The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have arrived in stores and are being sold to consumers across the United States and other countries--the release date is today.
The new iPhones are unique because never before has Apple launched two phones like this at the same time.
The iPhones have different prices and specs, because the iPhone 5C is geared toward people who want to spend less money on an iPhone, while the 5S is the higher-end option.
Both phones were released for online sale today.
Price:
The iPhone 5C is $99 for 16 GB and $199 for 32 GB, provided you purchase them with a two-year plan. Contract-free 5C phones are $549 for 16 GB or $649 for 32 GB.
The iPhone 5S is $199 for 16 GB, $299 for 32 GB, and $399 for 64 GB, all with a two-year plan. Contract-free 5S phones are $649 for 16GB, $749 for 32 GB, and $849 for 64 GB.
Specs
The iPhone 5S has a fingerprint sensor, a better camera, and a faster processor. The fingerprint sensor alone is worth the $100 more you'll pay over an iPhone 5C. It encourages you to keep phones secure. Instead of typing in a four-digit passcode, you can just tap your finger on the home button most of the time. If there’s a match with the finger you scanned in earlier, the phone will unlock. The improved camera, meanwhile, offers better shots in low light, thanks to larger individual pixels and a wider shutter, even though the resolution remains at 8 megapixels.
Think of the iPhone 5C as last year’s iPhone 5 with a few extras.
The most noticeable is the choice of five colors — green, blue, yellow, pink or white. The housing is made of plastic instead of aluminum and glass. The plastic doesn’t feel cheap and offers the slippery feel of a shiny ceramic tile. The 5C has a better front-facing camera than the 5, but it has the same A6 processor and the same rear camera lacking the 5S’s improvements in low light. The 5C does come with a newer operating system, iOS 7, but older phones including the iPhone 5 can get the upgrade for free. The 5C costs $99. Unless you really want the colors, paying another $100 for the 5S is worth the investment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
