iPhone 5s

Be aware that this "CDMA" A1533 iPhone 5s model does not have official support for LTE/4G connectivity, but it is compatible with both CDMA EV-DO and GSM. It is designed for the mainland China market, exclusively for China Telecom's network.

Advertised as the "most forward-thinking smartphone in the world" at its launch, all iPhone 5s models have a 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen multi-touch IPS LED-backlit "retina display" with a 1136x640 resolution (326 ppi). They feature dual cameras: a rear 8-megapixel, 1080p "iSight" camera with 1.5-micron pixels, an f/2.2 aperture, a dual-LED "True Tone" flash, and a front 1.2-megapixel, 720p "FaceTime" camera.

The iPhone 5s is available in three metallic finishes: "space gray" (black glass front, gunmetal gray aluminum back), "gold" (white glass front, gold aluminum back), and "silver" (white glass front, silver aluminum back). The gold option was discontinued on September 9, 2015. All versions include a "Touch ID" fingerprint sensor in the home button, which lacks the traditional rounded square icon.

This iPhone 5s model is powered by a 1.3 GHz 64-bit "Apple A7" processor, has 1 GB of LPDDR3 RAM, and was offered with 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of storage (64 GB option discontinued September 9, 2014). It supports dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, but like the A1528 China Unicom model, it does not officially support 4G/LTE. It includes a bottom-mounted headphone jack and uses the "Lightning" connector.

Apple's battery life estimates for the iPhone 5s are up to 40 hours of audio playback, 10 hours of 3G talk time, 8 hours of 3G internet use, 10 hours of 4G/LTE internet use (when available), 10 hours of Wi-Fi internet use, 10 hours of video playback, and 250 hours of standby.

In China, this "CDMA" A1533 iPhone 5s was sold contract-free but intended only for China Telecom's network. It was initially available with 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of storage for RMB 5,288, RMB 6,088, and RMB 6,888, respectively. On September 9, 2014, the 64 GB model was discontinued, and the 16 GB and 32 GB prices were reduced to RMB 4,488 and RMB 4,888. On September 9, 2015, prices were further cut to RMB 3,288 and RMB 3,688. It was fully discontinued on March 21, 2016.

The China Telecom iPhone 5s received measured praise from regional technology analysts who recognized its importance in bringing Apple's flagship features to CDMA users in China. Reviewers acknowledged that while the lack of LTE support was a limitation, the device still delivered the revolutionary Touch ID sensor and blazing-fast A7 processor that defined the 5s generation. The model's premium build quality and advanced features appealed strongly to Chinese consumers seeking the latest Apple technology. Industry critics noted that this variant demonstrated Apple's commitment to serving all major Chinese carriers, even when technical constraints required certain compromises, ultimately helping to establish the iPhone as a premium status symbol across all network types in China.