With the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C announcements, bargain shoppers and deal hunters must have been salivating at the possibilities of cheaper or free iPhones. That option is here with the free iPhone 4S, but we're warning you against that route.

When Apple announces its new iPhone model each year, it usually means a previous version becomes cheaper. The older models are generally a good deal, but this time around it isn't.

Slap the word "free" onto the iPhone 4S and suddenly you have an enticing deal. It has a retina display, a nice camera and solid battery life. But alas, it also comes with only 8GB storage, which is practically nothing these days.

iPhone 5C vs. iPhone 4S: You'll want the extra memory

Think of all the photos and videos you'll shoot, or the fun apps and games you're going to be downloading. Where do you think all that stuff will go in an 8GB smartphone? Nowhere, that's where.

In terms of specs, the iPhone 4S is a bit antiquated now, too. Think about it, for just $99 more you can get what's essentially an iPhone 5 with a plastic, candy-colored shell in 16GB or 32GB variants. That amount of money is worth saving you the headache of running out of space in the long run.

One lesser factor to consider is resale value: you're more likely to get more cash for an iPhone 5C down the line than you ever will for an 8GB iPhone 4S.

These days, it seems like even 16GB isn't enough storage for a smartphone. Camera resolutions are increasing, and so is video quality. That means we need more storage along with our apps and the other junk we stuff into our phones.

Few things are more irritating than finding yourself trying figure out which apps, photos and videos you keep, and which ones you should delete to save space. Sometimes you hit that wall just a few months after purchasing a new phone.

When it comes to iPhones, when you commit to a certain storage capacity, you are committed to it. Neither the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5C have expandable storage (i.e. microSD card slots for more memory). If you want an 8GB phone now just because it's free, make sure it's the same 8GB you can live with two years from now when you can upgrade again.

Perhaps we're getting a little too preachy, but if budget is your deciding factor when buying a new smartphone, give the iPhone 5C more consideration.

You're getting a newer phone with better specs and more memory for - in the grand scheme of things and the duration of your contract - hardly any money at all. Some of us spend more on coffee each month than the contract price of a phone.

Free iPhone 4S is a lose-lose situation

Between the two non-iPhone 5S smartphones that you can buy on September 20, the 5C is really your best bet. But if you don't think you're going to be downloading a ton of apps, and you never shoot photos or videos on your phone, the iPhone 4S might be a decent shot.

After all, you're still getting a quality device for nothing besides a two-year contract. Let's not forget that just a little over a year ago, the 4S was Apple's flagship device.

In the end, we strongly feel that anyone who wants a smartphone isn't ever going to be content with just 8GB of storage. You may try to reason with yourself now since free stuff is hard to pass up, but your needs will change along with new trends in the industry, and you'll end up kicking yourself for it.

Oh, and one more thing: There is also a good chance that app developers won't support your phone anymore. You wouldn't want to be left behind with no memory to spare, would you?

Source : techradar[dot]com

The new iPhone 5S is a solid upgrade of the iPhone 5, but with a few key changes: the processor is more advanced than ever, the camera has been upgraded and most importantly: there's a fingerprint sensor.

On top of that there's the added bonus of a faster GPU (to help power all those teeny tiny pixels rolling around and changing colour in the display) as well as an uprated power pack to keep things moving.

And, as expected, the iPhone 5S is the poster boy for iOS 7, with the new display offering the best look yet at the new flatter, sleeker operating system from Apple.

In our plays with the beta version of the OS, some elements were noticeably slow or jumpy (although this was very much because we weren't on final software) but with the iPhone 5S everything just flows around as smoothly as possible.

The design of the iPhone 5S isn't a great leap forward, with the chassis remaining largely the same as the iPhone 5 in keeping with Apple's tradition of using the core model as the base for the sequel, before releasing a 'true' evolution next year.

Even though we knew this was coming, we can't say that we aren't a little disappointed as the rumours around the iPhone 6 hint at a dramatic redesign of the device as well as a new material type to make it feel even better in the hand.

There are three colours to choose from, with silver, gold and 'space grey' coming in to give another option to consumers looking to mark themselves out in the iPhone game, especially at the sharp end. If you're after colour, then the iPhone 5C is your friend - that thing comes in five different options, with cases that you can stick on top too.

The design of the iPhone 5S is, as we said, pretty similar to what we've seen before, so colour aside you'd struggle to see if someone is packing a new or old version of the phone with the larger screen.

But let's forget about all the stuff we expected and focus more on the fact that there's a fingerprint sensor in there now - we're talking about biometrics that actually work with a phone.

The premise is simple: you turn on the phone using the home or power button, hold your finger down on the round key and you're into the phone. It's incredibly fast, very slick and makes you feel like you don't have a passcode on there at all.

Apple hasn't just made this a one-trick pony though, as when setting up the sensor you're asked to guide your finger on and off the button in a variety of ways - this means that no matter how you jab at the home key to unlock the iPhone 5S will be able to react correctly.

In our tests this worked incredibly well - Apple really has cracked the first step in biometrics on a phone, and when you compare it to Android's Face Unlock, it's world's apart, and shows the power when a phone company doesn't have to rely on such a wide spread of hardware.

Granted, it's only on the iPhone 5S - so an update from Android should enable the tech in phones like the Galaxy S5 and HTC One Max.

But the big question in the mind of many reading this is 'Should I got for the iPhone 5S or get the cheaper iPhone 5?'. Well, if you're looking to get what will likely be one of the best handsets on the market as well as future-proofing yourself (although you'll probably upgrade your phone before Apple ceases support for iOS on the iPhone 5S) then the newer model will please you no end.

However, the iPhone 5 still comes with all the bells and whistles needed to make iOS 7 run smoothly, as well as packing a decent enough camera and screen to excite enough users, who will also get the benefit of a few dollarpounds off the monthly cost of their new device.

Early verdict

The iPhone 5S isn't a market-leading device in so many ways… but then again, that's never been Apple's strategy, and that's a good thing.

There are so many people out there desperate to hold onto a smaller display, finding the 5-inch behemoths too cumbersome for the pocket or the hand. That's not to say we're not fans of what LG, Samsung and HTC are doing with their devices, but there's clearly a demand for a smaller-screened handset.

And smaller definitely isn't less beautiful with the iPhone 5S, thanks to that improved camera and fingerprint scanner to really make everything pop and snap when you're doing the smartphone basics -such as opening the phone a million times a day.

The iPhone is a handset designed to give the best blend of power, sophistication and performance, and the iPhone 5S has taken that message and improved on it once more. The price will still be too high for some, but those locked into the iOS ecosystem, or just willing to take a punt and try something a bit different, will be massively pleased with the new iPhone.

And if you're one of those that deserted the platform after poor battery problems or signal issues, you'll especially like the iPhone 5S, which feels like one of Apple's most stable devices to date while carrying on the tradition of a close eye on premium design.

We would like a touch more heft with the metallic chassis, as it almost feels too light the first time you hold it, but with more colours, more power and a spec list that feels like it's got the right mix of performance and precision, we can see the iPhone 5S being the top-selling device once more for the Cupertino firm.

Source : techradar[dot]com

Apple announced the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on September 10, and along with it will come iOS 7. The newest version of iOS is arguably the most radical in terms of design and function, but it's a welcome change to an aging platform.

Many of you might already be familiar with iOS 7 since it has been available to developers for several weeks now. If you haven't already installed the beta version on your iPhone, perhaps you've seen all the videos and screenshots that have been pervading the web. Its icons are a little larger, rounder and "flatter" (i.e. no more 3D-like gradients).

Aside from new design elements and UI animations, Apple adds some welcome new features, too. iOS 7's Control Center, for example, is long overdue. With a quick swipe of the thumb, you get instant access to features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, Clock, AirDrop and more.

A few apps have either been refreshed or overhauled as well. Safari, for example, has a completely new look, and tabbed browsing looks different, too.

With all the new features and tweaks, iOS 7 feels like a brand new OS--and it sort of is--but will also be very familiar to current and former iOS users. The way you interact with the OS is the same, and apps and UI features behave the same, too. The idea was to make it new enough, yet familiar enough, so that iPhone users would transition to the new platform smoothly.

But is iOS 7's new makeup and bag of tricks enough to sway someone struggling to choose between it and Android?

iOS 7 vs. Android: How will you decide?

Android had the edge over iOS for some time with its notification tray, widgets and endless customization options. In fact, iPhone users still don't get the latter two. With Android, users also get to choose from a number of smartphone form factors from several manufacturers. As of the time of this writing, iPhone users will only get to choose three: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S.

Aside from having more hardware options, there is also the customizability of Android. With many Android handsets, you can choose the number of homescreens you want, select from static or animated backgrounds and add or remove live widgets from any of the homescreens.

If you really had to get picky, the choice between Android and iOS 7 gets tricky. While the latter has been updated to include a number of overdue features, Android still has the edge on customization and choice. However, iOS 7 beats Android's apps by some margin, and its performance is always consistent.

It's true that Android apps have become more polished over time, but having reviewed hundreds of handsets over the past six years, it's still evident that iOS is just more consistent. Its app selection still tops Android, and when it comes to new apps and services, iOS users tend to get first dibs

iOS 7: Learn to love the new features

For those of you who are already committed to the iPhone, be prepared for iOS 7. Many of our close friends are already dreading its release, with a handful of them promising they won't update because they just don't like it. We'll admit that it took us some time to get used to the new platform, but after a week or so we couldn't imagine going back to any previous versions of iOS.

Having quick access to notifications and oft-used features is a blessing. Many of our frustrations with iOS have been alleviated by version 7. We even prefer the new look of the icons, messaging and e-mail apps and the phone app, too. Everything is more modern, less antiquated.

One thing Apple always does well is refinement. If you look at the iPhone 5S design and compare it to the iPhone 4, you'll find that they don't appear to be all that different despite the number of years between them. Apple took a design that worked and made it better, and it does that with its OS and apps, too.

iOS 7 could stand to gain a little polish and better speed all around, but we're content with it at the moment. We can do without all the crazy and confusing apps that Samsung throws into its Galaxy smartphones, or the weird hardware features that have been in Android phones over the years (e.g. poorly functioning fingerprint scanners, 3D cameras, etc.). Besides, if you're an iPhone user and you're planning on staying an iPhone user, you're going to have to learn to love it.

Source : techradar[dot]com

After months of guesswork, the iPhone 5C is official and it's basically an iPhone 5 in plastic coating.

But that won't stop you (or perhaps your kids) wanting one when you see the colourful array of finishes the handset comes in - green! yellow! white! pink! etc.

The good news is that there isn't long to wait: the iPhone 5C release date is September 20 while pre-orders open on September 13. We've had a quiet word with all the networks to find out who's stocking what. Let's do this:

• But wait! First decide if the new handset is worth your money with our hands on iPhone 5C review

EE

Yes, EE will be stocking the iPhone 5C and it will be running on its 4G network. No word on contract prices yet.

Vodafone

The big red network will be selling the iPhone 5C on 4G and 3G price plans: what those plans will be is currently anyone's guess.

Three

You can register for more information about the iPhone 5C from Three, and it will be stocking the handset come September 20. No official word yet if the 5C will run on the 4G network when it launches in December.

O2

iPhone 5C is coming to O2 as well, and it'll play nice with the network's 4G set-up despite O2 being absent from Apple's LTE rundown page.

Apple

If you're ready to shell out £469 for the 16GB iPhone 5C or £549 for the 32GB model off-contract, you can buy directly from Apple.

• Find out everything there is to know about the iPhone 5C and check out what the TechRadar team makes of it too

Source : techradar[dot]com

The iPhone 5C is a curious little phone… only because it's released by Apple. Were Samsung hawking this new device as it's budget option then we wouldn't even bat an eyelid, but because it's Apple we're a little bit more circumspect. Can the company that prides itself on premium devices compete in this lower-cost segment?

Actually, it's a little unfair to say Apple can't compete at the lower end, as it's shown that with the iPod mini / nano that it can offer products to consumers at a lower cost without compromising too much on build quality.

Although we won't mention the original iPod shuffle…

The iPhone 5C features an all-new polycarbonate casing, with a design that's hewn from a single block of plastic with a steel cage thrust in there to help stability and improve antenna performance.

However beyond that we're really seeing a re-badged iPhone 5, which is no longer on sale thanks to being sacrificed for this new model. The CPU is an decent A6 chip, the screen is a 4-inch Retina display and the internal storage options are the standard 16GB and 32GB choices.

That said, this isn't a phone that's just made of recovered devices – it's a whole new handset. Some have wondered how Apple could ever think about making a non-premium device, but with the iPhone 5C it's made a phone that feel so different to the iPhone 5S that buyers won't feel like they're buying a rubbish version of that device.

Here's how the company made it so premium: keeping the cost higher. In the US it will be $99 and $199 for the contract options of 16GB and 32GB respectively. However, in the UK you'll be paying £479 for the privilege of a 16GB option, and £549 for the 32GB. That's more than the HTC One and Galaxy S4, depending on storage.

But beyond that, it's a very similar experience to that you'll get on the iPhone 5S, with iOS 7 running like a veritable peach, with no slow down nor issues to contend with in our early play with the phone.

Early verdict

What's better than the iPhone? A cheaper version, of course! Although let's be honest: it's only cheaper by Apple standard. However, for those that do want a phone that can give them the Apple experience without costing the Earth, this is a decent option.

Yes, it's mostly the DNA of an iPhone 5, but there's so much more going on here - the colours are going to be a real selling point across the world. We can't see the specs drawing many people in – although those that just buy into the iDream without a thought for what's running under the hood will be chirpy at the thought of having to shell out less cash.

Obviously compared side by side with the iPhone 5S, it's not in the same league, but has a wholly different look compared to the larger device. Its got a slower processor and a lower-power camera, but it also has a complete collection of funky shells.

It's going to be interesting to see how the market takes to an all-new iPhone, with a new target market and an alternative way of marketing in a familiar product segment – but as we said, Apple has previous history here and it's managed to come out on top nearly every time.

With the smartphone market becoming congested at both the low and high end, the mid-range arena is quickly becoming an important battleground for the big players – so it seems Apple has missed a trick by not pricing the iPhone 5C to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and the HTC One Mini too.

But we're fans of what Apple has tried to do here, with the emphasis on colour and design over pure spec wars. It might look a little childish to some, but the opportunity to differentiate will likely be one to win over consumers – and if a brand can get its phone in your pocket, then the battle is already won.

We're updating this hands on review as we get more pictures - stay tuned for more info!

Source : techradar[dot]com