Today is September 10, which means one thing: today's the day that all those pesky iPhone rumors come to an end. (Until tomorrow, right?) It also means that with the death of all those rumors, we finally get to see the real thing. After months of speculation, Apple will pull the curtain off their newest iPhone, and talk about why it's the best iPhone since the last iPhone.
On top of the newest flagship, which is said to be called the iPhone 5S, we all know that Apple's probably planning on showcasing something else. Another iPhone. (Hah!) This "cheap" device, as all the rumors suggest, is known right now as the iPhone 5C, and it's supposedly meant to phase out the iPhone 5 in select markets around the globe. It's a colorful iPhone 5, as Apple is reportedly bringing over the iPod touch color schemes to the iPhone lineup (finally).
While the iPhone 5C is apparently grabbing the iPod touch's assortment of color options, it doesn't look like Apple's ready to phase out the device altogether quite yet, and that makes sense. The iPod touch is a great device for someone who wants to get their hands on iOS, but who doesn't want to switch to a cellular-connected device, and therefore a monthly payment, just yet. There's no doubt that the iPod touch is meant to be a gateway device, though. You start with that, and then when you are ready to get a phone, the logical step is an iPhone.
At least, that's what Apple hopes.
The introduction of the "cheap iPhone" has been a long time coming, and as is par for the course, the speculation around the device has been all over the place the last couple of years. Hopefully the truth is better than the fiction, though, as some of those early rumors suggested the cheap iPhone would be a very low-end device.
Thankfully though, the newest rumors have led many to believe that the iPhone 5C is actually just an iPhone 5 in a colorful case. The same internals as the current-gen iPhone, but running iOS 7 out of the box. So for anyone who already has an iPhone 5, the "upgrade" would be a lateral one, apparently. You'd just be opting for a more colorful shell.
However, the next flagship, the iPhone 5S, will be the device that gets the lion's share of attention during Apple's event today. While everyone already expects a moderate upgrade over the iPhone 5, that still won't stop Apple from selling it as the next best thing, as they should. They are trying to sell it, after all.
The iPhone 5S should have a faster processor, a better camera, maybe more RAM, and maybe some tweaks to make it work better with iOS 7, or maybe even some exclusive features tied to the software. However, the killer feature will be a fingerprint scanner -- another feature that has been rumored in iPhones for a long time now. It looks real this time around, though, so there's that.
Here's the honest truth: we all want to be surprised. We all want there to be that "one more thing" that comes out of nowhere, right out of the blue, and gets us all smiling again. But, if that one more thing doesn't exist, then we pretty much know what we're getting today. The iPhone 5S will be a moderate update, meant mostly for those who didn't upgrade to an iPhone 5 in the last year or so. The iPhone 5C will be for those who want to upgrade, but don't want to spend a lot of money (whether on contract or not) and want a device that can really stand out thanks to the colored shell.
So my question to you, is which device you're thinking about getting, if you're thinking of getting one at all. Based on what we've heard --while still unofficial--, which device do you think will get your money? The iPhone 5S or the iPhone 5C? Let me know!