Skip to content
Home…›Apple
Manual
Apple iOS 7 Released Sep 2013 Discontinued

Apple iPhone 5c

7.9 / 10
Compass Score
Based on 46 critic reviews
Starting from
$450
Specs
iOS 7 Operating system
4" Screen size
8MP Main camera
A6 Dual core Processor
8/16/32 GB Storage
1,510 mAh Battery
By category

Key specs

What critics say

Critic consensus

Compass Score
46 reviews
weighted by credibility
GSMArena
GSMArena

“Perhaps, this was Apple's plan all along: a sales setback that would help steer attention towards Apple in the hope that once you are in the Apple Store, you will have no trouble finding a phone well worth its value. It certainly seems the iPhone 5s was always meant to be the one topping the lineup, with the iPhone 5c sitting on the side-lines offering an alternative to those looking for a bit more color. No pressure or anything, iPhone 5s.”

Ars Technica
Ars Technica

“Apple's positioning and marketing of the phone and its implications for the future are ultimately more noteworthy than this particular phone itself. That's not to say it's a bad phone by any stretch. Minor component differences aside, it's mostly an iPhone 5 in a colorful plastic shell. It's only technically new, but that may be as new as it needs to be.”

Apple Insider
Apple Insider
6

“Not too shabby, and if you recently purchased one, you can be fully content that you have nearly the best smartphone available this year outside of iPhone 5s. The camera is good, the network speed can't really bet bettered, and you can run any app near the top of where it was designed to run. Remember to turn on Activation Lock in iOS 7, although you will have to bother with typing in a password.”

iMore
iMore

“The iPhone 5c isn't the greatest iPhone on the market today. It isn't the most powerful, the fastest, or the most cutting edge. It lacks forward thinking technology like the souped up iSight camera, Apple A7 and M7 processors, and Touch ID fingerprint identification sensor. All of those things scream future. They scream cool. But for many people, for mainstream people, for first time smartphone or any phone buyers, for people who are slightly more price sensitive but who also have a certain vibe and vibrance to their tastes - for those people the iPhone 5c might not be the greatest iPhone on the market today, but it just might be the best.”

Video reviews

Watch before you decide

Reviews
Apple iPhone 5c: Unboxing, Demo, & Benchmarks
DetroitBORG
Apple iPhone 4S VS Apple iPhone 5C Detailed Review SPEED TEST
Hard Reset King
Apple iPhone 5c Full Review – India – iGyaan
iGyaan
Apple iPhone 5c – Go Home Apple, You’re Drunk
Tom Richardson
Apple iPhone 5C – Initial Set Up Guide Walkthrough
Nirave Gondhia
Apple iPhone 5C Official Video
Sneh Patel
Apple iPhone 5c vs Samsung Galaxy S4
PhoneArena
Apple iPhone 5c Review
PhoneArena
Apple iPhone 5C Review [Blue]
Tech4Geeks
Apple iPhone 5C walkthrough
SlashGear
Apple iPhone 5c Review & Unboxing! (All Colors)
Jonathan Morrison
How Apple iphone 5C is made in factory
Mrsangvvids
Apple iPhone 5C – Video Review
IGN
Community opinion

What people say

Only a few ratings so far, not enough to show a trend yet.

1 rating so far

Recent voices
D
Dimi_45057 · 13 years ago
Recommended

it is a great phone, its fast, never crashed on me, never glitches or anything. I'm not going to say that the battery is AWESOME but its okay ... every iPhone is like that though. For people who don't know who to use an iPhone or never even used one, it's great, My mother purchased it and I just ...

In Depth

The iPhone 5c is one of two new devices released by Apple for 2013. With is colorful polycarbonate shell, iOS 7, beautiful retina display and rock-solid build quality, it is adding a bit of life to an otherwise stale product line up. TechCrunch’s Darrel Etherington says “The 5c is probably more broadly appealing than the iPhone 5s just by virtue of its lower cost of entry, but it’s still premium hardware and is likely better thought of as an analogue to the iPhone 4s relative to the iPhone 5 back when that device launched.” While this is the cheaper of the two new models, that does not make the iPhone 5c a budget phone. In fact, it shares a few upgrades of it’s more expensive sibling, the iPhone 5s.

Overall, reviews of the new phone and the new iOS 7 are extremely positive. With the new Control Center, Apple fans finally have the ability to toggle common settings, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, by swiping up a tray on the screen. The camera app and hardware both receive slight updates to provide better manual control and improved low-light performance.

Finally, the front-facing camera is all new in the device. Boasting 1.2 megapixels and designed specifically for low-light conditions, the camera offers an obvious boost in quality to voice and video chat. If you are worried about all the changes in iOS 7, Myriam Joire of Engadget echoes the sentiment of many other reviews when she says “Well, after using iOS 7 for a few days, it’s hard to imagine going back to iOS 6.” The 5c is powered by the same chip used in the iPhone 5 and offers plenty of performance for most users.

There are a few considerations to keep in mind about the iPhone 5c, most from an upgrade standpoint. Engadget, TechCrunch and SlashGear all say that if you have an iPhone 4 or earlier, this phone will be a significant upgrade. Otherwise, it shares many similarities with the previously released 4s and 5. There are also debates about the polycarbonate casing. Although it is a plastic case, the build quality is superb. A steel reinforcing layer makes it behave more like ceramic than plastic. However, if you prefer to the aluminum build of recent releases, you might want to consider upgrading to the 5s.

The Good: Stunning retina display, great picture quality, long-lasting battery life, snappy performance, most flexible LTE support to date and a choice of case colors.

The Bad: No NFC support, mid-sized screen, high off-contract price and no support for external memory.

Common questions

What people actually want to know

When was the Apple iPhone 5c released?
How long does the battery last on the Apple iPhone 5c?
Does the Apple iPhone 5c have a headphone jack?
Does the Apple iPhone 5c have NFC?
Where can I download the Apple iPhone 5c manual?
Community

Questions & answers

CA
Carl · Answered

Go to Settings -> General -> Reset -> Reset network Settings. If that doesn't work, you need to contact Boost Mobile.

You
CA
Carl · Answered

Yes, should work as long as your phone is unlocked. Visit a Boost Mobile store to sign up with them.

You
Have a question?
Apple
Made by
Apple
130
Phones reviewed
PhoneCompass Newsletter

New phones, honest scores.

One email when something worth knowing changes. No deal spam, no filler.

By subscribing you agree to receive emails from PhoneCompass. Unsubscribe anytime.

Compare is full