, iPhone 5C is just the iPhone 5 with a plastic shell; You get almost the same specs and the same iOS7 experience. In fact, it feels weird calling 5C an "upgrade" from iPhone 5 because - all things considered - it's really not. I'm almost tempted to say that if you're using iPhone 5, you should considering getting Apple iPhone 5S instead but even that release has far too few new features that iPhone 5 doesn't have.
I own an iPhone 5 and to be honest, the only reason why I'm considering getting iPhone 5C and 5S is their novelty. I'm a big Apple fan and I want the latest that the company offers -- that's my sole motivation, really, and I'm not even sure if I should act on it.
Now, if you're using iPhone 4S and you still want an iPhone to be your next handset, then you might want to think about finally upgrading to iPhone 5C and getting a far smoother iOS7 experience. Note, however, that design and build-wise, glass-and-metal-clad iPhone 4S - I think - is superior to iPhone 5C so while the latter has better specs, you might miss the more premium look and feel in the hand of your current smartphone when you finally get the fresher release. If you ask me, the glass-sandwich design of iPhone 4S is very hard to top -- heck, I think 4S can even give iPhone 5S a run for the money in terms of looks.
Out Now At Kimstore
From donning a price tag of Php 28,180 two days ago, iPhone 5C 16GB - in any color - now goes for as low as Php 27,200 at Kimstore! The 32 GB variant, on the other hand, sells for Php 32,500.
Last night, Kim told me that she's just also started offering iPhone 5S! Here's the price schedule as of today, September 25, 2013: 16GB : Grey Php 37,900, White Php 43,500, Gold Php 53,800, 32GB : Grey Php 40,400, White Php 46,300, Gold Php 60,700, 64GB : Grey Php 43,800, White Php 49,200, Gold Php 76,600.
For more information about iPhone 5C or iPhone 5S (warranty coverage, available accessories, etc.) or if you already want to place your order, feel free to give Kimstore a ring at +63905-320-1818, +63922-885-9799, +63908-886-9799, or (02) 904-2966. Don't forget to mention TechPinas when you talk to her staff.
Obviously, although I kept saying that I was on the fence about Apple's decision to offer such product, the fact that I couldn't stop talking about it only meant that I was still very much excited about the smartphone.
Well, the other night, I finally got the chance to see Apple iPhone 5C in the flesh and to actually play with it! And being the big Apple fan that I am, despite my reservations about the release, I couldn't be happier.
My friend Kim Lato of Kimstore invited me and my folks over at her shop's headquarters in Manila to check out the device and - of course - we gladly graced her invite; My mom likes having a chat with Kim and I think her dog - named "Ixus" - is absolutely adorable!
I'll show you a photo of Ixus in a bit. But first, TP Friends, here's Apple iPhone 5C in all official colors - namely, White, Pink, Green, Yellow, and Blue!
Kim knows that Blue is my favorite color so she handed me this and let me unbox it and have my time with the device.
Both iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 had supposedly eco-friendly paper packaging so I was surprised to see that iPhone 5C's box is made of plastic -- similar to that of iPod Touch 4th and 5th Generation. Maybe Apple wanted iPhone 5C's packaging to complement the polycarbonate shell of the handset.
Inside the box, you will find the iPhone 5C unit itself, the charger, the Lightning port to USB connector cable, user manual and warranty information, the pin for ejecting the Nano SIM card tray, a couple of Apple stickers, and the new Apple Earpods in its own plastic case.
iPhone 5C's button and ports layout is the same as that of its predecessor. The face of the handset flaunts its 4-inch 1136 x 640 pixels, 326 ppi Retina Display protected by scratch-resistant glass touchscreen with oleophobic coating. Above the display, we'll find the earpiece and the 1.2 MegaPixel Facetime HD camera.
The phone's loud speaker, mouthpiece, 3.5mm audio jack, and Lightning port are all located at the rear or the bottom part.
At the left side, we'll see the silent switch and the volume up and down buttons.
Nothing on the right panel but the slot for the Nano SIM card tray.
The power or sleep button can be found at the top of the handset.
The glossy plastic shell at the back houses the phone's 8 MegaPixel autofocus camera and 1080p 30fps video recorder. The main camera features a ƒ/2.4 aperture, LED flash, and backside illumination sensor for improved performance in low light conditions. TP Friends, check out these sample indoor camera shots I took using iPhone 5C sans flash (Click on them for larger view).
TP Thoughts on iPhone 5C Design and Construction
Simply put, the handset - in all available colors - looks so much better in the flesh than in photos. I think it's very cute and attractive. Yes, the back part is made of plastic but it's high-grade plastic, which has an almost ceramic look and feel to it. (I wonder how the phone would look with Apple's silicon case on -- Kim doesn't have that accessory yet.) As for its build, the device feels very solid in the hand and it does give the holder the impression that it's quite durable and that it can survive the bumps of regular use.
TP Thoughts on iPhone 5C Imaging Capabilities
I have the Nokia Lumia 920 as one of my daily phones currently so I'm quite hard to please when it comes to the image quality that I get from smartphones -- especially in this price echelon. Frankly, looking at the shots, I believe iPhone 5C's camera is just the same as that of iPhone 5 and even iPhone 4S; I mean, the difference in their imaging capabilities is barely noticeable. And as such, I find it hard to quote iPhone 5C's camera as one of its main selling points or strong suits. To be honest, I think Apple is starting to become a laggard in this department.
So should you upgrade to iPhone 5C from your iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S?
White iPhone 5, Sky Blue iPhone 5C, and Black iPhone 4S, in that order.
As I've said in a previous TP post, iPhone 5C is just the iPhone 5 with a plastic shell; You get almost the same specs and the same iOS7 experience. In fact, it feels weird calling 5C an "upgrade" from iPhone 5 because - all things considered - it's really not. I'm almost tempted to say that if you're using iPhone 5, you should considering getting Apple iPhone 5S instead but even that release has far too few new features that iPhone 5 doesn't have.
I own an iPhone 5 and to be honest, the only reason why I'm considering getting iPhone 5C and 5S is their novelty. I'm a big Apple fan and I want the latest that the company offers -- that's my sole motivation, really, and I'm not even sure if I should act on it.
Now, if you're using iPhone 4S and you still want an iPhone to be your next handset, then you might want to think about finally upgrading to iPhone 5C and getting a far smoother iOS7 experience. Note, however, that design and build-wise, glass-and-metal-clad iPhone 4S - I think - is superior to iPhone 5C so while the latter has better specs, you might miss the more premium look and feel in the hand of your current smartphone when you finally get the fresher release. If you ask me, the glass-sandwich design of iPhone 4S is very hard to top -- heck, I think 4S can even give iPhone 5S a run for the money in terms of looks.
Out Now At Kimstore
Meet Ixus, Kim's adorable Shih Tzu!
From donning a price tag of Php 28,180 two days ago, iPhone 5C 16GB - in any color - now goes for as low as Php 27,200 at Kimstore! The 32 GB variant, on the other hand, sells for Php 32,500.
Last night, Kim told me that she's just also started offering iPhone 5S! Here's the price schedule as of today, September 25, 2013: 16GB : Grey Php 37,900, White Php 43,500, Gold Php 53,800, 32GB : Grey Php 40,400, White Php 46,300, Gold Php 60,700, 64GB : Grey Php 43,800, White Php 49,200, Gold Php 76,600.
For more information about iPhone 5C or iPhone 5S (warranty coverage, available accessories, etc.) or if you already want to place your order, feel free to give Kimstore a ring at +63905-320-1818, +63922-885-9799, +63908-886-9799, or (02) 904-2966. Don't forget to mention TechPinas when you talk to her staff.
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