And then there were two. Apple will release both the spec-intensive iPhone 5S, and the long-rumored budget-conscious iPhone 5C.
Apple unveiled two new iPhones at a special announcement event today at their Cupertino, CA headquarters. For the first time, Apple will release two separate versions of the iPhone simultaneously: The new and improved iPhone 5S, and the comparatively cheaper iPhone 5C. Both phones have been the source of a multitude of rumors for the past few months. In both cases, the phones seem to be exactly what pundits and fans expected.
The iPhone 5S is the next iPhone, in the plainest sense. Building on the features of iPhone 5, the 5S features a new A7 chip, and a M7 ” motion co-processor” to handle data from the phone’s gyroscope, accelerometer and compass. The result is a phone with “56x” graphical processing power. The 5S’ signature feature is the “Touch ID” fingerprint scanner built into the phone’s home button. The 500-point scanner can be used to authenticate app store purchases, among other things.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 5C is a scaled-down version of the iPhone 5. Though the camera and battery have been improved over the 5, the 5C sports an A6 processor – the same one as the iPhone 5 – and a smaller, 4-inch retina display. The most noticeable difference, however, is the colorful plastic back. Available in five colors – green, white, blue, red, and yellow – Apple has also created first-party silicon rubber cases specifically for the phone. (There’s a black case, so you don’t need to be colorful if you don’t want to.)
And of course, there’s the price. Being the “budget model” The iPhone 5C is $99 for the 16GB model with a two-year carrier contract, and $199 for the 32GB version. The iPhone 5S sticks to the standard iPhone pricing model: $199 for 16GB on contract, $299 for 32GB and $399 for 64GB.
In addition to the new hardware, Apple announced that the next version of the iPhone operating system iOS 7 will be available for consumers September 18. The update is a major step forward for the OS, not just because of its substantial aesthetic changes, but because it finally add controller support to iPhones and iPads.
Both the iPhone 5S and 5C will be available for pre-order this Friday, September 13, and in stores on September 20.
Source: The Verge
