5 things designers need to know about the new iPhones

It's been a big day for Apple. While some predicted that after the death of Steve Jobs, the days of earth-shattering announcements and big-news launches were over, it seems that Cupertino has grabbed the world's attention once again. Here are the main points from another milestone day in Apple's history...

01. The iPhone 5S is a big leap forward

Once it became clear that the new iPhone was not going to be given the version number 6, it seemed like maybe this wasn't going to be a major release for Apple, more of a slight tweak on the iPhone 5. But while it's true that the 5S has the same 4-inch screen and overall design as the iPhone 5 (which is discontinued), it has a completely new feature set and Apple's calling it the most "forward-looking" iPhone it's ever launched.

Headline features include fingerprint scanner in the home button to add extra security and the ability to run 64-bit apps (previous models ran at 32 bits), thanks to a new processor that makes it run five times faster than the iPhone. Plus there's an improved camera that can now shoot HD video.

The iPhone 5S will cost $649/£549 for the 16GB version and $749/£629 for the 32GB version and $849/£709 for the 64GB version. You can find full details of the new specs for the phone, which will be available to buy from 20 September, here.

02. The iPhone 5C is cheap and colourful

As predicted, Apple is also launching its first budget-friendly iPhone, which will be available for $99 (16GB model) or $199 (32GB model) in the States on contract. The release date is September 20 while pre-orders open on September 13.

The 5C has the same physical dimensions as the iPhone 5S, but is made of soft silicon rubber and comes in vivid hues of blue, white, pink, yellow and green. And while it's cheap, its technical specs aren't to be sniffed at - you'll find full details here.

03. iOS 7 is coming to iPhone and iPad

Apple announced today that iOS 7 is launching on September 18th. iOS 7 will be available for download for iPhones 4 and later, iPad 2 and later, the iPad mini and the fifth-generation iPod Touch.

As we've noted previously on Creative Bloq, this new operating system is a real departure for Apple, representing a move away from skeuomorphism and towards flat design. You'll find all you need to know about iOS 7 in these articles:

• 10 things you need to know about iOS 7
• The best free iOS 7 resources on Dribbble
• iOS 7: the app developer's guide

Well, expect for the fact that...

04. There's a new developer edition out

Anyone designing or developing apps for the iOS platform is going to have to get their skates on - because Apple has just released the Gold Master (GM) version of iOS 7 to developers. This will almost certainly be the last official pre-release version before the final OS arrives. And you can download it from here.

05. The iPhone 4S survives the iPhone 5

Although Apple is ditching the iPhone 5 (presumably to avoid confusion with the 5S and 5C names), the 8GB iPhone 4S will still be available as a free option on contract. We'll be intrigued to see how well the two-year-old phone copes with running iOS 7. If you're building an iOS 7 app we'd love to hear how you get on!

For more news about, and reaction to, Apple's announcements, visit our sister site Tech Radar.