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Apple Unveils iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S

Nerval's Lobster writes "Apple unveiled the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S today, which will replace the company's current iPhone 5. Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives took to a stage in California to introduce both devices. The cheaper iPhone 5C features a plastic casing available in a variety of colors (green, blue, reddish-pink, yellow, white); Apple seems to have done its best to make the device look high quality, with the backing and sides molded of a single piece of plastic; on the hardware side of things, the iPhone 5C comes with a 4-inch Retina display, A6 processor, and 8-megapixel camera. The other new Apple design, the iPhone 5S, is the company's next-generation 'hero' device. While the iPhone 5 was a radical new design, the 5S is an iterative upgrade; on the outside, it looks pretty much the same as its predecessor (the new iPhone features a new color, gold, in addition to the 'traditional' black or white aluminum body). The iPhone 5S has an A7 chip built on 64-bit architecture (capable of running 32-bit and 64-bit apps), which is pretty speedy, to put it mildly. There's also the M7 'motion co-processor' which boosts the actions of the accelerometer, compass, and gyroscope—in theory, opening the door to more refined motion-related apps, such as ones devoted to exercise." The iPhone 5S also has a sensor built into the home button that will allow you to unlock the device with your fingerprint. Both new phone will be available for purchase on Friday, Sept. 20th. Apple announced that iOS 7 will be rolling out on Wednesday, Sept. 18th.

11 of 773 comments (clear)

  1. iPhone fan, but feeling dissappointed by ThomasBHardy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've been a fan of the iPhone since it came out. Love it or hate it, it did change the landscape and it does a lot of things really well. Unfortunately the whizzbang features with the faster processor and fingerprint scanner and such, while nifty, are less compelling to me than getting a larger screen for my aging eyes. That alone knocks it out of my "time to upgrade" category. It feels like too small of an incremental enhancement and not anything singularly so substantial that it's worth plunking down money for.

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    Warning: Teh poster of this messaeg is lysdexic
  2. The 5C isn't even cheap by iONiUM · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm sorry, but the 5C is $99 on contract, which is similar to many Android phones that are better. In addition, the off-contract price is $599 (CAD) for 5C 16GB... how is that a "cheap" phone? The nexus is, what, $350? Give me a break.

  3. Re:Fingerprint database, anyone? by _xeno_ · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The fingerprint is saved locally and encrypted on the individual phone's A7 chip. Never goes to iCloud. Never touches Apple servers.

    Ah, so we've looked through the source code and hardware design to verify that's the case? I mean, the source code and hardware are open, so we can verify them, and the phone is open so we can verify that the binary on the phone matches the source code we have, right?

    What's that, no on all counts?

    Yeah, no, I think I'll pass on trusting Apple with anything, especially considering that their privacy policy (still) says that they track your every move - but it's OK, because they don't attach it to your name, just an unique ID that's attached to your phone that's attached to your name.

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    You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
  4. Surprising they're sticking with 64GB by MarcoAtWork · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I would've thought they'd bump to 128GB this time, especially given how large some apps are getting nowadays...

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    -- the cake is a lie
  5. Re:Stop with the conferences by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "See Apple, the thing is, these big media events used to be about introducing jaw-dropping, mind blowing new technology."

    Has Apple ever been about 'mind blowing new technology'? As long as I can remember, they've been about well polished, high-production-value implementations of technology that already existed.

  6. Re: Hand over your fingerprint! by RenderSeven · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Since the CIA's invention of Facebook saved the government millions of dollars in monitoring costs, it makes sense to collect fingerprints the same way. And coming soon, the Facebook "Share A DNA Sample" feature.

  7. Re:I bought a 4.... that's enough by ravenscar · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That's why it's good to have competition in the market. I probably won't ever purchase another android phone because they are all far too large for my taste. This is coming from someone who used Android happily for a number of years. The last time I went in for an upgrade the iPhone 5 was the only device that felt comfortable in my hand. It's nice that we both have the chance to be happy with our devices.

  8. Need some more tinfoil for that hat? by King_TJ · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I mean, fine with me if you distrust Apple so much, you suspect they'd stoop to uploading the locally stored fingerprint data to a central server and hang onto all of that data. (Never-mind the fact you'd think if they had an interest in doing so, they would have designed the iPhone 5s so the data synced with their servers in the first place.)

    But how far does this distrust go? Your cellphone carrier can track your movements as long as your cellphone is powered on, you know.... What if they're selling that info to someone? Seems to me you better pass on a cellular phone, period!

  9. Re:Where's the led notification? by narcc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Or, you know, the blinding flash isn't a suitable alternative to the notification LED.

  10. Re:Where's the led notification? by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So you mean you actually check your phone during meetings, instead of keeping it in your pocket and not letting it steal your attention? Wow.

    Don't take this wrong, but do you go to many meetings?

    I've had the person running the meeting constantly checking their phone during the meeting.

    I had one manager a several years ago that got so bad I basically said "I'm not having a meeting with you if you bring your damned phone" -- because he'd miss what you said, ask you a question, and then while you were giving the answer he'd check his phone again and miss what you said a second time.

    One day I got up and walked out of the meeting and left him sitting there.

    In my experience, an awful lot of people are checking their phones pretty much constantly, and to the detriment of everyone around them and what they're trying to do.

    You might be amazed to see just how many phones are being checked during meetings, and often people are trying to respond to emails concurrent with trying to listen to you.

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    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  11. Re: Hand over your fingerprint! by Cinder6 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You're silly if you think the government doesn't already have your fingerprint. Apple says that the fingerprint data is encrypted and never leaves the phone, as well, so objections about Facebook and other third-parties having the data also seem to be out.

    Personally, it's a feature I've been wanting for a long time.

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    If you can't convince them, convict them.