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Apple introduces 2 new iPhone models

66 Comments
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE and BARBARA ORTUTAY

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66 Comments
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Seems like the iPhone has had its day. Nothing new here at all. No 128GB model. No 'Wow' factor. I would expect to see their 14.4% market share grow a little with the release of the 5C - but does anybody really think the Steve Jobs would have ever released a 'dumbed down' 'budget' version of the iPhone? By the way, I am not anti-Apple, I have an iPad and several iPods. All of which I consider are still the best in their class. This new offering, sadly, is not.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Disappointed...seems as if Apple has lost its edge.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

Well, well, a cheaper-ass iPhone - yet another one that Steve Jobs must really be rolling in his grave. (5c - c for cheap, that's to easily remember it). But it's about time - they had to do it. Not everybody in the world is like America rich.

The camera, called iSight,

Apple had a very good external webcam called iSight. Dunno why they discontinued it.

A "burst mode" can take 10 frames per second

Copied from Samsung Galaxy, but at least it has higher fps.

The 5S also includes "Touch ID," which reads fingerprints

Windows 8.1

iPhone is keeping up with new innovations, and that competition is good for consumers.

But no new or expandable memory still.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Disappointed with these releases, seems Apple is going backwards not forwards. I am a big apple fan but I find myself losing interest in new releases.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Yawn... With these types of updates, the hyped fanfare and presentations aren't really warranted. The next time they decide to release a "new" product which is basically a tweaked version of the last, they should just release to market and avoid setting high expectations with these large, over-hyped events.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Pretty amazing release for Apple! First static fingerprint sensor in a phone. First fingerprint sensor that you can use to make purchases. First 64 bit processor in a phone. Expect Samesong to copy all this since it blows Galaxy out of the water!

-3 ( +8 / -11 )

seems as if Apple has lost its edge

Apples don't have edges. They are round

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Boring, upgraded camera and NSA fingerprint reader... no thanks.

5 ( +12 / -7 )

He said it is "fun and easy" to teach the 5S about your fingerprint

It is also fun and easy to share your fingerprint with NSA.

The company said fingerprints will not be stored on its servers.

No, they will be stored directly on NSA ones.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

As an iPhone user, I'm looking forward to the next Galaxy update. Hell, even the current Galaxy seems light years ahead of this. The only thing I really like about the iPhone is the aesthetics and quality (metal) finish. The Samsung looks and feels cheap in comparison - But now Apple has their own "cheap" plastic iPhone too. lol

7 ( +8 / -1 )

I've read that NTT docomo will now carry the iPhone 5S and 5C models.

Only one problem: NTT wants NFC as defined by the Osaifu-Keitai specification for mobile payment systems for cellphones operating on the NTT docomo network. Will NTT docomo offer a special protective case for the iPhone 5S that includes an NFC radio/antenna subsystem?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

what is exiting here... nothing !!! and above all when you utter word like fingerprints, face recognition you send a panic signal in public and make them nervous.... touchID is not a new feature I saw it almost 7 years back in a mobile device.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I love my land line. If you call me and nobody answers, try calling again later. Don't need an iPhone or any other device to distract me from lunch. Oh, right: I need to add that I have lots of fun with the money I save by not owning an unnecessary mobile device.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Will Apple do anything with the fingerprint data they collect? They'd then have a lot of essential data about us minus our DNA. Very valuable information to governments, no?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Without a contract (unlocked), the 5C costs $549 (mini) and $649 (maxi).

On contract, $450 saved either way that gets used in the contract for two years. That's getting $450 worth of access vs. an unlocked phone. Plastic? Who cares, as long as the deburring is competent. Colors? Big deal (they all look really terrible) as in, you're buying a silicone cover anyway. Hello Kitty, of course.

$99? Give it to me. You'll use the $450, locked or unlocked in any contract. Mini user, $99, Maxi user $199 and either way $450 gets burned up in data. Get the Mini, add $100 for data, now there's $550 ready to use on the contract. Keeping data on the device is stupid.

Don't second guess these guys, they have blown the doors off more than once. This time the money blizzard's blowing green, an annual event.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

First static fingerprint sensor in a phone. Fujitsu phones have had this for a long time now. Another 'first' apple claims that has been readily available for a long time.

Still laugh at how Americans can reduce the initial price from $200 to 100 (still with the same 2 year contract) and call it a 'budget phone'. Overall cost will be something like $1300 vs $1400. Says mountains about American financial senses.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

My Ipaq had a fingerprint authenticator in 2002 =/

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I am all Docomo. Will I buy the new iphone? I don't think so. I love my felica too much. But I am guessing a lot of docomo users are anxious to try out these new iphones. It doesn't matter if it's not so much different from the previous model. It's brand new for them.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I haven't yet seen mention of the most obvious reason for the cheaper plastic iPhone: The budget of every family where Mom and Dad don't want to shell out $400 - $600 for every child to have his or her own phone. Plus the 2 or 3 replacement phones that get dropped or absconded with at recess.

I definitely can see a $99 phone going to each young'n, however. And with it ends the sense of impending crisis every time they head off for school.

Come to think of it, a down-sized, less-pricy iWatch makes sense for the same reason.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Afanofjapan> "Fujitsu phones had this fir sone time now"No, they didn't. They had a swipe fingerprint detector that was notoriously unreliable. Will be interesting to see how reliable it is.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Sigh, people on here have no idea what's going on.

It's an INCREMENTAL UPDATE, as it's the first year of the two-year cycle. The 5C will fly off the shelves. Think of all the school kids, as well as new & emerging markets. I think they've nailed it.

Enjoy your plastic craptastic Android junk!

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

Will be placing my preorder for the 5s today. I don't bare what the ney sayers say. It is still a much better phone than the android.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

I had a walkie-talkie portable radio when I was a kid, and outgrew it. No use for this cheap gimmick. Telephones belong in offices and living rooms, not on escalators and station platforms. I wonder how many sprained ankles, broken collarbones and smashed cars they cause every year for their distracted users.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

The big idea that Apple continues to over look is making the case.. a solar panel.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

the market handed down its verdict:

US stocks rise; BUT Apple falls after launching 2 iPhones

is everywhere in the news

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Siri already records everything, and now they want to add a fingerprint scanner? Yeah, no thanks. Corporations already know far too much about me, and I will be damned if I willingly hand over my fingerprint to Apple. I'm glad it seems people are waking up for the Apple delusion: there's absolutely nothing special about their products, and I'm excited to see more competition.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The big question for me is, will Docomo add the iPhone to the list of phones that it will unlock for a fee of 3150 yen? Here's the current list and rules.

http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/support/procedure/simcard/unlock_dcm/

0 ( +0 / -0 )

iphone5S(ame)

iphone5C(heap)

3 ( +6 / -3 )

@ John Occupythemoon Daly

Apple said in the keynote that the fingerprint data is not stored anywhere in the cloud OR on Apple's servers. Siri only collects anonymous data to improve the accuracy of its speech-recognition.

If you've used the Internet long enough, you'd already know that anything you put online is public. C'mon mate!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The FBI has had full sets of my fingerprints on file since I was 18. So far it hasn't been a problem. But, then, I have murdered anyone either, so I suppose that's the reason.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

So iPhone will be available through docomo now. I've heard talk of people switching over to docomo and ditching SoftBank. I don't give a rat's about SoftBank really but I do know that docomo are frickin expensive. I was a docomo subscriber back in the day. As soon as I switched over to SoftBank my monthly bills have been on average 2000 yen cheaper, got full English support (when available) and less red tape when it came to updating my personal details.

Docomo are an old school Japanese company that typically doesn't like change and charge ridiculous amounts because they are the most "famous" brand in Japan. I wouldn't be so quick to change over to them. Hopefully some competition will be good for consumers. I still don't see docomo offering the cheapest price plans for the iPhone though.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

To all complaining Docomo is too expensive; i suggest you go and take another look at their service prices again. They are the only ones to offer a 'light' packet plan at 5000yen for 3gb (PLENTY for most users), and their base price is only 780 yen a month vs both the others' 980. They used to be expensive, but not anymore.

Phones are also generally cheaper on Docomo than the other companies (Many phones in their lineup are effectively free over the 2 year contract), so i wouldnt be surprised if they come up with a VERY competitive pricing plan for the iPhone, and likely a real nice deal sweetener to lure people from SB/AU

2020hindsights. I didnt realise that difference. Thanks for pointing that out.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

5000 yen for just 3 gig a month? That's pretty expensive. My current iPhone plan on SoftBank comes to 6000 yen every month and the data is unlimited. Again, I hope this competition drives prices down across the board though.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Some people on this forum have a problem reading. Your fingerprint isn't going anywhere. It is encrypted. It stays on the phone. The NSA don't have access to it. Apple doesn't have any access to it.This is very forward thinking by Apple. Other companies have tried and failed with fingerprint recognition. But before the iPad companies tried and failed with tablets too!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

" Your fingerprint isn't going anywhere. It is encrypted. It stays on the phone. The NSA don't have access to it. Apple doesn't have any access to it."

You believe that, do you?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Maybe it's me, but $549 for a "cheap" phone doesn't seem much of a bargain at all.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

First static fingerprint sensor in a phone.

Lol…no it isn't. Fujitsu have had this for years! I used to own one!

Same with the two cameras that Apple claimed was a first. My old DoCoMo D902i was one of the first to have two cameras, long before iPhone was even invented! (I still have this phone, along with several others from many years ago).

This latest update from Apple was severely disappointing and I'm glad I made the switch to Galaxy S4 2 weeks ago. What a superb phone! I'll never go back to iPhone now, especially with their claim of the swipe up action to change screens and access menus. The Galaxy S4 does this from the top down and has the unique no touch feature whereby you can simply answer calls with your voice, open menus with your voice and change sites or pictures with the wave of your hand. I especially like the finger pointing option which allows you to peek inside emails without opening them by hovering your finger a couple of centimeters above the screen.

I expected better of Apple this time round, but it wasn't meant to be. As someone else said - maybe they should just roll out stuff like this until they have some game changing model.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

bookowls> Fujitsu's scanner wasn't static. Which is why it didn't work very well. Expect a much better scanner on the iPhone.The Galaxy S4 is a clunky piece if junk in my opinion, but that's just me.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

According to their website, without factoring in any discounts (such as bundling, or norikae discounts), the minimum cost on Softbank with packet plan is 980 + 5460 + 315 = 6755. This is unlimited, but only if you disable the tethering option (something which i use often when overseas friends come to visit). With tethering it has a 7gb limit

Docomo's 'light' plan (3gb) would be 780 + 4935 + 315 = 6030yen, The full plan (7gb) is 780 + 5985 + 315 = 7080yen. Yes this is 300yen more than Softbank's plan, but with softbank you dont have an option of going cheaper. The cheapest plan with any useable data is still Docomo. Sounds like you have an older Softbank plan, or you are getting discounts (which Docomo has as well).

Add to this the fact that Docomo's flagship phone (Galaxy S4) is completely subsidised - free for new contracts. This would be comparable to Softbank offering their 64gb iPhone for free (which it is not).

Top of the line phone for 6030yen a month, yes that is the current cheapest of all 3.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The cheaper iPhone is primarily for China/India and other low budget areas. It's basically an iPhone 5 in a plastic case.

The iPhone 5S isn't revolutionary, no one said it should be. It's an iPhone 5 upgraded to 64 bit and with a faster CPU. The camera shots taken with it look outstanding, however and the iOS 7 upgrade looks wonderful.

If it's not to your taste, don't get one and please don't bother with your negative comments.

If it were just the phone, I wouldn't be that interested either. But it's not. It's the phone + the seamless integration with iCloud, iPad and MacOS. That is SO useful.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

@BertieWooster

... and don't forget the golden egg - AppleCare!

Good luck getting any support with your OEM brands LOL...

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

afanofjapan> Yeah, I have an older plan. I looked at their new plans on their website and existing/upgrading customers get a cheaper rate and more discounts. Their new plans are 4G. I hope Softbank don't expect me to automatically go onto their new more expensive 4g service when my iphone 4s contract is finished in a month or so.

About the 5c, it'd be great if it was truly a budget phone, I'd be interested and the plastic casing sounds more robust than the regular models'. Sounds a bit too pricey to be an actual budget handset though.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Lol, I didn't know individuals in the United States have more money to spend on Gadgets, or, at least I don't.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

And how much is the 5s? Did the editor forget to research that price?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The prices for Japan have not been announced as of today

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It has a larger pixels

... larger pixels would be BAD. I think they mean a larger pixel count.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

is this presentation for the public or the stockholders? as a normal "consumer" i'm not impressed, and if I were a stockholder i'd also be dissapointed, these "new" products are not in the style of Apple, it is ok to release a cheaper Iphone but you don't have to publicize it like this it needs cheaper promotion.

I like the Ipod though....

1 ( +2 / -1 )

They should make one that lasts a couple of years. im tired of seeing a new one every few months.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

When APPLE take responsibility --and pay for the work needed-- for the build design flaws that saw my iMac 27 bake its graphic card to failure in three years when it is NOT used for gaming or high end video editing I might --MAY-- think of buying another of their products AFTER they apologise for the half-arsed, evasive, rude dealings towards a problem that is THEIR's. Otherwise...

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Gotta love all the misinformed and paranoid comments. Obviously, they come from people who have never owned or used an iPhone or Apple product. The NSA tracks your fingerprints from your iPhone? Are you serious? Posting on this site is much easier for the NSA to track you. What a classic fail comment!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Samsung only has 31.7% of the smartphone market? I thought they had the way superior product...

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

https://twitter.com/xxxprius

one guy has already started lining up outside the Ginza Apple store....nine more days to go~

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I thought they had the way superior product...

Yes you thought right, I came to the same conclusion 3 years ago, great minds think alike! It's the reason why Apple only has 14.4%! No kidding aside, I think the 5s is a decent upgrade for an 4 or 4s owner, and the 5c a perfect phone for young girls.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Wow, the whinging on this thred!

Want a phone that works smooth as silk? Buy an iphone. Boring? Meh. Sounds lie technophile, too much time on the interenet, "I judge my phone by the numbers in the tech specs" geek speak.

Want your eyes burned out by freaky unrealistic colored OLED screens, and have your phone filled with useless bloatware that you think is special for about oh...2 minutes before you realize it's pretty useless, but there's no way to get rid of it? Buy a Samsung.

Me? I'm happy with my Sony Xperia Z. Best of both worlds. I like my screens big, but with realistic colors, thank you. And I take a pass on the bloatware as well.

But if it wasn't Sony, I'd go for Apple. No question.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

the best phone on the market has been introduced, and folks here don't buy it because the fingerprint thing, paranoia can be fun. FEMA is stockpiling the hollow points, run for the hills

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Enjoy your plastic craptastic Android junk! LOL yeah and thats why the vast majority of smartphones are powered by Android, and Apple has only 14.4% global share, most of which is in the US. just proves that outside the US Iphoneys are just what you said craptastic overrated junk

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Android isn't a phone... that being said, I'm still using a "dinosaur" iPhone 3GS i got in february 2010

1 ( +2 / -1 )

wtfjapan:

Android is popular because it is very flexible and allows development since it is open source, personally I have both kinds of phones Iphone and a Motorola Razr 920, so far I stick with Iphone beacuse it is much more friendly than the android, plus It is been months since I have the motorola and still cannot get the full potential as I do with my iPhone.

I said earlier that I was not impressed with the 5C and 5S, I did not see a great improvement from my actual iPhone 5, so I guess i'm going to switch on the next one...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

cheaper iphone? why not.... this is a great move for Apple making iphone affordable in developing countries, Making the most in both rich and not so rich country that's the way to run a good business

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Android is popular because it is very flexible and allows development since it is open source,

Are you serious!!!! All that open source leads to is fragmentation and non standardness which is the plague of Android. As a developer I would much rather develop for iOS, which I KNOW the public will have upgraded to the latest version so I can use new features. Half of Android is on way early versions.

Don't drink the Kool Aid. Open source is not good.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Half of Android is on way early versions.

So are most iphones for your information....most people have no clue how to set up itunes,less how to upgrade your iphone. Also upgrades for older models never work well, they slow the phone down until it's unbearable and people upgrade their phones...why do you think so many people want to upgrade their perfectly fine 4s phones..... for those 0.4 extra inches?

cheaper iphone? why not.... this is a great move for Apple making iphone affordable in developing countries, Making the most in both rich and not so rich country that's the way to run a good business

The 5c isn't cheap $600,- not subsidized, you must be drinking Kool Aid if you fall for that, all apple is trying to do is sell you a cheap version of the iphone 5 for more money, clever on Apple's side, dumb if you're the buyer.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Dutchduck> "So are most iPhones for your information..." You might want to check your facts before spouting. Over 90% of all iPhone users are on iOS 6. Same cant be said for Android.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

My gosh! How many angry people with iPhone's success. It is laughable. I guess it's because only iPhones make such a splash when released, other brands and models they are unnoticeble. They don't make news. My 4S looks like brand new and runs smoothly, along with our iMacs and Macbooks. I say they are the foundation of our business. Design never gets old, so beautiful they are. My iPhone will run iOS7, so I don't see the need to buy a 5S. But I am tempted, the champagne colored one is classy. Fantastically refined.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Are you serious!!!! All that open source leads to is fragmentation and non standardness which is the plague of Android. As a developer I would much rather develop for iOS, which I KNOW the public will have upgraded to the latest version so I can use new features. Half of Android is on way early versions. Don't drink the Kool Aid. Open source is not good.

I said that's the reason why Android is popular, I didn't say I prefer it... in fact to me is very confusing and I haven't gotten used to Android, I prefer my Iphone 5...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

JoiceRojo> Point taken. And yes, that is why Android is popular, especially in the tech community.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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