Apple Goes for a Splash of Colour, With 2 New iPhones
Yesterday saw the release of the eagerly anticipated annual update to Appleâs iPhone, at an press conference simply titled: âThis should brighten everyoneâs dayâ.
But for the first time in the companies history, they have released multiple versions of the iPhone, at different price ranges, to suit different consumers. In the past, Apple had stuck to itâs guns, in releasing only one version of its flagship device, the iPhone, at a time, while itâs competitors swept up in the cheaper, and emerging worlds Smartphone markets. Instead of the usual release, yesterday saw the introduction of the iPhone 5C, a colourful more cost effective version of the iPhone 5, as well as a heavily modified version of the iPhone 5S.
If you happen to have wondered across any latest news/tech magazine websites recently, you most likely wonât find the release of the iPhone 5C much of a surprise, as leaked images and tech specs for the new devices have been a dime-a-dozen. The new iPhone 5C will be released in 5 main colours: blue, green, pink, yellow and white. The all new coloured bodies will be made with a hard-coated polycarbonate (plastic), curved rear with a steel reinforced frame internally for a solid, sturdy feel. The screen will still be made with the super strong glass touch screen as well.
The phone will come with iOS 7 pre-installed, and will be ready for pre-ordering via the Apple website on September 13th. With regards to pricing, the iPhone 5C might not be quite the âbudget phoneâ people might have been expecting. Yes, it is set to be around ÂŁ80-100 cheaper than the new iPhone 5S, but it will still set you back around ÂŁ469 for the 16GB (smallest memory) modal, which doesnât make it the âcheap as chipsâ device many were speculating.
On the other hand, the device is packed with all the high quality/high performance hardware that we see in the current iPhone 5, with a couple of upgrades to make it still a high performing, premium device. It will feature Apples A6 chip, with a bigger battery and an updated, front facing HD camera, for improved Facetime calling abilities, as well as better âselfiesâ.
âiPhone 5c is everything iPhone 5 was and more, in an all-new design packed with great features,â said Philip Schiller, Appleâs senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. âiPhone 5c is designed with a beautiful polycarbonate enclosure that looks and feels so solid in your hand.â
The release of the 5C wasnât met with such high appraisal from all around. Nokia quite cheekily tweeted this image on announcement of the new device:
@nokia_uk âThanks, #Apple pic.twitter.com/x4w3r8Ghcyâ
We also saw the premier of the updated version of the iPhone 5, the 5S. This came along side the announcement that Apple will no longer be selling/making the iPhone 5, dropping the device to make way for the new model.
With the new iPhone 5C hitting the shelves in a range of colours, the iPhone 5S misses the chance to add a splash of colour, only having Gold added to the range of White and Black that will be available. The bodies will be, much like the iPhone 5, still consisting of a primarily âanodized aluminum body with diamond cut chamfered edgesâ with glass inlays, which isnât much of a change with regards to look and feel physically.
The area in which the new 5S steals the show, however, is when you look at the new features added to the device. The biggest innovation is the use of Apples new Touch ID is described as âan innovative way to simply and securely unlock your iPhone with just the touch of a fingerâ and will allow you to unlock your phone and pay for iTunes/App Store purchases by just touching the home button on the new device. This is enabled by the button housing their new fingerprint scanner, that takes high-resolution images of your fingerprint and intelligently analyze it to provide accurate readings from any angle. This in turn opens and unlocks the device and its secure features, as what is more secure to an individual user, that their finger prints (always on you, unique to you alone)?
The second big area to get an upgrade is in the new updated camera. Together with a wider aperture (f2.2), an upgraded sensor, and taking advantage from the new A7 and M7 chips, the new camera is capable of taking vastly improved images on the device, in comparison to previous iterations. The new camera will shoot up to 120 frames per second (compared to a Canon 7D which will only shoot up to 60fps), as well as featuring a 10 frames per second âburstâ shutter that will allow the user to capture even the fastest most fleeting moments.
âiPhone 5s is the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world, delivering desktop class architecture in the palm of your hand,â said Philip Schiller, Appleâs senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. âiPhone 5s sets a new standard for smartphones, packed into its beautiful and refined design are breakthrough features that really matter to people, like Touch ID, a simple and secure way to unlock your phone with just a touch of your finger.â
Overall, I think the 2 new devices are yet another example that Apple, of late, isnât afraid of mixing up how theyâre working, with new devices, and new innovations that continue to keep them at the head of the Smartphone world. My only concerns are that (though the devices do have a couple of new ground breaking upgrades, Touch ID, 120fps camera, etcâŠ) the new devices seem to have taken leads from other Smartphone developers and markets, instead of doing what Apple is best known for, and being the brand that others aspire to emulate.
NB: As a current user of the o2 UK network for my iPhone usage, I can confirm that o2 will be releasing the iPhone 5S in October on their new 4G network.
Post published at: http://www.fantastic-mobile.co.uk/blog/apple-opts-for-a-splash-of-colour/
