iPhone 5S: Is it worth the upgrade?

	iPhone 5s	iPhone 5c	iPhone 5
Network	4G LTE compatible	4G LTE compatible	4G LTE compatible
Weight	112g	132g	112g
Thickness	7.6mm	9.0mm	7.60mm
Display	4.0inch (640x1136 @ 326ppi) LED backlit IPS LCD	4.0inch (640x1136 @ 326ppi) LED backlit IPS LCD	4.0inch (640x1136 @ 326ppi) LED backlit IPS LCD
Front Camera	1.2 Megapixel	1.2 Megapixel	1.2 Megapixel
Back Camera	8.0 Megapixel with 1.5 micron pixel size	8.0 Megapixel with 1.4 micron pixel size	8.0 Megapixel with 1.4 micron pixel size
CPU	A7 64bit Architecture, Dual core @ 1.7GHz with M7 motion coprocessor	A6 Dual core @ 1.3GHz	A6, Dual core @ 1.3GHz
RAM
OS	iOS7	iOS7	iOS6 (upgradeable to iOS7)
Sensor	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Other	Fingerprint identity sensor, tru tone flash
Battery Life	1570mAh	1510mAh	1440mAh
Price	From 870AUD	Fom 740 AUD	~700AUD

So the main question in people's minds is if they should upgrade their one year old iPhone 5. 

The table above compares the newly announced iPhone 5s and 5c to the one year old iPhone 5.

The key selling points of the iPhone 5s over the iPhone 5 are the following:

• Improved back camera. (An increased pixel size to 1.50microns and also increased the sensor size.)

• First ever 64-bit architecture on a mobile phone. (More of a marketing thing since most applications available in the app store are developed for a chip with 32-bit architecture.)

• An increase in CPU clock speed (from 1.3GHz to 1.7GHz).

• iOS7 right out of the box.

• Fingerprint identity sensor for improved security.

• Introduction of 'tru-tone flash' for better lighting conditions.

There have definitely been some major improvements in terms of raw performance and security, but with all of these differences, is it worth the upgrade? Or is it better to just hold on to our iPhone 5 and wait for the iPhone 6?

In my opinion, an upgrade is not advisable if you are currently an iPhone 5 user.

Even with all the attracting features the iPhone 5s offers, it is the same old iPhone!

The only major difference between the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5 is the introduction of the A7 64-bit architecture. However, it's still in its infancy stage, so not many applications are optimized for it.

In terms of the camera upgrade, Apple emphasized on the importance of pixel size and quality rather than the amount of pixels. They have increased the pixel size to 1.5 microns from 1.4microns. They also increased the sensor size by 15%.

Another interesting feature is the inclusion of a fingerprint scanner in place of the home button. Several people are amazed by this newly introduced feature but others are concerned of its practicality and how secure one's finger print would be stored. 

However, Apple has assured everyone that the finger prints will be stored within the phone's A7 chip. And, even if the phone got hacked, the finger print data can not be extracted.

All three phones will be able to enjoy the next version of the iOS, the iOS7. 

Another new feature introduced by Apple is the new 'tru-tone flash' of the iPhone 5s. It can mimic the natural colour of the lighting conditions when taking a photo, unlike the conventional LED flash where only a single colour of light is available.

Apple has also added a new M7 coprocessor dedicated for health and fitness applications.

So in the end... 

It's up to you if you have the spare cash and would like to upgrade to the new iPhone 5s.

However, it is advisable to hold on to your cash and wait for the new design and (probably) larger screen and everything else that is available on the iPhone 6.