Apple goes plastic and colorful with new iPhone line

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks about the new iPhone products during the announcement.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks about the new iPhone products during the announcement.

Apple broke tradition and rolled out two new colorful iPhones models, the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, at its Cupertino event on Tuesday.

As expected the iPhone 5C, which features a plastic casing and starts at a subsidized price of $99, is cheaper than the iPhone 5S, which starts at $199. The iPhone 5C comes in multiple bright colors including green, pink, yellow and blue, while the iPhone 5S comes in gray, silver and gold.

But the most significant news to come out of the event is a new security feature on the iPhone 5S called Touch ID, which is an app that allows users to use their fingerprint to access information in their phone.

The new function is essentially a fingerprint identity sensor in the home button on the phone that enables users to unlock their device. However, it can also be used as a substitute for passwords when making purchases, including in Apple's iTunes Store.

"Your fingerprint is one of the best passwords in the world. It's always with you," said Dan Riccio, Apple's senior vice president of hardware, at the event.

(Read more: Why 'device exhaustion' spells trouble for Apple )

The company also announced that it will be rolling out its latest operating system, iOS 7, on September 18.

Apple's iPhone 5C will be available for pre-order on Friday and the iPhone 5S will be available for pre-order September 20, which is also when both devices will become available at Apple's retail stores. Apple will also be offering the iPhone 4S 8GB model will also be available for free with a carrier contract.

For all the details—and the reactions—read on below: