There have been weeks of rumors and speculation about Apple’s product announcements on Tuesday. After the announcement, readers submitted their questions on everything from the new fingerprint sensor to the new iPhone pricing to the design of iOS 7. Times reporters answered their questions below.
Q.
“How much will the phones be without a contract?” asked Stephanie.
A.
| Model | Non-contract Price |
|---|---|
| iPhone 5C (16-gigabyte) | $549 |
| iPhone 5C (32-gigabyte) | $649 |
| iPhone 5S (16-gigabyte) | $649 |
| iPhone 5S (32-gigabyte) | $749 |
| iPhone 5S (64-gigabyte) | $849 |
The new iPhone pricing presented by Apple today featured the cost of the devices when combined with a two-year cellular service contract. They run from $99 to $399 depending on the device and memory. If you’d like to purchase a new iPhone without a service contract, the prices are significantly higher, from $549 to $849, again depending on the model.
Q.
Ricky asks, “What day can I pre-order my iPhone?”
A.
The iPhone 5C will be available for pre-order beginning Sept. 13. Both the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S will be for sale in stores on Sept. 20.
Q.
“The announcement indicated the new iPhone 5S battery would supply 250 hours ‘idle’ time. Any indication regarding battery life when using data, music, video, etc.?” asked a reader in Northern California.
A.
Apple’s senior vice president for engineering, Craig Federighi, presented new standards for battery life for the iPhones 5S, showing 10 hours of battery life for phone conversations, video play, or Wi-Fi or LTE browsing. The new batteries, he said, would support 40 hours of music play or 250 hours of standby time.
Q.
“Nothing on the ‘I-watch’?! Samsung looks to have snatched the rug from Apple,” wrote Darrell in Philadelphia.
A.
Although many people had suspected that Apple would be announcing a breakthrough wearable computer for the wrist today, no such announcement was made. The initial speculation about an “iWatch” was fueled by reports that Apple had applied to register the “iWatch” trademark in Taiwan, Russia, Mexico and Japan this summer. Four days ago, handset rival Samsung announced its Galaxy Gear smartwatch. It remains to be seen whether a competing product from Apple is in the works, or if the overseas trademark registrations they made earlier this year indicate either a false start, or a red herring.
Q.
“Aside from the plastic case and colors, how will the 5C distinguish itself from the 5S? Will only the 5S, for instance, have the ability to unlock with a fingerprint?” asked Michelle in New York.
A.
Yes. The higher-priced iPhone 5S has a few features the iPhone 5C does not. While the iPhone 5C was called “unapologetically plastic,” the iPhone 5S is made with an anodized alumninum body. The higher-priced model also has a faster processor (which can display higher-quality graphics, as Apple showed off with a demo of the game Infinity Blade 3), as well as a “motion compressor” that will allow developers to create more accurate fitness and motion-tracking applications.
Its camera is an improvement over the cheaper iPhone 5C, offering better pictures in low light, more natural-looking flash photography and video features like frame stabilization and slow motion. The iPhone 5S is also the only Apple device available with the “Touch ID” fingerprint scanner, which both unlocks the smartphone and can be used to authorizes purchases in Apple’s iTunes store. Free versions of Apple’s iWork software for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations are also included with the iPhone 5S, but not with the cheaper model.
Q.
“If the fingerprint recognition fails, is there another way in? And if there is another way in, what use is the fingerprint recognition?” asked J. Amory of New York.
A.
The fingerprint scanner is surprisingly snappy and accurate. You can teach the phone to remember several fingerprints, too. So you can add your thumb and fingers. Or your thumb and several of your friend’s and family member’s thumbs. If you don’t want to use the fingerprint scanner, you simply swipe to unlock and type in a traditional pin. — Nick Bilton
Q.
“Anybody creeped-out by the possibility that someone might eventually be able to hack into your phone and get your fingerprint, to be used for a nefarious purpose? Is that an implausible concern?” asked Alan in Hawaii.
A.
Given recent revelations about the ability of the National Security Agency to foil common forms of encryption, many have expressed concern on this subject. A range of posts on Twitter suggest that a number of people are indeed, “creeped out” by such a possibility.
Apple, for its part, reassured the audience at today’s announcement that the “Touch ID” fingerprint access system they have built stores no data on Apple servers or in the cloud but instead is “encrypted and stored securely in the Secure Enclave inside the A7 chip on the iPhone 5S,” according to a press release.
The iPhone 5S is not the first device to incorporate fingerprint scanning. In 2011, Motorola released the Atrix, which had a built-in fingerprint scanner (and a backup code) to unlock the device.
Q.
I read reports that Apple was thinking of allowing existing customers to exchange their old/current iPhone for a 5S, and presumably get a credit toward the purchase price. Is this true?
A.
Yes, there is a trade-in program where Apple will accept your old iPhones and give you store credit toward a new one. — Brian X. Chen
Q.
A.
Unfortunately, no.
While the iPhone 5C and 5S use the same “Lightning” connector as the earlier iPhone 5 model, the camera placement on the new devices are different. So you can keep your charger, but you’ll need a new case.
If you are upgrading to the iPhone 5C, you’ll need a new dock as well.
Q.
“Will the new iOS change the battery life of a 4S or 5 iPhone? If I upgrade and don’t like the performance can I dial the iOS back to what I’m using now?” asked Henry in New York.
A.
We can’t be certain until more people try it. People who have been using the beta on an iPhone 5 say anecdotally that there is a slight battery performance decrease. I would expect it to affect the battery life of the iPhone 4S significantly because it has full multitasking capability and other new features that will be intense on the older processor. — Brian X. Chen
Q.
“I was really expecting to hear of an increased screen size… any mention during the announcements as to why this did not occur with the new iPhone?” asked a reader in Philadelphia.
A.
The answer to why Apple has not yet released a larger iPhone has multiple components. First, there’s a common misconception that mainstream consumers actually want a larger screen. Earlier this year, AT&T said that 9 out of 10 customers opted for a 4-inch screen, or smaller, when buying a smartphone — even with options in stores that scale up to 6 inches, or, as they have been nicknamed, phablets.
Second, Apple goes to great lengths to ensure that manufacturing and app development remain simple for all involved. When the company enlarged the iPhone 5, older apps still worked on the new phone, and the home screen looked exactly the same, but with an extra row of apps. A larger iPhone would mean lots of re-tooling, re-designing and re-training. Finally, this is not just about customers wanting a larger phone, but it is also about how big their pockets are — both figuratively and literally. Customers want to ensure that their smartphone fits in a pants pocket. Some of Samsung’s extra-large smartphones are so big you actually need a bag to carry them. (Yes, a bag to carry a smartphone.)
All of that being said, will Apple eventually release a larger iPhone? Yes, but the company is going to wait until more consumers want these devices, and right now, that time is not here. — Nick Bilton
Q.
“Will the new iPhone have a N.F.C. chip so we can use it as a credit card?” asked Philip in Bethlehem.
A.
It does not.
An N.F.C. chip, or near field communication chip, is used to communicate between two devices in close proximity, and can be used to turn a phone into a payment device. Microsoft, Google, BlackBerry and MasterCard all support near field communication. Apple, notably, has never supported the standard in their products. When the iPhone 5 was first released, The Times’s Brian X. Chen explained why Apple held back, citing both concerns over the technology’s adoption and its compatibility with the iPhone’s aluminum back (it works better with plastic phones).
Q.
“Why kill the original iPhone 5 and keep the 4S in the lineup?” asked Chuck in Seattle.
A.
Apple is hoping that a new cheaper model will help it attract more customers than offering the last-generation model. But you can also look at this way: Apple could keep selling an iPhone 5, but instead of doing that it is selling a plastic iPhone that is cheaper to make. So it is saving itself costs and trying to attract new customers at the same time. — Brian X. Chen
Q.
“I saw clearly that the fingerprint scanner could be used for the initial passcode lock to unlock the phone and for purchases on the App Store, iTunes, etc. However, it wasn’t clear if it will be able to be used by 3rd party apps,” wrote a reader in Arizona.
A.
No. Apple has said the fingerprint scanner will not be available to third-party apps. It doesn’t make sense, however. for Apple not to offer an API for third-party apps to use it. When Phil Schiller showed off the new feature, he noted that remembering passwords was very difficult and cumbersome, yet he offered a solution to that problem only with Apple products. Hopefully the company will allow third-party apps to use the fingerprint scanner in the future, too. — Nick Bilton
Q.
A.
There is no accounting for taste.
via apple - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGbr-R5lduUwpxIwjNP4oCZPP2wFQ&url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/have-apple-questions-ask-them-here/
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