When Apple unveiled the iPhone 5S yesterday, the standout feature was undoubtedly its Touch ID fingerprint sensor that unlocked the smartphone through biometrics.
That immediately led to privacy-concerned individuals to start pointing fingers in the company's direction, and not in order to test out the smartphone's innovative fingerprint scanner.
Apple, anticipating conspiracy theories, reiterated today that the iPhone 5S won't actually store users' fingerprint images on the device, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Instead, Touch ID keeps fingerprint data encrypted within its A7 processor. It's locked away on the device itself, not on Apple's servers or iCloud.
Touch ID data encryption
Fingerprint data, according to yesterday's presentation, includes a fingerprint's arch, loop or whorl classification and individual ridge details smaller that the human eye can see.
The Touch ID system goes as far as capturing minor variations in ridge direction caused by pores and edge structures.
Because there isn't a stored fingerprint image on the device, it's unlikely someone could reverse engineer your fingerprint even if they cracked the the A7 system-on-a-chip, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The other fear is that the iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor won't work consistently or at all for people with impairments.
Apple admitted to the paper that testers with sweat and moisture-laden digits were incompatible with the Touch ID system in some cases.
Likewise, the fingerprint sensor may be unable to pick up on fingers scarred by accidents or surgery.
The solution here is to use the still-available four-digit passcode - the other kind of digits. It's not going anywhere, according to Apple.
In fact, setting up a backup passcode is required when enabling Touch ID and only this code works after a reboot or 48 hours of inactivity, preventing hackers from buying time to find a way to circumvent the fingerprint scanner.
Even if Apple hasn't put to rest these two chief fingerprint sensor concerns for you, it's always possible to opt for the plastic iPhone 5C. It has just as much Touch ID technology as aluminum. Meaning none at all.
When announcing its new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C handsets on Tuesday, Apple confirmed that both would be compatible with EE and Vodafone's 4G networks, but strangely there was zero mention O2.
Some of those details have emerged on Wednesday and, unfortunately for the network and its customers, the new iPhones won't work on O2's new 4G network for 'weeks' after the September 20 release date.
Reading between the lines, it appears as if O2 may be awaiting approval from Apple before it can roll out 4G settings to its customers and activate the next-gen mobile speeds.
'Within the coming weeks'
In the fine print of its website, spotted by Pocket-Lint, O2 wrote: "iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are both 4G-ready devices that will be enabled to run on our 4G network within the coming weeks – this will happen when new settings are ready to be sent by Apple and we will inform customers when they are available."
In lieu of the lack of 4G data, O2 has pledged to knock £5 off the first month's bill for customers who buy the iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C within the initial release window.
In slightly better news, the network has confirmed that the iPhone 5S will be available on its O2 Refresh tariffs, which enable users to pay slightly more upfront to get a new phone mid-contract. The Refresh deals will start at £119 for the 16GB handset.
Pictures claiming to show a leaked build of the as-yet-unreleased Windows Phone 8.1 update have appeared online, bringing word of potential new features.
The shots, posted by WindowsPhone.pl show a Notifications Live Tile on the homescreen of a Windows Phone handset, suggesting an Apple-style Notifications Centre is in the works.
The leaked shot also showcases ticks applied to multiple Live Tiles at the same time, which suggests users will have the power to move around more than one app at a time, or perhaps even group them into folders.
The knowledgeable folks at WPCentral reckon it's the former rather than the later, as multi-tile selection is a feature launching on the Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.1 RT desktop updates coming next month.
But before we get to that...
However, it's not the first Windows Phone update we've stumbled upon in the last few days. Just this weekend screenshots of the GDR3 update - likely to predate the launch of WP8.1 - leaked onto the web.
Judging by the screenshots, that update will bring a new driving mode to mute all calls and alerts when a Bluetooth headset is connected. It'll also enable users to close apps from the multitasking view and allow users to choose whether they want their screen to appear in portrait or landscape mode.
You seem like a cool dude, Tim. Why can't your company be?
Apple's inflated ego shown bright yesterday, brighter than the gold iPhone 5S.
The company's new iPhone and iPhone 5C announcement was as boring and uninspired as they come. Even Jony Ive didn't show up, not that he ever does, instead videoing in his droning commentary about unapologetic plastic.
Apple's decision not to live stream its iPhone keynote was particularly puzzling. The lack of an immediate, "I'm there" connection to these new major products that Apple is taking into the holiday season (primetime in the consumer tech world) was off-putting.
It stands in direct contrast – and perfectly highlights – a key difference between the two kings of the mobile operating system, iOS and Android.
Closed orchard
Android is (all together now) open, inclusive and growing globally at breakneck speed. iOS is far less open, plenty would say difficult, exclusive and stalling in many markets.
Apple's always had an aloofness about it, an attitude that's kept it interesting from the sheer fact that no one is quite sure what's going on behind its IL doors.
Not in Apple's innermost circle? Wait with baited breath like the rest of the world to see what we have to wow you.
There's a certain cache that comes with that, but increasingly that approach is not only out of touch but alienating.
Even during its most recent event – the announcement of Android 4.3 and the new Nexus 7 – Google kept it intimate but still streamed it to the masses. The information was immediate, unfiltered and ready for consumer digestion.
Yesterday, those not sitting in Apple's conference room or at a Berlin store or locations in Tokyo or Beijing – where Apple reportedly just replayed the Cupertino event - were left to find their information elsewhere. Not that there aren't plenty of news resources (shameless TechRadar plug) and Twitter to glean what's going on at Apple, but doesn't that do even more to take message control away from the company?
Apple operates servers galore and more technical resources than I can count, and yet it couldn't be bothered to throw up a video on its Events page? It couldn't create a stream to bring information directly to customers, the people who are going to buy these products and will keep Apple's coffers and investors fat and happy?
Message control is hugely important to Apple, and perhaps there were copyright issues or embedding concerns that it factored in its decision not to broadcast the keynote.
Mitigating factors and control freak-ness aside, there are a zillion avenues for people to get the latest, so why not eliminate the question of authenticity, look square in the camera and say, "Hey consumers of the world, here are our new iPhones. What do you think?"
In creating a limited, exclusive viewing experience, Apple isn't only creating a self-imposed mystique around its product launches. It's creating a barrier, a wall between it and consumers.
Adjustment needed
Perhaps Apple was trying to capture the allure stolen by the infinite leaks it can't seem (or isn't trying) to stymie.
I can't blame Apple entirely for much of the air being sucked out of yesterday's event thanks to leaks, but I do point a finger at the narrow scope through which it insists it must be viewed.
My colleague John McCann astutely wrote about the glimmer of innovation we see in the iPhone 5S' Touch ID, but argued "Apple is still plugging a handset design which arrived over three years ago...it's pretty poor it couldn't come up with anything more than an updated camera and quicker processor."
I couldn't agree more. Apple no longer warrants the exclusiveness it imposes.
Other phone makers are still up and coming compared to Cupertino, and therefore have a stake in being accessible. However, in a quickly saturating market, being closed off isn't going to do Apple any favors in winning more customers. Instead, it will look as lame as it did yesterday, where it peddled a tiresome attitude over real innovation.
With a new iPad announcement expected in October, I hope for its own sake Apple decides to open up its virtual doors. Even more so, I hope it delivers something that at least starts to justify its aloofness. Because that approach is rapidly wearing thin.
Despite continued fiscal troubles at the corporate level, almost everyone seems to agree the HTC One is a fine handset - so could an even bigger model win the hearts and minds of Sprint customers in the U.S.?
That seem to be the case, judging from a Twitter post on Monday from the @evleaks account, a frequent source of solid information on the latest handsets and when they might arrive on carriers worldwide.
"HTC One max is Sprint-bound," the exceptionally brief tweet reads, offering no further clues as to when the giant-sized phablet might actually stomp its way into the nation's third-placed wireless carrier.
Previously known under the codename "T6," the HTC One Max began popping up on the radar back in June, first with blueprint designs and later with a number of up close and personal photos of its mammoth 5.9-inch 1080p HD display.
Go, go, Godzilla
For readers who follow the exploits of super-sized smartphones, the HTC One Max display size matches up nicely against the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, which the rival manufacturer confirmed earlier this month.
Rumored to be powered by a quad-core, 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, the HTC One Max could also harken back to days of the ill-fated HTC Flyer by including a stylus.
Sadly, one of HTC's most highly-anticipated One Max features may have been overshadowed by Apple's iPhone 5S announcement on Tuesday: A rumored fingerprint scanner may wind up looking like a "me too" feature by the time the handset finally arrives.
Assuming Sprint gets first dibs on the HTC One Max, Americans who favor Verizon Wireless, AT&T or T-Mobile may have a bit of a wait ahead of them until any carrier exclusivity deal expires.
The Motorola Moto X is now selling by the thousands - one hundred thousand that is, per week.
The information comes courtesy of Reuters rather than from Motorola itself, but we're sure we'll get some solid official numbers eventually.
While that may sound like a lot, putting the numbers in perspective tells a different story. Apple got 5 million iPhone 5's out the way in first three days while Samsung pushed out 6 million Galaxy S4's in two weeks. HTC, considered less succesful, was able to pop out more than a million One's a month.
But keep in mind that these are all global products while the Moto X, despite being easily lovable, is handicapped by its US-only release.
So it's not an insignificant milestone by any means, and still manages to beat out the likes of Windows Phone in the US. And if you want to visit the birthplace of the Moto X, just hit this link.
Three has served up a few more details regarding its impending 4G network launch, adding a new city for 2013 and listing 42 more it plans to add before the end of next year
The network, which is the last of the major UK networks to go live with the next-gen speeds, has revealed a launch in Manchester, London and Birmingham in December, but has now added Reading to those plans.
However, it's not just those city dwellers who'll receive the enhanced mobile connectivity. It'll also stretch to surrounding areas like Oldham, Wolverhampton, Dudley and West Bromwich.
Then, next year it'll be upgrading its network in 42 more cities around the UK, a list of which can be found on the network's website.
Unlimited data and no price bump
Despite its later launch, Three is already winning the battle for hearts and mind by automatically moving existing customers with 4G-ready devices on to the 4G LTE plans at no extra cost.
The company is also refusing to cap data for its customers and will not insist on them signing a new contact. Indeed, the wait looks like it'll be worth it for Three subscribers.
In a post on its website, the company wrote: "We think everyone should enjoy the wonders of 4G, with no catches. So when we start rolling out 4G, we'll nudge up our customers who have a 4G Ready device at no extra cost. No hefty price tag. No extra charges. No expensive new phones or contracts. And no fuss. Great news."
Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa chipsets available now on the market can't actually utilize all eight cores at the same time. Both 5410 and 5420 chips can use either the four Cortex-A7 cores or the four Cortex-A15 at a time. Samsung has decided to fix this and yesterday the manufacturer announced its latest revision of the Exynos platform will support simultaneous operation of all eight cores.
So far, so good. Samsung will deploy this new solution by the end of this year. Yesterday's announcement left us wondering if the current generation Exynos 5 chips can get the extra capabilities as well, since Samsung didn't specify if it required changing anything on architecture level. Well today Meizu, which is the other Exynos-using manufacturer, chipped in and brought some good news.
Since the upcoming Meizu MX3 will be relying on Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa chipset, the manufacturer is surely interested in the future of its upcoming flagship. So, it seems Meizu knows for sure this true octa-core capabilities are unlockable via a software update.
Meizu even tells us that the MX3 flagship will get such an update later this year.
If indeed this is the case, we guess all Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 owners who get the Exynos-based models should expect such an update in the upcoming months.
Here is an interesting turn of events. First we got lots of rumors LG will be once again manufacturing the next Google smartphone - the Nexus 5. Then we get to see the LG D820 leaking through the FCC, so many people decided this is indeed the Nexus 5.
Unfortunately, the usually very reliable evleakstweeted the LG D820 is in fact just the CDMA version of the LG G2 falgship, not the next Nexus device.
Well, today evleaks has retracted his previous statement, saying that it looks like he was wrong.
Happy to say it looks like I was wrong about the LG D820/D821...
Asus sure loves to confuse us all with its naming schemes, but fans of the PadFone Infinity are in for a treat with the company announcing that the phone-cum-tablet is getting an update next week.
In Taipei on Tuesday Asus will make the new PadFone Infinity official, it announced today, and we're expecting the new vessel to come with a 5-inch full HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC and the option of an all-white version.
For those unfamiliar with the PadFone's hybrid concept, it's essentially a smartphone that tucks inside a tablet to form an extension of the screen. It seems to be proving a winner for Asus too given that it's pushing ahead with the device.
And beyond?
Asus has posted a teaser video showing the phone rocketing out of the tablet, just in case you're still puzzled by how this all works. There's also a website up featuring a countdown to launch.
Aside from the spec upgrades we've already mentioned, the overall design looks set to stay much the same.
Oddly, Asus chose not make the announcement at its IFA press conference last week. But then it did have about a gazillion other things on the bill to get through, including the new Transformer Pad.
Check out our hands on review with the most recent Padfone Infinity
It seems like it will take forever for Samsung to announce an actual smartphone running its Tizen platform. However, this doesn't stop the company from making new versions of its home brewed mobile operating system, as screenshots of the new Tizen 3.0 OS appear in the wild.
The new batch of screenshots don't show any drastic changes to the user interface. Samsung and Intel continue to steadily develop their joint project but most of the changes seem to be happening behind the scene. Most notably, you can see the Windows Phone-esque approach to the icon design, as well as Android-styled lockscreen clock.
The phone app remains clean and simple as usual, but not much except for the dialer has been shown so far.
All screenshots have been taken on a developer edition Samsung Galaxy S3. Despite the lack of an official Tizen device, both Samsung and Intel show no sign of slowing down the development of the OS.
Samsung promised in early 2013 that it'll release "multiple Tizen devices" this year, but despite some small snippets of leaked information, we haven't got anything yet. Here's hoping Samsung and Intel will have a device running the latest version of Tizen available by the end of 2013.
Innovation. Once upon a time you couldn't utter the word without making a connection to a certain fruit-based company.
But ever since it decided that "resolutionary" was a word (it's really not, okay?) it's gone down hill in the innovation department and Apple seems to have past its best before date.
The last big innovative change from Apple - in the iPhone department at least - was way back in 2010 with the iPhone 4. It brought a new design along with a host of new features including a super fast processor and Retina display. Well played Apple.
Go past this though and the iPhone 4S was hardly ground breaking, and sure the iPhone 5 rocked up with a bigger screen, but please, that's not innovation.
Just not trying anymore
I can't berate Apple for launching incremental upgrades every 12 months while we're locked into two year contracts, because everyone's doing it - just look at the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 or the Optimus G, G Pro and G2.
What I do take issue with is the fact it feels like Apple has just stopped trying - happy to rest on its incredibly loyal fan base who'll lap up anything new.
Of course you could argue: why should Apple do the extra leg work? Sure it's making a ton of money and what's not to love about that?
But what are we, the consumers, getting from it? A smaller bank balance and a "new" phone that your friends will think is the one from last years when you try and show it off. Thanks a lot, Apple.
The saving grace
All may not be lost, though. While the iPhone 5S made me shudder when it was confirmed and I feared for another unflattering incremental upgrade - which for the most part it is - there was one shining ring of hope.
That silver ring wrapping that iconic home button. Hello, what's this: Touch ID? Surely it's not really a fingerprint scanner? What, it is? It actually is! Well colour me intrigued.
Now before you jump down my throat with, "But fingerprint scanning has been around years", I'm aware of that, thanks. The innovation here is it's implementation - remember Apple is rarely the first to a technology, but it's usually the best when it comes to integration.
There's no ugly square scanner like the ones you find on laptops - the sleek installation into the iPhone 5S' home button means you barely even know it's there.
With the reader supporting multiple angles you're not left swiping your finger constantly until it finally registers - a quick placement over the button and you're done.
At the moment Touch ID only lets you unlock the handset and authenticate purchases in iTunes and the App Store, but considering you can register multiple fingers we wouldn't be surprised if future iOS updates see your finger power become more involved.
In short, it's a great little feature and I've no doubt that the likes of Samsung, HTC and LG will be bringing finger scanning tech to their next smartphones - undoubtedly set to be dubbed "copycats" by anyone connected to Apple.
There's more to do
But Touch ID is not enough. Apple is still plugging a handset design which arrived over three years ago and other than the scanner it's pretty poor it couldn't come up with anything more than an updated camera and quicker processor.
The eye-tracking and hand-waving controls on the Galaxy S4 are questionable, but they at least show willingness to develop new features. Even Nokia is arguably doing a better job when it comes to improving smartphone cameras.
So good job, Apple. It's nice to see you've finally woken the innovation team from their slumber. But stick the kettle on, these guys clearly need coffee before they can properly get going.
Here's what we thought of Apple's big iPhone launch event:
Touch ID is all well and good, but what about the Fingerprint Thieves?
Some people believe that the iPhone 5S is the best iPhone that Apple - or for that matter, anybody - has ever made.
They may well be right, but that doesn't mean it's perfect, and it certainly doesn't mean that Apple's latest i-device is flaw-free or beyond criticism.
There are plenty of reasons to love the iPhone 5S - here are seven reasons - but you won't find them here: right now we're the haters, and haters gonna hate.
1. It's even more expensive
The iPhone has never been the most affordable smartphone, and the iPhone 5S is the most expensive yet: it starts at a whopping £549 for the 16GB version, which is £20 more than the outgoing (and obsolete) iPhone 5.
And that's for just 16GB of storage, which isn't really enough any more. The sensible choice, the 32GB model, is £629 in the UK. It'll be a bit cheaper on contract, of course, but it's still quite hefty.
2. It's ruined the trade-in value of your iPhone 5
Here's how the smartphone Circle of Life is supposed to work. Apple unveils a new thing, you trade in last year's new thing, you put the money towards the new thing. Easy.
Here's how it worked this year. Apple unveiled the iPhone 5S and discontinued the iPhone 5, causing recycling sites to rush to their computers and brutally slash their iPhone 5 trade-in rates so severely that a mint iPhone 5 will soon be worth less than a packet of mints.
And as we've already mentioned, the iPhone 5S got a sneaky price hike too, which just adds insult to injury.
3. It should be scratch-proof, but it isn't
Apple can call the dark coloured one Space Grey all it likes, but its real name should be Scratchy McRubbish: that anodised aluminium casing is so prone to scratching that you can scuff it by playing an episode of Itchy and Scratchy in iTunes.
The white one's a bit better, but only because white is closer to the colour of bare aluminium and as a result, the scratches aren't as obvious. The gold one should be fairly scratch-resistant too, because gold is comparatively easy to anodise. Hang on - did someone mention the gold one?
There's a reason for that, and that reason is simple: gold things are for magpies, old people and idiots. Don't believe us? Sit back and imagine the kind of people who would just love a gold iPhone. Are you thinking Robin Thicke? Russian gangsters? The cast of The Only Way Is Essex? Of course you are.
5. There's a bigger, better one due next year
The networks would really like you to take your iPhone 5S on a two-year contract, but we all know Apple's modus operandi by now: the big hitters come out every two years with a new design and lots of new goodies, and the S models are relatively minor upgrades released in the years in between.
This is an in-between year, an "S" year, and we know what that means: a bigger, better iPhone 6 this time next year that will make you rue the day you put a cross in the box of that two-year contract. Just imagine what it might do.
If an S-model iPhone can read your fingers, maybe the 6 will be able to read your mind, or make your pets levitate. To be honest, we'd be quite delighted if it just had better battery life and a slightly bigger screen.
6. The irrational fear that somebody's going to steal your fingers, or maybe photocopy them
Now that Apple's embraced fingerprints to unlock your iPhone and authorise iTunes purchases with Touch ID, try not to imagine somebody stealing your phone and then coming back for your fingers so that they can unlock it.
That's far-fetched to say the least, of course, and we'd just dismissed the whole paranoid possibility when Newsweek writer Peter Jukes mentioned on Twitter that criminals would be able to 3D-print replacement fingers. Just because it's unlikely doesn't mean that you shouldn't fear the Fingerprint Thieves.
7. You'll have to wait for it
If you've already decided you want an iPhone 5S, nothing here will change your mind - but that doesn't mean you can just order your iPhone 5S today and embark on a new life of gadget-fuelled cosiness.
Nope: you'll have to wait until 20 September, or longer still if you don't live in one of the nine launch countries (the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK).
Apple's latest and greatest iPhone 5S comes with an integrated fingerprint scanner to prevent unauthorised access and make it easier to get into the iTunes Store - is it another game-changer from the Cupertino company or a needless gimmick?
We take a look at the history of fingerprint scanners, the tech underpinning Apple's new toy and asks how much of a difference Touch ID will make to our mobile-powered lives.
How does it work?
The new Touch ID capacitive sensor sits under the familiar Home button, making it slightly less concave as a result. The button itself is made of laser-cut sapphire crystal (to avoid scratches) and surrounded by a stainless steel detection ring that can tell when you're trying to log in and when you're just trying to launch Siri (you don't actually need to press down to use the Touch ID technology).
The sensor is 170 microns thin (thinner than a human hair) and can scan your fingertips at a resolution of 500ppi in any direction.
It's also able to scan sub-epidermal skin layers — in other words, it'll still work in less-than-perfect conditions (with hands made raw from the cold British winter, for example).
The Touch ID fingerprint scanner
Once your iPhone has a scan of your finger, it stores your fingerprint in a secure encrypted format on the integrated A7 processor. Apple is promising that the data is not passed to third-party apps (at least not yet) and doesn't leave your device - it isn't backed up to iCloud or stored on Apple's servers in any way. Whenever you match the fingerprint that's stored, you're in.
It's a bold move, if not a completely original one. Carolina Milanesi, Research VP at Gartner, thinks Apple's move can be a success: "Apple seems to have put a lot of work into the Touch ID - they absolutely know that it has to work flawlessly for users not to be put off.
"I think linking it to the iTunes login is a nice touch, no pun intended. Apple's timing is, in more cases than not, not a coincidence so I am sure we will see more biometrics in their devices." Keep your eyes on the new range of iPads.
Haven't we seen this before...?
Fingerprint-scanning technology has been in consumer devices for some time. IBM was rolling out fingerprint scanners in its laptops back in 2004, and we've seen it used in Microsoft's line of mice on and off since 2005.
2011's Motorola Atrix 4G had an integrated sensor in it until the unit was withdrawn due to poor sales. Apple hasn't come up with this technology all by itself, either: you might remember it acquired biometric security experts AuthenTec in June 2012 and the fingerprint authentication company Microlatch later in the same year.
The Motorola Atrix 4G
AuthenTec's fingerprint scanning expertise has been seen in the past in handsets such as the waterproof Fujitsu F-01A.
Two weaknesses in the technology up to this point have prevented it from gaining serious traction: firstly, it hasn't always worked with any great degree of accuracy, leading to users jabbing at their handsets in frustration.
Secondly, it has been known to be easily fooled in the past (using plasticine or photocopies for example). If Apple can overcome these problems — and early hands-on impressions from the launch event are that it has a good chance — then we might eventually see sensors such as the one in the iPhone 5S replace passwords and passcodes for good.
Tony Cripps, principal device analyst at Ovum, spoke to us about Apple's implementation of the technology: "The word from the event is that the Touch ID system actually works very well. The risk with many fingerprint ID systems historically has been their failure to recognise repeatedly and consistently the fingerprint registered on them.
"First impressions imply Apple has overcome this problem, which could lead to wider acceptance in other CE devices and by other device makers."
Fingerprint sensing security isn't perfect, and we don't know yet whether a lifted fingerprint (from the back of the case, perhaps) would be enough to unlock the iPhone 5S.
Your average pickpocket doesn't carry a forensics kit along with him, but we'll have to wait and see how robust Touch ID is — brace yourselves for plenty of in-depth hacking attempts in the tech press over the coming weeks ("How To Unlock An iPhone 5s With A Biro And Sellotape").
At this stage, we just don't know how strong Apple's tech is — our initial impressions are that Touch ID works "incredibly well", but it's still early days.
Will it make a difference?
Apple is touting Touch ID primarily as a more secure version of the passcode and according to Senior Vice President Phil Schiller only half of us ever bother setting up a passcode anyway. The next time someone steals your phone in the street, they'll either have to take your finger along with them or force you to unlock it first.
It saves you from forgetting your passcode and reduces the security risk caused by users who set up the same code on all of their devices and services for convenience's sake. Even if hacks to circumvent Touch ID eventually come to light, it's still a significant upgrade in terms of the security of your iPhone.
The button which is also a scanner
However, it's also about ease-of-use and unlocking your mobile with one press rather than four or five. With its tight iTunes integration you'll be able to get new apps, movies and music without having to enter your Apple password each time.
Further down the line we might see Apple embedding the technology in iCloud, on your Mac or even in high street retail stores to let you prove you are who you say you are. From there, it's obvious how the principle could extent to banking or mobile payments (think Passbook, for example).
Ian Hogg, Director of Mobile Analysis at IHS Electronics & Media, explained that iOS7 has a big part to play too: "Mobile security that protects a handset is important to secure the information that users have on their device - banking passwords, purchase histories, email addresses, contacts.
"Apple is adding significant new features that make it harder for a thief to circumvent 'find my phone' and 'remote wipe' features."
For the time being though a revolution in biometrics is still some way off. For now, Touch ID makes it easier to use your iPhone and keeps it more secure at the same time. Only if and when the technology expands beyond your personal handset will its safety be seriously called into question.
"The concern some users may have, as with the current furore over online services," adds Tony Cripps, "is more that Apple itself might volunteer user information seemingly protected behind that fingerprint to government agencies. How consumers ultimately choose to respond to such concerns in the long run is yet to be seen."
It seems everyone agrees that we need a safer replacement for passwords. Tattoos and pills have been touted as possible personal identification solutions of the future, but the launch of the iPhone 5s has put fingerprint sensing technology back in the spotlight.
Only when the phone is out and being put through its paces will we know just how well it works and how far users are ready to trust it.
Apple finally announced its next-generation iPhone along with the iPhone 5c at yesterday's event. Back at the event, the Cupertino guys announced the subsidized pricing of its newest smartphones in the United States, but didn't say anything about unlocked pricing for other regions.
Well, the pricing details of the iPhone 5s for the European market are no longer a mystery, as the prices have appeared in the official Apple stores around the old continent.
The 16GB model of the iPhone 5s will be up for grabs for £549, while the 32GB variant costs you £629 and the 64GB version is priced at £709. Surprisingly, the iPhone 5s costs more than its predecessor, - upping each step by £20. That's the second year in a row that Apple has upped the entry fee for the iPhone game, after the iPhone 5 launch price was £30 higher than the iPhone 4S before it.
The pricing of the iPhone has been increased for the rest of the Europe as well. The iPhone 5s will now cost €699 for the 16GB variant, while the iPhone 5 was up for grabs at a price point of €679.
Of course, the newest iPhone will be available for a much cheaper price with a carrier contract, but the details for those are yet to be announced.
The iPhone 5s along with iPhone 5c will be available in UK, France and Germany from September 20 with the rest of Europe to follow until the end of the year.
In case you missed yesterday's Apple event, you can check out our complete coverage here.
From one metal back to another... how the iPhone has changed
It was January 2007 when Steve Jobs took to the stage of the Moscone Center San Francisco to announce the arrival of the iPhone, which went on sale worldwide later that year.
If you find it difficult to remember that far back, Leona Lewis was number one in the UK with A Moment Like This and Brits were flocking to the cinema to get teary-eyed at Will Smith in The Pursuit Of Happyness.
While our pop music and movie choices may not have improved much, smartphones were changed forever: from that point on, touchscreens, apps and digital media were the way forward.
iPhone 1 (first generation)
Launched: June 2007 (US), November 2007 (UK)
Part iPod, part phone, part Internet device: the original 2007 iPhone.
Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone as three devices in one: a touchscreen iPod, a revolutionary mobile phone, and a truly mobile web browser.
Now we take touchscreens, digital media playback and Web access for granted, but in 2007 the iPhone was unlike anything that had appeared before. Its 3.5" screen has a 320x480 pixel reoslution (one of the best displays of the time), with a 2MP camera built-in, and up to 8GB of storage.
Third-party apps were not yet allowed on "iPhone OS". In the TechRadar review, we noted that despite several shortcomings, the phone had "changed the mobile device landscape... multitouch will prove to be a model for interfaces in the future."
iPhone 3G (second generation)
Launched: July 2008
The second iPhone model brought with it 3G connectivity, but was very similar to the original
High-speed connectivity was big news in 2008, which is why the second generation iPhone included 3G in its moniker (rather confusingly, as this was the second generation iPhone). It also brought with it a thinner shape, a plastic back and -- crucially -- support for the newly launched App Store.
The app store model worked so well you'll now find it replicated in everything from your smart TV to your Windows 8 laptop, and the change helped Apple's phone really start to gain traction.
Our said in our review promised that buyers would be "amazed by the function and feel of this handset." The iPhone era had begun in earnest.
iPhone 3GS (third generation)
Launched: June 2009
Video recording came to the iPhone with the launch of the 3GS model.
The 3GS upgrade was viewed as disappointingly minor at the time, but look at the detail and a different picture emerges: as well as faster performance, the new handset offered a better 3.2MP camera (that could now record video as well as take photos), extra storage options and voice control (the precursor to Siri).
The display was the same 3.5-inch 320x480 screen, and the device's appearance remained largely unchanged from the 3G model. TechRadar's take on the unit praised the multimedia and Internet capabilities while still finding niggles with the camera, call quality and battery life – this was the first of the more iterative updates to the iPhone but did enough to keep users happy.
iPhone 4 (fourth generation)
Launched: June 2010
The iPhone 4 transformed the look and display of Apple's flagship device.
If the 3GS was a minor upgrade, the iPhone 4 was a serious step up - a new, flat design with an integrated antenna (although questions were raised about how you held the device) a high-resolution Retina display (640x960 pixels) that showed the rest of the world how it was done and a superior 5MP camera (featuring HD video recording) on top of internal performance improvements.
The competition was catching up, and Apple had responded in brilliant fashion. We were certainly impressed, despite some reservations about the high price, saying "it's intriguing to see record-breaking numbers queuing up to pick up this device — but after playing with it for a few days, you can see why."
iPhone 4S (fifth generation)
Launched: October 2011
Siri made its debut with the iPhone 4S, which also featured an improved camera.
Apple pulled out the "S" tag again for the fifth generation handset, indicating a minor upgrade rather than a major overhaul.
The design was the same, but inside was Apple's new A5 processor, vastly improved graphics capabilities and an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording. iOS was evolving at the same rate as the hardware, of course, and Siri began life as an iPhone 4S exclusive.
The improvements were enough to persuade us to describe it as "the best thing Apple has ever created" in the official TechRadar review.
iPhone 5 (sixth generation)
Launched: September 2012
Six handsets later, Apple finally decided it was time to tweak the iPhone's screen size and aspect ratio.
20 per cent lighter than its predecessor, the 2012 iPhone adopted a 4-inch screen running at 640x1136 pixels.
Otherwise, despite the usual speed bump and a stronger antenna, it was very much business as usual in terms of the design and capabilities.
Our biggest gripe in our iPhone 5 review was with the aging iOS, but with iOS coming soon that issue is very much negated, which will please a number of iPhone 5 users who've been holding onto the handset for nearly a year.
iPhone 5S/5C (seventh generation)
Launched: September 2013
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The big step in the seventh stage of the iPhone's evolution is the arrival of a cheaper, plastic-backed model to help battle Android at the lower end of the market. The signs were there already — remember Apple has kept the iPhone 4 and 4S on sale during the iPhone 5 era.
As for the flagship iPhone, it's a case of under-the-hood improvements: more power, a better camera, and more storage. The bigger changes are arriving with IOS 7, the most radical revamp of the mobile operating system since the App Store arrived back in 2008.
ASUS has started sending out media invites for a press event in Taipei. The Taiwanese manufacturer is expected to announce its updated PadFone Infinity there. The company's CEO Jerry Shen will be hosting the event to personally take the wraps off the high-profile device.
We already know that the upcoming PadFone Infinity will sport a design that is identical to its predecessor. Furthermore, the device is rumored to come out with a 5-inch full HD display and the smartphone is expected to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC.
Other hardware specifications include a 13 megapixel rear camera, 2 GB of RAM and 64GB of inbuilt memory. The new PadFone Infinity will retain its ability to work with tablet dock as in the current PadFone lineup.
We will know more about the updated PadFone Infinity on September 17 till then hold your horses.
The anticipation is over - Apple has unveiled the iPhone 5S to the world and announced it will be available September 20. But now we're onto the next question: where can we actually pick one of these up and which 4G networks is it compatible with?
Well, we have the inside information on who will be stocking the new iPhone and when you'll be able to grab it. Here's the 411.
If you're looking to pick up the iPhone 5S SIM-free, the Apple store has the handset available for £549 for the 16GB version, £629 for the 32GB and £709 for the 64GB.
EE
EE will be stocking the iPhone 5S, as it announced via a tweet soon after the reveal, and will have the handset available on 4GEE, Orange and T-Mobile from September 20.
You'll be able to pre-order on September 13 and those of you with eligible devices can upgrade via EE's new 'swap' program (conveniently announced yesterday) if you're six months or longer into your contract.
Three
Three has put up a pre-registration page for the iPhone 5S and has confirmed it will have the iPhone available for pre-order on September 13 and will make it available from September 20.
And given that the iPhone 5 was set to work on the network's 4G, we're fully expecting the 5S to do so too though this is yet to be confirmed.
Vodafone
Vodafone was one of the first to tell us that it will be stocking the new iPhone 5S but isn't giving any specific details on price and availability just yet. However Apple has confirmed that the 5S will support 4G on Vodafone's network, and there's a page for you to "register interest" over on Vodafone's site.
O2
O2 has confirmed that it will be stocking the iPhone 5S and that it will work on the network's 4G. There's nothing on price plans just yet but O2 has put up a pre-registration page so you'll be the first to know when there is.
