iPhone 5S Preview – Everything You Need to Know

Apple is still the king when it comes to product launches. While others like Samsung and HTC have in the last 12 months tried to outdo Apple in terms of product launches, the iPhone maker is still number one in terms of drumming up excitement and interest around its product launches.

And so it is this week as we prepare for Apple to "brighten everyone's day" in an event scheduled to be held in the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California at 6pm GMT on Tuesday, 10 September.

While Apple as usual has given little-to-nothing away about what it will announce at the event, it is widely expected to launch two new models of its best-selling iPhones.

While the brightly-coloured dots on the media invite undoubtedly relate to the iPhone 5C and it's multi-coloured covers, Apple is also expected to launch a new flagship model called the iPhone 5S.

We've rounded-up all the details from reports and rumours over the past few weeks to let you know what to expect from Apple's new iPhone.

iPhone 5S: Hardware

Just like the iPhone 4S was an incremental improvement on the iPhone 4, so the iPhone 5S is likely to see Apple make mostly minor changes to its flagship smartphone - but that's not to say those changes won't be interesting.

All the leaked images of the iPhone 5S seen ahead of launch suggest the look of the new phone will be practically identical to the iPhone 5, with the screen size and dimensions remaining the same.

The leaked images do however suggest the iPhone 5S will have an improved camera featuring dual flashes to help improve low light performance - an area Apple has lost ground on to Nokia, HTC and Samsung in the past 12 months.

The most talked about new hardware feature on the iPhone 5S is the possibility of a fingerprint scanner incorporated into the home button. These rumours began last year before the launch of the iPhone 5, following the acquisition by Aplpe of fingerprint-recognition chipmaker AuthenTec. While rumours of this feature persist, we will have to wait to see if Tim Cook unlocks the new phone on stage by simply pressing his thumb on the home button or continues to use the traditional swipe across the screen.

The phone is also likely to get a bump in terms of processor power with an all-new A7 chip in the works which is said to be paired with 2GB of RAM, more powerful graphics and faster 4G LTE connectivity.

iPhone 5S: Software

The iPhone 5S will be the flagship model for the seventh major update to Apple's mobile software - iOS 7. Launched back in June at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), iOS 7 is the most radical overhaul in the look of iOS since it launched back in 2007.

The reason behind the major change in looks is Sir Jony Ive, who took charge of the software development when Scott Forstall was fired last year. Ive has brought the minimalist style of the Apple hardware he designs to iOS, removing the skeuomorphic touches which made the software look dated.

Although flat in terms of colour and texture, iOS 7 is a user interface of many layers. At the back you have the wallpaper, then the home screen icons, followed by the Notification Center and Control Center, before finally pop-up notifications and alerts sitting at the top.

Using the iPhone's accelerometer, Apple has created the illusion of icons sitting above the wallpapers, and tilting the phone lets you peek around them.

Read our full preview of iOS 7 here

IPhone 5S: Release Date

We know Apple will announce the phone tomorrow, 10 September which in keeping with most recent iPhone events is taking place on a Tuesday. Therefore if Apple to stick to past release schedules, it is safe to assume it will likely open pre-orders for the new phones on Friday, 13 September before the new phone goes on sale around the world on 20 September.

Last year Apple launched the iPhone 5 in nine countries initially with 22 more joining a week later. This time around we could see more countries getting the iPhone on opening day, with China tipped to be among those new countries after Apple announced a China specific media event for the first time ever.

Price

While there has been much debate about the price of the so-called 'budget' iPhone 5C, there has been a lot less debate about the iPhone 5S' price. The reason? It is likely to be exactly the same as the iPhone 5 at launch.

That means that the iPhone 5S will cost £529, £599 and £699 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models respectively.

The only thing which is likely to change with the iPhone 5S is the possibility that Apple will offer a new model with 128GB of storage, which could cost as much as £800.

Read more:

• iPhone 5C Preview - Everything you need to know

• How much will the budget iPhone 5C cost?