The Next Phase of Apple's iPhone

The latest iPhone event was huge. Maybe one of Apple’s biggest to date.

Apple talked about their new OS, a new lower-cost iPhone with a brand new design, and a new top of the line handset with innovative bespoke technology.

But what do these announcements really mean for Apple and iPhone users?

iOS 7

iOS 7 is finally coming on the 18th of September. A huge change. 700 million devices will be visually refreshed, bringing a new look to what was becoming a tired-looking operating system. Gone are the skeuomorphic elements, replaced by beautiful typography, a new sense of depth, and a bigger focus on content.

We’ve known about the new operating system for a long time but now we know exactly when millions of devices will get their visual overhaul, and when the app community will follow suit. To find out what changes need to be made to your apps, read our previous post - what does iOS 7 mean for brands, developers and users.

iPhone 5c

The iPhone 5c, which will replace the iPhone 5, is a whole new look and direction for an iPhone. The changes are mainly skin deep though. The 5c will come in five different colours (it’s basically a colourful iPhone 5) to complement the new colour palette used in iOS 7 (bright and vibrant), bringing the hardware and the software much closer together.

The 5c really is the device that Apple wants to use to compete with the cheaper Android devices out there. With the biggest news being that the iPhone 5 will be discontinued and replaced with the iPhone 5c making the 5s a much more stand out product. Apple will also be launching this phone in China on launch day for the first time, with the intention that they can take over the market there. The aspirational Apple brand might help make for an easier sell, but will it be enough? We’ll have to wait and see.

“The iPhone 5c is beautifully unapologetically plastic” Jony Ive

iPhone 5s

The biggest news was the 5s (which now comes in gold!). Announcements centered around three pillars - the camera, the processor, and security.

Camera

This was the first time in almost two generations that the iPhone camera has had a major upgrade, with a bigger sensor and smarter software. Interestingly, Apple didn't fall into the pixel war trap, not mentioning it’s an 8 megapixel camera, because it really doesn't matter that much. Rarely do we blow our images up to that size. In a similar way to HTC when they launched the HTC One earlier in the year, Apple are instead focusing on providing a great experience. Plus, they may be staying with 8 mega pixels, but the pixels themselves have been made bigger which means they can take in more light, thereby theoretically making low light photography far better.

This upgrade really will in all likelihood position the iPhone 5s as the the smartphone camera to beat. The dynamic flash should prevent white outs and bad flash photos, so you can finally have the flash on for photos without worrying about it being too harsh. Also, you can now take slow motion HD video. So overall, the photos this phone will take will be the best on the market.

Processor

This has had some major changes, starting with the power, which has doubled compared to the iPhone 5. The new A7 chip is 56 times more powerful for graphics than its much older brother, the original iPhone. Pretty impressive. And the change goes even deeper with the introduction of a 64bit processor.

64bit allows the processor to perform tasks twice as fast as 32bit processors that all other mobile devices run. Of course, it will only do this if your software is compiled for 64bit, which means upgrading your app to take advantage of the extra power to make apps run more efficiently. Luckily Apple have made this relatively easy, apparently. One of the developers of Infinity Blade 3 said on stage that it took him two hours to make the necessary changes to the game. This change will also make apps load more quickly, and the camera function more efficiently as well.

The second part of the processor announcement was around a new chip they are calling the M7. The M7 takes care of the gyroscope, accelerometer and compass, offloading it from the main processor so that it can be more efficient. It also is constantly on and listening, meaning your phone can now be smarter and more contextually aware of what you are doing - recognising when you are walking, running or driving. This idea is currently being tried by the Moto X with its X8 architecture that has two chips dedicated to the gyro and a second for language recognition.

What is great about this is that you could have these sensors on all the time without any real effect on battery life. Allowing for smarter apps that understand you and what you are doing on a daily basis. The example shown was an app that would replace your Nike fuelband and measure your movement all day.

Security

Finally, this is where the largest change in aesthetics came for the new 5s. There is now a flat home button with a metal ring around it. Housed within this home button is something that’s nothing short of amazing - a fingerprint scanner. And not the one like on your Dell laptop where you have to slide your finger along it. With this, all you do is touch it and you’re done -  finger scanned and phone unlocked.

It sounds like developers will be able to implement this technology as well. Imagine never again having to type a password - just confirm a payment in by scanning your thumb.

Think about how much time it will save and how much more secure your phone will be due to fingerprint scanning - it really is great! No more entering your password to download a new app, just touch the home button. Want to log into your banking app? Just touch your home button and you are done.

Conclusion

Overall, Apple is moving in the right direction. And given the growing pressure from Android, this is exactly what Apple need to continue to be seen as THE mobile innovators and trendsetters.