(Photo Credit: Apple.com)
Technology giant Apple is releasing two new iPhones this month. The iPhone 5c starts at $99 after signing a 2-year contract. The iPhone 5S will be $199 with a 2-year contact.
The smartphones were unveiled to the public Tuesday, Sept. 10, but will be available to purchase Sept. 20. Technology stores across the US have started pre-orders.
The iPhone 5c is available in five different colors: blue, white, pink, yellow and green. Matching wallpaper will show off the high-resolution, 326 pixels per inch liquid-crystal display. The new features are the iOS 7 operating system, extended battery life, and a brand new image-processing chip to enhance low light photographs on the eight-megapixel camera. The iPhone 5s Touch ID fingerprint reading technology will “biometrically” unlock the phone according to www.engadget.com. This will provide a alternative to a passcode. Users will have the option of giving multiple people access to their phone through Touch ID.
iOS 7 is remarkably different than previous operating systems. A redesigned user interface links Siri to Wikipedia and Twitter giving the phone a larger library of resources. A new free service for iOS 7 lets you create stations and listen to featured music on the iTunes store. iOS 7 gives the user interface an “unobtrusive and differential” look and feel according Apple.
(Photo Credit: Ben Holmes)
The battery life of the smartphones will be extended from its predecessor the 5. The new model will now have 10 hours of 3G talking time or eight hours of 3G browsing. Increased battery life will allow for up to 40 hours of music listening and 250 hours of potential standby time according to Joseph Keller of www.imore.com. Compared with the iPhone 5, talk time has only increased by two hours and standby time has increased by 25 hours. The battery life when playing back videos will not increase but hold an impressive 8 hours.
The smartphone market has never been more competitive than in 2013. Google released a fast, affordable smartphone called the Moto X for $199. Samsung’s Galaxy S2, S3, and S4 phones have flooded the cellular market worldwide. The battle between the Android operating system and Apple’s iOS has never been more apparent. Struggling to win over consumers’ growing expectations means big business for these technology giants.
