Reviews

iPhone 5c review

Is the cheaper iPhone worth the wait?

24 Sep 2013

The iPhone 5c ships with iOS 7, which provides a much needed refreshed look to the operating system. All the icons are redesigned, the font is sharper and the interface within apps such as Safari have a minimalist feel. More functionality and a handful of business features have been incorporated to make management of devices easier for IT admins.

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iOS 7 includes a number of key additions, including Control Centre (below on the left). This is activated by swiping from the bottom of the screen and allows users to quickly access commonly used controls without having to trawl through the settings menu. These include activating/disabling Wi-Fi, Airplane mode, Bluetooth, Rotation lock and the Camera app.

The Notification Centre (below on the right) is much more useful too. iOS devices now separate notifiations into three views Today', All' and Missed' the middle of which provide the best overview of the most recent alerts.

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Multitasking is improved so you now get a snapshot of applications which are open - and can close them with a quick flick up.

Many of these user-facing features have already been available on Android for at least a year but the integration of it nto iOS is seamless and should keep Apple users happy.

There are two problems we have with iOS 7, though. The first is Apple's reluctance to update the on-screen keyboard. It's still the same clunky interface, and it's too easy to hit the wrong letter. This is an area where Apple is outdone by Android, BB10 and Windows Phone, which all have better input options. There is still no possibility to install a third-party keyboard app either, with Apple citing security concerns. Ideally the iPhone maker will either reverse this position or provide in-house alternatives in the next iteration of iOS.