iPhone 5S Release Date: Likely September, But Don't Get Too Excited

Tech junkies love to speculate. Every time another keynote speech by Apple, Samsung, Google, or any other tech giant approaches, the internet buzzes with discussion about the rumored next best thing. And most of the time, they are right. On September 10, Apple is expected to announce a new line of products that compliment its major release of iOS7. The typical fall release is intended to fuel holiday sales and introduce new hardware enhancements, but it won't surprise you at all. 

Having been on the market for less than a year, the iPhone 5 is likely to see two updates to its systems. Speculation suggests that a new phone, dubbed the iPhone 5S, will include the predictable processor and camera updates. The phone might also be made available in different colors, besides the typical black and white. According to a KGI analyst, the new iPhone 5S will continue to shoot 8-megapixel photos but will include additional upgrades to the camera. Since Apple bought AuthenTec, a mobile and network security provider, it has been suggested that the new iPhone 5S will have a fingerprint sensor. Such an addition could be the first step toward creating more secured mobile transactions. Perhaps the greatest change the iPhone would be the release of the iPhone 5C, a lower-cost phone that specifically targets the middle market that Apple hasn't properly addressed. 

Recently, reports showed a decrease in Apple's global smartphone market share from 16.6% to 13.2% in the second quarter. Android devices increased to 79.3% from 69.1%, while former powerhouse Blackberry accounted for only 2.9% of the global market share. The iPhone 5C is intended to be a low-cost version of the iPhone 5, replacing the typical metal case of the phone with a cheaper, plastic cover. It will be interesting to see if this product is attractive to the consumer compared to the older devices Apple already offers at a lower price.

It has also been reported that Apple intends to release the iPad 5 and the iPad mini 2. The biggest change to the iPad could be a move to more closely resemble the design of the iPad mini. Switching the glass layer to a film touch layer, like was done for the iPad mini, enables Apple to greatly reduce the weight and bulk of the iPad.

The size would remain the same, but its appearance would be much more sleek.

The September releases do not present radical hardware designs, but they will give the consumer an additional range of options to choose from. An additional benefit is that the new hardware will drive down the price of the older products. Undoubtedly, Apple's biggest release this fall remains iOS7, so don't expect to be blow away by the announcements on the 10.