Apple iPhone 5S: Touch ID, 64-bit processor, new camera for $199 on September 20

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds

The iPhone 5S is now official, and Apple says it is the "most forward-thinking smartphone ever made." What makes that so? Firstly, it's the first and only smartphone to ship with a 64-bit processor in the new Apple A7 processor with desktop-class architecture. That means that iOS 7 will run in 64-bit, and that will be a vast performance improvement. CPU performance is 40x faster than the iPhone 5, and graphics are 56x faster as well...depending on what you are doing. All-in-all, the iPhone 5S is about 5x faster than the iPhone 5.

The camera remains at 8 megapixel, but with larger pixels that are 1.5 microns in size, with advanced true tone flash. One flash is a cool color while the other is warmer, and iOS 7 can automatically set the right tone for the flash to make better photos that don't have that harsh flash look. Image stabilization is present, as well as a burst mode that can shoot up to 10 images per second. On the video front, you can now record in 120 fps super-slow motion in 720p.

Another big, and expected, feature on the iPhone 5S is Touch ID.  It's a fingerprint sensor that is built-in to the Home button, which now has a detection ring around it so it knows when to read, with no need to actually press down on the home button to unlock the phone. The home button is now covered in sapphire, so it won't scratch. Aside from using Touch ID to unlock the iPhone, you can also use it to authenticate for things like buying apps, rather than using your iTunes password, which is awesome. Multiple fingerprints can be stored for devices that are used y more than one person.

The 5S will be available in three colors: Gold with white, Silver with white, and Space Gray with black. Pricing starts at $199 for 16GB, with 32GB costing $299, and 64GB at $399 with two-year contract. Pre-orders begin on September 13, and the phones go on sale September 20th.