The iPhone 5C has yet to officially be released in the Philippines but online stores like Kimstore are already offering it below Php28,000. We managed to snag a unit up a few weeks ago and we already did several articles including the unboxing and even feature it on the podcast. To get a full feel of what Apple envisioned for the iPhone 5C we even went out of our way to buy the official Apple case for it (the one with circular cut-outs). That said we’re ready to share with you guys our full review.

Before anything let’s quickly go over the specifications.

iPhone 5C Spec Sheet

• 1.3GHz Dual-core Apple A6 Chip
• PowerVR SGX 54MP3 (Triple-core Graphics)
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB or 32GB Internal Storage
• 4.0-inches LED Backlit IPS LCD Capacitive Touchscreen
• Retina Display, 326 pixels per inch
• 8.0-megapixels primary camera, LED Flash, Autofocus, 1/3.2? Sensor Size
• 1.2-megapixels secondary camera, records video 720p@30fps
• 3G, HSPA+, LTE, WiFi, WiFi Hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/aGPS
• 1510mAH Battery
• iOS 7

Truth be told it looks exactly like the iPhone 5 spec sheet, lol. The only difference is that it already has iOS 7 out of the box and a slightly improved battery. The cheaper price tag is a welcome development though. Anyway let’s jump right into our review!

Unapologetically the iPhone 5 in a Plastic Body

The iPhone 5C uses a polycarbonate plastic back shell with a reinforced steel frame inside. The result is a solid, compact, and very dense body. While it feels absolutely sturdy, one can’t get around the fact that it looks more like last year’s iPod Touch than an iPhone.

The sides are curved perfectly which lets you hold the device comfortably even for long durations. We’ll go out on a limb and say that it is actually more comfortable to hold an iPhone 5C and a 5S. All the buttons and ports are in their usual places and no the iPhone 5C does not have the TouchID fingerprint sensor at the home button. That feature is for the iPhone 5S only.

The 8.0-megapixel camera (same optics as the iPhone 5) is at the back together with the single LED flash. The Apple logo is proudly displayed in black at the center of the back plastic shell as well.

In terms of display we still have the same Retina Display 4-inch screen which we saw with the iPhone 5. Nothing’s really changed there. Quality is still good but you probably will look for a bigger screen especially if you’re coming from Android 4.5-inchers and up.

Over-all when it comes to the hardware and aesthetics of the iPhone 5C, Apple really did try their best to refine and perfect the use of plastic. After all they did start with plastic with the iPhone 3G and 3GS so they have experience using this kind of material.

Software: Exactly like the iPhone 5 Running iOS 7

The iPhone 5C literally has the internals of the iPhone 5C. It’s the same processor, RAM, and graphics. It’s the same polished, smooth, and fluid iOS experience. let me just stress the word “SAME” though, hehe. The only noticeable differences are the following: comes pre-installed with iOS 7 and a slightly better battery.

This is where we’re a bit frustrated. The iPhone 5C shows no considerable improvement at all from the iPhone 5. In fact some people might even think it’s a step lower since it has the plastic body. Given the same specs and the plastic body, one might hope that the biggest change would be the price. However the price difference between the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S is a mere $100 (Php4,300-Php5,000). That’s really not enough to justify going for the iPhone 5C over the iPhone 5S. At least the iPhone 5S has TouchID, metal body, better camera, and the A7 chip!

So… this is probably the shortest software review part for a smartphone you’ll ever see on Unbox. Because it literally is just the same as the iPhone 5 save for the ever so small differences we spelled out earlier.

What the heck is this case?

When we were in HK we made it a point to drop by an Apple Store to buy the official Apple case for the iPhone 5C just to see if it actually had some super secret feature or it looked much better in real life than when we saw it online. Well… here’s the verdict. It’s crap. Total garbage. We cannot understand how and why Apple decided to come up with this ridiculously ugly accessory. The holes are supposed to give you different colors since it shows the color of the back shell and you can mix and match it with the color of the case.

No matter what color mix you come up with it still looks like your phone was made by Crocs.

Verdict: It will depend on the Telco Plans

So what’s our verdict? Well there is a silver lining to all of this. At retail price the iPhone 5C does not make any sense whatsoever. Just go for the iPhone 5S or if you’re on a tight budget just buy a second-hand iPhone 5. The success of the iPhone 5C depends entirely on what kind of postpaid plan it will be offered by Smart and Globe.

For example, imagine the iPhone 5C offered at zero cash out for Plan 1299 or even better plan 999? That would be a killer deal especially if it comes with Unlimited Data and LTE, hehe. Since the telcos were able to offer the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (SRP almost Php37k) at Plan 2,000 or Plan 1,799, it’s safe to assume that the iPhone 5C will be offered at the minimum with Plan 1,500. However that might not be enough to ensure record-breaking sales. If they find a way to knock that down lower then the iPhone 5C might just sell well locally.

That said we will all just have to wait for November-December for both telcos to announce their postpaid plans.

iPhone 5C on the Unbox Podcast

Watch the episode where we featured in the iPhone 5C below! The video and live review should give you guys a better feel for it! 🙂