Vs
Tony Crammond
08:50, Sep 12 2013
Will Apple's newly announced iPhone 5S take Google's latest Nexus to the cleaners?
After months of speculation and hyperbole Apple’s iPhone 5S is finally here, and it looks to be quite a device. Naturally, the major comparisons are already being drawn between Apple’s next flagship and the myriad top-tier Android contenders on the block, but with recent leaked information giving us insight into the potential Nexus 5 we thought it was about time we introduced the two devices, to let them get acquainted.
Will Apple’s 64-bit masterpiece be the game changer that everyone thinks, or will Google’s next joint venture with LG have what it takes to land the knockout blow to Apple’s market share?
[NOTE: This comparison is based on rumors as well as facts, as Google's Nexus 5 has yet to actually launch.]
Power
The iPhone 5S is powered by Apple’s A7 chipset, which will feature the world’s first 64-bit mobile processor. The device will also benefit from an MM7 Motion Core processor, which will be able to analyze things like footsteps, whether you’re driving and things like the device’s compass.
There’s no word yet on exactly what we’ll see in the chip in real terms, but it will likely be another dual core offering and, again, we don’t know what RAM the 5S will carry, but we’d bet our shirts on it being 2GB – so it likely won’t have the chops to milk the 64-bit silicon for all it’s worth.
The device also offers a 1440mAh battery, which is said to offer exemplary battery life.
Another key feature of the iPhone 5S is its fingerprint sensor, which will make securing your device much easier. Of course there are security concerns, but we’ll know more when we get our mitts on the device properly in a week or two.
FCC filings suggest that the Nexus 5 will be powered by Qualcomm’s fantastic Snapdragon 800 chipset, which features a quad-core Krait CPU, clocked up to 2.3GHz and an Adreno 330 GPU.
Rumors also suggest that the Nexus 5 may see a RAM boost, to 3GB, which would put the device on par with Samsung’s recently announced Galaxy Note 3.
Leaked documents suggest that the Nexus 5 will have a 2300mAh battery, which will be heavily augmented by software to deliver well over a day's solid usage.
Whether the raw power of Qualcomm’s chipset will win the day here, or Apple’s future-proof chipset with all of its potential will, we can’t be sure, but it’s going to be fun finding out.
Winner – Draw
Screen
The iPhone 5S has a 4-inch, LED-backlit IPS LCD screen that runs at a resolution of 640 x 1136 and pushes a pixel density of 326PPI.
Early signs are good, with the device’s Retina Display appearing pin-sharp in hands-on reviews, but did we ever expect anything else from Apple?
Rumor has it that the Nexus 5 will arrive with a 4.96-inch screen of indeterminate quality.
Sense dictates that it will be on a level with its fellows the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One, so expect full HD and a pixel density in the early 400s.
Winner – Google Nexus 5 (rumored)
Software
Apple has made great strides forward with iOS 7. The platform now looks like it belongs in 2013 with a flatter, more minimal interface that is emboldened with bright, sharp colors.
In terms of performance things have improved as well, with a new notifications center, upgraded multi-tasking and, of course, new and improved Siri.
Google’s Nexus 5 will undoubtedly launch with Android 4.4, which has recently been renamed KitKat.
What Google has up its sleeve for the next step in Android’s evolution is anyone’s guess, but the early signs point to the OS being friendlier to lower-end hardware. This will help Google handle the on-going fragmentation issue, and the software will be based on a new Linux Kernel, which should bring out the best in batteries.
In terms of what it will bring to the Nexus 5 we just can’t be sure, but Google seldom disappoints, so we’ll tie this round as a mark of respect to both platforms.
Winner – Draw
Camera
The iPhone 5S features an 8-megapixel camera that comes with 1/3-inch sensor size, 1.5 µm pixel size, simultaneous HD video and image recording, touch focus, geo-tagging, face detection, HDR panorama, HDR and some massively updated software. It also has a few new additions, such as a dual-LED 2-stage True Tone flash and a sensor that is around 15 percent larger than that featured on the iPhone 5, allowing the device to excel in low-light photography.
The iPhone 5S can also capture 1080P video and slow motion video at up to 720P.
The secondary camera on Apple’s iPhone 5S is a 1.2-megapixel offering with face detection, capable of 720P capture.
The Nexus 5’s camera is rumored to be a 13-megapixel sensor, which will likely come with an LED flash, panorama, HDR, 1080P video capture and Photosphere.
The device’s secondary camera is likely to be around 2-megapixel with 1080P video capture.
A bigger sensor isn’t everything though, and going on track records we have to award this round to Apple’s iPhone 5S, which looks to be a doozy in the photographic department.
Winner – Apple iPhone 5S
Build
Apple iPhone 5S – 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm, 112g
Google Nexus 5 – ?
LG is said to be building Google’s Nexus 5 and given the job that it did on the Nexus 4 we’re quietly confident that the device will be durable and solid. Of course there’s also the fear that it may look like it was stolen from Elton John’s bedside table, like its spangly forebear, but we’ll push that thought out of our mind for the time being.
The leaked image that was snagged recently from Google’s KitKat unveiling shows the device to have a matte back, which is a reassuring thought, and it looked to be very thin too.
The iPhone 5S looks fantastic. The device is made from glass and metal again, but with new chamfered edges, which lend a real air of class to proceedings. Yes, it may be fragile but it will damn well feel good in the hand and do our confidence the world of good, especially in its new champagne color.
Winner – Apple iPhone 5S
Final verdict
Apple iPhone 5S
Apple’s new iPhone 5S has taken the prize in this preliminary bout.
Its camera appears fantastic, it’s packing the world’s first 64-bit smartphone architecture and it looks pretty sharp – what’s not to like?
We’ll see how things really fall when we get our hands on the Nexus 5 and get to grips with Android 4.4, but early signs are that it will really have its work cut out.
Apple
Google
Apple Iphone 5s
Google Nexus 5
Android 4.4 KitKat
Ios 7
64-bit