Apple's iPhone Event 2013 Recap
Posted: September 11, 2013 by Emily Brown
It seems that yesterday at the much-hyped Apple's event in Cupertino, many rumors had finally turned to reality. Basically, we got pretty much what we expected: two new iPhones, some new info about iOS7, and bits of other things.
Below is a quick recap of what it was unfolded:
2 New iPhones
This was the first time Apple to release two different models of iPhone at the same time: the iPhone 5S and 5C. Both phones can be found in stores as early as September 20, while the 5C can also be preordered as of September 13.
Yes, the iPhone 5S will have a fingerprint scanner on the phone's home button that can be used both as passcode for the phone and as entry code to sign into iTunes to buy apps and media. In addition, the handset comes with a new A7 processor re-engineered for 64-bit architecture, which makes the device incredibly faster. While this latest creation has the same 4-inch Retina display, it boasts an improved camera with a f/2.2 aperture that leads to taking better photos in low light, as well as a dual-LED flash that creates the perfect natural color balance in shots. Aside from the gold standard made of Liquidmetal (high-grade aluminum), 5S will be also available in silver and space gray.
As for the 5C, it has pretty much the same capabilities as the iPhone 5S, apart from the fact that its rear is made of a hardcoded polycarbonate. Or as Phil Schiller (the head of worldwide marketing) referred to it during the presentation, the 5C is "unapologetically plastic." This means the iPhone 5C will be priced at $100 less than the current iPhone 5 and it will be available in vibrant green, blue, pink, yellow and white.
iOS 7
The new operating system, which was officially announced during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, got a release date. It will be officially available as of September 18. According to Craig Federighi (senior vice president of software engineering at Apple), the iOS 7 will have a new Control Center, Notification Center and multitasking view. A new "Share Sheet" will ease the process of sharing things with your friends on social media and AirDrop feature will provide wireless sharing. What's more, iTunes Radio will also launch with iOS 7 this September.
All of you who'll purchase an iOS device, now will get the iWork app (which includes Pages, Keynote, Numbers) for free.
What's missing?
There was no mention of Apple TV updates, and there was no "One more thing". Nothing new, nothing unexpected. But this probably means we should expect to see more from Apple before the holiday rush. Wonder what will it be?
