Apple unveils new iPhones

Sep 10, 2013 | News

 

Apple unveils two new iPhones at today's keynote address, including the iPhone 5C. SOURCE APPLE.

Apple unveils two new iPhones at today’s keynote address, including the iPhone 5C. SOURCE APPLE.

By Jake Kigar and Faiza Amin

It’s an Apple first as the tech company unveiled two new iPhones today, something it has never done before.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says the more inexpensive new iPhone, called the 5C will be released in two models; one is 16GB and costs $99 and one is 32GB and costs $199. Both will be on two-year contracts.  The new iPhone 5S will cost significantly more with the 16GB costing $199, the 32GB costing $299 and the 64GB costing $399, all with two-year contracts.

Industry insiders have speculated for months about how Apple’s unveilings will impact the future of smart phones, especially with competitors Samsung and Android challenging the iPhone.

George Paravantes, Program Co-ordinator at Humber’s School of Media Studies and Information Technology, said Apple’s unveiling of the iPhone 5C is an attempt to reach out to a market that has yet to be tapped by mobile networks.

“Apple and other competitors need to build phones for the mid-tier section that will satisfy that opportunity to build a mid-tier smart phone,” said Paravantes. “It will be cheaper, but it won’t have as many features but that’s kind of the new opportunity for market positioning for that kind of thing.”

The tech company is taking steps towards making its products more affordable. Rather than being the first to enter the market, they’re more concerned with providing products that can offer great user experiences, Paravantes said.

“I think they are an innovative company but they spend a lot of time refining the product, so what you saw today was a refinement,” said Paravantes. “You won’t see a huge dramatic change in the iPhone 5S, you’ll just see little features that add a better user experience to it.”

The iPhone 5C features a new colourful design, made with all necessary features, like 4G LTE (a faster operating network), 8-megapixel camera and comparable battery life to the original iPhone 5.

“iPhone 5C is beautifully, unapologetically plastic. Multiple parts have been reduced to a single polycarbonate component whose service is continuous and seamless,” said Phil Schiller, senior vice president of marketing at Apple, during the company’s keynote address in Cupertino, Cali.

Iphone-features

The iPhone 5S comes with more features than the 5C, like Touch ID or fingerprint scanning. Built into the home button, the sensor eliminates the password code security system and allows users to unlock their device with the touch of the button.

“Your fingerprint is one of the best passes in the world. It’s always with you, and no two are exactly alike,” said Schiller.

Current BlackBerry user Sam Brockman, 22, said she would consider purchasing the new iPhone 5C because of the price and new colours.

“iPhones are too expensive at the moment, but if they are cheaper I would definitely consider switching,” said the first-year personal support worker student.

The iPhone 5C will be available for pre-order on Sept. 13. Both new iPhones will be available for purchase in Canada to customers Sept. 20.

 

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