Here we have it, not one, but two, new iPhones ready for your delectation.
With the world watching in anticipation, and many harbouring hopes of a lot-cost iPhone priced within reach of the mainstream, Apple's Tim Cook surprised us all by launching an expensive model (the iPhone 5C, £469) and a very expensive model (the iPhone 5S, £549).
We shouldn't be surprised. The iPhone has and will continue to define the premium smartphone sector, and Apple's answer for smaller budgets remains unchanged: if you're looking for something cheaper, there's always an older model.
Yet, without Steve Jobs' presence on stage, Apple's high-profile unveiling struggled to capture the imagination, leading to a five per cent drop in the company's shares. Analysts have accused Apple of ignoring the mid-tier smartphone segment, with some claiming that the firm risks being relegated to a high-end niche player.
Then again, there's usually a fair amount of pessimism surrounding an iPhone or indeed iPad launch, and that typically has little impact on sales. Apple sold four millions iPhone 4S devices in the first three days following launch in 2011, and a year later, the iPhone 5 went one better with five million sales over the same period.
And if the price isn't too big a hurdle, Apple's devices are ultimately now better than ever, with the new flagship 5S model boasting a faster A7 processor with 64-bit architecture, a better camera, a fingerprint sensor, and the long-awaited iOS 7 operating system.
Apple calls it the Gold Standard, analysts aren't so sure, and rival manufacturers have been quick to voice their opinion. With pre-orders now open, it's time for you, the consumers, to have your say. Will you be buying an iPhone 5C or 5S? Whether you'll be first in line or you're eyeing up a competing device, let us know in the comments below.
