iPhone 5S And 5C Verdict: Tech World Reacts To Apple's New Smartphones

Apple has unveiled the iPhone 5S and 5C, it's all-new smartphone line-up.

The two devices are clearly aimed at different markets, and come with a range of new features.

The 5S has a world-first 64-bit processor, a fingerprint scanner and comes in a delightfully bling new 'gold' design. The 5C is colourful, cheerful - though not all that cheap - and aimed at the mid-range market.

• The iPhone 5S - a new flagship smartphone with a fingerprint sensor, revamped camera and a 64-bit processor
• The iPhone 5C - a colourful, mid-range device aimed at a wider market
• iOS 7 to be released worldwide on September 18

So what does the press think? Here's the early verdict on Apple's first big event of the Autumn.

Pocket-Lint: 'An upgrade of sorts'

We tried the new fingerprint scanner [on the 5S] with one of the demo phones at the Berlin launch and we couldn't open the phone. Luckily a demonstrator who's finger had been registered was on hand to open it up. So it works.... As for the new colours? The white looks identical obviously, the black now has a lighter side which may be less prone to scratches, while the gold we're still noy too sure about, but we just know some people will love it.

T3: What Apple needed

Whether Apple really leads the smartphone industry any more is debatable - the HTC One currently sits at the top of our magazine's smartphone guide each month, and with good reason.

But it seems Apple has taken on a bit of feedback and embraced the idea of giving people an alternative to the 5S which is, at a £549 entry price and a £709 top price, an extremely premium smartphone.

Know Your Mobile: 'A simple decision'

Apple's decision to discontinue the iPhone 5 is simple: it now has the iPhone 5C, which is available at a very affordable price-point, and the iPhone 5S - it no longer needs the iPhone 5. This way Apple has both a newer, affordable handset; a free handset; and a high-end handset - and they will all run iOS 7.

Engadget: The 5C isn't the low-cost phone you've been waiting for

In my estimation, this is Apple's attempt to make the iPhone lively again. After six years, a certain amount of fatigue has set in. The "throw colors at it" approach has worked beautifully for Apple in the past. The company's sauced up a variety of previous iPod products with new hues, and remember: this is the company that once offered socks in a variety of colors. The iPhone 5c isn't for feature phone users in emerging markets. It's also not for the spec hounds who will be buying an iPhone 5s regardless.

The Verge: Definitely a refining year

Apple has pursued a "Tick Tock" strategy with the iPhone even since the 3GS: innovate in a big way one year, refine the next. This is definitely a refining year for Apple, but all of the refinements on the iPhone 5s are solid. That fingerprint reader might end up being a bigger deal than you'd think. I certainly wouldn't mind getting the three-dozen half-seconds a day I lose to punching in a passcode back.

Techradar: Is it enough of an upgrade?

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.