Apple debuts two new phone models with iOS 7

Apple has used its own California press event today to reveal two new iPhone models and the details of its new operating system iOS 7.

The iPhone 5s serves as the most significant new device, and as with Apple’s previous ‘s’ upgrades it adds a number of new features to the existing model. The 5S includes a fingerprint sensor on the Home button for user identification, and is powered by Apple’s A7 processor. It constantly monitors motion, includes two flashes for different photo-taking situations, and will be available in a range of colours. It will start at an RRP of £549 for a 16GB model, up to as much as £709 for a 64GB version.

The 5c, meanwhile, serves as a more affordable iPhone 5, and, with 16GB of storage under the hood, is to sell at £469, being powered by the A6 processor as standard.

The new operating system, meanwhile, brings with it crisper, streamlined UI and a new translucent look to the front end, as well as introducing substantially reworked multitasking, new cross-iOS device file sharing functionality, Control Centre – designed to make the phone’s core functions more accessible, a new Notifications Centre and numerous upgrades to the apps that are preinstalled on the phone.

“iOS 7 is completely redesigned with an entirely new user interface and over 200 new features, so it’s like getting a brand new device, but one that will still be instantly familiar to our users,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering.

“Next month we’ll be shipping our 700 millionth iOS device, and we’re excited about what our hundreds of thousands of iOS developers are doing to bring great new features to their apps.”

Apple has engineered iOS 7, it claims, to harness the iPhone 5s’ 64-bit technology, including the native 64-bit kernel, drivers and libraries.

Subsequently the phone’s built-in apps have been re-worked for 64-bit, with iOS 7 promising to deliver a seamless developer transition with Xcode support, as well as the functionality to support 32-bit and 64-bit apps.

[UPDATE]iOS 7 is bolstered by the previously announced Sprite Kit 2D development framework, which includes animation, physics and particle functionality. Additionally, the forthcoming OS will eventually support the in-development MFi controllers, which take the form of Apple-approved add-on physical games controls for the iPhone.

Game developers looking to learn more about iOS 7, Sprite Kit and MFi controller support can do so through official documentation avaialble at Apple’s develop support website.[UPDATE ENDS]

Initially available September 18th, iOS 7 will support all iPhones from the 4 to, when available, the new models, as well as iPads 2 through to 4 and the mini.

Develop will report on the impact on game developers as more information becomes available.