Apple’s New iPhone 5C & 5S Announcement Event: Short But Sweet

iphone-5c

If you have stayed up in a hope to catch a live stream of the Apple’s new iPhone announcement event, like us you would be disappointed because Apple decided not to this time round. We could understand why, simply because it was a really short announcement. Alas all the rumors and leaks have proven to be rather accurate even though Tim Cook has doubled down on secrecy. After the usual introduction of Apple mobile ecosystem’s statistics, the main highlights were the announcements of the much anticipated iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.

iPhone 5C – It’s a iPhone 5 in color

The iPhone 5C was previously thought to be a bridged product between iPhone 5 and 5S but that is not the case anymore. Apple decided to cut production on iPhone 5 with the introduction of 5C having the same hardware specifications but rolling out new 5 colored versions of it with plastic cases. While it sounds cheap, initial hands on we have seen says otherwise and it looks and feels better than a lot of plastic phones in the market.

The other interesting introduction (that wasn’t leaked) is the iPhone 5C protective covers. These are optional cases that you can mix and match and thus making your iPhone even more colorfully cool. Sold separately at S$42.00 a piece, very pricey in our opinion but Apple accessories has always been priced at a premium but it shouldn’t take long for bootlegs to come up on eBay.

iPhone 5S Gold

iPhone 5S Gold

iPhone 5S – Fingerprint tech + improved camera

iPhone 5C is not the only one having a colorful announcement. Having kept it’s long tradition of black and white, Apple decided to add another color option to the new iPhone 5S in champagne gold. Black is now called “Space Grey” and white “Silver”. Apart from the new color addition, below are the breakdown of what’s new:

  • A7 + M7 Processors – The new iPhone 5S is getting a new A7 chip, the first 64bit processor chip in a mobile smartphone. There will also be a separate M7 chip that handles data from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass so developer can work on fitness and health apps utilizing the M7 chip without waking up the A7 core.
  • Camera Hardware – The new camera features a larger sensor and a larger aperture of f/2.2. What this means is your iPhone 5S camera will be able to capture more light, especially in dim lightings and produce a better and less noisy picture. There is also a dual-tone flash with different color balances, one white and the other warmer, and it automatically adjust over a thousand settings to create the correct light for your shot, making skin tones and pictures look better.
  • Camera Software – New camera software features a burst mode of 10 frames per second for action stop shots, slow-motion videos can be shot at 720p at 120 frames per second and auto image stabilization. Slow motion can be adjusted at your desired timeframe of the video in editing mode.
  • Touch ID – One of the most talk about leaks is the fingerprint technology on the new home button. Apple acquired Authentec last year to develop its own in house fingerprinting feature for the iPhone. While most folks dread the inconsistencies of fingerprint scanning, the iPhone 5S is able to recognize fingerprint pattern from various angles and orientation. The demo video also shows the speed of recognition and the ability to use your fingerprint to purchase from App store. Fingerprint data will be stored in a secure part of the A7 processor and nowhere on Apple’s servers or online.
Touch ID & Dual-Tone Flash

Touch ID & Dual-Tone Flash

With the new iPhone 5C and 5S, it seems Apple prefers to improve on something that already works. No bigger screens, no 1080p displays and no gimmicky features that nobody wants to use. While critics are quick to pounce the lack of innovation in hardware or software, we think Apple culture in making stuff is different. The iPhone 5S is an example of that culture, improving on features and hardware that smartphone users really need and not overdoing it. Another thing worth mentioning is how short this event is, which might be an indication of another bigger Apple event coming really soon. Rumors are saying it might be as soon as next month, surely the official release of OS X Mavericks if that is true or perhaps even the new iPads. Only time will tell and Apple will know.

The iPhone 5C will be available for pre-order beginning 13th September from S$848.00 and the iPhone 5S on the 20th September from S$988 without contract on Apple Store Singapore. Based on the previous iPhone launches, the telcos should be matching the dates as well.


© 2023 Great Deals Singapore. Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All rights reserved.