Updates:
Read a thorough review of the event from Robert Evatt, and Prairie Nerd Chris Moore has a post devoted to the the
upcoming release Blade Infinity III.--
I've been saying for the last week that today was going to be a good day. Any day that Apple announces something new is usually a good day for me. That's exactly what it's been: a good day.
And honestly, a confusing one.
The new iPhones (yes, there are two of them) come in an assortment of colors and materials, but one of the biggest deals for those that use our phones a lot is the upgrade to a new 64-bit operating system that's coming only to the iPhone 5S. Apple makes no small matter of it either, saying "we're shifting the industry forward in one day."
But what does it mean, really? What difference does it make to you, the consumer?
The 64-Bit questionThe Next Web had a pretty solid explanation that they had gotten from Reddit:
“Think of the iPhone as a great library. There are all kinds of books (storage) but also a librarian who helps figure out what books you need. The librarian has 32 assistants who help fetch books on bicycles and bring them back to the librarian. If someone comes in wanting all the books on dinosaurs, and there are 65 of such books, the books will all get there in three trips. The first trip all the assistants go out and get the books on dinosaurs, then go back and on the second trip they all get another book and on the third trip only one has to go and get data, but it still takes just as long, since the important thing is how long a trip takes.
So to get the books it requires three bicycle trips (but we can just call them cycles, so three cycles). However, if the librarian had 64 assistants, it would only take two cycles. There would be a dramatic speed boost, but NOT double, since there would still be one trip where only one assistant was needed, while the others are there but unable to make it go faster.
If there were 256 books on dinosaurs, then with 32 assistants it would take 8 cycles but with 64 the process would only take 4.
An iPhone works in much the same way. The iPhone fetches data from memory, but can only fetch so much at one time. An iPhone running at 32 bits can only handle 32 bits of data during a clock cycle. A 64-bit iPhone can fetch 64 bits of data (and work on it) during one clock cycle which means improved speed, power and efficiency.”
The fingerprint sensorAnother iPhone 5S-only feature that's been unveiled is the fingerprint sensor. Apple released software in tandem with the announcement that utilizes your fingerprint to unlock your phone, and handle iTunes transactions.
It's touted as a safety feature - and to that end, it works really well - but more than a few folks (myself included) initially felt a little creeped out by this announcement. To their credit, Apple has assured us that the fingerprint data stays in the new A7 chip and does not leave the phone, stored in iCloud or otherwise.
Fast Company
has other ideas about the real meaning of the fingerprint sensor however, saying that it's part of Apple's grand plan for consumers all along:
"That's what Apple is after. To make you and your iPhone two parts of a whole. This humble fingerprint sensor, hidden away under the home button, is just the latest evolution to a product that Apple has been trying to build for 30 years."
The reactionsMost of the announcements we heard today were little more than updates. Apple is not great about plugging the leaks the media dam, so we've been hearing about multiple colors and even the gold iPhone 5S for awhile now. Still, the opportunity gave folks on Twitter the chance to chime in and give their two cents.
The new cases for the iPhone 5C are not really a surprise to anyone.
The new iPhone camera is one of the coolest new features, but of course, some folks are only going to see the negative. :)
Apple apparently proved in their demo of the iPhone 5S that they still knew how to inject creativity into their products:
Still not everyone was happy with the changes, in particular the cases:
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