As expected, today Apple officially announced two new iPhones. At the event held in California, Apple took the wraps off their premium iPhone 5S, along with the slightly cheaper iPhone 5C.
The iPhone 5S has been described as “the most forward-thinking phone we’ve ever created”. Featuring a 64 bit A7 chip it’s twice as fast as the A6 chip and it is the first 64 bit smartphone. Paired with that is an M7 motion coprocessor. The camera lens in the latest iPhone is Apple designed and has f/2.2 aperture and remains as an 8 megapixel camera. Another new feature is True Tone flash, the iPhone 5S features two LEDs, a white and amber one and with True Tone Flash and Apple’s special algorithms, the software determines the best flash and percentage of flash to create more true to life colors. Apparently there are over 1,000 unique combinations possible. Sticking with the camera, the new iPhone 5S records in HD and it is capable of recording in “real time” as well as in slow motion. It will also be possible to take photos while recording video.
The other new hardware feature for the iPhone is a fingerprint scanner. the iPhone 5S has a fingerprint scanner, called Touch ID on the Home button. Instead of pressing the home button, placing your finger over it will unlock the phone, no need for a lock code. Similarly, when purchasing new apps from the App store, or purcashing media via iTunes, instead of entering your password, simply place your finger on the home button to authorise the purchase. It supports multiple fingerprints so you are able to add other people’s fingerprints so they can use the phone as well, if you so wish.
The iPhone 5S will be available in silver, space grey and gold and will go on Sale in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Puerto Rico on September 20th. Pre-orders will start this Friday. In the UK, the 5S is priced at £549 for the 16GB model, £629 for the 32GB model and the 64GB model is priced at £709.
The iPhone 5C which has been described as a budget iPhone in the leaks and rumors leading up to the official announcement has also been priced and it isn’t so budget friendly and looking at the specifications, it’s a cross between the iPhone 5S and iPhone 4S. Starting with the pricing information, the 16GB model will retail for £469, while the 32GB model will be available for £549, no 64GB model available. Like the iPhone 5S, Apple will release the iPhone 5C on September 20th in the same countries and pre-orders will begin this Friday. Choice of colors are: Blue, white, pink, green and yellow.
Apple say it is “beautifully, unapologetically plastic”. No metal finish here. Like the iPhone 5S, the 5C will feature the 4 inch display which was introduced with the iPhone 5. Apple have opted for the A6 processor in the iPhone 5C and instead of the dual LEDs on the camera, the 5C just has the standard LED flash. Similarly there is no Touch ID for the iPhone 5C.
With the release of the two new iPhones, the iPhone 5 will no longer be available. However the iPhone 4S will remain on sale in an 8GB variant only, available for £349.
Along with announcing the new handsets, Apple have announced that iOS 7 will be released a couple of days before the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C go on sale, with it being available to download, for free of course, on September 18th.
You can compare the iPhone 5S and 5C side by side, along with the iPhone 4S here. Let us know what you think of Apple’s latest announcement. Impressed, disappointed? Which are you more likely to buy?
