For majority of non-Apple fanboys, Apple Inc.‘s much-hyped launch event yesterday (September 10 in the U.S.) did not really reveal a lot of exciting updates or surprising breakthroughs. It just pretty much confirmed the rumors that have been previously circulating.
At least it’s finally now confirmed: Apple will launch the iPhone 5s, the latest upgrade to its flagship phone, plus the newest addition to the family: the iPhone 5c which, as rumored before, is a cheaper iPhone with a plastic casing and which comes in five new colors.
iPhone 5s
About the iPhone 5s:
“The iPhone 5s will be the same size as its predecessor, the iPhone 5, with a 4-inch screen. The phone includes Apple’s new A7 64-bit chip, supposedly making the iPhone 5s “the first 64-bit smartphone in the world” that makes the device run twice as fast as the iPhone 5.
In addition to the A7, the phone includes the M7 motion coprocessor. The M7 “continuously measures motion data” from the phone’s accelerometer, gyroscope and compass.”
The iPhone 5s will come in three colors: gold, silver, and space gray.
Touch ID
Touted as the latest innovation in the iPhone 5s is the Touch ID — a fingerprint sensor built into the home button. The fingerprint sensor can be used to unlock the iPhone or make purchases on iTunes without the need to type the password.
The sensor is 170 microns thin, 500 ppi resolution, has 360-degree readability, and scans sub-epidermal skin layers. “It also has a stainless steel detection ring so it can sense when your finger is actually on the button, meaning you’ll never actually press a home button again“, according to technology blog TechCrunch.
iPhone 5c
During the event, Apple also unveiled the iPhone 5c, confirming previous rumors of a cheaper iPhone in various colors. The iPhone 5s sports a plastic casing instead of the high-strength metal in the original iPhone and comes in five new colors: white, blue, green, rose and yellow.
The iPhone 5c’s display is 4 inches and also has an 8-megapixel camera just like the iPhone 5.
iOS 7
The release of the much-awaited iOS 7 software has also been confirmed. On September 18, users can start downloading the iOS 7 for free.
Its new features include AirDrop which lets users easily share photos and other documents to other iOS users using wifi or Bluetooth; better camera functions, including Instagram-like filters; new Safari multi-tab layout; and female and male Siri voices, among others.
During the event, Apple CEO Tim Cook also revealed that the download of the new iOS 7 will automatically download for FREE five of Apple’s exclusive productivity apps — Keynote, Pages, Numbers, iPhoto and iMovie. The catch is that it will only be available for free with every new iPhone, iPad and iTouch devices.
Pricing and Availability
The iPhone 5s is priced similar to the usual pricing scheme for newly released iPhones:
- 16GB model: US$199
- 32GB model: US$299
- 64GB model: US$399
The iPhone 5c, meanwhile, is priced cheaper:
- 16GB model: US$99
- 32GB model: US$199
Apple will also sell a variety of colored plastic covers for the iPhone 5c, which will cost $29 each.
The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will go on sale starting September 20.
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The new iPhone 5S comes with Touch ID — a fingerprint sensor that can unlock the phone and authenticate iTunes purchases without the need for a password. The iPhone 5S comes in three colors: gold, silver and space grey. The new iPhones will use the new iOS 7 that will be available for download starting September 18. It comes with Apple’s five exclusive iOS productivity apps — Keynote, Pages, Numbers, iPhoto and iMovie — which will be available for FREE. The iPhone 5C comes in five new colors: white, blue, green, rose and yellow. Apple will also sell a variety of plastic covers in dozens of colors, each costing $29.Credits: Huffington Post, Engadget, TechCrunch
