iPhone 5C - Hands-on Impressions and brief review

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an iPhone 5C for a day - thanks to a good friend (yes I have really good friends who like to share their gadgets with me for the sake of my reviews). Here are my thoughts on the device based on the few hours I spent with it. Coming in a week or so will be a review of the iPhone 5S. I am expecting one to arrive soon.Out of the Box ExperienceThe iPhone 5C ships from the factory with iOS7 customized to the color of the outer shell. What that means is that there is a harmonious hardware/software out of the box experience that Apple can now offer thanks to the existence of color iPhone 5Cs. Over the years, Apple (with its iPhones) and Amazon (with its Kindle line of products) and Google with its Nexus devices have been fine tuning the out of the box experience. The colorful 5C and the freshly minted color friendly iOS7 complement each other very well in that regard to make a wholesome out of the box experience.[gallery ids="1330,1331,1332,1333"]Unapologetically PlasticThe obvious question everyone had when the 5C was announced was- is this "unapologetically plastic" in a good way as Jony Ive would like you to think and believe or is it just another plastic device the likes of which Samsung and LG ship all the time. Not that there is anything wrong with the use of plastic. It makes for a lighter and sometimes more robust device than those made of metal or glass. It is just unlike Apple and the image they have worked so hard to create and maintain. But then again, the 5C is squarely targeted at a younger audience and a slightly more budget conscious one. In that sense, it works well with all the colors and playful nature it projects.When I first opened the box and fondled the device in my hands I felt that it was solidly built. The device is definitely and perceptibly heavier and thicker than the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 was incredibly thin and light when it launched- almost too light. The 5C adds some much needed bulk to the 5 chassis with the plastic. It also adds some heft that is not all that bad but you feel the difference next to an iPhone 5.[gallery ids="1334,1335,1336"]iOS7 on iPhone 5CThe iPhone 5 was no slouch when it came to performance. The 5C is a repackaged iPhone 5 and thus bears the same performance. It is quick, responsive and does everything efficiently. The new  iOS7 UI with its flat look and the parallax view of the screens complements the colorful 5C nicely. The quick motion effects do get a tad tiring after a while. But beyond that, iOS7 is a good and much needed update of the OS and the 5C handles whatever the OS throws at it, very well.The overall color package is a tad too much for my personal taste but I expect it to appeal to a lot of people all over the world.[gallery ids="1337,1338,1339,1340,1341"]Overall PerformanceOverall performance of the 5C was as expected- very good. Things were zippy. Response was great. Sound was great. The retina display is still among the best in class. The camera works very well. See the sample gallery below and you'll get an idea. Color reproduction is fantastic.[gallery ids="1346,1345,1344,1343,1342"]iOS7 adds some nice features to the Camera app that make it interesting. I have captured some options from the Camera menu in the gallery below.[gallery ids="1350,1349,1348"]iOS7 has some zippy animations that get their due on the 5C but this can be a little overwhelming in the beginning. Things move fast and it will take some getting used to.Calls sounded clear and speakerphone performed as expected. I didn't do a speed test on the LTE network but browsing was smooth and quick. Given that I was borrowing the device, I did not get a chance to do a full battery test. In the time I had the device, battery drained to the tune of about 30% in 5 hours which is normal for a 4G device. You will have to charge the device everyday which is the norm with most smartphones today.So, should you buy one?Much of the experience of the 5C is inextricably tied to iOS7. It is as if the 5C was built, keeping the new OS in mind. In that sense, things appear very harmonious. On the other hand, the same iOS7 experience can be had on an iPhone 5 or even an iPhone 4S. iOS7 performance on my wife's iPhone 4S was pretty much on par with what I saw on the 5C. This is a credit to how well the OS is written keeping relatively older devices in mind but that said, it also means the 5C does not offer a significant upgrade. Most certainly not to the 5S.In comparison to the 5S (which I hope to review in a week or so), the 5C is $100 cheaper and it feels so. The 5S (or the 5 for that matter) is an elegant and sophisticated device that feel and look top of the line. The 5C on the other hand is deliberately playful and less formal. It will appeal to a younger audience but if I were on the market for an iPhone, I would definitely pick the 5S. It looks like its definitely worth the $100 premium. The 5C will sell by the boatloads. Apple definitely has a winner on its hands. It is just not for me.