MacRumors

Apple today announced its next-generation flagship phone, the iPhone 5s. As with all of Apple's iPhone updates, the iPhone 5s will come equipped with several impressive camera improvements, both hardware and software-based.

While the iPhone 5s still uses an 8-megapixel camera, it utilizes a sensor that has a 15 percent larger surface area, which means it will produce higher quality photos in low-light conditions. It also has a 5-element lens with an aperture of f/2.2, an improvement over the iPhone 5's f/2.4 aperture and the pixels are larger, at 1.5 microns, for better light absorption. All in all, the iPhone 5s has a 33 percent increase in light sensitivity.

The new iSight camera on iPhone 5s builds on the iPhone 5 camera in ways that make a real difference to your photos. It captures beautiful images at 8 megapixels. What makes them beautiful is a redesigned camera sensor that allows for bigger pixels. Bigger pixels equal better photos. And better photos are precisely what inspired the advancements we made with the new iSight camera on iPhone 5s.

Most smartphones, Apple's iPhone included, are known for having a notoriously bad flash that washes out pictures, but that is no longer the case with the iPhone 5s. The iPhone 5s uses a "True Tone" dual-LED flash that supports two different cool white/warm amber color temperatures for improved white balance and more than 1,000 different color temperatures. The phone’s app captures exposure and creates what Apple calls a "dynamic local tone map" to create pictures that are properly hued.

Autofocus has been improved as well, using 15-zone matrix metering for speedier focusing times, and software-based image stabilization has been built-in too. As with the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5s has a sapphire-crystal covered lens designed to withstand scratches and other damage.

For capturing action shots, the iPhone 5s utilizes a new Burst Mode. This mode captures 10 photos per second, combines them to get an accurate light level, and then automatically chooses the best of the bunch.

There's also a new "Slo-Mo" mode, designed to capture 720p video at up to 120 frames per second with 3x live video zoom. Slo-Mo video and regular video can be combined to create all new video effects. In Panorama mode, the iPhone 5s can capture 30 frames per second, which is a 50 percent improvement over the iPhone 5.

The iPhone 5s will ship with iOS 7, which brings several camera improvements itself. iOS 7 includes eight Apple-designed live filters and a redesigned photos app that groups pictures based on time and location.

Apple’s iPhone 5s will be released on September 20, and iOS 7 will be available to the public on September 18. Apple also plans to release the iPhone 5c on September 20, with preorders beginning on September 13.

The flagship feature of the iPhone 5s is the new Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and we're beginning to get a better idea of how it works.

It appears Apple has designed Touch ID to be faster than entering a four-digit passcode, stating in its marketing materials that using Touch ID is "faster, easier, and even a little futuristic". It will allow users to store up to five fingerprints, allowing other trusted users access to a locked phone.

Put your finger on the Home button, and just like that your iPhone unlocks. It’s a convenient and highly secure way to access your phone. Your fingerprint can also approve purchases from iTunes Store, the App Store, and the iBooks Store, so you don’t have to enter your password. And Touch ID is capable of 360-degree readability. Which means no matter what its orientation — portrait, landscape, or anything in between — your iPhone reads your fingerprint and knows who you are.

Financial Times reporter Tim Bradshaw shared this video showing how the iPhone learns a fingerprint by scanning a finger a half-dozen times.

TechCrunch wrote that once a fingerprint was successfully learned, "it worked flawlessly to unlock the device for every subsequent trial."

Also, AllThingsD reports that third-party developers will not get access to the fingerprint authentication protocol, at least not initially.

The iPhone 5s will cost $199, $299, and $399 for the 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB models respectively with a 2-year contract. Non-contract, unlocked devices will be available at launch for $649/$749/$849.

The iPhone 5s and the lower-cost iPhone 5c -- which does not have Touch ID -- will be available in stores in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the UK starting on September 20.

Notably, there will be no preorders for the iPhone 5s.

A number of news sites have been able to go hands-on with Apple's newly announced iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, both of which introduce a number of new features. While the iPhone 5c’s major selling point is its bright and colorful polycarbonate shell, the iPhone 5s boasts processor improvements and a new Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

iPhone 5s
In a hands-on post of the iPhone 5s, The Verge notes that the gold color “looks better in person” compared to leaked images, and notes that the "Space Gray" and white colors are very similar to the iPhone 5. The major difference between the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5 is the ring around the home button and the slightly larger flash.

Starting with that home button, it's now made of sapphire so that it can act as a reliable fingerprint reader. It's not nearly as concave as previous models — in fact, it's almost flat. Luckily, it still maintains a nice, tactile feel when you click on it and we don't foresee anybody running into any issues. We watched the fingerprint sensor unlock the phone quickly and easily (though we didn't get to try it ourselves).

Everything felt fast and fluid — although the animations in iOS 7 are still a little slow to our tastes — but scrolling in the new Safari was better than before, if only by a tiny amount.

TechCrunch also went hands-on with the iPhone 5s, and was able to experiment with the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, which supports up to five different fingerprints.

Essentially you spend some time letting the sensors in the Home button get used to your fingerprint, moving your finger around slightly, lifting it up just above the surface and putting it back down, with a graphic filling out how near the software is to being able to recognize your fingerprint (you can use thumb or index finger, depending on your preference).

The process took about 30 seconds to a minute overall, and then once it had successfully identified by fingerprint, it worked flawlessly to unlock the device for every subsequent trial. It also readily rejected Greg Kumparak’s attempts, proving that it isn’t just accepting all comers.

iPhone 5c
According to TechCrunch, the iPhone 5c has a “lightness” in the hand thanks to the single-piece case design and “looks fantastic” in its array of bright colors.

All of that is made more impressive by the fact that the iPhone performs terrifically, and looks fantastic. The colors really pop, and the case fits solidly in the hand and thanks to a slightly rubberized feel it should be easier to hold onto than any previous iPhone as well. The color-match wallpapers add to the charm of the overall package, and that’s likely to appeal to customers who just want a device that looks great out of the box and doesn’t require any laborious customization.

Engadget thought that the iPhone 5c had a very "solid" polycarbonate build that will hold up to scuffs and drops.

There is absolutely nothing about this setup that makes us believe it's not capable of handling a full share of wear and tear, and the reinforced steel frame convinces us that it's even going to survive falls without a problem.

Speaking of which, the 5c has a glossy finish, but we were quite happy to find that it's not the fingerprint magnet that we've come to expect on other devices. It sufficiently handled the greasy fingerprints of a couple hundred journalists, so we doubt there will be any reason to be concerned about this phone looking dirty. In fact, it has a subtle shine to it that serves to complement the color selection.

The Verge was also impressed with the feel of the plastic iPhone 5c, though noted that it did not compare to the high-end feel of the iPhone 5s.

The 5c is almost like a toy, a rugged, comfortable device that doesn’t feel much heavier than the iPhone 5 despite being noticeably larger. According to Apple, the device has a larger battery than the iPhone 5, which along with its plastic shell goes a way to explaining its bulk.

This is how you make a plastic phone, though: from the cohesive shell to the smooth and glossy back (which did pick up a fair number of fingerprints) the device feels far better than Samsung’s or LG’s plastic options. Even the rubbery cases look nice, their open-circle backs fitting in nicely with the color palette.

Both the iPhone 5c and the iPhone 5s will be available for customers on September 20. Apple will begin accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 5c on September 13, but does not plan to take pre-orders for the iPhone 5s. The 16GB iPhone 5c will be priced at $99 while the 16GB iPhone 5s will be priced at $199, both with a 2-year contract.

With today's introduction of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, Apple's revised iPhone lineup saw the discontinuation of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 in most markets, while the iPhone 4s lives on as the entry-level device.

But in line with a report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who predicted that the iPhone 5c would replace the iPhone 5 rather than the iPhone 4s in Apple's lineup, even the iPhone 4 is continuing to hang on, with Apple still offering the device in China.

It is unclear how long Apple will continue offering the device in China, but with relatively high prices in the country pushing even Apple's new "lower-cost" iPhone 5c to over $700, Apple clearly feels that it needs to offer even lower-priced options to consumers.

Both black and white models of the iPhone 4 in 8 GB capacities are available in China, with the devices priced at RMB 2588 ($423) as Apple's cheapest offering in the country. The iPhone 4s starts at RMB 3288 ($537), while the new iPhone 5c starts at RMB 4488 ($733) and the iPhone 5s starts at RMB 5288 ($864).

Just an hour and a half after the end of the event, Apple has already posted video of today's iPhone media event to its website. Apple has also added the "Apple Events" channel back to the Apple TV, where users can view the event video.

Among the products announced at the event:

- Apple Announces iPhone 5s With 'Touch ID' Fingerprint Sensor
- Apple Announces Colorful New iPhone 5c, Starting at $99 on Two-Year Contract
- Public Launch of iOS 7 Set for September 18

Following today's media event, Apple has seeded the golden master (GM) version of iOS 7 to developers. This represents the final build that will be released to the public on September 18 for installation on existing devices. iOS 7 will also be included on the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, which launch in the first round of markets on September 20.

The GM version of iOS 7 arrives as build 11A465, and Apple has also released a GM build of Xcode 5 to support iOS 7.

At its media event today, Apple introduced the new iPhone 5s. In line with expectations, the iPhone 5s will be the same size and design and the current iPhone 5 but will feature improved specifications and will be available in three colors: Silver, Gold, and Space Gray.

Internally, the iPhone 5s will feature a 64-bit A7 processor that will be up to twice as fast at CPU tasks. Another significant new feature is a "Touch ID" capacitive fingerprint sensor built into the home button that's capable of scanning sub-epidermal skin layers. Touch ID can be used to unlock an iPhone and authorize iTunes purchases.

Built into the home button, Touch ID uses a laser cut sapphire crystal, together with the capacitive touch sensor, to take a high-resolution image of your fingerprint and intelligently analyze it to provide accurate readings from any angle. Setting up Touch ID to recognize your fingerprint is easy, and every time you use it, it gets better. The Touch ID sensor recognizes the touch of a finger so the sensor is only activated when needed, preserving battery life. All fingerprint information is encrypted and stored securely in the Secure Enclave inside the A7 chip on the iPhone 5s; it’s never stored on Apple servers or backed up to iCloud. Touch ID can also be used as a secure way to approve purchases from the iTunes Store®, App Store or iBooks Store.

iOS developers will not get access to the users' fingerprint as a means of authentication, according to AllThingsD, which spoke to Apple SVP Phil Schiller. He declined to comment on whether that sort of access may come in the future.

The rear camera in the iPhone 5s has a new 5-element lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a sensor that is 15% larger than the current iPhone 5, as well as a dual-LED "True Tone" flash that will adapt to the existing lighting to provide better colors and more accurate skin tones. Other new camera features include Burst Mode, capable of capturing 10 pictures per second and automatically selecting the best shot, and Slo-Mo 720p video capture at 120 frames per second.

The company also launched a new line of $39 leather cases for the iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 5s will cost $199, $299, and $399 for the 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB models respectively with a 2-year contract. Non-contract, unlocked devices will be available at launch for $649/$749/$849.

The iPhone 5s and the lower-cost iPhone 5c that was also announced today will be available in stores in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the UK starting on September 20.

Notably, there will be no preorders for the iPhone 5s.

Apple today announced the new lower-priced iPhone 5c, replacing the iPhone 5 in Apple's phone lineup. The new device is available in five different colors -- green, yellow, blue, white, and pink -- in a polycarbonate design. The phone uses the same A6 processor and rear-facing camera as the iPhone 5. Apple posted a new product video, featuring Jony Ive, for the 5c.

"iPhone 5c is everything iPhone 5 was and more, in an all-new design packed with great features," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "iPhone 5c is designed with a beautiful polycarbonate enclosure that looks and feels so solid in your hand."

The new phone includes some upgraded parts as well, including an improved front-facing FaceTime camera and support for more LTE bands.

The phone is made of what Apple calls a hard-coated polycarbonate, using a steel-reinforced interior that also serves as the antenna. The company also introduced a line of $29 cases that snap onto the back of iPhone 5c and come in pink, yellow, blue, green, white and black.

The iPhone 5c is available for preorder this Friday, September 13 for $99 in 16GB and 32GB for $199 with a two-year contract. It will go on sale Friday, September 20.

At today's iPhone media event, Apple executives announced that iOS 7 will be released to the public on Wednesday September 18, two days before the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c are released.

Apple SVP Craig Federighi once again highlighted iOS 7's major redesign and the numerous new features it includes. He touched on Control Center, a revamped Notification Center, AirDrop, iTunes Radio, and new multitasking capabilities.

"iOS 7 is completely redesigned with an entirely new user interface and over 200 new features, so it's like getting a brand new device, but one that will still be instantly familiar to our users," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "Next month we'll be shipping our 700 millionth iOS device, and we're excited about what our hundreds of thousands of iOS developers are doing to bring great new features to their apps."

Apple also announced that iOS 7 will support the new 64-bit technologies introduced with the iPhone 5s, with all built-in apps re-engineered for 64-bit and iOS 7 will support both 32-bit and 64-bit apps.

The OS has been built to complement both the iPhone 5c's colors and the new internal capabilities of the iPhone 5s, including its Touch ID fingerprint sensor and camera features like automatic image stabilization, Burst Mode, and Slo-Mo 120 fps video.

iOS 7 will be available on September 18 for the iPhone 4 and later, the iPad 2 and later, the iPad mini, and the fifth-generation iPod touch.