iPhone 5s vs Nexus 5 smartphone comparison - the best Apple smartphone against a great deal from Google

The iPhone 5s is Apple's best ever smartphone, the Nexus 5 a staggeringly good deal. So which should you choose? We think you know the answer, but just to sure you should read Macworld UK's iPhone 5s vs Nexus 5 smartphone comparison review.

Price

• RRP: 0
• Check best prices for buying online

Pros

• Nexus 5 is super cheap
• and offers good performance and build...

Cons

• ...but if money is no object we'd always choose Apple's best ever iPhone

iPhone 5s vs Nexus 5 smartphone comparison review

The iPhone 5s is Apple's best ever smartphone, the Nexus 5 a staggeringly good deal. So which should you choose? We think you know the answer, but just to sure you should read Macworld UK's iPhone 5s vs Nexus 5 smartphone comparison review. 

iPhone 5S vs Nexus 5 comparison: Software

The principal reason to choose the Nexus 5 is always going to be the price. We have a whole section discussing price later in this article. But you are a Macworld reader and an iPhone fan, so we are going to assume that mere trifles such as the cost don't enter your mind when making purchasing decisions. 

Android 4.4 KitKat vs iOS 7 is a conundrum. Android isn't like it used to be: if you are new to the smartphone game there's no obvious winner. These are the two most popular and best mobile operating systems around so it's about picking which one is right for you. (For more visit Macworld UK's iPhone and iPad spotlight.

Android 4.4 KitKat brings some great features such as a full screen mode and many improvements across calling, messaging, search, audio playback and more. iOS 7 has the handy Control Center, better multi-tasking and an overhaul in terms of look and feel. It's also more responsive on the same hardware, although whether these two handsets enjoy the same hardware is to be discussed later on!

In essence, if you are a long-term iOS user you will probably best off sticking with what you know. You have after all almost certainly spent a lot of cash on apps that you'll have to spend again in Android. But it is worth considering that your iTunes music files will work in Android, and Android offers the opportunity of shopping around for music, movies, books and TV shows.

It's also worth taking note that both Android and iOS are set to get an update soon. Apple unveiled iOS 8 with many new and exciting features in June, while Google showed off Android L during its Google I/O event later the same month. Find out more about each in our Android L article and our iOS 8 preview.

iPhone 5S vs Nexus 5 comparison: Display

The Nexus 5 has a much bigger screen than the iPhone 5S display. It's 4.95 in compared to 4 in, and that extra real estate will come in handy for web browsing, gaming and watching video content – especially with Android 4.4 KitKat's new full-screen Immersive Mode.

If you're more interested in resolution then the iPhone 5S sticks to the previous 640 x 1136 Retina quality display while the Nexus 5 is higher res at Full HD 1080 x 1920 – typical for a top-end Android handset. This means the Nexus 5 has a pixel density of 445ppi against the iPhone's 326ppi.

But before you conclude that the Nexus 5 has a 'better' display, there is something to be said for the iPhone's narrow display which works well in landscape mode as a widescreen. And as we find in the next section, a big screen makes a big phone...

iPhone 5S vs Nexus 5 comparison: Design and build

The Nexus 5 is a bigger smartphone than the iPhone 5S. Most smartphones are larger than the iPhone these days because, like the Nexus 5, they have bigger screens. 

Both the iPhone 5S and the Nexus 5 are slender and light but the iPhone 5S wins on measurements. It's 7.6 mm thick and weighs 112 g which means it's thinner and lighter than the Nexus 5 which is 8.6 mm and 130 g. Of course, some of that extra weight will be due to its bigger screen.

Made from aluminium and glass, the iPhone 5S is more fragile than the Nexus 5 and demands some kind of protective case. But it also infinitely more aesthetically pleasing. It is an iPhone, after all. Google has ditched the glass rear cover which it used on the Nexus 4, making the Nexus 5 a much more robust device. You don't need a case. The Nexus 5 comes in black and white, while the iPhone 5S comes in silver, space grey and gold.

So good looking, thin and light, with a choice of colours, or robust and monochrome. You decide.

iPhone 5S vs Nexus 5 comparison: Specs and performance

Both of the iPhone 5S and the Nexus 5 smartphones pack in impressive hardware. The iPhone 5S sports Apple's A7 chip which is the first 64-bit processor to be put into a smartphone. It also has the M7 motion coprocessor. This makes for impressive performance, as witnessed by the iPhone's benchmark results. In SunSpider 1.0, the 5S completed the test in just 417ms. In Geekbench 3 the iPhone 5S managing a very healthy score of 2561. Running GLBenchmark 2.7 (Egypt HD), the iPhone 5S managed 53fps. These are great results.

Google and LG have opted for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip, a 2.3 GHz quad-core processor, for the Nexus 5. This is paired with 2GB RAM. These specs take the Nexus 5 to a Geekbench 3 score of 2800, GLBenchmark 2.7 of 24fps, and a SunSpider time of 801ms.

Overall, the iPhone 5s managed to beat the Nexus 5 on all three benchmark tests, but synthetic benchmarks are not to be used in such a specific manner. Each of these phones is noticably fast and more than capable of running the tasks asked of it. If you're trying to choose between these two then you're best off doing it based on things other than the chip, as they're both snappy, fast and smooth running devices despite their processor differences.

iPhone 5S vs Nexus 5 comparison: Storage

Storage is important if you're going to keep lots of music, apps, games and videos on your smartphone. Neither the iPhone 5S nor the Nexus 5 has a microSD card slot for a memory card so it's paramount you pick the right amount of storage.

Google has double the capacity of the Nexus 5 compared to the Nexus 4 so there is 16 GB and 32 GB options. Apple also has these available on the iPhone 5S but has a larger 64 GB model, too. Picking that 64GB iPhone will mean a price of more than £700, though, as we discuss below.

iPhone 5S vs Nexus 5 comparison: Cameras

Both the Nexus 5 and iPhone 5S have 8Mp rear-facing cameras, but each has different features.

The iPhone 5S offers a 'True Tone' flash and backside illumination (BSI) sensor while the Nexus 5 provides optical image stabilisation and an HDR+ mode. Both shoot video at 1080p but the iPhone 5S has a Slo-mo mode. You'll need to choose which ones will be more beneficial to you. Find out more about the iPhone's camera features here.

At the front the Nexus 5 has a slight edge with 1080p video from its 1.3 Mp webcam compared to the iPhone 5S' 1.2 Mp camera which is limited to 720p.

iPhone 5S vs Nexus 5 comparison: Connectivity

The Nexus 5 and iPhone 5S are similar but different when it comes to connectivity. The iPhone 5S has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS combined with Apple's Lightning connector and the new Touch ID fingerprint scanner.

Meanwhile, the Nexus 5 has dual-band Wi-Fi with the latest 11.ac standard, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, GPS and NFC with a microUSB port (SlimPort enabled) and wireless charging.

As you would expect from a recently released smartphone, both support 4G LTE mobile networks.

iPhone 5S vs Nexus 5 comparison: Price

iPhone 5s deals: Best Apple's iPhone 5s contract

Price is by far the biggest difference between the Nexus 5 and iPhone 5S.

The Nexus 5 starts at just £299 while the iPhone 5S costs a comparatively huge £549 – both with 16 GB of storage. That's the kind of value for money which is hard to argue with. The difference is much closer on contract, of course.

It's also worth considering the cost of replacing any iPhone cases, docks and speakers you own.

Finally, know that Google subsidises the Nexus devices to drive adoption of Android, which is in itself a data gathering exercise aimed at increasing advertising revenue. There's nothing wrong with this, but it is a factor to take into consideration.

iPhone 6 rumours and Nexus 6 rumours

Both the iPhone 5S and Nexus 5 were released late last year - the iPhone 5S in September alongside the iPhone 5C, and the Nexus 5 at the end of October. That means they're not too far off being year-old devices, so it's worth considering whether you want to wait it out for the next generation of each device.

The iPhone 6 is expected to have a bigger screen, and there may even be an iPhablet launched alongside it with a 5.5in display. Find out more in our rumour iPhone 6 rumour round-up and iPhablet rumour round-up. 

OUR VERDICT

The iPhone 5s is the best phone Apple has ever made, but on price alone it is difficult to suggest that it is a better deal than is the Nexus 5. If money is no object, however, we'd always choose the iPhone.

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 6: iPhone 5s compared with expected iPhone 6 design, specs & features

The iPhone 5s, Apple's flagship smartphone, has been available to buy since September, so it's not surprising that everyone's now talking about what to expect from the iPhone 6, which is expected to be released next month. Here, we've used the most viable speculation, leaks and rumours from around the web to compare the iPhone 5s's specs, features and design with its potential successor.

Price

• RRP: £549 inc VAT
• Check best prices for buying online

Pros

• iPhone 5s is already an excellent high-end smartphone
• iPhone 5s is available to buy now

Cons

• iPhone 6 will be even better & bigger when it's released
• iPhone 6 is likely to have much better specs
• iPhone 6 will be the coolest smartphone to own

iPhone 5s is great but iPhone 6 will be amazing.

The iPhone 5s, Apple's flagship smartphone, has been available to buy since September, so it's not surprising that everyone's now talking about what to expect from the iPhone 6, which is expected to be released next month. Here, we've used the most viable speculation, leaks and rumours from around the web to compare the iPhone 5s's specs, features and design with its potential successor.

Before we get started, we'd like to point out that this comparison is in no way, shape or form designed to be taken as fact. We are simply using the information and evidence we've collected since the launch of the iPhone 5s to predict what theiPhone 6 will be like.

The aim is to give you some perspective about what we can expect from the iPhone 6 launch, and perhaps aide you if you're considering waiting for the iPhone 6 to arrive before buying an iPhone, or you're thinking about upgrading from an older iPhonewhen the iPhone 6 comes out. It should spark your imagination, and get you thinking about what the future holds for Apple, too.

Read on for our thoughts about how the iPhone 6 will compare to its predecessor, the iPhone 5s.

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 6: design

Aside from a new, gold colour and the introduction of the Touch ID home button, the iPhone 5s doesn't look much different to its predecessor, the iPhone 5. This time, however, we expect Apple to bring a new look and feel to the iPhone with the iPhone 6, as it has traditionally done with each release that follows an 's' device.

It's possible that the iPhone 6 will be even thinner and lighter than the iPhone 5s thanks to the use of Liquidmetal, a material that's exclusively licensed to Apple and is said to be extremely durable. According to reports, Liquidmetal could enable the iPhone 6 to be just 6mm thick compared to the iPhone 5s's 7.6mm.

If you're hoping for a bigger smartphone from Apple, you may just be in luck this year. It's possible, and widely rumoured, that the iPhone 6 will have a bigger display than the iPhone 5s, perhaps achieved by the super-durable sapphire glass Apple is believed to be manufacturing in Arizona.

The iPhone 5s has a 4in display but there are rumours of a display of 4.7in for the iPhone 6. Many reports even suggest that there will be two new iPhone models available, one with a 4.7in display and the other with a 5.5in display. That second, even bigger new iPhone is dibbed iPhone Air or iPhone 6L. You can find out more about it in our iPhone Air rumour round-up, but here we're focusing on the rumoured 4.7in iPhone 6 model.

The bigger display might not mean an enormously bigger iPhone overall. Some reports suggest that Apple will make an edge-to-edge display for the iPhone 6, accomodating the bigger display without needing to significantly increase the size of the chassis.

Overall, we love the design of Apple's iPhone 5s, but would expect the iPhone 6 to look even nicer, with an updated design that will help the new iPhone become one of the most sought after gadgets on the planet. It's recently been suggested that the iPhone 6 sales will be 20 per cent greater than the iPhone 5s.

Take a look at the latest iPhone 6 leaked images to get a better idea of what the iPhone 6 will look like.

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 6: processor, performance

It's pretty much a given that Apple will improve the processor and performance of the iPhone with the next version. Currently, the iPhone 5s sports a 64-bit A7 chip, but we expect an A8 chip to feature in the iPhone 6. How that'll actually translate to user experience, though, is another question. The iPhone 5s is already so powerful that a boost won't be obvious to the general iPhone user.

One area that could be significantly improved, though, is RAM. The iPhone 5s only has 1GB of RAM whereas some competitors have up to 3GB, which would make for an even smoother experience, particularly when multitasking.

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 6: storage

There isn't yet a 128GB version of the iPhone available, but there is for the iPad, which suggests it's a possibility for the iPhone 6. 128GB is pretty huge, though, so we don't expect many people to opt for that capacity, particularly because it would push the price of the device sky high.

It's also quite unlikely that Apple will go the opposite way and offer an 8GB model of the iPhone 6. There is an 8GB model of the iPhone 5c available, but only in select countries.

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 6: camera

There's a fair bit of debate about the iPhone's camera. After all, at 8-megapixels, it's far behind many of its rivals on paper. However, as Macworld UK's Karen Haslamexplains here, megapixels aren't everything.

We expect that, while Apple may increase the megapixels somewhat with the iPhone 6, the company is more likely to focus the camera improvements on other areas such as image stabilisation, aperture and software features.

Current rumours suggest that the iPhone 6 could have a 10-megapixel camera with a f/1.8 aperture and improved filters. The iPhone 5s has an 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

Right now, we find the camera in the iPhone 5s to be excellent and able to capture impressive images that satisfy our needs, so a camera improvement isn't the most important thing we're looking for with the iPhone 6, but we certainly wouldn't be complaining if it gets even better with the next version.

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 6: software

The iPhone 5s currently runs iOS 7, but it won't be long before we'll get the option to install iOS 8 on our iOS devices. The iPhone 6 will ship with iOS 8 installed, and its possible that there will be some features in iOS 8 that are exclusive to the newest iPhone. 

You can find out more about iOS 8 in our iOS 8 preview.

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 6: battery life

One of the most called for improvements for the iPhone 6 is battery life. We wholeheartedly agree that battery life is an issue that Apple is battling with and needs to be addressed. It's no mean feat, as the slim nature of the iPhone means it's tricky to cram in a super battery that's able to power the device for longer.

Apple could introduce a power saving mode similar to Samsung's and Sony's instead, though. This software feature would shut down any unnecessary applications and features that may be draining battery when the power is dangerously low, and could even go as far as to turn everything black and white and dim the display.

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 6: other features

It's possible that Apple will add new capabilities and improvements to the iPhone 6'sTouch ID fingerprint sensor.

Other possibilities include the addition of wireless charging thanks to a new Broadcom chip, though we're not completely convinced about that one, a curved display (again not convinced), and new quantum dots to improve the accuracy of the iPhone 6's colour reproduction.

Apple could use its September iPhone 6 event to launch an iWatch, the company's rumoured foray into the wearable tech market. You can find out more about the iWatch in our iWatch rumour round-up.

OUR VERDICT

Overall, the iPhone 6 is sure to be a significantly better smartphone than the iPhone 5s, but that's not to say the iPhone 5s isn't already great. It has extremely high build quality, impressive camera, processor, capacity and software, but the iPhone 6 can only improve on that.

There could be a surprise stand-out feature that makes the selling point of the iPhone 6, but we suspect that may be the rumoured bigger screen. If you're not looking for a bigger-screened phone then the iPhone 5s is a perfectly good and extremely impressive smartphone to opt for, but the iPhone 6 is bound to be even better.

How to prepare your iPhone & iPad for iOS 8: How to upgrade to iOS 8 & advice about whether you should

We bring you advice about how to prepare for the release of iOS 8 next month, including installation tips and advice about whether you should upgrade or not

iOS 8, the next version of Apple's operating system software for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, is expected to be released to the public alongside the iPhone 6 in early September. Here, we bring you advice about how to prepare for the release of iOS 8, including tips about the upgrading process and advice about whether iOS 8 is right for you. See also: 8 new features in iOS 8 that we can't wait for

Many users have been caught out, one way or another, by iOS upgrades in the past. Some have upgraded recklessly and found that they don't like the new iOS, but can't go back because they didn't save the right files beforehand. Others have upgraded on launch day and hit massive server overload, making the process last for hours and occasionally losing apps in the process.

However, we hope that you'll be able to fully prepare for iOS 8 by reading this article and taking the necessary actions to help make upgrading a smooth and pleasant process. See also: Everything you need to know about the iOS 8 beta versions

How to prepare for iOS 8: Which devices are compatible with iOS 8?

First things first: will you be able to download and run iOS 8 at all?

Apple has revealed which devices will be able to run the new software, and we've explained everything you need to know about whether your device is supported in ourWill my iPad or iPhone be able to run iOS 8 article.

How to prepare for iOS 8: 3 things to do before you upgrade

1. Check your connection

Once you've double-checked that your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad is capable of running iOS 8, you'll need to decide how to install the OS. If you plan to install wirelessly, confirm that you have an available WiFi connection.

If you intend to install via iTunes, you need your computer and the latest version of iTunes.

2. Back up your device

To make a backup using your computer, you can go through iTunes. Just plug your device into your computer (or use the WiFi Sync option) and open iTunes.

Once the program is open, click the Devices button, select your device and scroll down in the summary section to Backups. There, under 'Manually Back Up and Restore,' click Back Up Now.

To make a wireless backup directly from your device, you need an iCloud account. Once you're logged in to iCloud, make sure your device is connected to a WiFi network – you can't create a backup over a cellular network. See: iCloud backup tricks for the iPhone and iPad

After you've done so, go to Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backup, turn on the iCloud Backup toggle and tap Back Up Now.

Also read: How to manage iCloud Storage and Backup Settings for iOS

3. Make sure you're up to date

We'd also advise you to check that you're up to date with the current iOS 7 updates before iOS 8 arrives. This should help speed up the upgrade process when iOS 8 becomes available. Make sure you've backed up your device as described above, then go to Settings > General > Software Update. Your device will check for updates, and if there are any available you'll be able to click 'Install Now'.

See also: 10 amazing new Messages features in iOS 8

How to upgrade to iOS 8

When iOS 6 launched, Apple somehow underestimated user demand, and its servers struggled to cope. People found that upgrading took them hours and hours. Worse still, some discovered after the upgrade was complete that they had lost some apps.

These days losing apps is less of a worry because most of us download them through iCloud rather than syncing with a Mac. If an app disappears during the upgrade, track it down on the App Store on your iDevice and you should be able to redownload it at no cost. If this doesn't work, get in touch with Apple.

But for the lesser issue of slow upgrades, we’d suggest waiting at least a day before upgrading. This fits in with our general message of caution - you want to read about users’ experience with the new software and try it out on a friend's device or in an Apple store, so it makes to wait. See also: iOS 8 FAQs

How to prepare for the iOS 8 launch: What if I hit problems? 

If even all this preparation isn’t enough to protect you from an unexpected problem - you can't check everything, and it's possible that you didn’t notice some small but crucial element of iOS 7 that's been altered - then don't despair.

Check online for discussion of the problem you’re having, since it's unlikely that you’ll be the only one experiencing it; other users may find a workaround, and there’s a good chance that Apple will deal with the issue in a subsequent update.

Finally, what we said to many iOS 7 haters who discovered that they couldn't downgrade was this: give it a chance. If there are major aesthetic changes, it's likely to feel weird at first. But when we go back to iOS 6 these days it looks horrible. Operating systems can grow on you. See also: New features coming in iOS 8's Camera app

How to prepare for the iOS 8 launch: Downgrading, and saving your blobs

Will you be able to downgrade from iOS 8 to iOS 7 (or, for that matter, iOS 6 or earlier)? Yes, probably - but it won't be easy, if history can teach us anything.

You could downgrade from iOS 7 to iOS 6 in the first weeks after it was unveiled but then the window clanged shut. Right now, the only way to downgrade is if you use one particular model of iPhone, and happened to save your blobs at the right time. Don't know what 'blobs' are? Lots of people don't.

If you're planning on upgrading to iOS 8, it might be worth finding out what they are, and getting into the habit of saving them - although, as I said, it's possible that you still won’t be able to downgrade because you're using the wrong hardware, or because Apple finds a way to close this loophole. Here's how to save your SHSH blobs.

Now, there's been so much annoyance at Apple's strict downgrading policies that it's possible that things will get easier for iOS 8. But don't bet on it. We would suggest reading our article on downgrading from iOS 7 to iOS 6 carefully, to see what files you would need to have saved to pull off that process - maybe you can prepare for the next upgrade in such a way that downgrading is possible. But this isn't guaranteed to work; indeed, reading the article will also give you an idea of how hard it can be to reverse the upgrade, so you know what you're committing to.

Once we know more about iOS's details, we'll update our article How to downgrade from iOS 8 to iOS 7.

How to prepare for the iOS 8 launch: Read the reviews, and try it out if possible

Ultimately the best plan for the iOS 8 launch is to frequently check tech sites you trust for reviews (our iOS 8 review based on the beta is already available to take a look at), with details of new features and design changes from iOS 7, and then if possible (and if one of your friends takes the plunge) try the new software on a friend's device. See also: New features coming to the Mail app in iOS 8

Bear in mind that hardware on the lower fringes of the compatibility list may only just be able to run iOS 8; iOS 7 caused performance problems with the iPhone 4, for instance, and you not get all the new features. Check for user reports from people using the same generation of iPhone or iPad as you.

In other words, make your mind up as far as possible, then upgrade. You don't want to be looking for ways to downgrade afterwards. It may be a free upgrade, but you should treat iOS 8 as a massively expensive purchase - because if you hate it, or your device struggles to run it, you've spoiled your experience with a piece of consumer hardware worth hundreds of pounds.

Apple to offer in-house screen replacements for iPhone 5s

Apple iPhone 5s owners will soon be able to get damaged displays repaired through Apple Stores instead of sending it to a third-party repair centre.

As per 9to5Mac, Apple has begun shipping iPhone 5s screen replacements in its official US and Canada retail stores and in-store repairs are set to begin on August 4.

One of the crucial aspects about repairing any gadget is obtaining the right equipment for the job. Being able to source them from the original manufacturer (in this case, Apple) can help address this and users can obtain reliable replacements at cheaper prices. If the user’s 5c or 5s is under AppleCare warranty, the part replacement costs will be waived. If the iPhone is not under warranty, there will be fees incurred for individual part replacements.

Apple had officially rolled out iPhone 5c screen repairs in late 2013, which cost less than replacing iPhone 5s screens. Apple had given its stores special machinery to replace the touchscreens of both the devices, designed specifically to calibrate the displays. The Apple stores will also be able replace the volume buttons, vibrating motor, rear camera and speaker system of the new devices. While the store will be able to replace the traditional Home button in the 5c, the Touch ID-based button of the 5s was not part of the offering.

With the ability to replace iPhone 5, 5c, and 5s screens, Apple can significantly cut down on repair costs and wait times. According to AppleInsider, Apple can save nearly $ 1 billion per year with in-house repairs.

FYI: Apple isn't making your iPhone slower on purpose

Don't believe the rubbish about Apple purposefully making your iPhone run slower to force you to buy a new one. Why? Because, like I said, it's rubbish. I'm not saying that Apple doesn't want you to upgrade – it does. But to say that the reason your iPhone gets slower over time is because Apple is making it slow down on purpose is just plain silly.

Each year, Apple releases a new iOS, the operating system that runs on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. If your phone is two or three years old, there's a chance updating to the new software will make your iPhone slower. See: iOS 8 preview

On 26 July, The New York Times published a piece by Sendhil Mullainathan, a professor of economics at Harvard. The piece highlights research from a Harvard Ph.D student that shows that, each time a new iPhone is released, the term "iPhone slow" sees a spike in Google Search. Of course, each time a new iPhone is released, so is a new iOS, which in addition to being available for the latest iPhones, is also available for some older models too.

But the software, understandably, has been optimised for Apple's newest phones. Why would the company cripple its new software in order to cater for three-year-old iPhones when it could make it absolutely amazing for the users of its newest device?

It's not just Apple's software that'll make your older iPhone feel slower either. Don't forget, technology moves fast. Your iPhone 4S has a three year-old processor in it, which might not be advanced enough to handle some of the newer apps that you download from the iOS App Store as smoothly as you'd like. That app might be designed to take advantage of the 64-bit architecture in the iPhone 5S, for example.

The NYT article was picked up by numerous tabloid papers, including The Daily Mail and Metro, but unfortunately the articles published by these papers highlighted the theory that Apple is slowing down your iPhones on purpose, but seemed to miss out some of Mullainathan's other points.

"The spikes show that the feeling doesn't grow gradually; it comes on suddenly in the days after a new phone is released," he says. "Yet that's all it shows: People suddenly feel that their phone is slowing down. It doesn't show that our iPhones actually become slower."

"Hearing about a new release makes you contemplate getting a new and faster phone. And you suddenly notice how slow your old phone is," Mullainathan adds.

The professor attempts to compare the search trend with searches for various Android phones, and finds there are far fewer spikes in searches for slow Android phones than there are for slow iPhones. But one reason of the reasons for this, and even Mullainathan points this one out, is that a much, much smaller percentage of Android users upgrade to the newest version of the operating system compared with the percentage of iPhone users who upgrade, so the spikes would be much less likely to occur in the same way.

"In the benign explanation, a slowdown of old phones is not a specific goal, but merely a side effect of optimising the operating system for newer hardware," Mullainathan continues in his article, and its exactly that explanation that I believe to be true.

Apple even releases small updates to iOS versions if it finds that it is crippling older devices, helping them to recover if customers have been finding them slow and sluggish. Apple doesn't want you to leave it for good, after all.

Now, I'm not saying that Apple isn't guilty at all here. It could make it clearer to potential updaters that getting the new version of iOS could cause their older iPhone to slow down, for example. But everyone seems to love hating on Apple and it's getting pretty boring.

If you find that your iPhone is feeling slow and sluggish, don't go hating on Apple. Yes, it might be time to start thinking about getting a new phone, and perhaps that shouldn't be an iPhone this time if you really believe that Apple's doing this to you on purpose, but it's possible that a simple spring clean could do the trick.

This is the perfect smartphone

There’s lots of competition to be the best smartphone around: Apple’s iPhone 5s has many fans, while others are enamoured with the Samsung Galaxy S5, the HTC One M8 and the LG G3. Each of those phones has its strengths and weaknesses – and here we're going to combine all their best points to great the best phone ever (or at least so far, until one of the phone markers or platform developers comes up with something super shiny that wows us all).

This is a bit of fun - and a benchmark to judge any new phone by, including the apparently soon-to-be-forthcoming iPhone 6 - but underpinning it is that there is no one best phone on the market, you've got to find the one whose best features appeal most to you.

Most usable: iPhone 5s

iOS 7 is the best mobile phone platform around – and it runs best on the iPhone 5s. Android is highly configurable and the best to get your nerd on with – but for the vast majority of users, iOS is the easiest to use. Apple has nailed interface design with iOS 7 – and by 'interface design’ I mean how it works and how you achieve what you want to achieve, more than how it looks. It’s simple and almost never confusing, and you always know how to navigate around the OS and use Apple’s key apps – and these design principles have been picked up by other designers of iOS apps, pushing them to use the best practice that Apple has set down.

There was a lot of hate for the design of iOS 7 when it first launched – but this was primarily about its aesthetics, not how it works. Almost a year on, even the haters have come to accept the look and feel of iOS 7 – probably because they’ve realised that how it works is more important. iOS 7’s aesthetics are a consequence of the way that it works, chosen to complement how you use the platform and make it obvious how you activate functions when you want to start or complete a task. (If you want to know about design for usability, I’d recommend reading The Design of Everyday Things by ex-Apple designer and usability guru Donald Norman – who explains how designers choose how things work and why you’re always lighting the wrong hob on your oven.

This said, I'm really quite impressed with next version of Android, still just codenamed L, which has been designed with a focus on usability (under the name of material design) – but I’ll reserve judgement until I see the finished version.
Neil Bennett

Best screen: LG G3

It’s very rare these days that a physical aspect of a phone wows us - but the LG's 'quad HD' screen is a marvel. Ignore those nerdish quibbles that it's not actually four times the resolution of HD, the first time you see photos and video on the phone, it both surprises and delights you. The level of detail is like nothing you’ve seen before.

You're probably not going to notice the difference most of the time when surfing the web until this quality of screen becomes widespread enough that websites start using 4x times images – like they offer 2x images for high-res phone screens and Retina displays – but if you take a lot of high quality photos and videos you'll be delighted by the improvement.

Best product design: HTC M8

The problem for any smartphone vendor that wants to charge a high price for its products is that cheaper low-end and mid-range devices are becoming much more sophisticated.

The use of premium materials such as metal and glass is one way of making expensive models seem worth extra investment, and HTC has taken this to the extreme with the gorgeous One M8. It comes close to the feel of a Rolex, which isn't true for any other smartphone.

To me, the all-metal unibody makes the smartphone look more luxurious than the iPhone's mixture of glass and metal. LG Electronics has made the most of what metal-looking plastic can offer with the G3, but that still can't compete with the real thing.   

If that wasn't enough, HTC has also designed the coolest looking case: the perforated Dot View Cover. HTC deserves a lot of credit for the design of the One M8, and hopefully it will be around to develop an even better successor.
Mikael Ricknäs

Best camera: Nokia Lumia 1020

The Nokia Lumia 1020's amazing camera would be an essential feature for the ultimate smartphone. It's 41Mp combined with a Xenon flash, and focus assist light, and is the most advanced and powerful camera we've seen on a smartphone to date.
Ashleigh Allsopp

Best gadgety extras: Galaxy S5

You may not use them all but the ultimate smartphone has got to have everything possible, just in case. In terms of additional features there's no-one better than Samsung for throwing extras at devices so for this section we've selected the Galaxy S5.

Since we're only selecting real-life features which you can get now and not James Bond-esque gadgets like fricking lasers and miniature rockets, the Galaxy S5's fingerprint scanner, heart rate monitor and infrared transmitter will have to do.

With these you can keep your device more secure, check how hard that workout actually was and control all manner of gadgets (even prank other peoples).
Chris Martin

Best apps: Apple App Store

Steve Ballmer knew better than anyone that smartphones live and die by their app library, and that the support of third-party app developers is crucial to getting a mobile platform off the ground. And while Google Play might boast more apps, I would back Apple's iOS App Store over anyone.

Tech-savvy early-adopters will appreciate the fact that apps are almost always developed for iOS before any other platform (mainly because Apple users are more likely to spend money on software), and sometimes - including some big names, such as the Infinity Blade games - never appear anywhere else. And the quality average in Apple's app ecosystem is undoubtedly higher than on Android.

But the more stringent vetting process required to get software on the App Store really shows its value for beginner and casual users, who are far more likely to end up with dodgy apps, scams and even out-and-out malware on their phone when using Google's more porous system.