After pitting the iPhone 5S against some of the most representative high-end Android handsets launched this year, we're going to see how the lower-cost iPhone 5C does against some of the "mini" models from the same handset makers.
For the first time ever, Apple announced a new lower-cost iPhone model meant to compete against the plethora of mid-ranged and entry-level Android handsets out there.
In what follows, we have compared the iPhone 5C with three new "mini" handsets from Samsung, HTC and Motorola (the Galaxy S4 mini, the HTC One mini and the Droid Mini) – we will note that the comparison could include a variety of other mid-range devices from other handset makers, but we focused only on what should be the high-end models of the mid-range gang, at least according to this year’s standards.
We'll also remind you that the Xperia Z1 mini is rumored to launch in the near future, an Android smartphone that's rumored to be the first mini to pack an actual punch – which means offering the same specs and features of its corresponding high-end brother (in this case the Xperia Z1) placed in a more compact body. Because it's not official yet, we left out the Xperia Z1 mini for now. We also left out a variety of 2012 Android flagship devices that could be considered to be mid-range handsets by this year's standards.
| iPhone 5c | Galaxy S4 mini | HTC One mini | Droid mini |
| Maker | Apple | Samsung | HTC | Google |
| Size (mm) | 124.4 x 59.2 x 8.97 | 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 | 132 x 63.2 x 9.3 | 121 x 61.3 x 8.9 |
| Weight (g) | 132 | 107 | 122 | 130 |
| Display | 4-inch | 4.3-inch | 4.3-inch | 4.3-inch |
| Type | LCD | Super AMOLED | LCD | TFT |
| Resolution | 1136 x 640 | 960 x 540 | 1280 x 720 | 1280 x 720 |
| PPI | 326 | 256 | 342 | 342 |
| CPU | A6 | Snapdragon 400 | Snapdragon 400 | X8 System |
| RAM | N/A | 1.5GB | 1GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 16/32GB | 8GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| MicroSD | No | Yes | No | No |
| Camera | 8MP | 8MP | 4MP | 10MP |
| Second camera | 1.2MP | 1.9MP | 1.6MP | 2MP |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 a/b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| LTE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | N/A | 1900mAh | 1800mAh | 2000mAh |
| Battery standby | 250 hours | 300 hours | 692 hours | N/A |
| Fingerprint scanner | No | No | No | No |
| OS | iOS 7 | Android 4.2.2 | Android 4.2.2 | Android 4.2.2 |
| Price (w/contract) | Starts at $99 | N/A | Starts at $99.99 | Starts at $99.99 |
As you can see in the table above, the iPhone 5C is fairly similar in size and weight with the selected Android competitors. When it comes to screen size, the iPhone 5C has a 4-inch display, while everyone else comes with a 4.3-inch screen.
Furthermore, the devices have similar connectivity options, and almost matching storage options.
Just like in the previous comparison, camera performance is also more difficult to judge by looking only at specs, and will require actual camera samples for a more accurate comparison.
Unlike the iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5C doesn't have a 64-bit processor or a fingerprint reader, and it's generally an updated version of the iPhone 5, a phone which it replaces in Apple’s lineup – the company will sell three iPhone models this year: iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C and iPhone 4S.
That said, while this is only a first specs comparison between these devices – and we'll follow up with a more detailed battle between them once iPhone 5C is launched – we'll remind you that specs alone don't tell the whole story of a smartphone.
Also one important point to remember is that while these devices seem to have the same on-contract price, the iPhone 5C is actually far from being a "mini" when it comes to full price. The phone's unlocked price starts at $549.99 for the 16GB version, which is a lot more than initially expected.
On the same note, prices for Android devices drop with carriers depending of the age of the handset – an argument that's valid for all Android devices whether they're high-end, mid-range or entry-level. In other words, Android devices will always beat iPhone models when it comes to off-contract prices.
With all that in mind, what mid-range device would you rather choose? Will you go for any of the models in the table above, or would you opt for a former flagship that's now much cheaper in stores?
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