iPhone 5s will be hard to find at launch warn networks
Low stocks have been blamed for Apple’s decision not to offer pre-orders for the iPhone 5s.
Sources at US networks speaking to AllThingsD have warned that inventories are far lower than what they had expected.
“We will have grotesquely unavailable inventory,” one network source told the site. Another called shipments “extremely disappointing”.
Apple’s bricks and mortar stores are also likely to be short on stock. According to reports, around 70 to 80 per cent of new iPhones are sent to Apple’s own stores.
However, if supplies are as low as networks have alluded to, they may also be low there too.
The second source is reported to have said that while stocks are much lower than expected, demand is also down. Much of that is down to the popularity of the iPhone 5c.
Apple has remained quiet on the issue of iPhone 5c pre-order numbers. However, despite higher demand for its colourful model, it does not appear it will sell out.
The official Apple store still says it is possible to order one and have it delivered on launch day.
Both the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c are officially launched on Friday. iOS 7 is due to be released later today. Based on previous updates, availability notifications will likely go out around 6pm.
If you can’t wait, why not check out our reviews of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c.
iPhone 5s verdict: All the details on Apple's new phone
We've managed to get our hands-on one of the few samples of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in the world before they go on general release this Friday.
They've been tested, unboxed, rated and reviews, carry on reading for the definitive iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c verdict and everything you need to know about Apple's new iPhones.
iPhone 5s: The verdict
"The iPhone 5s is a stunner today, but expect the real fun to come tomorrow."
iPhone 5s unboxing
iPhone 5s Touch ID
iPhone 5s camera test
iPhone 5s design in detail
iPhone 5c: The Verdict
"The iPhone 5c is a great device and, if contract prices drop a little, could be Apple's best-selling phone ever" Read the full iPhone 5c review
Apple iPhone 5S fingerprint scanner gets plaudits in early reviews
San Francisco: The fingerprint reader on Apple Inc's top-end iPhone 5S received an early thumbs up for ease of use from two influential reviewers, helping dispel concerns about the scanning technology which has been notoriously unreliable in other cellphones.
Apple's scanner is seen as a first step toward realizing the full potential for biometrics in personal electronics, heightening security for applications like banking and shopping while doing away with multiple passwords.
"The best part is that it actually works - every single time, in my tests," wrote reviewer David Pogue of the New York Times.
"It's nothing like the balky, infuriating fingerprint-reader efforts of earlier cellphones. It's genuinely awesome; the haters can go jump off a pier."
The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg was also enthusiastic, calling it simple and reliable. But he noted that the gadget would inexplicably prompt him for a password when swiping a finger to make purchases, which he blamed on a bug.
"I have come to like it and consider it a step forward, despite a few issues," he said of the overall device.
Re-tooled iOS7 mobile software, a better camera, a more useful voice-activated "Siri" personal digital assistant and a faster processor combined to make the iPhone 5S the best smartphone on the market, he added.
However, he argued that owners of the previous-generation iPhone 5 may not have a compelling reason to buy the latest device unless they specifically wanted the fingerprint reader.
Many industry analysts view the iPhone 5S and the cheaper 5C as being modest improvements on the previous generation, reviving fears that Apple's most innovative days may be behind it. They said the mere fact of a fingerprint scanner was unlikely by itself to make the gadget a sure win in a crowded market.
Apple has embedded the scanner into the iPhone's home button, while other mobile devices usually have it on the back, making it awkward for the user and increasing the number of failed attempts.
Archrival Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) and fellow South Korean electronics manufacturer LG Electronics Inc (066570.KS) have had problems incorporating the technology into finished products.
Gold iPhone 5s pre-orders sell out within a day in China and Hong Kong
Apple's first gold-colour iPhone sold out immediately in Hong Kong and mainland China, according to reports and online buyers desperate to snap up the new status symbol.
State-run news website sh.eastday.com reported Wednesday that the Gold iPhone 5s models were quickly bought up after online pre-orders began Tuesday morning.
"The Apple reservation page went down once. In forums, many people talked about how they were begging to buy the gold model," it said, adding that by 1:00 pm (0500 GMT) on Tuesday all three 5s colours in every store had been reserved.
Favoured by emperors and representing wealth and luxury in Chinese culture, gold has become a badge of the country's newly wealthy.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 5s -- also available in silver and "space grey" -- launched at 6:00 am Tuesday in both Hong Kong and mainland China.
"Right after it started, the champagne gold model was sold out," Phoenix TV -- a Hong Kong-based broadcaster with most of its audience living on the mainland -- said on its website.
It was not clear how many gold phones had been made available to pre-order.
Users on Hong Kong forums who had managed to pre-order the grey or silver version of the phone were looking to trade for a gold one.
"Do I have to wait a while for there to be more stock? From the bottom of my heart, I really want a 32 gigabyte gold iPhone," sliverfly said on Hong Kong forum Discuss.com.
Although Hong Kong resellers say demand is down for the new 5s and 5c models because they are also available on the mainland -- the first simultaneous launch to both markets -- one dealer told AFP that the gold phones could still resell at a profit.
"Gold represents you are actually holding a new phone," said Lau Chi-kong of G-world Mobile in the commercial district of Mong Kok.
"There will be (a margin) of a few hundred dollars to a thousand (Hong Kong dollars)".
Another told Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily that the gold iPhones could sell for at least HK$8,000 ($1,000), an HK$2,000 mark-up on the official price.
There are also rumours on some mainland Chinese technology websites about the possibility of a new gold-colour iPad.
Apple's Hong Kong website on Wednesday took down the link to the 5s pre-order page, saying reservations would resume on September 21.
The company brought in the pre-order system in Hong Kong after chaos at the iPhone 4S launch in 2011, where hundreds queued for days to buy a phone from the city's flagship store and resellers crowded the area.
And in January last year Apple suspended sales of the 4s at its China stores after fans desperate to get their hands on it fought with security and threw eggs at an official outlet.
iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c review: Fingerprint sensor worth the extra cost
Passcodes are such a pain that I've relaxed the security settings on my Android phone. I'm willing to forgo the extra safety, just so I'm asked to punch in the code less often. When I got my hands on Apple's new iPhone 5s, one of the first things I tried was a feature that allows you to bypass the passcode using a fingerprint.
I had a lot of fun unlocking the phone over and over again. Who knew biometric authentication could be such a blast?
The fingerprint sensor alone is worth the extra $100 you'll pay for the iPhone 5s over an iPhone 5c. Both phones will come out Friday. In the week I've had with both, I've also been impressed with the better camera and slow-motion video in the 5s.
The 5c, meanwhile, is largely last year's iPhone 5 with a plastic casing instead of aluminum and glass. This isn't cheap plastic, but a type offering the slippery feel of a shiny ceramic tile. It comes in five colors.
Both phones come with iOS 7, the most radical change to Apple's operating system software for mobile devices since its 2007 debut. Many of the changes are cosmetic, but there are functional improvements such as easier access to frequently used settings and apps.
I will review iOS 7 separately. Many existing iPhone users won't need more than the free update, which is available starting Wednesday. Neither the 5c nor the 5s offers improvements on the screen size, which remains at 4 inches (10 centimeters) diagonally. But new features and new colors may draw you to one of these new iPhones.
iPhone 5s(available in silver, gold or gray; starts at $199 with two-year service contract, or $649 without a contract)
When you set up the 5s, you're asked to tap the home button with a finger several times so the phone can create a mathematical representation of your print. To unlock the phone, you simply tap the home button, and the phone will compare the two taps. You can tap from any angle, even sideways or upside down. This fingerprint ID also works as a way to authenticate the purchase of apps and content within apps.
For security reasons, there are still times you'll need your four-digit passcode, including after 48 hours of inactivity and before adding a new fingerprint. If the phone fails to recognize your print, you can always use the passcode. I had trouble only when my fingers were wet or greasy. One evening, I ordered pizza with an oily pepperoni topping and ate it without a napkin. The fingerprint sensor worked after one slice, but not two. Indian naan bread also threw off the sensor.
Apple says it stores the print data on your phone, in a place that's inaccessible to other apps or to Apple's remote servers. The company also says it's not possible to convert a fingerprint from a police file into something the phone will recognize, as the sensor reads a sub-epidermal layer of the finger. And the finger needs to be live - cutting off a thumb won't work.
I'm convinced Apple has given a lot of thought to security. If you're still uneasy about the fingerprint scan, you can stick with the passcode. The feature is optional.
Meanwhile, the 5S's camera takes better night and indoor shots. Although the main camera remains at 8 megapixels, individual pixels are larger and thus better at sensing light. The camera's shutter also opens wider to let in more light. For flash shots, the camera fires two bursts of light at once, each slightly different in color. The iPhone adjusts the combination of the two colors automatically to match ambient lighting.
I typically avoid using the flash in any camera because its strong burst of whitish light overpowers whatever's in the room. In a hallway with strong yellow light, for instance, the flashes on my high-end camera and the iPhone 5 made the walls white. The 5s, on the other hand, managed to preserve the yellow. I also got better skin tones on some flash shots taken with the 5s. Using the 5c, faces and arms looked more pale.
Night shots without the flash are also sharper. Sometimes, cameras overcompensate for low light by making the few points of light too bright. The 5s typically has those scenes properly balanced.
Of course, these improvements won't make all photos better. Many shots appear the same whether taken with the 5, the 5c or the 5s. In other shots, differences are subtle.
The 5s can also shoot slow motion video. You can choose the parts you want in slow motion and regular speed, and you can change your mind later. A burst mode lets you snap 100 shots in 10 seconds, compared with 40 seconds on the 5c. The phone picks out the best moments and filters out duplicates. The front-facing camera is better than the one on previous iPhones. It has larger pixels for low-light videoconferencing.
Many of these features are possible because of Apple's faster A7 processor. A companion chip, the M7, handles motion-related data without draining as much of the battery, something useful for fitness trackers. All this power is so new, apps taking advantage of them weren't available for me to test.
iPhone5c(available in green, blue, yellow, pink or white; starts at $99 with two-year service contract, or $549 without a contract)
Plastic colors aside, the 5c is mostly the same as the iPhone 5 it replaces, with the older A6 chip and a main camera that's not as good in low light. Because the chip is slower, it couldn't do slow-motion video or take as many shots per second. But it does have the 5s's improved front-facing camera.
The 5c is for those who really want the bright color. If you can afford the additional $100 and can do with silver, gold or gray, get the 5s instead. The fingerprint sensor will make security less annoying, and the better camera will be more useful in documenting life. A hundred dollars isn't that much when you compare it with the full price of the phone.
It is not possible for a severed finger to unlock an iPhone 5s.
Apple’s latest flagship smartphone uses fingerprint technology to replace other login methods.
That raised concerns over an escalation in violent muggings, in which criminals may cut off victims’ fingers to access a stolen iPhone.
However, experts in biometric security have said that it is not possible to unlock an iPhone 5s using a severed finger.
At the unveiling of Apple’s new iPhones last week, it revealed that the 5s’ Touch ID fingerprint sensor uses radio frequency scanning to read the sub-epidermal lays of your skin.
According to experts, that technique requires your finger to be alive, and as such, attached to the iPhone owner.
“The [RF capacitive sensor] technology is built in a way that the [fingerprint] image has to be taken from a live finger,” Sebastien Taveau, chief technology officer at Validity Sensors told Mashable.
“No one in biometrics wants to talk about cut fingers and dead bodies, but at the end of the day we are still asked to remove the fears of consumer and make sure that they understand that [a severed finger] will not work.”
It is still possible however, for a criminal to force the victim to unlock their iPhone and authorise their own fingerprint on the device. However, it is believed the length of time it would take to do this makes it undesirable.
Taveau also hit out at claims that Apple is no longer innovating. He pointed to the fingerprint scanner and said it is a classic example of Apple taking an existing technology and making it mainstream.
“[Apple] used a technology that’s been around for a long time, but the big difference is that they made it cool,” says Taveau. "It’s been around on laptops, but besides locking and unlocking your laptop there was not much of a use case for it.
“Now with Apple, by actually building an experience, they are educating the market, which is very important… Expect to see the Android world shipping [these kinds of] devices in the next couple of months.”
Apple had a lot to say about iPhone's yesterday and if you're in the market to upgrade then Apple's actually given you a choice this time. The 5C is certainly more colorful, but the 5S is more powerful. Let's take a look at the key differences between the two to see what's best for you.
The main differences between the 5C and 5S
You can find the full list of features for the 5C and 5S on Apple's site, but above you'll find a breakdown of the main differences between the two. Most obvious are the colors and material. The 5C comes in all kinds of colors with a plastic backing, whereas the 5S sticks with silver, gray, and gold metal. The differences between the two are more than skin deep though.
For the most part, the iPhone 5C has the same guts as the now-discontinued iPhone 5. It's the same basic speed, shape, and has the same camera. While the colors are nice, the 5C is a plastic case, which means it won't have quite the same feel. Otherwise, it's essentially a repackaged iPhone 5 with a $99 or $199 price tag.
The 5S has a few notable improvements over the iPhone 5. The most obvious is the new fingerprint sensor. This allows you to unlock your iPhone with your fingerprint so you don't have to worry about passcodes and passwords. The iPhone 5S gets a new 64-bit A7 chip, which Apple claims is about twice as fast as the iPhone 5 (and subsequently the iPhone 5C). It also has a new M7 motion coprocessor to handle specific motion-based tasks so the CPU doesn't have to work as hard.
The other main addition to the iPhone 5S is the new camera. It's still an 8 MP camera, but it now has a wider sensor and aperture so it can take better low-light photos. The iPhone 5S also gets a new burst mode for quick pictures and True Tone flash for more accurate pictures using the flash. The 5S continues the same pricing scheme of previous years with the lowest cost 16 GB model coming in at $199 and prices going up from there.
Otherwise, everything else is pretty much the same. The screen size hasn't changed on either from previous models, Siri works the same on every device, and both the 5C and the 5S see a small increase in battery life over previous generations.
Who the 5S is for The iPhone 5S is Apple's flagship phone right now and if you're a power user it's the better option currently available to you. It might look the same as the iPhone 5, but it's faster and has enough improvements to the camera to set it apart. So, the iPhone 5S is really better for:
Gamers: The 5S has a much more powerful chip than the iPhone 5C. With the new 64-bit processor, it's twice as fast as the last generation and also comes with a new motion coprocessor called the M7. This is a processor dedicated just to motion controls like the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass. This is going to run the latest and greatest iPhone games (like Infinity Blade III) better and last longer as a gaming device than the 5C.
Frequent camera users: The megapixels are the same as previous iPhone's, but that's not really the whole story. The iPhone 5S has a larger aperture and sensor, which means the camera has more light sensitivity and should take better pictures. It also gets a new burst mode for action shots and slow motion for video, if that's your kind of thing.
Security minded users: The last big seller of the iPhone 5S is the fingerprint sensor. On the surface, this means you won't have to worry about pass codes and passwords ever again. You can unlock your iPhone with your finger or purchase apps. Theoretically, this should be a more secure way to protect your phone, but we'll have to wait and see how viable of an option it really is.
So, if you're concerned with the security of your passcode, you're looking for a big speed boost, and you take a lot of pictures with your iPhone, then the iPhone 5S is your best choice. It's more future-proof than the 5C, and at least from what we've seen so far, the camera appears to be a pretty solid improvement. If you want a more comprehensive look at the iPhone 5S, check out Gizmodo's post.
Who the 5C is best for As the cheaper model, it's obvious that the 5C is targeted at more budget-minded shoppers. Starting at just $100 with a contract, it's hard not to see the appeal, especially if you don't care that much about doing anything complicated with your phone. Here's who the 5C is best for:
People on a budget: It's pretty clear that the iPhone 5C is targeted toward people on a budget. The cheapest model is just $100, so if that's all you have to spend then this is the phone for you.
People who like color: The 5C is targeted more toward people who are looking for a little color from their iPhone. Not only does the phone come in five different colors, you also have the option for six different colored cases. If color's not your thing, you might as well just grab a refurbished iPhone 5.
People who aren't using resource-intensive apps: Since the 5C has the same guts as the iPhone 5, it's a perfectly capable device, but it's going to become outdated quicker than the 5S, particularly in the realm of resource-heavy apps like games or video. If you don't care about any of that, then the 5C is all you'll need.
Essentially, this time around we're getting the iPhone 5C instead of simply bumping down the price on an iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 is still plenty powerful and capable of running iOS 7, so the 5C should work just as well. The slower processor does mean it'll be slower than the 5S overall, but for casual users it won't be that much of a difference. If you're looking for a bit more info, you can take a look at a comprehensive breakdown of the 5C over on Gizmodo.
Considering the price difference between the two models is only $100, your best bet if you have the cash is the iPhone 5S for future proofing, which is worth considering since you'll have to sign a new two year contract to get the discounted pricing. The 5C's color options are certainly enough to appeal to some, but since it's essentially a repackaged iPhone 5, the 5C just doesn't have the legs of the 5S, so don't be surprised if starts feeling sluggish after just a year or so.
iPhone 5S: What is a 64-bit processor and why is Apple so excited about it?
The launch of Apple’s new iPhone 5S focused heavily on the handset’s new 64-bit A7 processor, with the company boasting that this new chip would offer “desktop-class architecture” to users
Just days later rival phone-maker Samsung have jumped onto the 64-bit bandwagon and declared that they had plans to use similar chips in the future.In an interview with the Korea Times newspaper Samsung’s co-chief executive Shin Jong-kyun said the update would not be “in the shortest time, but yes, our next smartphones will have 64-bit processing functionality."However, despite all this interest most of us are still scratching our heads wondering what a 64-bit processor is and why we might want it in our phones. The quick answer to the first question is to agree with Apple: it is indeed a faster sort of processor (see below for a more detailed explanation), but puzzling out the second question is more complicated.The general consensus is that by bumping up the iPhone’s processor to 64-bits Apple is making a play for the future. Benefits for the average user will initially be minimal and mainly involve keeping iOS 7 (the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system) up to speed, but in the future, a 64-bit chip will also help bring the operating systems on Apple’s tablets and mobiles closer to the PC experience. But let’s begin with the bits.32 or 64: what are bits and why should you care?In the context of processors, the number of bits is a base-line for how much information can be handled by the processor at any one time. This makes 64-bit technology sound like it’s twice as fast as 32-bits but the reality is more complicated than that.One analogy that seems to have originated on Reddit (and subsequently circulated via The Next Web) is to imagine the processor as a librarian looking after the big library that is your phone. This librarian has 32 assistants that fetch books for him, though each can only get one title at a time.
If a customer comes in and ask for 65 books on, say, dinosaurs, then this takes the assistantsthree trips to carry out. One trip to grab the first 32 books, a second trip to bring the tally up to 64, and one final trip, just for that last book.
Now, if the librarian had 64 assistants then fetching those 65 books would be a third faster (it would only need two trips – one for the first 64 books, and one for that last book) but it wouldn’t be twice as fast. Scale up these numbers though and assistants become even more useful: a customer wanting 256 books would be served twice as fast by 64 assistants, as compared to 32.
The same is true of bits, but there are still two major barriers stopping the iPhone 5S suddenly zooming off into dinosaur-book heaven (or whatever it is you do with smartphones nowerdays). Firstly, programs have to be upgraded to take advantage of 64-bit architecture: they don’t scale up by themselves and although iOS 7 might benefit from those extra bits, it’ll be a while until other developers make the effort.
Secondly, although 64-bit processors allow operating systems to use more than 4GB of RAM (the limit available to 32-bit operating systems) phones just don’t have that much RAM yet. Apple doesn’t publicise the amount of RAM in its phones (though the iPhone 5 had 1GB) but even Samsung’s latest Galaxy Note III only has 3GB.
So why introduce 64-bit for the iPhone 5S?
The answer is the steady convergence of our PCs and mobile devices. The internet is increasingly closing the gap between using our phones and using ‘our computers’, making our online experience increasingly seamless across different platforms.
Most high-end Macs and PCs currently being sold already run on 64-bit operating systems and by switching their phones over now, Apple is preparing for a future where the same app runs on your both mobile and your laptop or desktop. The app ecosystem on iPhones has been hugely profitable for Apple; why wouldn’t they want to duplicate that success on iMacs and Macbooks?
Writing for PCMag, Sascha Segan offers the succinct analysis that “by unifying iOS and Mac OS with Xcode developer tools in a 64-bit space, Apple could once again leap ahead of Microsoft and Google.”
The 64-bit processor might not provide the instantaneous revolution that Apple’s marketers insist on branding every new product with, but it does hint at a mature company with one eye on the future and a step ahead of the competition
Apple Inc unveiled on Tuesday much-anticipated iPhone 5s and the lower-priced iPhone 5c smartphones.
The entry-level "iPhone 5C" comes in five hues - blue, green, pink, yellow and white - and starts in the United States at USD 99 with a contract, or USD 549 without, signaling prices that may disappoint those hoping for an aggressive assault on China and India.
The pricier "5S" begins at USD 199 with a contract and also comes in three colors - gray, silver and gold - and sports a faster processor, a camera that takes bursts of photos and chooses the best, and the fingerprint-scanner that unlocks the phone with a touch.
Apple Inc introduced two new iPhones on Tuesday including the "iPhone 5c" that comes in five colors and starts at $99 with a contract, priced to bring one of the industry's costliest smartphones within reach of the masses in poorer emerging markets.
Chief Executive Tim Cook kicked off the event at the company's Cupertino headquarters which also ushered in the pricier iPhone 5s. Shares in Apple, which had been in negative territory most of the morning, briefly went positive and were down just 0.5 percent at $503.48.
Cook expects Apple to ship the 700 millionth device - an iPhone or iPad - based on iOS mobile software sometime next month.
The world's most valuable technology company is trying to beat back rivals like Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd in markets like India and China, where it is quickly losing ground.
Wall Street approves of the move to offer a more basic version of the device, although some investors warned initially that it would reduce margins and potentially tarnish a brand that has been linked to premium users since its 2007 inception.
Now they hope a bigger emerging-market presence can help reverse a 29 percent fall in the company's share price since it hit a record high of $702.10 a year ago. The selloff was fueled by fears of slowing growth and a perception that Apple's ability to innovate and shake up industries was dwindling.
The new iPhones, coupled with a belief that Apple will announce a deal with the world's largest carrier in China, have spurred investors to build bullish share and options positions in the company over the past two weeks.
Also sparking Apple's upward momentum was hedge fund billionaire Carl Icahn's revelation last month that he had taken a large position and was pushing for the company to expand its program of share buybacks.
He has said the stock may rise to as much as $700 if Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook pushed for a larger buyback. The shares were down 0.5 percent at $503.64 in morning trading.
Industry observers said Apple had not turned out a category-defining electronic device since late co-founder Steve Jobs made a bet on the iPad in 2010. Speculation revolves around a smartwatch along the same lines as Samsung's recently introduced Galaxy Gear, or some sort of TV product.
But analysts said neither was likely to generate numbers anywhere in the neighborhood of the iPhone, which supplies half of Apple's revenue and is the company's highest-margin product.
"Apple needs to demonstrate in the coming months that it has other product lines which can start to make up for slowing growth and falling margins in (the) iPhone and iPad," said Jan Dawson, a chief telecoms analyst for Ovum Research. "That's a tall order."
More immediately, Apple will get a boost if it succeeds in enlisting China Mobile Ltd in its iPhone network. For the first time, the company will host media in Beijing just nine hours after its Cupertino, California, launch, spurring speculation it will announce a distribution agreement with the Chinese carrier.
The world's largest wireless carrier serves more than 740 million users and is perceived as more amenable to carrying the popular smartphone now that profit and subscriber growth are decelerating. Net income grew just 2 percent in the quarter that ended in June.
And smaller rivals China Unicom and China Telecom, which both already sell Apple's iPhone are making headway against the market leader.
Separately, Japan's largest carrier, NTT DoCoMo, is expected to begin selling it as soon as this fall, other sources said.
One key question is whether Apple will also sell its cheaper iPhone 5c in more mature markets like Europe or the United States, heightening the risk that it will begin cannibalizing sales of the flagship 5s.
Globally, the market for cheaper smartphones priced around $300 - the iPhone 5 now starts at $649 without a contract - may grow to 900 million units by 2015, Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi estimated. Assuming Apple manages to capture just 10 percent of that market, the 5c would bring in revenue of $30 billion annually.
"The only real potential to surprise investors (on Tuesday) seems to be in the scope and velocity of a new China strategy, and any new features within iOS 7 and fingerprint scanner technology," said Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes.
"Since it missed the trend toward larger screened phones and seems poised for only incremental iPad improvements, we believe that Apple needs to prove it can innovate in software and services."
Leaked iPhone 5S user guide reveals 'Touch ID' name for fingerprint sensor
While a number of reports including a recent one by the Wall Street Journal have confirmed the presence of a fingerprint sensor on the new iPhone, a new leaked image of the iPhone 5S' alleged Quick Start Guide also gives a name to the feature.
We're just hours away from Apple's special event where it is expected to unveil the new iPhones, and now a new image that claims to feature the documentation accompanying the iPhone 5S, has beenposted by French website Nowhereelse.fr that describes the Home button as 'Home button/ Touch ID sensor.' There also appears to be a silver ring around the Home button in the guide.
If the image turns out to be genuine, it would imply that Apple will refer to the fingerprint scanner as the Touch ID sensor, and that the consumer name of the feature would be Touch ID. The authenticity of the image has not been verified, and a report by Apple Insider points out that Apple doesn't use the "Volume buttons" and " Ring/silent switch" terms seen in the leaked guide. It is somewhat of a departure from Apple's usual "Volume Up/Down" and "Ring/Silent" naming conventions seen on the latest iPhone Quick Start Guide, though some of these terms do appear in the iPod and iPad manuals.
The exact use case for the fingerprint scanner is still not known but it's being speculated that that it could be a way to authenticate users while unlocking the phone or while buying apps and other content.
Earlier today, a Wall Street Journal report had confirmed that Apple will include a fingerprint scanner on the more expensive of two iPhones it is expected to unveil later in the day.
Just a few days back, a new leak that claimed to identify a Home button flex cable in the iPhone 5S in a way confirmed that the Home button would integrate a fingerprint scanner.
Purported images of the iPhone 5S casing had also revealed a silver ring around the phone's Home button, indicating the possibility of a fingerprint scanner being present on the button.
iPhone 5C logic board reportedly leaks, not dissimilar to iPhone 5
Judging by leaked photos this weekend, Apple isn't making too many internal changes for the iPhone 5C handset, in order to keep build costs down
If you're into this sort of thing, the photo above purportedly shows the front and back of the forthcoming iPhone 5C's logic board component.
The photos, which have emerged on Chinese social networking site Weibo and picked up by AppleInsider, show a component extremely similar to the equivalent part of the current iPhone 5. According to the report, there are only a few 'slight tweaks.'
Although it's difficult to read too much into the leaked photo, the consensus seems to be that this means that the internals for the so-called budget iPhone 5C device will be kept similar to the iPhone 5 for the purpose of keeping the cost down.
Recent reports and leaks have suggested the iPhone 5C will also have a plastic case in a multitude of bright colours, which should also enable Apple to sell the device for less than its premium iPhone 5S handset.
It seems almost certain that Apple will unleash the iPhone 5C at its launch event on September 10 at its Cupertino campus.
The phone is thought to be landing in the UK on September 27, a week after the iPhone 5S launch, giving Apple the opportunity to enjoy two successive weekends of big sales, rather than bundling both releases into one queue-inducing few days.
Speculation has suggested the device will have an 8-megapixel camera andcost anywhere between £230 and £320 depending on the storage space.
Is the iPhone 5C on your radar? Can Apple's first non-premium smartphone bring home the bacon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C headed to China at launch, China Telecom reveals
It's widely known that Apple is hosting an event on September 10 where the company is expected to announce the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, but the company has not revealed any details except for sending a colourful invite. However, Chinese telecom carrier, China Telecom seems to have jumped the gun, putting out a post on micro-blogging website Weibo through its official account, advertising pre-orders for the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C.
The post, which was spotted by the Wall Street Journal was quickly pulled, however, screenshots of the post are still in circulation. The Weibo post said that China would be one of the first markets to receive the new iPhones, and that customers can pre-order it through a page set-up for the purpose. The post linked to the pre-order page that featured pictures of the two new iPhones.
The post did clarify that no details about the phone had been made public but users will get the new iPhones when they start shipping. The images of the phones on the page appear to be mock-ups of the new iPhones as they don't match any of the recently leaked photos. The iPhone 5C is made to look like the iPhone 5 with different coloured back plate complete with white glass strips.
The pre-orders page is still up but has now been turned into a landing page with a message that says "Looking forward to..." and asks consumers to leave their names and telephone number to get notified. The website does not mention the iPhone, but as the WSJ report notes, the last part of the URL of the page reads "iphone5s.asp."
While it's known that Apple is now shifting its focus to China, especially with the low-cost variant of the iPhone, the iPhone 5C, as it's said to be holding a satellite event in Beijing, as per an earlier report, it marks a major change in its strategy as the iPhone usually takes months to go on sale in the Chinese market. This would be the first time that China features in the first phase of the iPhone's release, if the post is true.
Apple's been focusing on the Chinese market for quite some time as the world looks to the orient for emerging smartphone users, with little scope for growth left in the developed markets.
iPhone 5S home button's 'silver ring' may hold key to fingerprint sensing tech
A rumoured tweak to the iPhone 5S home button could be integral to the fingerprint sensing tech thought to be residing within the next-gen device.
Recent Apple rumours have suggested that the iconic iPhone Home button will be modified for the first time in order to include a 'silver ring' around the edge, but according to reports this weekend, the update is a lot more than just an aesthetic tweak.
Apple Insider reckons the silver ring within the iPhone 5S's Home button is integral to the heavily tipped fingerprint sensing technology, allowing users to unlock their devices simply by touching the central button.
After checking out recent Apple patent filings, the site says "the metallic ring may be a functional component necessary to the sensor's operation," rather than just a fancy design twist.
The site cites previous iterations of the fingerprint sensing technology from theApple-owned AuthenTec company, used within the Japan-only Toshiba Regza T-O1D smartphone that also features a metallic ring around the sensor.
According to AppleInsider the silver ring "acts as the electrode that drives the low frequency RF signal into the finger, which is attenuated by ridges and valleys in the print and finally captured by AC sensors as a high quality image."
The company bought AuthenTec last year to power the security measure within its own devices, so it would be perfectly reasonable to suggest it will appear within the new iPhone 5S.
Earlier thoughts surrounding the Home button tweak suggested it might as a measure to enable users to distinguish which iPhones had fingerprint sensors and which did not.
The modifications are also expected to make the button convex, rather than concave, to enable the new security tool.
The presence of a fingerprint sensor is likely to be one of the only major hardware changes to the iPhone 5S as the design is likely to remain very similar to the iPhone 5 handset.
You can catch up with all the latest rumours surrounding the September 10 iPhone launch event in our video round up below.
Apple iPhone 5S release date, features, price and rumours
When it comes to smartphones, the first few months of 2013 moved the proverbial goalposts.Android handsets flourished with Full HD screens, aluminium or glass unibodies and every feature under the sun.
Apple’s iPhone 5 has been on the scene for a while now but its thunder is in danger of being stolen by the Android Army.
The question we all want to know is what will Apple do next? With Cupertino updating the iPad 3 just months after releasing it, there are reports that aniPad Mini 2 or even an Apple TV could be on the way.
What we know for sure though, is that the company will want to reclaim its smartphone crown. So, T3 has gathered together everything we know about the rumoured iPhone 5S.
Price
While we still don't have a price for the iPhone 5s, we do have a rough idea how much its budget brother, the iPhone 5c will set you back. According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 5c will retail for between £230 and £320 SIM free.
Interestingly, he also believes that the iPhone 5c won't be the budget phone we're all expecting. Rather it will replace the iPhone 5, with the iPhone 5s taking up the mantle of Apple's flagship handset and the iPhone 4s becoming its true budget smartphone.
Apple iPhone 5S production shots and specs
News reported on 9 to 5 Mac shows what appears to be production shots and specs of the new iPhone 5S. The site says the specs and shots are unverified but "don’t seem out of the realm of possibility".
According to the leaked specs, the iPhone 5S include an NFC reader, a Fingerprint Reader, a 4-inch 1136 × 640 display and a new 12 megapixel backside camera with dual LED flash. The new handset also allegedly boasts 2GB of RAM, a quad-core SGX 554MP4 GPU, an A6 CPU and improved LTE. It also has a bigger battery than its predecessor.
The pictures on the site, it they are to be believed, show that the 5S has identical casing to the iPhone 5.
Apple iPhone 5S casing
What appears to be official images of the iPhone 5C have now appeared online courtesy of Sonny Dickson who has managed to get hands-on with what he believes is the official casing of the Apple iPhone 5C.
The images show a device which takes design clues from the old iPhone 3GS whilst still boasting the new 4-inch screen size found on the iPhone 5.
Another range of leaked images have poured onto the net showing brightly coloured devices reported to be the so-called iPhone Light or iPhone 5C. French website NoWhereElse posted the images that show a device which shares similar physical traits to the iPod Nano.
Its exterior is said to be plastic polycarbonate and much more economical to build suggesting that Apple are aiming at a younger target market or at least consumers with less disposable income.
The devices come in blue, green, yellow, red and white yet Apple unsurprisingly has remained quiet on the subject with nothing being confirmed. Leaked schematics and blueprints also report that the Light is a bit thicker and wider than the iPhone 5.
With two types of chasis being leaked one could come to the conclusion that Apple might retain the same metal design for the iPhone 6 whilst the iPhone 5S will now come sporting this cheaper plastic body
Up until now, Apple hasn’t strayed from the white/black colour scheme for its phones but Topeka Capital Research analyst Brian White has said he believes that along with different colours, the iPhone 5S may arrive in different sizes.
This appears to be backed up by Japanese tech site Macotakara which also believes the iPhone 5S will have three extra colours added to the black or white standard.
If Apple launched three models, for example with 3.5-inch, 4-inch and 5-inch screens, it would allow the company to grab both premium and budget customers.
However, this could be more of a plan for the iPhone 6 with Apple surely looking to compete with the larger handsets out there like the Galaxy Note 2 and the Xperia Z Ultra. At the bare minimum, we’d expect to see a better camera (although don’t expect ultrapixels, HTC One-style) and a faster processor.
Apple iPhone 5S specs
When it comes to the specs of the next iPhone, at the very least we expect Apple to use the A6X chip currently found in the latest iPad. However, the latest rumours suggest Apple could be working on an A7 chip for the forthcoming iPad 5.
In years gone by, Apple has previously worked with Samsung to produce processors for it's iPhone range. But, given the recent legal tussels between the two companies, many speculate that Apple will want to distance itself from the Korean company. Some rumours have hinted at an Intel chip being included in the next iteration of the iPhone.
Some purported images of iPhone 5S prototypes appear to show a change in the hardware configuration that suggests Apple is moving things around to make space for a bigger battery or extra features such as NFC.
Apple famously decided to withhold NFC for the iPhone 5 and since both theSamsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy S4 have arrived toting the new connectivity, Apple may want to incorporate it this time around.
Recent reports from Taiwan and tech website NFC World indicate that manufacturer Chipbond has won a major contract to build components for the iPhone 5S - including NFC. What's more, other rumours suggest that Apple will go further and include a fingerprint scanner in the iPhone 5S, adding in extra security.
In terms of storage, there is the strong possibility of Apple launching a new phone with 128GB storage – similar to the latest iPad upgrade.
Meanwhile Jeffries analyst Peter Misek told Business Insider that he believes the iPhone 5S will feature a “Super HD screen” along with a range of colours similar to the iPod Touch range. Considering all the top Android handsets feature Full HD displays, we reckon its unlikely Apple will launch the iPhone 5S with anything less than a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution.
Apple iPhone 5S budget model
While every iteration of the iPhone thus far has improved on the specifications of the previous model, plenty of internet airtime is being devoted to the rumour that Apple has a budget version of the iPhone 5S in the pipeline.
Many have suggested that the budget iPhone (or iPhone Light) could even become a new Apple product line in its own right, stepping out from the established iPhone canon in the same was as the iPad mini did from the original iPad.
Hard facts on the statistics of a budget iPhone are hard to come by. However, the suggestion is that it will feature a 4-inch screen and a plastic chassis - with a design similar to the iPod Touch with speaker grills, a headphone socket and Lightning port at the bottom.
Still in keeping with the iPod Touch comparison, Apple is rumoured to be readying the budget iPhone to launch in five different colours and some have speculated we may see it as soon as September.
The clearest evidence yet that Apple is manufacturing this new device is a video posted on YouTube by a user called DetroitBORG who appears to have got hold of a prototype:
Apple iPhone 5S camera
It’s well known that one of the key battlegrounds of smartphone warfare is the specifications of the on-board camera. The Sony Xperia Z and Galaxy S4 arrived sporting 13MP cameras while HTC upset the apple cart by including a 4MP “ultrapixel” camera into its HTC One handset.
Apple has consistently upped the camera specs in each of its models and its no stretch to think that the company will do the same for the iPhone 5S. According to iLounge, Cupertino isn’t planning to go down the HTC route and will instead launch the 5S with a 13MP camera – putting it in league with the Sony and Samsung handsets.
Of course, hardware is only half the story and if Apple can come up with some killer in-house apps to take advantage of the camera in new ways it will give them a good start on the competition.
Apple iPhone 5S pictures
A few interesting pictures have leaked out onto the web regarding the iPhone 5S. One of the first to emerge was the back of an unspecified type of iPhone that was leaked to Nowhereelse.fr.
There’s not much to go on here, but – as expected – the casing and design looks almost identical to the iPhone 5. Tellingly though, the serial numbers underneath the iPhone moniker aren’t listed.
While it would certainly fit with the design of the current iPhone it doesn't yet confirm whether the 5S will come in a range of colours - much like it did with the iPod Touch - or whether the company will simply stick to the black/white variants.
This second image (pictured at the start of this article) apparently shows stripped-down iPhone 5S casing next to a current iPhone 5 teardown image. The snap was initially uploaded to iPhone4Parts and looks very similar to Apple’s current design – except with a few screws lost along the way.
Other leaked images have focused on the new (and still rumoured) champagne gold iPhone 5s option. Some of the latest images show the champagne gold option with the rumoured dual-flash.
Apple iPhone 5S release date
We now have an official invitation from Apple, that seems to all-but-confirm the existence of the new iPhone 5s. A white background plastered with coloured dots invites us all to come and see something on September 10th that will "brighten everyone's day".
The different coloured dots appear to indicate we could be seeing multiple colours of a new iPhone, although it could be referring to the Apple iPhone 5c that Apple is rumoured to be releasing on the same day.
Watch our iPhone 5S video below for more on the latest Apple smartphone.
