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The Details On Apple's New Phone ... And Phablet?

Apple ended the speculation Tuesday when it announced two new iPhone models. The new models are larger and include near-field communication.
Posted at 12:29 PM, Sep 09, 2014

As expected, Apple announced not one, but two iPhones at Tuesday's event. And it looks like the company heard your cries — both iPhones feature screens larger than the iPhone 5s.

The smaller of the two is the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, which is a size we're used to seeing on Android devices. This version will replace the iPhone 5s, filling the more standard phone slot.

 

The larger device, iPhone 6 Plus, however, falls under the "phablet" category, stretching 5.5 inches diagonally.

So Apple's pulled its iPhone wider, but that's also made both devices thinner than the iPhone 5s. The new 4.7- and 5.5-inch phones are only 6.9 and 7.1 millimeters thick respectively — compared to the 7.6 millimeters we're now used to.

The trimmed-down look has a few added benefits, like room for a bigger battery. That's right: Even with a larger screen, the iPhone 6 will reportedly last for 12 hours of Web browsing and 24 hours of talk without a charge.

The number of pixels has also increased, sharpening the picture. The 4.7-inch model will pack 38 percent more pixels than the iPhone 5s, and the 5.5-inch will more than double the current phone's pixel count with 185 percent more pixels.

There was no mention of a sapphire screen, as some had rumored, though.

Although the phones don't have curved displays, like some rumors suggested, the curved edges are reminiscent of the latest iPods.

And those are just the hardware upgrades. Apple's new mobile operating system, iOS 8, will come standard on all new devices.

The new devices will also pack an NFC chip, which will enable the new "Apple Pay" technology, potentially turning your iPhone into your new credit card.

The iPhone 6 will start at $199, and the iPhone 6 Plus will start at $299. Like previous years, they will be available in three sizes, starting at 16 gigabytes. However, the largest size was increased from 64 to 128 gigabytes.

Both models will be available for preorder this Friday, and they'll hit stores Friday, Sept. 19. For more on the devices' software upgrades, stick with Newsy.