Like countless others on Friday morning, I braved long lines and lack of sleep to be among the first wave of buyers to get the latest iPhone from Apple. Specifically, I wanted an iPhone 5S, the new flagship model that starts at $199 (for a 16GB model with two-year contract).
I'd hoped for the white-and-silver model, but, like the new gold version, those were in short supply. So I wound up with a 64GB "space gray" iPhone 5S. Although it's virtually identical on the outside to the old iPhone 5 -- other than the lighter gray aluminum back and sides -- this phone represents a major update to the hardware. From the new A7 64-bit chip to the M7 coprocessor to updated camera and Touch ID, there's a lot to like in the 5S. No wonder it quickly sold out on Friday (and it's no surprise Apple sold a record 9 million iPhones over the launch weekend).
I've always loved the minimalist appearance of the iPhone, especially the aluminum-and-glass design of the iPhones 4 and 5: a single button adorning the front, a minimal set of hardware buttons, and the sleek glass face framed by black (or white) trim housed in an aluminum frame with chamfered edges. I thought this was a slick design when it was first unveiled, and it remains so.
The space gray model in hand is the same size and weight as the iPhone 5, but with a lighter aluminum frame and back plate. The other noticeable difference is the sapphire crystal home button, which reflects light differently than the glass that surrounds it and lacks the 'squ-ircle' graphic found on earlier iPhones. This is the new Touch ID sensor, the fingerprint reader that, according to Apple, "defines the next step of how you use your iPhone, making something as important as security so effortless, so simple."
They're not wrong.
Touch ID is really handy
When rumors arose that the new iPhone might have a fingerprint sensor built in, I shrugged them off; I generally ignore Apple rumors because most of them are nonsense, but this one gained traction as the announcement date neared. Even then, I thought ... meh. Fingerprint sensors didn't excite me because I had yet to see one that worked quickly, and without hassle or error. I couldn't see how an iPhone could incorporate a fingerprint sensor with the technology used on other products.
Thankfully, Apple went in another direction, installing the Touch ID sensor in the home button, making it more or less invisible. That means you don't have to do anything different to use the new security feature besides holding your finger on the home button a quarter of a second longer than before.
Setting up Touch ID is simple and takes about a minute. The software walks you through the process of enabling the system to recognize your fingerprint: Simply tap the home button with your fingertip, and the iPhone vibrates after a moment of reading your print, then an onscreen fingerprint graphic fills itself in, indicating that it's OK to release and press your finger against the home button again. After a few seconds of doing this this, you're all set up.
This new feature has already made me change my habits -- and it has made my iPhone more secure. I had always set my iPhone's passcode so it wouldn't engage unless the phone had been inactive for 15 minutes (which would allow a thief plenty of time to get at my contacts and other data if I ever misplaced it). But the ease of Touch ID means I can set the passcode to immediately activate when the phone is locked.
It's so simple to unlock the phone using Touch ID that I decided to step up security even further: I changed the passcode from a four-digit number to a more secure 22-character phrase. Since the password doesn't need to be entered every time you want to use your iPhone, you can make it as long and secure as you want.
The same goes for access to iCloud: I was able to change that password to a phrase more than 20 characters long, since I no longer have to type it in whenever I make a purchase. Nor do I have to type it in for other functions like email.
Though initially unconvinced that Touch ID represented a major technology advance, I've already decided this will be a game-changer. In concert with new Activation Lock features in iOS 7 -- GPS tracking can't be deactivated and access to the iPhone is blocked without entering your iCloud username and password, even after a device wipe! -- it's hard to see this as anything but a major win for security. Considering all of the data stored on a smartphone these days, it's hard to argue about Apple's decision to implement a new security feature that will be embraced by everyday users and enterprise IT departments alike.