Cheap and chic - hands on Apple’s new iPhones, the 5S and 5C

                   

Apple has revealed two new iPhones it hopes will take on the increasing threat of Samsung — and lay the groundwork for a wearable computer.

The iPhone 5S, a high end model, features a fingerprint sensor to unlock the phone, while the plastic-bodied 5C is a lower-cost version available in five colours.

Experts expect the gadgets to be huge sellers, and in New York fans have already begun queuing, with London Apple fans expected to arrive within days in the hope of being among the first to own the new handsets.

Although many expected the lower- cost handset to be less than it is, it is still likely to be a runaway hit.

“Most people are looking at the price of the 5C and saying ‘that’s not cheap’ — but there is no compromise there,” says Carolina Milanesi, an analyst with Gartner. “The 5S’s low-power activity tracking chip shows Apple is interested in creating a wearable computer.”

Tony Cripps at Ovum says the new devices will help Apple take on Samsung and other Android handsets.