By Helen Li
Contributing Writer

With the recent release of the new iPhone 5s and 5c, many people are curious as to how their new products compare to the old iPhone 5 and other phones on the market.
Releasing two new phones within the same year, Apple is actively evolving its technology to be bigger, better, faster, and sleeker. Here is a basic overview of the new phones and how they weigh against each other.
The 5c is essentially the old iPhone 5 with a colorful polycarbonate shell. The hardware underneath is largely the same, although the new phone does boast better global LTE coverage, front facing camera (better FaceTime experience), and slightly better battery life.
The 5c is also a cheaper alternative to other Apple phones and can be purchased for as low as $99 with a contract. Both the 5s and 5c come with the updated iOS 7 and iWork application.
On the other hand, the 5s does introduce new features that are certainly evolutionary to the iPhone family.
Adding on a new fingerprint Touch-ID feature, enhanced camera with new video and photo settings, A7 and M7 processor, the 5s is a step up from the 5. It retails for as low as $199 with contract.
The home button now contains a fingerprint sensor that utilizes sensor technology that is used as a replacement for the passcode.
However, a passcode is still necessary. If you restart your iPhone or don’t use it for 48 hours, the device will require you to input your passcode before allowing fingerprint recognition. The passcode is also required after three fingerprint attempts.
The camera on the iPhone 5s now has a better low-light exposure through an expanded camera sensor and larger aperture.
Other features of the camera that are specifically exclusive to the new phone include True Tone Flash, Burst Mode, Auto Image Stabilization, and Slow Motion Videos.
Other specs underneath the hood include the new A7 and M7 processors. The A7 processor is twice as fast as the A6 processor found in the 5; compared to the 4, the 5 was more than twice as fast.
The M7 motion-tracking chip brings innovation to motion-sensitive apps, making map searching more accurate and reliable.
Despite all the features that come with the M7, it does not impact the battery life of the phone, and in fact seems to help maintain it, which is a sigh of relief to all Apple users who are all too aware of the iPhone’s notoriously low battery life.
This month has proved to be an eventful month for apple with the release of not only two new phones, but a completely reinvented operating system as well. With the release of the iPhone 5s and 5c, Apple continues to develop and spearhead technological innovation.