MacRumors

Following yesterday's introduction of the iPhone 5s, a new GFXbench result showing partial graphic benchmarking results has appeared revealing significant improvements compared to the iPhone 5 on the Egypt HD 2.5 test (via @nerdtalker and @anexanhume).

A comparison between the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5 on the Egypt benchmark show a significant increase in frame rate for the iPhone 5s, with the offscreen 1080p score moving from 29.8 fps to 56.0 fps and the onscreen score improving from 41.1 fps to 53.0 fps.

Certainly there are some caveats associated with the benchmark given that it includes only a single test and a need for developers to optimize their apps for the new 64-bit A7 architecture with support for OpenGL ES version 3.0 in the iPhone 5s will undoubtedly yield differing levels of improvement in real-world situations. Still, based on this single snapshot it appears the graphics performance will indeed see a significant improvement in the new device.

Apple's operations department is currently overseeing the shipment of millions of iPhones to nine countries around the world for a launch event on September 20. The iPhone 5c and 5s will go on sale simultaneously in the U.S., Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the UK.

Bloomberg examined how Apple manages such a rollout and the logistical operation it uses to get the phones where they need to be.

Apple moves finished iPhones from Foxconn and Pegatron factories to shipping companies with a protective security detail. Then they are loaded onto airplanes via "pre-bought airfreight space" including former Russian military transports and, for shipments to the U.S., aboard FedEx Boeing 777 freight planes, like the one pictured above.

Bloomberg says the company makes constant adjustments to iPhone shipments based on real-time product demand. Apple organizes teams from sales, marketing, operations and finance to estimate how many devices will be needed, and millions of phones are shipped to distribution hubs around the world ahead of the public announcement of the launch.

Before Apple's formal unveiling on stage, iPhones are shipped to distribution centers around the world, including Australia, China, the Czech Republic, Japan, Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S., said one of the people with knowledge of the matter. Security personnel are with the devices every step of the way, from truck depots, airports, customs and storage warehouses until the product is finally unveiled, two people said.

FedEx ships Apple handsets to the U.S. mainly using Boeing 777s, according to Satish Jindel, a logistics-industry consultant and president of SJ Consulting Group. Those planes can make the 15-hour flight from China to the main U.S. hub for freight shipments in Memphis, Tennessee, without refueling, Jindel said. The 777s can carry about 450,000 iPhones and cost about $242,000 to charter, with fuel accounting for more than half the expense.

After the new product launch, Apple continues to "manage the flow of orders from people looking for a specific color [or] memory size". The iPhone 5s will come in 3 colors and 3 capacities, while the 5c has 5 colors and 2 capacities -- not to mention different models for each carrier around the world.

By monitoring sales from its retail stores, website and third-party resellers, Apple reallocates handsets based on where demand is strongest, one of the people said. iPhones coming off the assembly line in China originally destined for retail stores in Europe could be used to fill a bump in online orders, for instance. The process involves crunching a lot of data.

The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will go on sale in 9 countries on September 20. The iPhone 5c will be available for preorder on September 13.

(Image courtesy Flickr/BriYYZ)

Apple appears to have removed iCloud Keychain support from the iOS 7 Golden Master (GM), which was seeded to developers yesterday. While iCloud preferences previously listed iCloud Keychain, the option has now been removed, suggesting that the initial public release of iOS 7 will not include the function.

iCloud Keychain is also newly tagged as "Coming soon" on Apple's iOS 7 feature page and while it is unclear why it has been removed from the GM, it is likely that Apple has chosen to provide the feature alongside OS X Mavericks, which is slated to be released later this year.

First introduced at WWDC, iCloud Keychain is Apple’s new cross-device password manager, designed to share and store passwords across all of Apple’s products running iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks. In addition to passwords, iCloud Keychain also stores website logins, credit card information, and Wi-Fi networks.

While Mavericks will not be available until later in the fall, iOS 7 will be released to the public on September 18, ahead of the release of both the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c.

As noted late last week, Apple will indeed be releasing a major software update for the Apple TV in the near future. While that update was not mentioned at yesterday's media event, it will be arriving next week on September 18, the same day Apple is scheduled to release iOS 7 to the public, reports AllThingsD.

The new report repeats the previous observation that a notable new feature in the software update will be a change to allow purchased content from the iTunes Store to be played directly on Apple TVs that do not own the content. This is a change from the current system which requires users to load the content onto mobile devices for playback on an Apple TV via AirPlay.

The one new feature I’m aware of is a tweak to Apple’s Airplay system. I didn’t do a great job of explaining this before, so here’s another stab: The new software will allow people who have purchased content from Apple’s iTunes store to play that stuff on other people’s TVs, via its Airplay system.

The key part is that they will be able to tell an Apple TV box they don’t own to stream the media they do own, directly from the cloud. That’s a change from the current system, which requires users to download stuff to their iPhones and iPads and fling it to the TV from there. It also echoes the way Google’s new Chromecast device works.

While Apple did not debut a new model of the Apple TV at yesterday’s iPhone media event, the company has made numerous updates to the device, including the recent addition of new apps for Vevo, The Weather Channel, the Disney Channel, the Smithsonian Channel, and more. Currently, the Apple TV retails for $99 and is sold through Apple’s online and traditional retail stores.

A Chinese regulatory body has given Apple the final license necessary for the iPhone to run on China Mobile’s wireless standard, reports The Wall Street Journal. The approval comes after Apple’s announcement yesterday of the new iPhone 5s and lower-cost iPhone 5c, both of which support the TD-LTE standard used by China Mobile, the world’s biggest carrier with over 700 million users.

According to the website of China's Telecom Equipment Certification Center Wednesday, Apple received what's called a "network access license" for a handset resembling the iPhone that runs on the mobile standards used by China Mobile for third and fourth generation cellular services. Other licenses were given to Apple for handsets running the technology used by both China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd. and China Telecom Corp.

A deal between China Mobile and Apple has reportedly long been in the works, with China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua and Apple CEO Tim Cook meeting in July to discuss “matters of cooperation”, with the former indicating that he felt optimistic about a potential deal leading up to the announcement of the new phones. Last week, The Wall Street Journal also reported that Apple was preparing to ship the new lower-cost iPhone 5c to the carrier, suggesting a deal between the two companies had indeed been reached.

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

Apple has released three new videos for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on its YouTube channel. The videos first debuted earlier today during the company's iPhone media event in Cupertino, where the new iPhones were announced.

The first of the three videos introduces the colorful, lower-cost iPhone 5c, with Jony Ive explaining that Apple believes the iPhone "is an experience" the company is continuing to refine.

The second video features Apple SVPs Dan Riccio and Craig Federighi detailing the improvements in both the hardware and software of the iPhone 5s' new iSight camera, including Burst Mode, Slo-Mo video recording, and True Tone flash.

The final video depicts Ive and Riccio explaining the innovation behind the new Touch ID fingerprint sensor, detailing not only how much "care" and "consideration" Apple put into adding the sensor, but also the technology behind it.

Both the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will be available to consumers on September 20. Apple will begin accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 5c on September 13, but will not accept pre-orders for the iPhone 5s. The 16Gb iPhone 5c will be available for $99 on a two-year contract while the 16GB iPhone 5s will be available for $199 on a two-year contract.

After announcing the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c this morning, Tim Cook sent an email about the new products to Apple employees, reports 9to5Mac.

The email focuses primarily on the new features coming with iOS 7, and details some of the components of the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c. iOS 7 has been engineered with "deep integration" for both of Apple's upcoming phones.

Team:

Today is an important day for Apple. Many of you and your coworkers have been hard at work developing the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, which are the result of incredible collaboration between hardware and software which only Apple can deliver. In the weeks and months to come, especially as we approach the holidays, our Retail teams will help millions of customers experience these amazing products for the first time. We are also thrilled to be launching iOS 7 next Wednesday.

In addition to the stunning new user interface you saw previewed at WWDC, iOS 7 has been engineered with deep integration with both iPhone 5s and 5c including advanced 64-bit technologies in iPhone 5s. iOS 7 will ship with iTunes Radio, our free Internet radio service, and we are making our mobile iLife and iWork apps available as free downloads for anyone who buys a new iOS device so they can do amazing things with their photos, videos, documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

We made these announcements in Town Hall here in Cupertino this morning. It is a small venue which limits our ability to show the keynote live across campus and to other locations as we like to do. The event is now available to stream on apple.com, so I hope you will take time to watch it. We've also posted a Q&A with Greg Joswiak on AppleWeb about the new products and the work behind them. I hope you are as excited about the new iPhone lineup as I am. Our teams do an incredible job taking complex, cutting-edge technology and making it simple for our customers. That's something everyone at Apple can be proud of.

Cook's email clarifies that iWork and iLife will be free only with newly purchased devices and encourages Apple employees to watch the event stream on Apple.com. Cook also notes that the company has posted an internal Q&A with Apple VP of iPod, iPhone, and iOS Worldwide Marketing Greg Joswiak, which includes information about the new products and the manufacturing behind them.

Apple's iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will be released on September 20, with pre-orders beginning on September 13 for the 5c. iOS 7 is set to be released on September 18.

Update: 9to5Mac posted a copy of the Q&A session with Greg Joswiak, which focuses on innovation at Apple and the features found in Apple's newest iPhones.

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).