The iPhone 5S and 5 Big Wins for Apple

We knew a gold Apple iPhone would be announced yesterday. And we suspected the company might be releasing a low-cost, color option. We even guessed the names of the models correctly: iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. Indeed it is fair to say the new phones, with the exception of the 5C's super-plasticky case, look exactly like what we were expecting. So what is the big deal? I see four big wins for Apple, none of which have anything to do with what the phones look like.

Before we get to that I must at least address the colors. Apple has a long history of launching products in black and white and then adding colors as the lien matures. Just look at its nano line, or even the original iMacs. Throwing in the gold, silver, and space grey (wha?) also gives consumers some options that had been sorely lacking in the iPhone line. The gold model, in particular, is poised to do very well in the fast-growing Chinese market as well as, you know, New Jersey. Adding color is a smart thing to do, but it would be a mistake to think the five announcements below aren't equally as important.

1. The Safety and Convenience of Touch ID
We knew a fingerprint scanner was in the works, but I was impressed with how seamlessly Apple worked this feature into the operating system. Built directly into the home button, the scanner only takes a few minutes to set up. After that, securely unlocking your phone requires only the touch of a button. What's more, you can use Touch ID to purchase apps, music, and even the PC Magazine Digital edition without entering an account number. Given the huge number of consumers who carry phones with no password protection at all, this is a big step forward. It is just a feature, but it is a cool feature. And there is nothing like it on Android.

2. Free iWork, iPhoto, and iMovie
Tim Cook started off the event with this news, and it quickly got eclipsed by the rest of the day's announcements, but it is pretty big. Apple is pitching iOS as a productivity tool. This is the case that Microsoft made for years with Windows—it has all the apps you need. But by bundling productivity and entertainment inside the iOS 7 experience, Apple is stretching its position as the phone and tablet combination built for work and play.

3. The New A7 CPU With Fitness Features
We expected a faster processor in the 5S, but not many people expected it to be reengineered to 64 bits. With iOS 7 and all of Apple's built-in apps supporting 64 bit, iOS instantly becomes the leader in the space. The 5S is twice as fast as the iPhone 5. Better still, it includes a built-in motion co-processor that will allow the phone to track your movements and support fitness applications like Nike+ and Fitbit.

4. "The Phone That Takes Better Pictures"
Just about everyone looking for a smartphone has the same question: what phone takes the best pictures? Nokia has made its name trying to convince the world that its Lumia series is technically superior to everything else on the market. But picture quality is about more than megapixels. Apple attacked the problem on multiple fronts. Larger pixels capture more information, a burst mode captures 30 fps, and a new interface automatically creates collections of images and presents up to a year's worth of photos on a single screen. I haven't compared the image output side by side, but those are all steps forward.

5. iOS 7 Launches—The Instant Upgrade
New hardware is always exciting, but Apple's real news today involved the release of iOS 7. Apple isn't just selling new phones, it is upgrading all devices from the iPhone 4 and up, iPad 2 and up, iPad mini, and iPod touch. Those owners won't be able to take advantage of cool stuff like the Touch ID or the 64-bit processing, obviously, but it is a nice bump for existing consumers—and it's free. Best of all, it will probably only take a few weeks for most of the Apple customer base to migrate.

That alone may be Apple's biggest win. Today's announcements may only amount to some cosmetic changes and neat new features, but Apple is moving its entire platform and customer base forward. Of course, this is the way iOS has always been, but on days like today you see the value of this approach. It isn't easy to do, but Apple makes it pay off.

For more, see PCMag's hands on with the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C. Also check out the 5S slideshow above and video below.