Slideshow

In pictures: Apple iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C

The latest iPhone brings fingerprint recognition technology, a 64-bit processor and a sidekick.

  • It’s here! It’s here! And more or less as advertised, as well – Apple announced the brand-new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C today, to widespread excitement, but no particularly great surprise. Most of what was announced had been rumored for some time beforehand. However, that doesn’t make Apple’s new smartphones any less impressive. Here’s our initial peek at the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.

  • The iPhone 5S! The new flagship is another engineering showpiece from Apple’s heralded designers, incorporating powerful new hardware and a disparate array of new features.

  • 64-bit processor Probably the most impressive new bit of technology in the iPhone 5S is its 64-bit processor core, which Apple says is a first for smartphones. Part of the new A7 chipset, the 64-bit architecture is common to present day desktop and laptop PCs.

  • TouchID Apple was eager to talk up the scale of its new fingerprint recognition sensor, which is used for both physical device security on the iPhone 5S and as a biometric key for iTunes.

  • A hot new camera The company also made a number of upgrades to the iPhone 5S’s camera hardware, but new software capabilities like slo-mo 120fps, 720p video and 10fps streams of still photos were the scene-stealers.

  • All that glitters The iPhone 5S is also available in – wait for it – brand-new colors like silver and gold, in addition to the usual black, which is mysteriously now called “space gray.” Regardless of hue, a model with 16GB of storage will set you back $200 with a new phone contract from AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon, while 32GB will cost you $300, and 64GB, $400.

  • The iPhone 5C Apple’s much-ballyhooed move into the mid-range took the form of the iPhone 5C, which was widely described by commentators on social media as being, in essence, an iPhone 5 in a plastic case. It comes in a range of colors, and will be available for as low as $100 (on contract) when both it and the 5S go on sale Sept. 20.

  • Oh, and iOS 7 Though the latest version of Apple’s mobile platform was shown off to reporters months ago, the company made more announcements about it at Tuesday’s event: It’ll be available for download on the iPhone 4, 4S, 5 and the new models as of Sept. 18, and all newly purchased devices will get Apple’s suite of iWork productivity apps for free.

  • Inside touchID The exploded view of the home button which doubles as a fingerprint sensor.

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