Apple announced two brand new iPhones on Tuesday, each with their own standout features.
Te first of the two iPhones is the iPhone 5C, which will replace the current iPhone 5 in the marketplace on Sept. 13. It has all of the same bells and whistles on the inside, with slightly longer battery life being the only major difference.
The outside of the iPhone 5C is different, however, with a shiny, colorful plastic back accompanying the same four-inch retina display.
The second iPhone is the more upscale iPhone 5S, appearing identical to the iPhone 5, but coming in the colors space-grey, silver and gold.
The biggest new addition to the iPhone 5S is “Touch ID.” The home button now has a fingerprint scanner inside which makes securing the device easier and faster than ever. No more typing in four digit codes to unlock a phone or entering a password to buy an app.
While the outside may be familiar, the inside of the iPhone 5S is completely different. The successor has a 64-bit processor, the first available in any smartphone. Having twice the power of the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5S will allow for faster apps and prettier games.
The camera also received an upgrade in the iPhone 5S, allowing the 8 MP shots to look brighter and clearer than ever. Slow motion video is another fun feature iPhone 5S owners get to enjoy.
Only $99 for the 16 GB model, the iPhone 5C is targeted at consumers looking to pay less for a killer phone. This will come in handy in China, where the iPhone 5C will be the first iPhone ever available in China on launch day.
Apple is expected to announce that China Mobile, the world’s largest phone carrier, will carry the iPhone 5C and other Apple products.
The iPhone 5S will cost the same as the iPhone 5, which is currently at $199 for the 16 GB model.
Alongside the release of new iPhones, the iOS operating system will also receive an update. iOS 7, which will release for free on Sept. 18 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch will give Apple devices a complete makeover with its brand new user interface.
New features in iOS 7 include the control center to easily change important settings like brightness and Wi-Fi without going into the settings app, improved multitasking, the Pandora competitor iTunes Radio, and a brand new Safari browser which will allow more than eight windows to be open at once.
While these new, somewhat minor updates look nice, is it enough to compete with Samsung and other Android phones on the market this year? It is questionable, as no phone has a killer advantage. Apple fans will love the new iPhones while Android owners will probably not be excited enough to make the switch.
