The Apple iPhone 5 was considered one of the best smart phones around a year ago. But today, it isn’t even in the top 3. I hope the upcoming Apple iPhone 5S is something special or Apple runs the risk of losing all the goodwill that the late Steve Jobs took the trouble of creating. Blackberry is another cell phone manufacturer that has hit a sort of rough patch off late. The Blackberry Z10 is the first real smart phone that they released and it didn’t generate the kind of business Blackberry was looking for. If you haven’t guessed already, I will be comparing the Apple iPhone 5 with the Blackberry Z10 here. Who do you think will win? Read on to find out...

Phone Apple iPhone 5 Blackberry Z10
Image The Apple iPhone 5 vs the Blackberry Z10-iphone-5.jpg The Apple iPhone 5 vs the Blackberry Z10-blackberry-z10.jpg
Operating System iOS 6, 6.1 Blackberry 10
Processor Dual Core, 1300 MHz, Apple Swift Dual Core, 1500 MHz, Krait
System Chip Apple A6 Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960
System Memory 1 GB 2 GB
Graphics Processor PowerVR SGX543MP3 Adreno 225
Display 4.0” IPS LCD 4.2” Multi-Touch
Screen Resolution 1,136 x 640 1,280 x 768
Pixel Density 326 ppi 356 ppi
Storage 16 / 32 / 64 GB Internal memory 16 GB User memory + microSD / microSDHC / microSDXC slot (up to 64 GB)
Primary Camera 8 MP 8 MP
Flash LED LED
Secondary Camera 1.2 MP 2.0 MP
WiFi WiFi 802.11 a / b / g / n / n 5GHz WiFi 802.11 a / b / g / n / n 5GHz
Bluetooth 4.0 4.0
Battery 1,440 mAh 1,800 mAh
Weight 112 g 138 g
Dimensions 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.60 mm 130 x 65.6 x 9 mm
Announced 12th September 2012 30th January 2013


Size and weight

If there is one thing that Apple is well known for it’s making compact smart phones. And the iPhone 5 is the perfect example of fitting as much as possible into a tiny little smart phone. The iPhone 5 measures 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm and weighs just 112 g. On the other hand, the Z10 measures 130 x 65.6 x 9 mm and weighs 138 g. Even though the Z10 is much bigger, it comes with a display that is only 0.2” bigger. In terms of size and weight, the iPhone 5 is definitely far ahead of the Z10. A lot more work to do huh Blackberry?

This point goes to Apple.

(Apple iPhone 5 - One / Blackberry Z10 - Zero)


Display

As mentioned above the Z10 comes with a marginally bigger touch screen than the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 comes with a 4.0” IPS LCD touch screen while the Z10 comes with a 4.2” Multi touch screen. The Z10 does however have a decent enough pixel density at 356 ppi which is more than the 326 ppi of the iPhone 5.

But still, the lack of decent technology in the touch screen means that Apple is going to win this point even though it has a smaller screen and a lower pixel density.

(Apple iPhone 5 - Two / Blackberry Z10 - Zero)


Memory & Storage

The iPhone 5 doesn’t offer expandable storage although the Z10 does allow for storage expansion up to 64 GB. As far as internal storage is concerned, the Z10 has just 16 GB while the iPhone 5 comes in 3 versions which have 16, 32 or 64 GB of storage. The Z10 even has 2 GB of RAM which is double what the iPhone 5 offers at 1 GB.

Even though the RAM in the iPhone 5 has a maximum clocking speed of 1066 MHz, I will still give this point to Blackberry simply because it offers expandable storage which is something everyone desperately wants nowadays.

(Apple iPhone 5 - Two / Blackberry Z10 - One)


Camera

Both these smart phones are quite similar when it comes to this point. Both have 8 MP cameras on the back although the Z10 does have a 2 MP front facing camera as compared to the 1.2 MP front camera on the iPhone 5. Both smart phones have digital image stabilization and support full HD video recording. But the iPhone 5 has a whole list of features that the Z10 doesn’t. Even the aperture on the iPhone 5 is slightly larger which allows better low light photography.

Apple has come a long way from the boring camera on the Apple iPhone 4 and I can’t believe that they have managed to win this point.

(Apple iPhone 5 - Three / Blackberry Z10 - One)


OS & Performance

The iPhone 5 runs n Apple’s iOS 6.1 while the Z10 runs on Android’s latest operating system 4.2.2 (JellyBean). Both these operating systems have their own advantages and disadvantages and it wouldn’t be fair to award this point to either just because of their operating systems. Even in terms of performance, both smart phones are quite similar. The iPhone 5 comes with a Dual core, 1300 MHz, Apple Swift processor and Apple A6 chip while the Z10 comes with a Dual core, 1500 MHz, Krait processor and Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960 chip. As far as graphics processors are concerned, the iPhone 5 has a PowerVR SGX543MP3 processor while the Z10 has an Adreno 225 processor.

Neither smart phone does enough to be able to win this point and that’s why it’s going to be a draw.

(Apple iPhone 5 - Three / Blackberry Z10 - One)


Battery

Both these smartphones really disappoint when it comes to the battery. The iPhone 5 comes with a 1,440 mAh battery while the Z10 comes with an 1,800 mAh battery. And while the iPhone 5 has a standby time of just 9.4 days the Z10 has a standby time of 13 days. Considering that these both are supposed to be top end smart phones and are the flagship models of their respective brands, I must say that the standby time is really low. I hope both manufacturers do something about it when they release their next phones.

This point is a draw since neither smart phone managed to do enough to pick up the point.

(Apple iPhone 5 - Three / Blackberry Z10 - One)


Price

As far as price is concerned, I don’t think either of these smart phones are valued accurately. The iPhone 5 can be picked up without a contract for $ 670 while the Z10 can be picked up for $ 615 (free of contract). In my opinion both smart phones are thoroughly over priced and considering the fact that there are so many better smart phones you can buy today for so much lesser, I don’t see how anyone would choose either of these phones.

Still, the Z10 is about $ 55 cheaper and that is why it is going to win this point.

(Apple iPhone 5 - Three / Blackberry Z10 - Two)


Conclusion

So, the final score is 3 points to 2 in favor of the Apple iPhone 5. But, if you are reading this comparison today, I don’t think you should consider either of these smart phones as they are built using technology which is quite old. Try out one of the other top end smart phones around today or wait a while till both these manufacturers come out with new smart phones.


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