So the iPhone 5S is finally with us, in a move that shocked absolutely no one.
Apple's latest device launches itself into a very crowded flagship market, populated by the five-star rated HTC One, as well as the incredibly popular Samsung Galaxy S4 and LG's new flagship, the LG G2.
We all know what we're hoping for from Apple, we hope for it every year, a revolutionary handset that matches the original iPhone in terms of game changes.
We know that's not going to happen, and time and time again Apple's iterations have proven that evolutions can be as popular as revolutions, and make just as much money.
iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Operating System
Of the four devices, the two biggest names in mobile operating systems are left to fight it out, with iOS 7 appearing on the iPhone 5S, and Android Jelly Bean on the HTC, Samsung and the LG.
iOS 7 brings across a whole new unified design, albeit in the same grid pattern that we are all used to. It also packs in some really useful features, such as the Control Center for improved multi-tasking and a full screen notifications for the iPad.
The Android toting HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and LG G2 both come with Android 4.2, though each OEM has skinned the OS with their own user interfaces.
HTC Sense on the One brings BlinkFeed, a mish-mash of content from varying social feeds, whereas Samsung's TouchWiz feels a little more android-y. Both have the ability to populate home screens with widgets, have access to Jelly Bean's superb notifications bar that encompasses access to quick and full settings.
The LG G2 also has an custom UI based on Android 4.2 but we have yet to see a name for it.
iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Processor
Apple is really pushing the boat out with the iPhone 5S processor, popping in a 64-Bit A7 chip. According to Apple, this is 40 times faster than original iPhone.
Beneath the hood of the HTC One is Qualcomm's quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 chip, backed up with 2GB of RAM to help move things along. Similarly, underneath the Galaxy S4 sits 2GB of RAM, this time with a 1.9GHz quad-core chip (although a few markets have the 1.6GHz octa-core).
There is also a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip inside the G2, although this is the newer Snapdragon 800 chip, giving the LG a whole 2.26GHz of quad-core goodness. This is all backed up with 2GB of RAM.
iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Screen
Screen technology is a hot topic when it comes to the modern smartphone, and the Retina display on the front of the iPhone 5S is testament to that - providing a 1136 x640 resolution that's 326ppi more than 4 inches.
For the Android phones it's a Full HD experience, with 4.7 inches at 468ppi on the HTC One, 5 inches of Super AMOLED at 441ppi on the Galaxy S4, and a whole 5.2 inches at about 424ppi on the LG G2. All the devices were very impressive, but we must recommend checking out the Galaxy S4 screen page here.
iPhone 5S vs HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2: Storage
If you think that the iPhone 5S is going to support microSD, you'd be very wrong. That would have been a really impressive "One More Thing," but was never going to happen.
What you do get is 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage backed up with iCloud. HTC's One is another device that doesn't come with microSD support, disappointingly so as it's very much supported by Android. What you do get, is 32GB or 64GB of internal. Even the LG comes without expandable storage, leaving only 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.
However, the Samsung Galaxy S4 does come with microSD support - up to 64GB - to sit alongside the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB offerings, meaning up to a potential 128GB of storage is available.
