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No surprises: Apple unveils iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C combo

Looking to 'serve even more customers'

No surprises: Apple unveils iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C combo
To the surprise of no-one, Apple's event in Cupertino today saw the firm lift the lid on two new iPhone devices – the iPhone 5S, and it's cheaper cousin the iPhone 5C.

The latter is Apple's open play to expand its base, appealing to consumers with a tighter budget, with CEO Tim Cook claiming it is looking to "serve even more customers" than ever before.

"The business has become so large that this year we're going to replace the iPhone 5, and we're going to replace it with not one but two new designs," added Cook.

"The iPhone 5C is made with all the incredible technology that customers have loved with the iPhone 5, but there's more, too. It has an incredible new design. One that's more fun, and more colorful than anything we've made before."

Five for all

The iPhone 5C features a hard-coated polycarbonate shell that comes in five colours – green, grey, light blue, peach and yellow – with $29 official cases also available.

Powered by Apple's A6 chip, it sports a typical 4-inch retina display and an 8MP camera.

Built with "a new construction method that uses a reinforced steel structure", Apple plans to sell the iPhone 5C in 16GB and 32GB versions on 2 year contracts for $99 and $199 respectively.



Off contract, the 16GB will be $549 - proving the C definitely doesn't stand for "cheap".

The meat of the presentation, however, was reserved for the iPhone 5S, which will sport Apple's previously unannounced A7 chip – the world's first 64 bit phone.

Upping the game

According to Apple's Phil Schiller, iPhone 5S is the "most forward-thinking phone anyone has ever made", with the A7 chip boasting twice the performance of the A6.

When stacked up against the original iPhone, iPhone 5S also offers 56 times the graphical performance.

Available in black, gold – imaginatively dubbed by Schiller as "the gold standard" - and 'space grey' (essentially silver/white), iPhone 5S also features a fingerprint reader in the home button as a security measure dubbed Touch ID.



Interestingly, Touch ID can also be used to authenticate purchases on the device, saving password entry - a move that could have a massive impact on app monetisation.

Launching in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions (for $199, $299 and $399 respectively), Apple will roll out iPhone 5S in nine countries on 20 September - including, for the first time, China on day one - with the Japanese market also benefiting from a deal with the country's largest carrier NTT Docomo.

By December, Cook concluded, it will be available in 100 countries.

With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.