Consumer Reports Rates Motorola's Droid Higher Than Apple's New iPhones
October 16, 2013
Consumer Reports is out with their ratings for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. This year the organization has given the latest devices high marks.. However, they don’t consider the two handsets the best on the market.
Of the iPhone 5s, Consumer Reports notes it found Touch ID “worked well and was a heck of lot easier than typing a PIN or password." The not-for-profit advocacy group was also impressed with the phone’s 8-megapixel camera, and “ultra-fast” 64-bit processor.
They noted the iPhone 5c is “more closely aligned with the iPhone 5,” and “no doubt many people will love that its plastic case comes in a variety of eye-catching colors. “
The organization was less impressed with the “still notably shorter” battery life for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. They also didn't like the “small screens” of each model.
Because of these points, Consumer Reports recommends the latest Droid phones from Motorola, over the new iPhones. They claim the Droids run for as long as 24 hours without a battery charge.
Finally, they say, “while sharp and bright,” the small screens on the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5s, “can’t beat the larger, sharper displays that adorn models from Samsung, LG, and HTC.”
I don’t disagree with either point mentioned by Consumer Reports. However, smartphones should be judged by more than battery life and the size of a screen. Specifically, Consumer Reports fails to mention the reliability of each handset, in terms of its operating system. They also refrain from having any discussion about Apple’s App Store versus Google Play.
Nonetheless, these words are much better than those in years past.
Consumer Reports was the first publication to confirm the infamous antenna issue with the iPhone 4. That was enough to not recommend the model in 2010.
The publication also found fault with the iPhone 5 two years later. In January 2013, they gave the AT&T iPhone 5 a score of 77. By comparison, the LG Optimus G received a 79 rating, while the Samsung Galaxy S III received a 78.
Consumer Reports has been less critical about Apple’s iPad line. In April 2012, the iPad 3 was among the recommended tablets for the year.