Okay, so to begin, I just upgraded to the iPhone 5S from the Sony Xperia TL which I purchased just under a year ago, and I can gladly say I'm not disappointed. The TL was, after the upgrade to Jellybean, a glitch ridden battery killer. I couldn't get through a day without having to disable certain functions of the phone in order to save my battery, mainly data which is sort of the whole purpose of having one.
In any case, I used a spare upgrade on my plan to switch up to the iPhone 5S and I am not disappointed. In fact, I'm extremely impressed. As a long time Apple critic, I was hesitant about switching to something I have long criticized for not being "new and innovative" since the 4. But this phone suits me perfectly and here is why:
iOS 7. It is the newest and best iteration of iOS to date. Its fresh new look sports some of the features of Android with the simplicity and beauty of iOS. It runs incredibly smooth and virtually everything is a couple of easy taps away. The updated keyboard is very good at predicting words and I make fewer spelling mistakes than I did on my old Android. In addition, Siri has seen a major overhaul and it is rare I ever have to tell her anything more than once. Apple seems to have perfected voice to text.
The Camera. Apple has surprised me yet again with the sharpness of images on its newly updated iSight camera. Images are clear and crisp and the dual flash makes pictures in dark rooms much less washed out by white light.
The Build Quality. The phone is extremely sturdy, feels good in the hand, and is very light. The lightness has one backdraw, I like a bit of weight in my pocket otherwise I get jumpy and wonder if my phone is there or if I left it somewhere. But since I keep it in a case, that issue is very moot, as the phone is just the perfect weight in its case.
The Display. Apple's Retina Display is truly unmatched by anything except Samsung's AMOLED displays. Videos and photos on the screen are displayed in beautiful clarity and are never over or under saturated. No, it's not as big as the screen on some Android devices, however, for me, 4-4.5 inches is a sweet spot for phone screens and this is just perfect. Apple has once again proved, as with processor and battery, that specs no longer matter. It's whatever can get the job done well.
And of COURSE the Battery. I am extremely impressed. I am not someone who makes a lot of phone calls, but I do text a ton as well as surf the web and use Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (the last of which being a HUGE battery killer on every phone I've used) and I never drop below 50% from 7AM to 10PM. It is more than sufficient to get the job done for me. And it charges extremely fast. So if you're on the go and need a quick charge, this device offers that as well.
I can honestly say there isn't anything to dislike about this phone. However, a word of caution to all who read this. Many people pick up iPhones and expect it to do everything something like the GS4 can do. You need to take what I've said here, and look at what YOU want in a phone and what YOU want it to do. If you need all the little widgets and features of Android and you like removable batteries, go with an Android. If you feel like Android is just getting old, or you don't need all those little features, or you're just looking for something different, look no further, I promise you will not be disappointed.