Key features of Apple’s iOS 7 and new iPhones

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Apple fan or not, it is hard to deny that the updates announced Sept. 10 are dynamic and intriguing.

The iPhone 5C is the perfect option for someone looking to upgrade but is on a budget. Apple has created a smart phone that has all the features of the latest edition, the iPhone 5, but in a plastic, steel-reinforced shell.

Apple brings us five colors to choose from: blue, white, pink, yellow and green. They have also created cases in the same colors, with the addition of black. The case has been designed with holes so that the phone color can be seen through the case.

This casing gives opportunity for cheaper production, making it less expensive for the public. When you sign up for a two-year contract, you get this phone with 16 gigabytes for $99.

If you have an iPhone 4 or newer that is working just fine, I wouldn’t consider this phone much of an upgrade. Save up a little more money and upgrade to the other phone Apple is releasing.

While Apple is typically very good at keeping their developments under tight wraps, rumors were flying about what was coming. Many of the rumors I heard were correct.

The iPhone 5S brought a feature that was totally unexpected: an A7 chip with 64-bit architecture. More bits equal more data processed at the same time, which essentially makes the system run faster.

Who doesn’t like faster processing?

Typing in passwords is a pain. It’s much easier to not have a password, so you have quicker access. At the same time, many of us keep private information on our phones so we really need protection.

Apple realized this so they gave us a password that we always carry with us: our fingerprint. Touch ID is built right into the home button that you already use regularly.

The sensor has 360-degree readability, which means that it can read your finger from any angle. Your print is only stored in the phone, never on iCloud or on Apple servers so your identity remains private.

Not only will the scanner unlock your phone, but it will also be your password for iTunes purchases, App store downloads, and iBooks.

The camera for the iPhone 5S has some awesome new features. It has larger pixels, 1.5 microns, to give pictures better quality. The f/2.2 aperture creates more depth of field. The true tone flash has two flashes so that your photos will get the best color.

Signing a two-year contract will get you this phone for $199 with 16 gigabytes. There are three colors: silver, gold and space gray. There are also leather cases dyed black, pink, orange, blue, yellow and red.

Not all of us are going to be getting new phones though, so what do we get?

If you haven’t already heard, iOS 7 is available! Just make sure that you have a compatible device, then back it up and do a software update.

Like many of you, I anxiously waited until 11 a.m. on Wednesday and upgraded right away. Instantly, I knew I was going to love it. The design is colorful and chic.

“Downloading iOS 7 is like getting an all new device…that you already know how to use,” said Craig Federighi, senior VP of software engineering at Apple. I couldn’t agree more.

There are a lot of features, but I will highlight a few of my favorites.

Chase Troutner, a senior studying history, gave me an inside look with the golden master edition of beta before the official update was released. He loved many of the features, but the new look to the camera was one of his top favorites.

The camera app has been condensed to make it easier to access everything. While filming a video, photos can be taken and you can zoom. It gives you filter options before you take the picture.

The control center gives you the most used settings just by swiping up on the screen.

Multi-tasking, or switching between apps, shows you the current screen when flipping through what you have running.

If you like Spotify or Pandora, you will like the iTunes radio that is now available. Discover music based on what you already like by choosing a featured station or creating your own.

Troutner wasn’t sure but speculated the update has been draining his battery quicker.

iOS 7 leans heavily on the cosmetic side of an upgrade. The bright colors and fonts “evoke a futuristic sense of things” as Troutner put it.

I’m excited to continue to discover new things with my upgrade, but so far I would highly recommend it.