Apple Inc. unveiled its new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on Sept. 10, leaving some consumers to deem the phones as more pointless upgrades. However, Apple is moving in the right direction to compete in the smartphone world by making products that appeal to a more diverse market.
With major competitors like Samsung Electronics releasing new smartphones, Apple came out firing on all cylinders with two smart upgrades.
The new iPhone is dressed to the nines with iOS 7, the iPhone’s fastest and most advanced software, and is “potentially the most game-changing iPhone it’s launched in six years” said Luke Peters, a reviewer for T3.
In announcing the iPhone 5s, Apple explained that this model of the iPhone is “ahead of its time.”
The 5s’ most prominent difference from the iPhone 5 is the Touch ID, which is a fingerprint identity sensor that allows consumers to unlock their phones as well as complete App Store, iTunes Store and iBooks Store purchases.
“Same look, small screen, big potential,” read the headline for a CNET review on the iPhone 5s.
Apple knows how to create upgrades that have unique features, which keeps its products in high demand.
The iPhone 5c, although less flashy, reaches new markets that Apple has struggled to break into in the past. The old Nokia Corp. brick phones were the phones to have when we were younger, and there are an innumerable amount of times we dropped those phones, picked them up and casually walked away, knowing they would be fine.
At the preteen age, phones are thrown around and dropped. That’s why, when a 12-year-old sits in a movie theater chair, checks Facebook and suddenly drops the precious piece of glass on the hard floor, our hearts sink.
The iPhone 5c is a more reasonable option for these young consumers and buyers wanting a less expensive and more durable phone option that won’t shatter so easily, since this phone has a plastic body. This alternative iPhone option was a smart move for Apple because it reaches out to buyers of all ages skeptic about the iPhone’s prices and durability.
The iPhone 5c is now available for order through Apple’s website in the 16 GB for $99 or in the 32 GB for $199, which is $100 cheaper than the 5s and will help the iPhone better compete with other less expensive smartphones.
Apple continues its advance in technology. With these new releases, Apple will remain a top competitor in the smartphone industry.
Ashley T. Powell is a senior studying journalism. Follow her on Twitter.com/@ashleytaylar.
