First Time iPhone Buyer: Is the 5c right for my needs?

[Armada]

Hello all, I'm new to iMore and I'm probably going to be new to the iPhone next month. Now, this thread isn't going to ask "is the iPhone 5c worth buying?" or "is the iPhone 5c good?" At least not quite that simply. You see, I just need a phone that fills my needs. What are those needs? Fairly simple: timely security updates, no carrier bloatware, "reasonable" battery life, smooth for at least 1.5 years, and within my budget at the time of purchase. I know the iPhone probably meets the first two, as well as the fourth.

"Reasonable" battery life for me is basically "anything better than the Galaxy Nexus." On the bus commute to work I can easily suck my battery down over 70% with only web browsing. I'd like something along 4 or 5 hours of active usage. I can barely get over 1 on my Nexus, so even 3 would make me happy. My usage is pretty simple I think. 90% of the time I'm either browsing the web, texting, using Google Hangouts, or on Facebook. I want enough to do these things and not see any stutter or lag for at least a year and a half. Besides that I don't do too much else. I run Soundhound on occasion, listen to music, maybe watch a YouTube video every once and a while. Camera doesn't really matter to me. If it works fast and doesn't look like I could draw a better picture, it'll fly. As for games I don't play them practically ever, and even then it's something simple like Path Pix.

Now, with the iPhone 5c, I can get a nice "mid range" iPhone for a reasonable price ($79 at Wally World) that doesn't stretch my budget (gotta make my tuition payments somehow!). So the only other question is, would I miss out on anything from the 5s that I should be truly concerned about? The only thing that worries me is 64-bit app incompatibility. I'd be bothered maybe a bit by missing out on features in future updates but it's probably better than them being kinda crappy like in Android (it is certainly nice to have them). The polycarbonate won't bother me since I'm already coming from plastic.

So, oh wise iMore users, can you tell me if the 5c is likely to fit my needs? I want to pick a good phone since it'll be my companion for some time to come.

 

[rdubmu]

I think that either the 5s or 5c is a great buy for a first time iphone user, especially if you are a first time smartphone user. If you already have an android device, you may or may not like the experience. The iphone has a much simpler and much better (opinion) interface than a android device. But each person has their own wants and needs.

As for updates, Apple is the best with updates than any other competitor. (Google and Microsoft), all their devices get updates until they are about 3 years old. For example the 3 year old iphone 4 got iOS7.

 

[blackmagicwoman]

Hopefully other Android and BlackBerry enthusiasts will arrive to Ihome and be open to the love that Apple affords us. We welcome you. I haven't looked back. V!


Sent from my sweet southern soulful Iphone 5.

 

[Just_Me_D]

I agree with Karen, and by the way, welcome to iMore...

 

[anon(4698833)]

To be perfectly honest with you, just based on your requirements, any iPhone back to the 4 would fit your needs perfectly...so, to answer your question, yes, the 5c will more than fit your needs.

 

[Armada]

Based on those needs, I'd say the 5C would suit you just fine.

To be perfectly honest with you, just based on your requirements, any iPhone back to the 4 would fit your needs perfectly...so, to answer your question, yes, the 5c will more than fit your needs.

Thanks for the opinions. I care enough to want my phone smooth and not wait around but I don't necessarily have to have bleeding edge everything. The iPhone 5c should fit me and my budget well.

One more question though. I don't know if you guys can yet answer this but will the 5c have it's own support life cycle that will match the 5s or will it be "retired" when the 5 does since they share basically the same internals?

 

[anon(4698833)]

Thanks for the opinions. I care enough to want my phone smooth and not wait around but I don't necessarily have to have bleeding edge everything. The iPhone 5c should fit me and my budget well.

One more question though. I don't know if you guys can yet answer this but will the 5c have it's own support life cycle that will match the 5s or will it be "retired" when the 5 does since they share basically the same internals?

Support life cycles will span FAR beyond the time you will probably use the 5c...in fact, as far as I know, the only iPhones that do not have support anymore are the 1st generation model and the 3G, so that means if they're still supporting the 3GS, which came out in 2009, you have at the very least a solid 4-5 years of support unless they drastically change something (which I doubt they will). I think the 3GS was left off the iOS 7 upgrade because it would not be able to run the OS properly, but they will still support it until it is added to the retired devices list (which you can find on Apple's website).

Don't confuse the stopping of sales with support stoppage...Apple stopped SELLING the iPhone 5, but they'll support that thing long after it's obsolete in terms of current devices.