The iPhone 5s looks interesting but the new features just aren't enough to make me want to sign another 2 year contract or pay full price for a new phone. Let me explain the top 5 ways I currently use the phone and it may help explain why I am not updating:
1. Other than phone calls, it is mainly used for emailing. The iPhone 4s is perfectly fine for checking and reading email.
2. Audio - I use iTunes Match, Downcast, MOG, SiriusXM, and iHeart radio on nearly a daily basis. These work fine on the 4s.
3. Twitter - no issues on the 4s.
4. Rowmote Pro - helps control a Mac Mini and jailbroken AppleTV that are hooked up to a TV. The smaller more balanced design of the 4s is probably better than the longer 5 for this purpose.
5. Calendar, alarms, Siri - all work perfectly fine now.
In short, adding some length to the iPhone 4s and a little better processing power just won't change the way I use my phone. The fingerprint reader would save a minute or so per day, but it is not worth the contract and price of a new phone for this purpose. Also, while the camera (especially the flash) is supposed to be better, it still has a lot of compromises without a real zoom and 8MP files. The downside to 8MP is the inability to use cropping as a way to zoom in on a far off subject. I don't shoot video very often, so the slow motion effect doesn't hold any appeal. In other words, these would offer little change in the way I use my iPhone. Also, right now my iPad 3 and iPhone 4S use the same connectors. I have a mount in my car based on this connector. As a result, I am not in a big hurry to change to the new connector.
One of the main problems for old tech is simply boredom with seeing the same thing everyday. It is why a lot of people choose to update annually. However, with iOS7, I feel like new life has been breathed into the iPhone 4s. It is already like having a new iPhone.
The only thing that would change the way I use the phone would be a larger size. I would use Safari more often, Flipboard more often, Snapseed more often, and it would simply change the way I use my phone. Yeah, I know Samsung makes great, large phones that would fit my needs, but I don't want to give up Airplay, Photostreaming, and the other features that work across the Apple system.
Apple changes the physical form of the iPhone every other year, so I am expecting a larger iPhone next year. I believe they will really push Siri and say that you no longer need to touch the entire screen with one hand because Siri is so "magical". I think this is already possible, but it won't be marketed until Apple brings out the larger phone next year. I also think they will continue to improve Siri and it will make it easier for everyone to envision using it on a more frequent basis. I noticed just the other day that I can now ask Siri to take me to Bluetooth settings and it will take me right into Settings so I can connect to any of my Bluetooth devices.
If, for some crazy reason, Apple decides to keep the long, narrow design next year, I will have to unhappily move to another system. I will just have to get used to using my iPad for Airplay and figure out a way to move photo files from whatever system I choose to my iPad and network for editing. I have a Synology NAS that will probably make that easier than I expect. I just haven't put in the time to investigate this issue because of my current expectations for the iPhone 6.