Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has gotten a lot of flack since it unveiled the iPhone 5S and 5C on Tuesday. Much of the commentary has focused on the iPhone 5C, and it’s easy to see why. But one Android fan blog seems to think Apple has just copied Android this time around, particularly when it comes to iOS 7. And yet, the company may have failed in its copycat efforts where it matters most.
Problematic pricing for the iPhone 5C
Derek Ross of the Phandroid news site agrees with most analysts about the pricing for the iPhone 5C. After all, it’s going to sell for around $735 in China. Does that sound like a device designed for someone who can’t afford the expensive flagship device? Certainly not. Most investors were hoping to see it priced at around $300, and analysts expected it to be easily compared to the Mi3 launched recently at $330 by Xiaomi. So basically Apple tried to copy Android handsets and missed entirely—but only because the iPhone 5C is priced too high.
Consumers aren’t any happier about the iPhone 5C either. It’s basically the iPhone 5 with a cheaper back, and it’s priced at $99 with a two-year contract. As Ross points out, usually Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) discounts older phones without decreasing their quality, so this time around, the iPhone 5C appears to be somewhat of a rip-off.
He also notes that the new official Crocs cases from Apple lack the perfection Steve Jobs would have ensured. When using one of those cases with the iPhone 5C, the whole iPhone name doesn’t show through the back of the case. Instead, the letters “hon” peek through one of the holes in the back.
What about the iPhone 5S?
Of course the iPhone 5S does come with a fingerprint scanner, but as many have pointed out, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) isn’t the first company to try to add a fingerprint scanner to a handset. Motorola attempted a fingerprint scanner in 2011 with its Atrix 4G handset, but it wasn’t very popular. The scanner was located on the back of the handset, so Apple has at least made the scanner front and center in the iPhone 5S. But will that be enough for it to catch on?
One thing the iPhone 5S does have going for it is the fact that it is the first handset with a 64-bit operating system. It is good to prepare for the future, although right now most apps are 32-bit, so the faster system won’t speed up most of those apps until they are rewritten.
Ross notes that Apple seems to have taken some cues from Android in the camera for the iPhone 5S. The company added auto-image stabilization, burst mode, panorama capabilities and HD video recording. It also has a sensor that’s 15 percent larger and a bigger f / 2.2 aperture, which should improve the picture quality and perhaps take care of the zombie problem Nokia poked fun of in one of its recent ads.
iOS 7 looks like Android
Now where Phandroid really sticks it to Apple in terms of copying Android is in iOS 7. The site notes that the lock screen and wallpaper are similar to Android’s. Also Apple added some extra controls to make it easier to use—controls that Android has had for years like WiFi, Bluetooth, flashlight camera, and volume.
The site says iTunes Radio looks like Google Play Music, and a number of apps on Apple have navigation drawers, which have been used on Android devices for quite some time already. Multi-tasking is also part of iOS 7, and the iOS calendar app also looks remarkably similar to Google Calendar.
Now keep in mind that these arguments are being made on an Android fan site, but he does have a few good points. We’ll have to see what Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s fans think over the next few earnings reports.
