Apple announced not just one but two new iPhones today that will be available for preorders on Sept. 13th and for sale on Sept. 20th. This is a big change for Apple as it marks their first entry into a budget category of smartphones which they previously left to their past generations of iPhone models. Now that all the details have been released, should you consider upgrading to or getting one of these two new models? Here is my take on the two different phones…

iPhone 5C

Apple’s new budget iPhone 5C is essentially the guts of the iPhone 5 removed from its metal casing and replaced with a colorful plastic body. It has all the same features in terms of processor, display and cameras. The only real difference is that it supposedly has improved battery life. This could be because of a change in the capacity of the battery but is more likely the result of the new iOS 7 and how it handles power states.

In terms of the plastic body, it is available in five different colors. The plain white is your standard model while there are also yellow, light blue, a neon like green and pink. Personally, I don’t like the colors and would opt for the white and wished they offered another neutral color like silver or black. While the body is plastic, there is an internal steel cage so that it will still feel solid. It is slightly thicker and heavier than the iPhone 5 and 5S models.

Pricing for the new iPhone 5C is what is really going to drive the sales. It starts at just $99 for the 16GB model with a two year contract. Since the iPhone 5 was very capable, this is a nice price reduction. With the original iPhone 5 being phased out, this will probably attract many buyers but frankly it isn’t anything new over what was available last year. If you can find an iPhone 5, that would at least be more attractive. My big issue is with the unlocked phone pricing. $549 for the T-Mobile equipped unlocked version is too much for what is offered.

Another kind of ridiculous aspect to the iPhone 5C is the plastic case that is priced at $29. Why does one need a plastic case to protect a phone that is already made of plastic? I can see if you wanted to hide the colors with something a bit more attractive but this is still way too much for something that isn’t going to offer that much more protection or style.

iPhone 5S

On the exterior, the iPhone 5S looks very much like the previous iPhone 5 but with a new gold color case option. There are two distinct changes to the exterior with the new Home button and a oblong LED flash for the camera. The differences are on the inside of the phone which are pretty major.

The big news is the new A7 processor. It is the same size as the previous A6 processor but features 64-bit processing. This is a major step in the world of smartphones. Apple claims that the new processor will double the performance of the phone and also double the graphics performance as well. 64-bit processor do have advantages when it comes to memory management and processing but this is typically most felt by native 64-bit applications. Most of the applications right now are 32-bit and probably won’t a huge performance boost. Now the downside here is that 64-bit applications tend to be larger than 32-bit versions. The result is that the applications will take up more space and in turn meaning either fewer items on the phone or needing one with larger storage.

Mobile gamers will also be interested in the graphics upgrades that are featured on the A7 processor. While not many details were given, the iPhone 5S and its A7 processor now support graphics. This is a step up over the previous models as it allows for more detailed effects to be used within the games. Epic will be releasing Infinity Blade 3 at the time of the product launch to take advantage of the new capabilities. I expect that many games will be released to eventually take advantage of the improvements as well as new controller accessories as well.

The new Home button also is a major change as it has an integrated fingerprint scanner referred to as TouchID. This is another unique feature that is not found on other smartphones. It allows for a quick and easy way to secure the phone. The old system was four digit passcode system which is not that secure especially if you tend to forget the pin and end up writing it down somewhere. A person’s fingerprint is unique and it is essentially effortless to setup and use. Apple claims that this can also be used to authorize purchases with iTunes. The only real questions are how well this feature will work in practice and how many users will be supported by a single iPhone.

The cameras for the iPhone 5S has also received a number of upgrades. While it holds the same number of megapixels on the rear, it is a larger sensor that means that it can absorb more light for better low light and color representation. On the front side, the camera has been increased in resolution from 1.2 to 1.9 megapixels which should allow for a more detailed picture. In addition to the sensors, the A7 processor and iOS 7 software allow for an increased range of features including digital image stabilization, continuous shooting of 10 frames per second, slow motion video support (120fps) and a two stage flash for improved flash photography. There are other more minor features but those are primarily from iOS 7 that should be supported by upgraded devices.

Finally, there is a new coprocessor that is in the iPhone 5C. The M7 chip apparently provides more accurate motion processing to to along with the various accelerometers, gyroscope and compass units. This combined with a new API for developers should allow for more detailed physical activity meter applications, better mapping and GPS support. Not much has been released beyond these statements though.

Pricing for the iPhone 5S is pretty much similar to what the previous iPhone 5 was. It starts at $199 for the 16GB model with a 2-year contract. The unlocked version of the phone starts at $649 and comes with a preinstalled T-Mobile nano-SIM card.

Should You Get One?

There are really three distinct categories that I would fit people into when asking this question: people without a smartphone, those with a smartphone over two years old (iPhone 4 and earlier), and those with a fairly recent smartphone (iPhone 4S/5).

For those without an existing smartphone, the iPhone 5C is an attractive option to getting one if you have a tight budget. The iPhone 5 was a very capable smartphone with one of the best cameras on the market. The iPhone 5C essentially does not change any of the performance or features, just the look. I still think if you can find an iPhone 5 for roughly the same price, get it over the 5C as I’m not a big fan of the plastic body. The iPhone 5S is a fairly significant upgrade that is worth the extra $100 if you can afford it.

If you happen to have an iPhone 4 or earlier, the inability to upgrade to iOS 7 and its features is a big disappointment but that is part of the hardware limitations. For these people, I would definitely recommending upgrading to the iPhone 5S. The price difference between the two makes the future proofing of the 5S much more important than simply getting a new phone. If price is a problem, the 5C is certainly an option.

The iPhone 4S and 5 were both very solid smartphone options. Since these both can be upgraded to the iOS 7 software, I would definitely advise holding off on any upgrades. After all, the 5C is essentially the same as the 5 but with a cheaper body. The 4S does lack some of the features and capabilities of the 5 but they probably aren’t enough to merit the cost of buying the new phone. The 5C is certainly not worth the cost of the upgrade because it is no different than if you upgraded to the 5 last year.

If you do decide that you want to get an iPhone 5C or 5S, I highly recommend that you don’t line up at one of the retail stores for a shot. Either (only for the iPhone 5C currently) or just wait until retail availability doesn’t require lining up in advance and waiting for a chance to be one of the first to have one.