iPhone 5c

Apple discontinues the iPhone 5, 4s remains as free option

It looks like Ming-Chi Kuo was right. The KGI Securities analyst predicted, as did a few others, that Apple would be discontinuing the iPhone 5 alongside the launch of the iPhone 5s and 5c today. And they did.

It seems that the iPhone 5c, which starts at $99 on contract, has completely replaced the 5, and Apple will cease selling it after this month. Oddly enough, however the company is keeping the iPhone 4s around...

Apple to start taking iPhone 5c pre-orders this Friday, available September 20

Apple's more affordable iPhone 5c is official now. Having already provided a quick laundry list of iPhone 5c features, we're now left with the two crucial questions: when exactly is the iPhone 5c scheduled to go on sale and how much will it set you back? Don't worry, iDB has you covered. The full launch details, pre-orders, pricing and availability information is right after the break...

Watch this now: how the iPhone 5c is made

Apple's website is bursting with new goodies. We've already posted YouTube versions of promotional videos in which Jonathan Ive, SVP of Design, and Dan Riccio, SVP of Hardware Engineering, educate us on the Touch ID fingerprint scanning and explain the advances behind the iPhone 5s's rear iSight camera.

With the all-new iPhone 5c featuring a polycarbonate plastic shell, the company's now gone to great lengths discussing the manufacturing process. The following promo clip depicts how Apple collaborated with its complex supply chain in Asia in order to produce the seamless hard-coated polycarbonate plastic shell for the iPhone 5c...

Say hello to the iPhone 5c

Apple's executives are on-stage at the company's Town Hall campus in the company's Cupertino, California headquarters. Head honcho Tim Cook kicked off the long-expected keynote at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern with his usual barrage of Apple biz stats (they don't call him a numbers guy for nothing).

And now, the company has officially taken the wraps off a product critics said would never see the light of  day: a more affordable iPhone. They are calling it the iPhone 5c and it's basically the existing 2012 iPhone 5 hardware redesigned around a polycarbonate plastic enclosure with a black front face and your choice  of one of the five brightly colored backplates: red, blue, yellow, green and white.

We have the full breakdown for you guys right after the jump...

Apple introduces new $29 docks for the iPhone 5s and 5c

While there weren't too many surprises during today's iPhone event, we did get a couple of small ones afterwards. Apple quietly introduced a handful of new accessories for its just-revealed iPhone 5c and 5s handsets.

These accessories include a new 2 meter (or 6.5ft) Lightning to USB Cable, which is twice as long as the previous version, as well as—surprisingly—two new Lightning charging docks for its two new smartphones... 

Apple announces new iPhone partnership with Japan’s DoCoMo

Although it wasn't mentioned at the iPhone event, Apple announced today that it has partnered up with Japan's NTT DoCoMo to offer the iPhone this fall. The company just issued a press release confirming the deal with the carrier.

DoCoMo was the last major provider in the country to not offer Apple's popular handset, after years of failed negotiations. But it appears someone gave in, because the carrier will be selling both new iPhones on September 20th...

Both the iPhone 5s and 5c support China Mobile’s TD-LTE band

Surprisingly, Apple didn't make any mention of a China Mobile deal at its event today. The Cupertino company had reportedly inked a deal with world's largest carrier earlier this month to carry its popular handset.

But that doesn't mean it can't still happen. In fact, some new evidence surfaced today that suggests a partnership is still in the cards. It's been discovered that both new iPhones support China Mobile's TD-LTE tech...

Apple nows offers a single iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c version for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile

As we continue to uncover interesting tidbits following Apple's introduction of the flagship iPhone 5s and the plastic iPhone 5c this morning, a little-appreciated fact has now come to light. Both new iPhones are offered in four different hardware varieties each versus three different cellular versions of the iPhone 5.

The consolidated 5s/5c models offer more LTE bands than before, but the coolest thing is that in the United States a single version now supports AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Additionally, a different version of the handsets will provide compatibility with Sprint and Japan's KDDI and Softbank carriers.

Previously, there used to be two different US flavors of the iPhone 5, one for the AT&T and T-Mobile and the other for Verizon and Sprint networks...

Intertubes respond to Apple’s imminent keynote with parody videos

As we count the remaining minutes until Apple's iPhone 5S/5C keynote (85 minutes left and counting), the blogosphere has spent the last 48 hours putting together some downright amusing parody videos (not mentioning a few in really bad taste).

While hardly meant to downplay Apple's inevitable domination in headlines today, we're not complaining - such parodies have long become part of the Apple keynote folklore. Now, some watchers may be expecting a revolution.

Realistically -  this morning is about two phones, both based on the existing iPhone 5 design: a mid-range model redesigned around a much cheaper and sturdier plastic enclosure and an S-upgrade with a faster chip, better camera and Touch ID sensor.

Check out the videos after the break and hit us in comments...

iDB is ready for Apple’s iPhone event tomorrow, are you?

In case you haven’t picked up on it yet, tomorrow is a huge day for Apple. The company is expected to unveil not one, but two new smartphones: an iPhone 5S, which will replace the current flagship iPhone 5 handset, and an all-new low-cost 'iPhone 5C' model.

We're assuming there won’t be a live stream of tomorrow’s presser (although you never know), and a clip of the event won’t likely be available until hours after it’s over. But never fear, iDB will be here all day providing you with coverage and commentary…

Apple dresses up Cupertino campus ahead of tomorrow’s iPhone keynote

Ahead of tomorrow's iPhone keynote, which starts at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern, colorful banners have now gone up the facade of Apple's Town Hall auditorium building in Cupertino, California. Watchful folks could point out that Apple typically holds its high-profile product unveilings at major venues like San Francisco's Moscone West or Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

This time around, they've opted for a more intimate (and more controllable) setting at its own campus. The last time Town Hall was used was for the iPhone 4S introduction in October 2011. As yo can see yourself, the media event livery pictures the same colorful dots we first saw on Apple's event invitation.

I've included more shots right after the break...